PLAYER TRANSFERS

PLAYER TRANSFER PROCESS (AA, AAA & BAEL)

NEW FOR 2025

In order to modernize and facilitate the processing of Player Transfers Requests across the province and ensure clarity for players and Associations in dealing with these requests, the following outlines the steps of the process:

Notify Home Association

Players MUST communicate with their Home Association President or designate their intention to request a player transfer or their intention to try-out for a non-lateral association selection process. This would include identifying the Association that they wish to try-out for or transfer to. This step allows the athlete to not pay a full registration in the Spordle system, which may later need to be refunded if the player is selected for the new associations team.

Spordle Transfer Process

Step 1: Player Initiates Transfer

Complete the Manual Transfer Form
Obtain signatures from both the outgoing and incoming associations.
- If either association denies or refuses to sign the form, the player may submit an Appeal Form directly to Baseball Alberta. This can be found here. The $25 transfer fee will apply.
- Baseball Alberta will review the appeal and, if approved, manually process the transfer in Spordle to allow the player to register.

Step 2: Incoming Association Initiates Transfer in Spordle

Upload the signed Manual Transfer Form into the Spordle transfer workflow.
The request will be sent to the outgoing association for approval.
- If the player is already listed as a Primary with the association they wish to transfer to, they must upload the completed Manual Transfer Form to their player profile for Baseball Alberta to verify during roster checks.

The $25 transfer fee will not apply if the process is completed in Spordle.

Step 3: Baseball Alberta Review

Verify that all required documentation has been uploaded.
Confirm that both associations have approved the transfer.
Approve or deny the transfer in Spordle.

Step 4: Final Roster Check

All transferred players must be marked as “Import” when being rostered.
Baseball Alberta will review and confirm the player's eligibility once all transfer requirements are met on the roster.

Complete Registration

Upon Spordle Transfer Process completion, players MUST contact the Incoming Association Registrar, register, and pay the full registration fee to the Association that they are transferring to.

Player Transfer Form + Appeal Form

SPECIFIC RULES (AA, AAA & BAEL)

If a player has been registered with an association in the prior 2 Baseball Alberta seasons at the AA or AAA level, that now becomes the home association for that player and would no longer be considered an import. That player will always have the option to return to play in their closest Baseball Alberta Association if they so choose.
The transfer process must be completed no later than the Initial Roster submission date. Only players who have completed the process will be allowed onto an approved team roster. Any transfer that occurs after the month of May will result in the transfer fee of $100.

If the incoming President denies (or refuses to sign) the Transfer, the player will not be able to appeal and will not be granted a transfer.
Any transfer that is signed by both the outgoing and incoming President and have fully completed the process will be deemed approved Baseball Alberta.
If the outgoing President denies (or refuses to sign) the Transfer, the player may submit the transfer with a required letter (reason for appeal) and $25 fee. This will be considered an appeal and will be decided by the Executive Director. If a player wishes to appeal past the Baseball Alberta Executive Director, the Executive Committee of Baseball Alberta will have final ruling on the matter.
There will be an additional charge of $100 to any player wishing to appeal beyond the transfer decision made by the Baseball Alberta Executive Director. Appeals will be brought forward to the Executive Committee upon receipt of payment. If the player is transferring to a higher division of play (i.e. from ‘AA’ to ‘AAA’), the appeal will be approved in order to give the player a higher level opportunity for development.
Baseball Alberta will not support lateral transfers (‘AA’ to ‘AA’ or 'AAA' to 'AAA' or 'BAEL to BAEL') without support of the outgoing Association President unless transferring from a part-time program to a full-time program or unless a ‘AA’ team has not been formed/guaranteed at that point or unless the player is transferring from an Association that has permitted players to transfer in or unless extreme circumstances can be proven. Regarding lateral transfers, Baseball Alberta will support lateral transfer requests where the outgoing Association has permitted players to transfer in, based on an assessment of their total number of registered players at the age category to ensure that they can maintain their program. The intent of this rule is to support the development of both strong ‘AA’ and ‘AAA’ programs in areas when player transfers to ‘AAA’ programs are occurring.
Player Transfers are not required for female players who want to play on an all-female team at their age category in another Member Association if an all-female team is not available in their Home Association.

18U AAA/BAEL LATERAL TRANSFER CHANGE (BAPL)

For the 2025 season and beyond, Baseball Alberta will no longer recognize the 18U AAA League and the Baseball Alberta Elite League as a lateral transfer. In order to stay consistent through all categories of play and in an effort to align the transfer process throughout the Province. It was determined that the removal of the lateral transfer between the two leagues was a logical step to ensure that the top 18U players in the province have the opportunity to evaluate and be rostered in the top 18U league in the province. Associations may still provide their own internal rostering policies around imports.

BAEL & BAEL - lateral transfer

BAEL & 18U AAA - no lateral transfer

BAEL & 18U AA - no lateral transfer

18U AAA & 18U AAA - lateral transfer

18U AAA & 18U AA - no lateral transfer

18U AA & 18U AA - lateral transfer

ASSOCIATION TRANSFERS

Two or more Associations can apply to Baseball Alberta to form a team from their respective associations, subject to approval of Baseball Alberta. These associations must be able to demonstrate, through the application process, that there is a necessity to work together to form a team at an age category.

These associations must fill out the Association Transfer Application and have signatures from all Presidents involved.

Deadlines for Association Transfer Application will be the same as the above deadlines for individual player transfers.

Association Transfer Request Form

RECRUITMENT RULES

No player, coach, team, club, league, or association shall attempt to induce a player (minor categories) of any other club to leave that club or zone. Any person who attempts to induce a player of any club/zone shall be deemed to have committed an offense and be subject to a penalty, with such penalty being decided by the Baseball Alberta Board of Directors. Any players or families of players who have been contacted in a recruitment attempt are encouraged to contact Baseball Alberta to report the incident.
Coaches who are found in violation of player residency or transfer rules will be suspended for the balance of the current season. Players who are found to be in violation of the residency rules will be ineligible for all League, Provincial, and post-Provincial play for the balance of the current season.
Violations of the residency or player transfer rules may result in further sanctions at the discretion of the Executive of the Board of Directors of Baseball Alberta for the Association involved. These sanctions could include ineligibility of Association teams for Provincial and/or post-Provincial play, loss of funding for teams to attend post-Provincial Championships, and/or probation for one or more future seasons of Baseball Alberta League play.
Zone 3 and Zone 6 transfers only – Zone 3 and Zone 6, respectively, represent the two largest cities in Alberta. Player transfers within and out of these zones will be administered in accordance with guidelines established by the Baseball Alberta Board of Directors.

PROOF OF ELIGIBILITY

Upon request, teams must submit their Approved Initial/Final Roster to the Official Scorekeeper with their game line-up card at least 15 minutes before scheduled game time. Only players who are listed on the Approved Roster will be allowed in the lineup (except for Approved Affiliate players – see Affiliate Player section). If a team cannot produce their approved roster, the game will still be played, and a copy of the line-up card must be submitted with the Game Summary Report. If it is confirmed that an ineligible player was used, the opposing team will have the choice of either taking the game result or a forfeit win, and the offending head coach will be subject to disciplinary action. All approved players and coaches must be registered with Baseball Alberta. Any player or coach who is not registered may be suspended from play until they have registered.

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