A minor league is any association of professional baseball clubs apart from the major leagues which is acknowledged by the official minor league baseball association. This organization ranks leagues into a variety of classes, depending on the players’ level of skill. Ranked from the lowest level of skill to the highest, these include rookie, class A, class AA, and class AAA. Many major league baseball franchises own or run minor league teams, known as farm teams. Major league clubs use these teams to offer players the chance to develop their skills in minor league competition. Exceptional players on farm teams could then be brought up to play on the major league team. Farm teams make major league clubs keep additional gifted players whom they may trade for players from other major league teams as well.