Hurricane Irma Changes Instructional League Plans

The effects of Hurricane Irma have led some major league teams that train in Florida to rearrange their plans for fall instructional league. In one case, it’s forced the cancellation of instructs altogether.

The Marlins, whose training home of Jupiter was hit by the outer bands of the hurricane, said Thursday they are cancelling instructs due to Irma’s effects to the area. They will instead have an extended minicamp prior to spring training, according to assistant farm director Brett West.

The Cardinals, who share Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter with the Marlins, are also not having instructional league, although farm director Gary LaRocque said it was already part of their player development plan not to have instructs this year. They will have a January minicamp in lieu of instructs.

The Tigers, whose 84-acre complex in Lakeland was used as a local headquarters for emergency personnel and sustained exterior damage, said they will still hold instructs but have pushed back their start date to Sept. 25.

The Red Sox are “in a holding pattern with instructs due to Hurricane Irma” and will decide next week whether to have them or not, farm director Ben Crockett said in an email. The Red Sox’s facility in Fort Myers, which they share with the Twins, suffered “moderate” damage according to a team release.

The Red Sox and Twins have each pledged $100,000 to launch a special fundraising campaign for the Southwest Florida Community Foundation to assist with hurricane relief efforts throughout the region.

UPDATE, SEPT. 19: The Twins announced they will not play instructional league due to delays from the hurricane.