The reported structure when this news first surfaced last October hasn't changed, as far as I know.
-Forty-plus teams will be cut. The number fluctuates because some current Independent League teams may be absorbed into affiliated ball; the more that are brought in mean more current affiliates will be dumped.
-There will be 120 affiliates, four for each MLB team: AAA, AA, High A and Low A.
-The short-season A (NY-Penn and Northwest) and Rookie levels (Appalachian and Pioneer) will no longer exist (though the Northwest is reportedly getting bumped up to a full season league).
-Teams will still field one team at their Spring Training facility (Gulf Coast League and Arizona League). I believe they're also limited to one Dominican League team, too. But those are less affiliates and more organized scrimmages.
MLB's stated goals: Better facilities, less travel within leagues, and better geographical alignment, both in terms of distance between affiliates and their parents, and affiliates within a farm system (less travel for teams' roving instructors jumping from one affiliate to the next).
This assume the two sides will come to an agreement; the current one expires at the end of this month. MLB can walk away if they want and spin up their own development system. That would be a headache for them, but it's possible. And I'd bet most current affiliates would be more than willing to leave the current entity that is Minor League Baseball and follow MLB to the new development league. Minor League Baseball has very, very little power here; this is a one-sided negotiation. MLB is going to run things regardless of how it happens.
