Rochester is now the AAA affiliate for the Nationals. The Fresno Grizzlies are now without an affiliate. The musical chairs continue!!
A few moves over the last few days. Sugarland Skeeter is now the AAA affiliate for the Astros. Formerly an Independent team.
Here is a chart tracking the new affiliates once the become official:
Looks like MLB will announce a new Summer Collegiate League today, the MLB Draft League. Likely more former MiLB teams (NY-Penn League) will be in this league.
MLB Draft League will become the first summer collegiate league in the country focused on top prospects who are eligible to be drafted by MLB Clubs that summer. With the 2021 MLB Draft moved back to July and being held as part of All-Star Week, draft-eligible players will have a unique opportunity to showcase their abilities and gain exposure to MLB Clubs and fans next summer.
MLB Draft League participants will receive unprecedented visibility to MLB scouts through both in-person observation and state-of-the-art scouting technology, and educational programming designed to prepare them for careers as professional athletes. PBR will provide support for the league’s staffing, player and coach recruitment, on-field operations and administrative functions. PBR will also use their media and technology platforms to promote the league and its players throughout the season.
https://www.mlb.com/press-release/press-release-kerrick-jackson-named-mlb-draft-league-president
EDIT:
Here is the announcement:
https://twitter.com/MLB_PR/status/1333426289164816392?s=20
Pioneer League goes from Rookie League to an Independent League. No longer affiliated with MLB teams but is a MLB Partner League.
Not much expected to change with the Carolinas teams besides a few teams with new affiliates, potentially switching from Carolina League to Sally League and vice versa. Burlington will now be a college summer team in a league sponsored by MLB.
| Class AAA | Current Team | Future Team? | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte | White Sox | White Sox | Expected to renew |
| Durham | Rays | Rays | Expected to renew |
| High A | |||
| Carolina | Brewers | Brewers | Owned by Brewers; shifting to Low A |
| Down East | Rangers | Rangers | Owned by Rangers; shifting to Low A |
| Fayetteville | Astros | Astros | Owned by Astros |
| Myrtle Beach | Cubs | Cubs | Expected to renew; team will shift to Low A |
| Winston-Salem | White Sox | White Sox | In perpetuity; partly owned by White Sox |
| Low A | |||
| Asheville | Rockies | Marlins | New affiliation in the works |
| Charleston | Yankees | Rays? | New affiliation in the works |
| Columbia | Mets | ? | Look to AL Central team |
| Greensboro | Pirates | Pirates | Expected to renew |
| Greenville | Red Sox | Red Sox | Red Sox expected to return |
| Hickory | Rangers | Rangers | Owned by Rangers; will shift to High A |
| Kannapolis | White Sox | White Sox | Expected to renew |
| Rookie (to be phased out) | |||
| Burlington | Royals | None | Shifting to summer-collegiate ball; will be rebranded |
MLB is releasing its affiliates today. AS expected, Knights and Cannonballers are safe and staying with White Sox.
EDIT: Full list being collected here:
Columbia is now a Royals affiliate.
Charleston is now a Rays affiliate.
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Greensboro Grasshoppers stay with the Bucs and become high A.
Win win foe me
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Glad to see them move to high A. Really missed the games this year
Asheville is now an Astros affiliate and moving to High A. Fayetteville down to Low A.
Hickory up to High A for the Rangers. Down East Wood Ducks down to Low A.
The dust is settling, but they are still waiting to announce the league structures.
The Sally League is supposed to look like this.
Delmarva Shorebirds (BAL)
Fredericksburg Nats (WAS)
Lynchburg Hillcats (CLE)
Salem Red Sox (BOS)
Carolina Mudcats (MIL)
Down East Wood Ducks (TEX)
Fayetteville Woodpeckers (HOU)
Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (CHW)
Charleston Riverdogs (TBR)
Columbia Fire Flies (KCR)
Myrtle Beach Pelicans (CHC)
Augusta Green Jackets (ATL)
Good for Asheville. I grew up watching the Tourist as a kid and it is a great place to watch a game, but they were always low A
Glad Gastonia has a team, but what a strange name.
It’s ridiculous. Could they not get Honey Badgers? That makes sense. Oh well, my hometown continues to occasionally embarrass me.
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The Appy League has gone from Rookie Ball to an unaffiliated college summer league.
The former Burlington Royals are now the …
https://www.mlb.com/press-release/burlington-sock-puppets-announced-as-new-team-name
This nickname is worse than Honey Hunters!
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Being from Burlington and my grandfather owned a hosiery mill there, I love it! Might have to get one of their hats.
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I went honey hunting in Gastonia once. I was disappointed with what I found.
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I was especially curious about your opinion on this. Glad you like it.
I don’t hate it. I went to high school in Alamance county and textile mills had to be the largest employer by a long shot, but it is almost all gone today. I am not sure why they would embrace the past like that, instead of the future. Today, LabCorp is the major employer and they could have been the Burlington Drug Testers.