Minor League Baseball denies report that season is canceled

Minor League Baseball (MiLB) denied a report Wednesday that the 2020 season will be canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The statement added, "No decision has been made as to when it will be safe to begin the 2020 season."

The response was a follow-up to a series of tweets and a story by Joe E. Doyle of LookoutLanding.com, a blog about the Seattle Mariners hosted by SB Nation.

Doyle first tweeted, "BREAKING: Multiple agents receiving messaging today that there will NOT be a minor league season, rather, an MLB expanded roster and a developmental league playing out of (spring training) facilities."

After other journalists disputed the report, Doyle tweeted, "I stand by my sources and this story completely. I was contacted independently by an agency representing four minor leaguers at advanced levels. I did not go seeking this information, it was brought to my desk. I cross-checked this with another agency representing two players."

He added that his sources said they received informal messages about the season being canceled, not that they got any official notification.

Baseball America executive editor JJ Cooper and national writer Kyle Glaser, The Athletic baseball prospect writer Emily C. Waldon, and ESPN baseball writer Jeff Passan all refuted Doyle's report.

Major League Baseball closed down spring training on March 12 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and postponed Opening Day, which had been scheduled for March 26. There is no timetable for when the season might commence.

The MiLB season had been due to start April 8, but it, too, remains on hold.

--Field Level Media