Had a few of son's friends who played last year. I can only answer a few questions;
- league is thriving , for the most part
- travel distances are greater than ever, due to new franchises.
- working part time is near impossible.
- schedule is a grind. Many players, especially pitchers, only play part seasons, and even position players opt out of parts of the season due to it's length, frequency of games, and the nagging injuries than can ensue.
- the friends' attitude towards the League tended to be linked to how well they did personally. All get tired of the grind, though. Some complain that the league is a cash grab for the owners.
- League tends to weed out those who are "soft".
- There is probably some good coaching going on, but I was surprised at recognizing one coaching name, who I think has no business coaching high end prospects. In other words, go there for the playing time, not for technique instruction.
Don't mean to be too negative, here. There are a lot of very good players in the league, and good baseball being played. Just don't go into it expecting a summer with a lot of free time and fun. I think it's a great preview of what lower level minor league baseball is like for those who want to go the pro route.