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TRANSFER PROCESS (PROVINCIAL LEAGUE AA, AAA & BAEL)
TRANSFER PROCESS (PROVINCIAL LEAGUE AA, AAA & BAEL)
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:
Baseball Alberta player transfers will follow a two-association approval model in Spordle iD while maintaining all residency, eligibility, and transfer/import rules.
If both the outgoing and incoming associations approve the transfer, the transfer is automatically approved in the Spordle iD system.
When a transfer is completed fully in Spordle iD, there is no requirement to upload a signed transfer form
Manual Transfer Forms are still required in specific situations (see below)
Notify Home Association
Players must first notify their Home Association President or designate of their intent to:
Request a transfer
This step helps avoid unnecessary registration and potential refunds.
Transfer Request (Spordle)
The Incoming Association submits the transfer request in Spordle. The player must communicate with the Incoming Association to trigger this process.
The Outgoing Association reviews and either approves or denies the request.
✔ If both associations approve, the transfer is complete
✖ If denied, the transfer may require an appeal (see below)
Special Case: Player Already Listed as Primary
If a player is already listed in Spordle as Primary with the Incoming Association, the Spordle transfer workflow cannot be used.
In this case:
A Manual Transfer Form must be completed
Signed by both associations
Uploaded to the player’s Spordle profile
Baseball Alberta will verify this documentation during roster review.
Special Case Example:
Player: Jon Doe
Home Association: Red Deer Minor Baseball
Jon is a full-time resident of Red Deer. His Primary Association listed in Spordle iD is Olds Minor Baseball because he played 15U AAA in Olds during the previous season.
Because Jon has only played one season with Olds, Red Deer remains his Home Association under Baseball Alberta transfer rules. As a result, Jon still requires a transfer out of Red Deer to play with Olds.
Since Olds Minor Baseball is already listed as Jon’s Primary Association in Spordle iD, a transfer cannot be initiated through the Spordle transfer workflow.
In this situation:
A Manual Transfer Form is required
The form must be signed by both Red Deer Minor Baseball and Olds Minor Baseball
The completed form must be uploaded to Jon’s Spordle player profile under Documents
Baseball Alberta will verify this documentation during roster review.
Appeals (If Required)
If the Outgoing Association denies the transfer, the player may submit an appeal to Baseball Alberta with the required documentation and fee.
If the Incoming Association denies the transfer, the transfer cannot be appealed.
Complete Registration
Once approved, the player must register and pay with the Incoming Association.
Transferred players must be rostered as Imports, where applicable.
All transfers must be completed before Initial Roster submission.
Important Notes
Transfers completed fully in Spordle before deadlines do not require a fee.
Late transfers or appeals will be subject to additional fees.
Female players transferring to an all-female team are exempt from transfer requirements if no such team exists in their Home Association.
Baseball Alberta relies on Associations to understand and comply with player transfer rules and processes. If there is uncertainty about whether a player requires a transfer, Associations are encouraged to contact the Baseball Alberta office for guidance before initiating the process.
Transfer Vocabulary within Spordle iD
Move - A permanent change of a player’s Primary organization. This removes all Shared organizations and assigns a new Primary organizations.
Permanently release - Adds an organization as a Shared organization on the player’s profile while keeping the existing Primary organization unchanged. The shared access remains in place until it is removed.
Temporary release - Adds an organization as a Shared organization for one season only. The shared access is automatically removed when the next season begins.
Primary organization - The Primary organization has full control of the player’s profile, including editing information, registration, and rostering. A player can only have one Primary organization at a time.
Shared organization - A Shared organization has limited access to the player’s profile and can roster and register the player. Shared organization cannot change the player’s Primary organization. Members can have multiple shared organizations.
WATCH: UPDATES TO THE SPORDLE TRANSFER PROCESS FOR ADMINS
WATCH: UPDATES TO THE SPORDLE TRANSFER PROCESS FOR ADMINS
SPECIFIC RULES (AA, AAA & BAEL)
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)
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
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.
RECRUITMENT RULES
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
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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