are they really beneficial to your players or is the risk (major injury) more than the reward?

If you believe playing time is essential to development, they're worth it.

To elaborate, there is a chance of an additional player development cycle if you advance in the minor league playoffs.

There is also an increased chance of injury, both due to more chances (i.e. games) and fatigue. Keeping 5-7 players on the inactive list and using the defensive replacements/player rest settings properly through out the minor league season can help mitigate fatigue.

The amount of risk is very debatable and nearly impossible to quantify.

Let's be clear.

There is NOT an "increased chance of injury" in the playoffs. The chance for injury is exactly the same in the playoffs as it is during the regular season.

Anytime you play an overly fatigued player, he incurs a higher risk of injury. But that's not a playoff thing, that's a fatigue thing.

Let's be really, really clear.

Any time a player is active and the team is playing(he can be sitting on the bench clipping his toenails), there is a chance he can be injured.

The development cycles earmark progression. Even without those earmarks, players are developing if they're playing. So, if you believe playing time is essential to development, they're worth it.

Play your minor league prospects as much as possible...the risk is no greater than the regular season, and you don't sit them then because of the injury risk (unless they're fatigued of course)...

Let's elaborate on being really, really clear.

LET THEM PLAY. LET THEM PLAY.