Code of ConductIt is the expectation that all members of the league will treat each other with respect at all times. We understand that disagreements may occur, but the league should operate as a professional space. Acts of intimidation, bullying, or harassment will not be tolerated.
--All members are expected to remain active and engaged within the league.
--You must be an active participant in the ProFSL community. Use of ProFSL Discord is encouraged for enhanced communication.
--If you anticipate being unavailable for any reason (e.g., vacation or work commitments), please inform the league staff in advance.
--If you fail to respond to a direct message regarding your activity or status in the league, you may be removed due to inactivity.
--Your franchise name is linked to an MLB team. If your franchise name changes or relocates, it must be updated accordingly.
League hostingScoring - Fantrax:
https://www.fantrax.com/fantasy/league/g1hokqgym575i8r7/homeTransactions - ProFSL Boards:
https://www.profsl.com/smf/index.php/board,4364.htmlCommunication - ProFSL Discord:
https://discord.gg/8FMbR7m8UyLeague StaffCommissioner - Jon
Co-Commissioner - Rob
Moderator - Brent
Moderator - bearcatrunner
Moderator - TACeu
Moneyball Market ValueEach franchise has a Moneyball Market Value (MMV) that determines its cost within the league. MMV was established in December 2024, using MLB team payroll data to assign a relative value to each franchise. This system accounts for real-world disparities in payroll, while also adding some mitigation to ensure that the league remains balanced and competitive.
GM's are required to pay their team's MMV annually in order to remain active in the league. MMV will fluctuate each year based on team performance. The top 10 ranked teams at the end of each season will see an increase in their market value, while teams ranked 21-30 will experience a decrease. Teams ranked 11-20 will see no change in market value.
The adjustment in MMV follows these guidelines:
Teams ranked 1-10 in current MMV: Market value increases by 1%, while market value decreases by 3%.
Teams ranked 11-20 in current MMV: Market value increases and decreases by 2%.
Teams ranked 21-30 in current MMV: Market value increases by 3%, while market value decreases by 1%.
Example - If the Yankees finish in the top 10 in 2025, their market value will increase. Since they are the #1 ranked MMV team, the total increase would be 1%.
Current MMV:
ARI $70.23
ATH $59.88
ATL $81.93
BAL $65.88
BOS $76.38
CHC $73.98
CHW $60.93
CIN $63.18
CLE $63.93
COL $69.18
DET $64.98
HOU $79.23
KC $66.63
LAA $77.73
LAD $87.93
MIA $58.98
MIL $64.98
MIN $69.18
NYM $85.83
NYY $92.13
PHI $91.38
PIT $61.38
SD $76.83
SF $74.43
SEA $68.88
STL $70.08
TB $61.53
TEX $80.59
TOR $74.73
WSH $60.48
Rosters, Contracts & Salary CapInitial Roster ExceptionsInitial rosters are as of December 31st, 2024. GM's are allowed unlimited 'free drops' from their initial rosters in order to reduce their salary cap and eliminate undesirable contracts before the league officially starts. Additionally, there will be a trade window prior to the implementation of the salary cap, giving GMs the opportunity to trade players and adjust their rosters to comply with the cap.
Roster SizeMLB - 35
IR - 6
MiLB - 20
PositionsHitting - C, 1B, 2B, 3B, SS, LF, CF, RF, UT
Pitching - 4x SP, 4x RP
Bench - 18
Lineups: Set daily, scoring period is weekly.
Injured Reserve EligibilityOnly players on the MLB Disabled List are eligible to be placed on the Injured Reserve (IR). Fantrax determines IR eligibility. Players on IR do not count towards the roster limit, though their salaries do still count against the team salary cap. Once a player is removed from the MLB Disabled List and returns from injury, they must be taken off IR before the GM can make any free agent transactions.
Minor League Roster EligibilityA player is eligible for the minor league roster if they have either played fewer than 50 MLB games (position player) or pitched less than 40 innings (pitchers) in the Majors. Any eligible player can be assigned to the minors at any time. If a player in the minors exceeds the limit, they can remain there indefinitely.
Player MLB Service TimeService time for minor league players does not start until the year he makes his MLB debut. At that time, he will move to the following year after the completion of the current year. An example would be a first-year player who completes his current year but has not been called up to MLB. The following year, his contract will still be 1st year. If a player makes his MLB debut in any league season, then during the off-season, he will move to 2nd year, and his 6 year service time will start at that time.
2025 Salary CapsARI $146,000,000.00
ATL $170,000,000.00
BAL $137,000,000.00
BOS $159,000,000.00
CHC $154,000,000.00
CHW $127,000,000.00
CIN $131,000,000.00
CLE $133,000,000.00
COL $144,000,000.00
DET $135,000,000.00
HOU $165,000,000.00
KC $138,000,000.00
LAA $161,000,000.00
LAD $183,000,000.00
MIA $123,000,000.00
MIL $135,000,000.00
MIN $144,000,000.00
NYM $178,000,000.00
NYY $191,000,000.00
OAK $124,000,000.00
PHI $190,000,000.00
PIT $127,000,000.00
SD $160,000,000.00
SEA $143,000,000.00
SF $155,000,000.00
STL $146,000,000.00
TB $128,000,000.00
TEX $167,000,000.00
TOR $155,000,000.00
WSH $126,000,000.00
Salary cap fluctuationEach year, team salary cap is adjusted based on actual increases in MLB team AAV payroll and the performance of "Moneyball" teams. The total increase in MLB team AAV payroll, referred to as the Annual Payroll Increase (API), is proportionally allocated to each Moneyball team based on the previous season's performance. The allocation is structured as follows:
Top 10 ranked teams: 36.3% of the AVI
Teams ranked 11-20: 33.3% of the AVI
Teams ranked 21-30: 30.3% of the AVI
MLB payroll data is sourced from Spotrac.com (
https://www.spotrac.com/mlb/aav/_/year/2024/sort/combined_aav_total).
Salary cap data will be captured on or around June 1st each year to establish API.
2026 Cap Fluctuation Calculations:2023 total MLB team payroll AAV = $6,296,799,978
2024 total MLB team payroll AAV = $6,669,643,133
Total increase in MLB team payroll AAV = $372,843,155
Top 10 ranked teams: +$13.5M
Teams ranked 11-20: +$12.4M
Teams ranked 21-30: +$11.3M
2027 Cap Fluctuation Calculations:
2024 total MLB team payroll AAV = $6,669,643,133
2025 total MLB team payroll AAV = TBA on or around June 1st, 2026Minor League ContractsAll minor league players in Service Time years 1-6 will have a 300K contract.
Retired PlayersAll contracts for players who retire from the MLB are considered null and void.
Deceased PlayersAll contracts for players who are deceased are considered null and void.
No Variable Contracts: Each year of a contract must have the same salary amount. All contracts must be signed for a minimum of $500,000.
ExtensionsPlayers eligible for extensions can have their contracts renewed based on their current MLB Average Annual Value (AAV) and term, plus an additional year. The players term includes all arbitration eligible years and player/team options. Basically, the extension expiration year is the year the player will be UFA in the MLB.
The value of the extension must be equal to or greater than the player's expiring contract. If the player's AAV is less than the expiring contract value, the expiring contract value will be used instead of the player's AAV, while still maintaining the same term plus one additional year.
Contract details are sourced from Spotrac.com. Extensions are only permitted during the final year of a player's existing contract and must be executed within the MLB regular season. Any expiring player not offered an extension by the end of the regular season will be eligible for Free Agency. Extensions take effect immediately in the current season. GM's must ensure they have enough funds in the current season to extend their players for future years.
Releasing players/buyoutsExcept for players on prospect contracts, all players released while under contract will still count against the salary cap, but at a buyout rate of 66% of the remaining contract value. Players on prospect contracts will not count against the cap if released.
The buyout can be paid in full within the current contract year, or spread over the remaining contract term. However, the buyout cannot be extended beyond the contract's remaining duration. For example, if a player has two years left, the buyout can't extend beyond two years.
--Buyouts are not allowed after Free Agency closes each season when the playoffs start as cap transactions are frozen during this time.
Buyout Early Payment: A GM may choose to pay off a multi-year financed buyout at any time. This must be done in full, either pay the entire remaining buyout amount or continue with the scheduled yearly payments. Partial payments (e.g., paying off just the final year) are not allowed.
--Early payments are not allowed after Free Agency closes each season when the playoffs start as cap transactions are frozen during this time.
Free AgencyBids are submitted in the format of total contract value. The number of years does not need to be specified until the bid is won. The resulting salary will be calculated by dividing the final bid by the number of years, rounded to the nearest $100,000. The winning bid will be the highest total contract amount. Each player is auctioned in a separate thread on ProFSL, which can be started by anyone. A bid on a player is considered final once it has been open for 48 hours.
--Minimum bid is $500K
--Minimum bid increment is $100k
--Minimum annual salary is $500k (excluding prospect contracts)
--No team may have more than 5 active bids at any time.
--Only players MLB players may be acquired via Free Agency. Any player that is Minors eligible (less than 50 games played or 40 innings pitched) may only be acquired via the amateur draft.
--FA bidding opens after the amateur draft each year, and closes at the start of our playoffs.
Free Agent Contract LimitsContracts signed through free agency adhere to the following guidelines:
Term Options: 1 to 5 years.
Contracts with an annual value under $1M: Can only be signed for 1 or 2 years.
Contracts with an annual value under $5M: Can only be signed for 1, 2, or 3 years.
Contracts with an annual value under $10M: Can only be signed for 1, 2, 3, or 4 years.
Contracts with an annual value of $10M or more: Can be signed for any length, from 1 to 5 years.
Here's a simple way to figure out your contract length options by the total contract winning bid:Winning bid - Eligible term lengths
$0 to $2.9M - 1 or 2 years
$3M to $19.9M - 1, 2, or 3 years
$20M million to $49.9M - 1, 2, 3, or 4 years
$50M and up - 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 years
Amateur DraftAn annual 5-round amateur draft will be held, where all MLB draftees and any other prospect-eligible players (those who have not played in MLB games), including players drafted in previous years, and those undrafted players signed from overseas, are eligible for selection. A player who remains undrafted and unsigned in their first eligible draft year cannot be selected in subsequent amateur drafts until they are either drafted or signed by an MLB team. Prospect eligible players must be signed to an MLB team before the start of the Moneyball amateur draft. For example, if a Japanese phenom signs an MLB contract while our draft is ongoing, he would not be eligible to draft until the following season. The draft will be hosted on Fantrax and held in February each year.
--There will be no draft in the inaugural 2025 season as rosters were inherited with players drafted from the 2024 draft.
--Draft lottery: All 18 non-playoff teams will be entered into the draft lottery, with odds determined using the same system as Major League Baseball. The draft order will be generated through the following tool: Universal Draft Lottery Simulator -
https://zengm.com/universal-draft-lottery-simulator/--Draft-eligible players with MLB experience inherit their corresponding service time year. For example, if a position player debuts in 2025 and plays 20 MLB games and is drafted in the 2026 draft, he will inherit a 2nd year service time contract.
ScoringScoring is Head to Head Points - 7 matchups per weekly period.
At Bats (AB) 0.5
Hits (H) 2
Home Runs (HR) 2
Runs Batted In (RBI) 2
Runs Scored (R) 2
Stolen Bases (SB) 1.5
Walks (BB) 2
Fielding Percentage (FLD%) 1
Total Bases (TB) 1.5
Blown Saves (BS) -10
Earned Runs Allowed (ER) -3
Games Played (GP) 2
Hits Allowed (H) -1.5
Holds (HLD) 5
Innings Pitched (IP) 6
Quality Starts (QS) 10
Saves (SV) 10
Strikeouts Pitched (K) 3
Walks Allowed (BB) -1.5
Wins (W) 10
Fielding Percentage (FLD%) 1
Max IP per Period:78 (pro-rated in extended/merged lineup periods)Trade RulesAny combination of players, draft picks (upcoming year only), or cash may be traded. When trading cash, its value must be less than or equal to the value of the player contracts involved. NO FUTURE CASH - cash exchanges are only allowed for the current season.
Cash exchanged cannot be attached to a contract. For example, if you're trading a player with a $5 million contract and agree to cover that cost, the contract remains unchanged; you are simply sending your trade partner $5 million toward their salary cap.
Draft picks may be traded, for drafts up to 1 year from the current season. Fantrax includes picks up to six years out, but only the upcoming year picks are eligible to trade. Picks for years 2-6 are not tradeable.
Trades should be processed on Fantrax between the two teams. Trades are held in suspense for 24 hours for peer review. If any Moneyball member objects during this period, the commissioners will convene to discuss and evaluate the trade. After reaching a consensus, they will either approve or veto the trade. If vetoed, the trade will be declined on Fantrax. If the 24 hours passes without objection, the trade will be processed.
Trade DeadlineThe trade deadline aligns with the actual MLB trade deadline.
Playoff StructureA total of 12 teams make the playoffs; 6 from the American League (AL) and 6 from the National League (NL). Division winners secure the top seeds. The playoffs consist of four rounds: the Wildcard Round, Divisional Round, League Championship Series, and the World Series. Teams from the AL will compete against other AL teams, and teams from the NL will compete against other NL teams until the World Series.
The top two seeds in both the AL and NL receive a bye during the Wildcard Round.
The remaining teams will face off, with the highest-seeded team playing the lowest-seeded remaining team. Teams will be reseeded after each round.
In the World Series, the final two scoring periods will be combined into a single extended round (approx 10-14 days instead of the typical 7 day period).
Prize PayoutsLeague funds will adjust annually based on MMV fluctuations. GM's will receive the following payouts: $50 for making the playoffs, $100 for advancing to the League Championship, $200 for reaching the World Series, and the remaining balance will be awarded to the League Champion.
2025 payouts expected:Fantrax League Fee: $129.95
All 12 Playoff teams: $50 each
All 4 League Championship teams: $100 each
Both World Series teams: $200 each
Champion: $623.46
Lineup Management and Tanking RulesGMs are required to set their lineups daily. It is prohibited to purposely leave points on the bench in order to gain an advantage. While "tanking", intentionally underperforming to secure a better draft position for rebuilding a franchise, is allowed, it must be done within the framework of the leagues rules.
--Young, productive prospects who have not been called up from the minors and have reached the 50-game/40-IP threshold do not need to be promoted to the MLB merely because they've met this milestone. This allows GMs the option to "stash" these players, keeping their points off the weekly score without violating any rules. This method of rebuilding is a legitimate, accepted strategy.
--However, intentionally benching productive players from the 35-man roster to artificially lower your team's standing is considered a violation of these rules. Such tactics undermine the integrity of the competition and represent an unfair advantage.
Orphan Team ExceptionAny future GM taking over an orphaned team (one abandoned by its previous GM) will be granted up to three 'free drops.' These drops allow the new GM to eliminate any contract inherited from the prior management. In addition, the new owner will have the ability to extend any players that were left un-extended in the previous season when the team was abandoned. This is the only time an extension may be made outside of the MLB regular season.
