farm leagues

Noun

farm league (plural farm leagues)

1. One or more minor league teams owned by a baseball franchise and used as a training and testing ground for rookies, who, if they perform well, move on to play in the main major league team.
   • The Yankees entered the farm league business in 1929 when they purchased Chambersburg in the Class D Blue Ridge League.2005, Lance A. Berger, Management Wisdom From the New York Yankees' Dynasty, →ISBN
2. (broadly) A minor league team from which scouts recruit players for the major league.
   • Now the CEO of Isiah International Inc. has his sights set on nothing short of establishing an official farm league for the NBA, establishing a system similar to the one which currently operates in Major League Baseball.1999 November, “It's a whole new league”, in Black Enterprise, volume 30, number 3, page 28
3. (broadly) A position or venue from which talent is recruited for showing potential.
   • An industry source told MP3.com that the site is "supposed to be a farm-league thing.1999 November, “UMG May Use Web Site For A&R Purposes”, in CMJ New Music Report, volume 60, number 642, page 9