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MLB: Multiple Teams Getting Ready to Play Offseason Minor League Affiliation Shuffle

By Benjamin Chase

Jun 22, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; A bat rests inside a baseball glove at an MLB game between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Arizona Diamondbacks at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Sousa-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 22, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; A bat rests inside a baseball glove at an MLB game between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Arizona Diamondbacks at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Sousa-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mandatory Credit: Kevin Sousa-USA TODAY Sports
Mandatory Credit: Kevin Sousa-USA TODAY Sports /

Multiple MLB teams are getting ready to change affiliations this offseason in the minor leagues. Which teams may be changing?

Every two seasons, there are dozens of minor league teams that change their MLB affiliations. Now with two MLB clubs changing their high-A affiliate from a California League team to a new Carolina League team, that adds even more to the changes. In fact, right now, only the Chicago White Sox and Minnesota Twins DON’T have an affiliate that will be expiring after this season. Over the next few pages, you’ll have a breakdown of all the affiliates about to be up for grabs. Some of these may sign before the start of the 2017 team.

AAA

Pacific Coast League

  • Colorado Springs SkySox – The Brewers just moved to Colorado Springs in 2015, so it’d be odd to see them move out so quickly, but then again, that’s how this all works.
  • Las Vegas 51s – The Mets have only been in Vegas a bit longer than the Brewers in Colorado Springs, as they began their affiliation in 2013. With the organization’s focus on pitching, it’s hard to imagine that a PCL affiliation will continue, but there are not any real openings in the International League that don’t have fairly long-standing ties.
  • Tacoma Rainiers – The Seattle Mariners have had an affiliation with Tacoma since 1995, one of the longest-standing affiliations in the PCL, so it’d be surprising to see this one end.

International League

  • Lehigh Valley IronPigs – Currently a Phillies affiliate. The Phillies have been in Lehigh Valley since the 2008 season.
  • Pawtucket Red Sox – One of the rare team-named associations not owned by the team itself, the contract with Pawtucket ends this season. However, the Red Sox have had their AAA affiliate at Pawtucket for all but one season since 1973, so it’s most likely that this will remain a Red Sox affiliate.
  • Toledo Mud Hens – One of the more iconic minor league logos, the Mud Hens have been in the Tigers organization since 1987 consecutively, and were the AAA affiliate from 1967-1973 as well.

Next: AA changes

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