1. An MLB club can automatically renew a minor league player's contract no more than six times, so a club can unilaterally control a minor league player (that is, a player not on an MLB 40-man roster) for no more than seven minor league seasons. A player accrues a minor league season if he spends all or any part of a season on a minor league club's active list and/or disabled list (including all or parts of any season spent on Optional Assignment to the minors, but not including any season where the only time spent in the minor leagues was a minor league injury rehab assignment).
2. A free-agent with prior MLB and/or minor league service who signs a minor league contract must be added to a minor league Reserve List within 15 days, and is not eligible to play in a game until he is added to his minor league team's Reserve List and Active List.
3. A player who has not previously signed an MLB or minor league contract can be "Signed for Future Service" (contract is for the following season) if the player signs a minor league contract after July 1st and is not placed on a minor league club's Active List prior to the conclusion of the Minor League season. (Attendance at a post-season Instructional League and/or participation in Instructional League games do not count). A player who is "Signed for Future Service" does not count against a minor league club's Active List or Reserve List until Opening Day of the following season. A player who is "Signed for Future Service" cannot be released until he receives a 15-day trial in Spring Training
4. A player who was eligible for selection in the First-Year Player Draft (MLB Rule 4 Draft) who signs a minor league contract after being selected in the previous Rule 4 Draft or as a Non-Drafted Free-Agent (NDFA) and who is not "Signed for Future Service" must be added to a minor league club's Active List within 15 days or when he plays in his first game (whichever comes first), but the player does not count against the minor league club's Reserve List until MLB and Minor League reserve lists are filed in November. The player cannot be released until he spends at least 15 days on a minor league active list.
5. A position player making a position change to pitcher or a pitcher making a position change to position player receives a one-year exemption from minor league service time restrictions. NOTE: A position player being converted to a pitcher may not be used as a position player in a minor league game during the exempt year, and a pitcher being converted to a position player may not be used as a pitcher in a minor league game during the exempt year.
6. A player on a minor league injury "rehab" assignment does not count against the minor league club's Reserve List or Active List, or the minor league club's service time restrictions.
For the purpose of determining minor league roster limits & restrictions, a minor league player accrues a year of "service time" for every season where the player spends at least 30 days on an MLB and/or minor league active list or disabled list, unless the player spent the entire season on the DL. Service time accrued by a player while assigned to a club or clubs in the Dominican Summer League (DSL) and/or Venezuelan Summer League (VSL) does not count when determining minor league roster limits and restrictions.
IOWA: 38 players (RESERVE LIST) - 25 players (ACTIVE LIST) - no service time limit
TENNESSEE: 37 players (RESERVE LIST) - 25 players (ACTIVE LIST) - no service time limit
DAYTONA: 35 players (RESERVE LIST) - 25 players (ACTIVE LIST) - maximum two players with six or more years of service time, and maximum one player-coach with six or more years of service time (seasons spent on DSL or VSL rosters do not count).
KANE COUNTY: 35 players (RESERVE LIST) - 25 players (ACTIVE LIST) - maximum two players with five or more years of service time (seasons spent on DSL or VSL rosters do not count).
BOISE: 35 players (RESERVE LIST) - 30 players (ACTIVE LIST) - maximum three players with four or more years of service time (seasons spent on DSL or VSL rosters do not count).
AZL CUBS: 35 players (RESERVE LIST) - no players with three or more years of service time (seasons spent on DSL or VSL rosters do not count).
DSL CUBS: 35 players (RESERVE LIST) - no players with four or more years of service time, and only international players can be assigned to DSL clubs.
VSL CUBS: 35 players (RESERVE LIST) - no players with four or more years of service time, and only international players can be assigned to VSL clubs.
NOTE: Boise is permitted to designate 25 players as "active" for each game (at least ten must be pitchers beginning on July 1st), and the AZL Cubs, DSL Cubs, and VSL Cubs are permitted to designate 30 players "active" for each game (at least ten must be pitchers beginning on July 1st).
A minor league player can become a free-agent three ways:
1. Outright Release
2. Per MLB Rule 55
3. Per Article XX-D of the CBA
OUTRIGHT RELEASE: Unlike for players on an MLB Reserve List (40-man roster), Outright Release Waivers are not required to release a minor league player. A released minor league player receives two weeks termination pay if he is released during Spring Training or during the minor league season, but the player receives no termination pay if he is released during the off-season before the next season's salary addendum has been added to the player's contract. A minor league player who is injured during the course of Spring Training (Minor League Camp) or the minor league regular season receives two weeks termination pay if he is released no later than the 14th day of his club's regular season, but the player receives a full season's salary if he is released after the 14th day of his club's regular season.
MLB RULE 55: Sometimes called a "Six-Year Minor League Free-Agent," a minor league player qualifies for free-agency under MLB Rule 55 if the player has spent all or any part of at least seven separate seasons on a minor league club's Active List and/or Disabled List (including all or parts of any season spent on Optional Assignment to the minors), and/or if the player has been previously released or non-tendered in his career and his present contract (known as a "second contract" even if it's his third or fourth minor league contract) has expired. Note that a player who ordinarily would have been eligible to be a Rule 55 minor league free-agent is NOT eligible if the player is either added to an MLB Reserve List (40-man roster) or agrees to a minor league successor contract with his previous club by 5:00 PM (Eastern) on October 15th or by 5:00 PM (Eastern) on the 5th day following the conclusion of the World Series (whichever is later). The deadline for an MLB club to tender a contract to an unsigned minor league player who had previously agreed to a successor contract is January 15th. If an unsigned minor league player is not tendered a contract by January 15th, the player becomes an unrestricted free-agent.
ARTICLE XX-D: Any MLB player who has accrued at least three years of MLB service time, or who was eligible for Salary Arbitration as a "Super Two" after the previous season, and/or who has been outrighted previously in his career, has the right to be a free-agent if the player is outrighted to the minors. The player can exercise this right upon being outrighted, or (but only in the case of a player who has accrued at least three years of MLB Service Time and/or has been outrighted to the minors previously in his career) he can opt to defer the right until after the conclusion of the MLB regular season (he is given three days to decide if he is outrighted during Spring Training or the MLB regular season, and he has eight days to make up his mind if he is outrighted during the off-season). If a player eligible to be a free-agent under Article XX-D elects to be a free-agent immediately after being outrighted, the player's contract is terminated and the player receives no termination pay. (Because unsigned players do not receive termination pay, players eligible to be minor league free-agents under Article XX-D who are outrighted during the off-season before being tendered a contract for the following season almost always opt for free-agency immediately). But if the outrighted player accepts the Outright Assignment, the player's existing contract remains in force, and the player can elect free-agency beginning on the day after the conclusion of the MLB regular season up through October 15th. (A player who had the option to elect free-agency upon being outrighted only because he had been eligible for Salary Arbitration as a "Super Two" after the previous season does NOT have the right to defer free-agency until after the conclusion of the MLB regular season). However, an outrighted player who deferred the right to be an Article XX-D minor league free-agent until the conclusion of the MLB regular season is NOT eligible to be a free-agent if the player is added back to an MLB Reserve List (40-man roster) prior to the conclusion of the MLB regular season.
A minor league free-agent can sign a contract with any major league or minor league club (including the player's former club) without any restrictions. A club receives no compensation for losing an MLB Rule 55 or Article XX-D minor league free-agent.
LAST UPDATED: 6-14-2013
ARTICLE XX-D CUBS MINOR LEAGUE FREE-AGENTS POST-2013:
Michael Bowden, RHP
Brent Lillibridge, IF-OF
Ian Stewart, 3B
Hisanori Takahashi, LHP
MLB RULE 55 CUBS MINOR LEAGUE FREE-AGENTS POST-2013:
SIX-YEAR MINOR LEAGUE FREE-AGENT:
Jeffry Antigua, LHP
Brian Bogusevic, OF
J. C. Boscan, C
Kyler Burke, LHP
Alex Burnett, RHP
Yeiper Castillo, RHP
Jaye Chapman, RHP
Johermyn Chavez, OF
Dayan Diaz, RHP
Eduardo Figueroa, RHP
Marcus Hatley, RHP
Marcos Mateo, RHP
Edwin Maysonet, INF
Darnell McDonald, OF
Jose Morales, C-IF
Guillermo Moscoso, RHP
Jonathon Mota, INF
Donnie Murphy, INF
Brad Nelson, 1B
Eduardo Sanchez, RHP
Larry Suarez, RHP
Tim Torres, IF-OF
Casey Weathers, RHP
Ty Wright, OF
SECOND-CONTRACT MINOR LEAGUE FREE-AGENT
Michael de la Cruz, RHP (previously released by TEX)
Carlos Figueroa, INF (previously released by CHC)
Humberto Garcia, INF (previously released by CHW)
Nate Maldonado, C (previously released by CHC)
Brohiglyn Rivero, RHP (previously released by TB)
Orbandy Rodriguez, RHP (previously released by AZ)