LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A major announcement from the MLB is changing the way baseball is being played in the minor leagues for the 2021 season.

On March 11, the MLB announced experimental playing rules at various levels in the minor leagues. One of those being the change to the size of bases for Triple-A teams like the Louisville Bats for the 2021 season.

It's a change that surprised Zach Severns, director of grounds for Louisville Slugger Field.

“It was kind of a big shock seeing it when they were out there the first time, they look like pizza boxes and it looks like we're delivering pizzas everyday,” Severns said.

The standard first, second and third 15 inch square base will now be increased three inches to 18 inches square.

According to a press release on the experimental playing rules, “the Competition Committee also expects the shorter distances bases created by increased size to have a modest impact on the success rate of stolen base attempts and the frequency with which a batter-runner reaches base on ground balls and bunt attempts.”

Pat Kelly, manager for the Louisville Bats, believes the change has helped his team.

“The first baseman’s have a lot more room to work with, they seem to be maneuvering around the bag a lot better on bad throws so that seems to be the biggest thing that I've seen,” Kelly said.

The bigger bases also serve another purpose – impacting the success rate of stolen base attempts.

“I’ve noticed a couple bags have been stolen because of them. I think base runners are a lot more daring now than they were because you have to think they’re getting at least a three inch lead and three inches might as well be a mile,” Severns said.

Other rules being tested are limited pick-off’s and step off’s, on-field timers, and defensive positioning. 

“I’m just thankful we don't have those rules at our level because I think it would become a track meet if pitchers weren’t allowed to throw over or step off the rubber, so fortunately we don't have those rules yet. The base has been the biggest thing, we've had the clock before on the pitchers so I think it's just being enforced a little bit more now than it did in the past,” Kelly said.

The Louisville Bats will host a “reopening night” on June 22 as Louisville Slugger Field will return to full capacity for the remainder of the 2021 season. The Bats will host the Indianapolis Indians.