Major League Baseball has informed minor-league teams that the 2021 Double-A and Class A seasons will have their starts delayed, according to J.J. Cooper of Baseball America. MLB has decided that players at the Double-A and Class A levels will not report to spring training until after both MLB and Triple-A players have departed from camp.
The delay allows for accurate enforcement of social distancing among other coronavirus (COVID-19) safety measures, Cooper adds. This would result in several minor-league players waiting until late March or early April to report to spring training. As of now, the 2021 MLB spring training is expected to begin on time.