MLB isn’t the only league in Spring Training

High School baseball has been sanctioned by the MHSA since 2023, but this year feels like the true beginning. With schools across the state introducing their teams for their inaugural season, this year looks like it’ll be a grand slam for baseball.

AA Joins the Game

While baseball has been sanctioned since 2023, some of the state’s biggest schools have taken a few years to join in. 23 schools pioneered the league in 2023, and 12 more will join them to create a massive 35-team, all-class league for the 2025 season. 8 of those are AA schools, with Belgrade and Butte being involved since 2023 and the Billings and Missoula schools making their debut this year. Central and Laurel will also be joining in the fun, alongside Huntley and the Columbus/Red Lodge Co-op. The AA teams will be moved into their own division next year, but for 2025 we’re set to see some fireworks.

New League, Same Game

While Baseball may have lost the title of “America’s Pastime” to football, it’s still the same game that’s been played for decades across the country. High School baseball will be more consistent with Legion or College than the MLB, however, with the MHSA having to be cognisant of student-athletes, and not just athletic students or professionals. With that comes the safety-first mindset, which shows in the pitching limit rules that decrease in severity as the athletes move through the ranks. With only a 22-game season, High School baseball looks to be the most affordable option for families looking to get involved.

But What About Legion? 

Montana’s Legion Baseball signed an agreement with the MHSA, stating that they would not play any Legion-sanctioned games with the high school-rostered kids until after the High School State Tournament (slated to be May 22-24th in Hamilton). Some cities such as Miles City and Glendive choose to not bring in High School baseball, and it’ll be interesting to see what happens as more and more schools across the state elect to eat into the Legion’s 50+ game season.

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First practices are scheduled to begin Monday, March 10th.