Double-A Baseball

Double-A follows standard Major League Baseball rules with modifications designed for player development and pace of play. The season runs from early April through mid-September, with teams playing 138 games in a balanced schedule within their respective leagues. Rosters are set at 28 players. A pitch clock is enforced at 15 seconds with bases empty and 20 seconds with runners on. The designated hitter is used universally. Each of the three leagues (Eastern, Southern, and Texas) conducts its own playoff tournament, typically featuring best-of-three division series and a best-of-three championship series. Players at Double-A are typically on their organization's development roster and are not yet on the 40-man roster, making Double-A the highest level where most players are pure prospects rather than major league roster assets.