Minor League Baseball announced Wednesday rule and procedure changes focused on minimizing the length of extra innings games and the number of mound visits during a game.

In addition, the Triple-A and Double-A levels will use a 15-second pitch clock with no runners on base.

The procedures were created in partnership with Major League Baseball, which has long been looking to improve pace-of-play.

"We believe these changes to extra innings will enhance the fans' enjoyment of the game and will become something that the fans will look forward to on nights where the game is tied late in the contest," said Minor League Baseball President Pat O'Conner. "Player safety has been an area of growing concern for our partners at the Major League Baseball level, and the impact that lengthy extra innings games has on pitchers, position players and an entire organization was something that needed to be addressed."