Steve Sica- Opinion: MiLB should bring back All-Star Games

The Eastern League's last All-Star game logo from 2019

Once upon a time, there were about twice as many MiLB teams as there are today. Once, there were leagues called the Appalachian and Pioneer Leagues. Small towns in the upper Rockies would have affiliated MiLB teams like in Billings, Montana, and Casper, Wyoming. In the Appy League, the Mets had the Kingsport Mets, which, at the time of its dissolution at the end of 2019, was one of the longest-standing affiliates in Mets history. 

Alas, in the post-COVID world, Rob Manfred and MLB dissolved several MiLB leagues, and, unfortunately for many small towns across America, they would lose their MiLB teams. Other non-affiliated leagues like the MLB Draft League have taken some of their places, but there's nothing like having an MiLB team in your backyard. Watching future stars take the field before they do it for the big city on big league teams.

As someone who grew up just north of Trenton, NJ, I'm still shocked that Trenton lost their MiLB team, which now resides about an hour north in Bridgewater as the Somerset Patriots. Trenton had some of the best attendance records in MiLB in the 2000's and 2010's, and my summer tradition was going to games there and watching the Binghamton Mets (as they were known at that time) come to town.

The MiLB landscape has changed a lot in the 2020's, but in addition to losing so many leagues and teams, all MiLB leagues have done away with a unique part of their seasons. Their own All-Star games. Each level from Triple-A to Single-A would have an All-Star game that would coincide with MLB's Mid-summer Classic. ESPN would actually air the Triple-A All-Star game on the Thursday after MLB's game, which aired on Tuesday. On a day that's largely known as the slowest day in sports for the year, it was a fun treat to be able to watch some of your team's future stars on TV. Keep in mind, this was before MiLB had streaming services, so this was pretty much your only shot to watch top prospects in action, other than a few highlights.

MLB has done a lot for MiLB this decade, and perhaps adding more hype around the MLB Draft and the Futures game is their replacement for MiLB All-Star games, but it's not the same, and there was just something about MiLB having their own ASGs that made it feel more fun, different, and just a little bit crazy that we've come to know Minor League Baseball as.

The Futures game is great to watch, but it feels so corporate and too polished. Not that that's a bad thing, but it's certainly missing the "fun" element of baseball. MiLB all-star games would have the best players in each league, so you would see a lot more of your team's prospects. The Futures game allows just two prospects from each team, and it's typically at higher levels, so if your best prospects are in High-A or lower, good luck. They even had their own home run derbies! Each year, it would be in a different stadium; it was like a mini MLB all-star game in every way. Triple-A and Double-A would even allow fan voting. 

As someone who's a fan of both MLB and MiLB ball equally, I miss when there were more leagues and levels, and perhaps in nostalgia talking, but I miss having All-Star games for these leagues. I still find myself looking at the Binghamton schedule, and in July, I look for the All-Star break midway through the month and have to catch myself. 

MLB did MiLB a great disservice by taking away these ASGs. I truly think that if they brought them back, in the age of social media and endless streaming, these games would be more popular than ever. With interest in prospects at the highest it's ever been in baseball, maybe Manfred and his crew should discuss this as we embark on 2027 and a looming work stoppage. It would be great for the sport, grow the game, and give those small towns in America something really unique and fun to host every summer. 

America is 250 years old this July. Baseball is our National Pastime. Bring back what was one of the best features at every MiLB league. Give MiLB and small towns across America their All-Star games back.