Independent League Baseball

Independent Baseball Leagues are professional baseball organizations that are not affiliated with either the Major Leagues or the Minor Leagues. Because these teams are independent, they are able to play in stadiums close to Major League Stadiums without having to get consent. The independent leagues used to be called outlaw leagues because they were not affiliated with minor league baseball.

There are many different independent leagues and teams. The biggest difference between affiliated and independent baseball is that independent baseball players can not go directly to the Major Leagues. They first have to sign a contract with an affiliated team. It is usually the case that scouts find the best players in independent baseball and sign them to affiliated baseball. Although some independent leagues are comparable to the minor leagues, there is no replacement for Major League Baseball. That's why most baseball players want to play affiliated baseball rather than independent. On the other hand, independent baseball offers baseball players the opportunity to continue to play while in search of a Major League Contract. There are pros and cons to both affiliated and independent leagues.