MLB’s desire to reshape, restructure and rearrange the minor leagues hasn’t been much of a secret for a long time. Now, we know what MLB expects/hopes the geographic landscape to look like, in 2021 and the future.
Baseball America first broke the news last October that MLB was planning to cut the number of minor league teams from 162 to 120 — four per franchise — and on Wednesday, invitations went out to 119 of those teams. What does that mean?
MORE: MLB free-agent tracker for 2020-21 offseason
It means that MLB has evaluated every franchise — facilities, geography, politics, etc. — and picked what it felt would be the best 120 locations/teams to populate the franchises for four levels (Triple-A, Double-A, High-A and Low-A). Here’s a great explainer. Each MLB team sent “invitations” to the four teams it wants to be affiliated with going forward. Some of those teams are owned by the parent team — for example, three of the four Cardinals affiliates going forward are owned by the Cardinals — so there wasn’t much drama there.
It’s up to teams to accept those invitations, which are basically terms and conditions both sides have to adhere to (Player Development Contracts). The invitations are written by MLB, so even though many affiliates will immediately accept, some owned by individuals will at least have a moment to pause and consider their next step.
Our statement on the Seattle Mariners affiliate invitation: pic.twitter.com/rvY3giyjq4
— Tacoma Rainiers (@RainiersLand) December 9, 2020
Here’s the list of 119 invitations sent out, gleaned from team press releases and information reported by Baseball America. Only the Rockies are lacking one team; ongoing discussions between MLB and Fresno are holding up the final spot. Fresno has been a Triple-A town for a long time, but MLB is only offering a Class A spot.
Full list of minor league MLB affiliates for 2021
Angels
Triple-A: Salt Lake Bees
Double-A: Rocket City Trash Pandas
High-A: Tri-City Dust Devils
Low-A: Inland Empire 66ers
Astros
Triple-A: Sugar Land Skeeters
Double-A: Corpus Christi Hooks
High-A: Asheville Tourists
Low-A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers
Athletics
Triple-A: Las Vegas Aviators
Double-A: Midland Rock Hounds
High-A: Lansing Lugnuts
Low-A: Stockton Ports
Blue Jays
Triple-A: Buffalo Bisons
Double-A: New Hampshire Fisher Cats
High-A: Vancouver Canadians
Low-A: Dunedin Blue Jays
Braves
Triple-A: Gwinnett Stripers
Double-A: Mississippi Braves
High-A: Rome Braves
Low-A: Augusta GreenJackets
Brewers
Triple-A: Nashville Sounds
Double-A: Biloxi Shuckers
High-A: Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
Low-A: Carolina Mudcats
Cardinals
Triple-A: Memphis Redbirds
Double-A: Springfield Cardinals
High-A: Peoria Chiefs
Low-A: Palm Beach Cardinals
Cubs
Triple-A: Iowa Cubs
Double-A: Tennessee Smokies
High-A: South Bend Cubs
Low-A: Myrtle Beach Pelicans
Diamondbacks
Triple-A: Reno Aces
Double-A: Amarillo Sod Poodles
High-A: Visalia Rawhide
Low-A: Hillsboro Hops
Dodgers
Triple-A: Oklahoma City Dodgers
Double-A: Tulsa Drillers
High-A: Great Lakes Loons
Low-A: Rancho Cucamongo Quakes
Giants
Triple-A: Sacramento River Cats
Double-A: Richmond Flying Squirrels
High-A: Eugene Emeralds
Low-A: San Jose Giants
Indians
Triple-A: Columbus Clippers
Double-A: Akron RubberDucks
High-A: Lake County Captains
Low-A: Lynchburg Hillcats
Mariners
Triple-A: Tacoma Rainiers
Double-A: Arkansas Travelers
High-A: Everett AquaSox
Low-A: Modesto Nuts
Marlins
Triple-A: Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
Double-A: Pensacola Blue Wahoo
High-A: Beloit Snappers
Low-A: Jupiter Hammerheads
Mets
Triple-A: Syracuse Mets
Double-A: Binghamton Rumble Ponies
High-A: Brooklyn Cyclones
Low-A: St. Lucie Mets
Nationals
Triple-A: Rochester Red Wings
Double-A: Harrisburg Senators
High-A: Wilmington Blue Rocks
Low-A: Fredericksburg Nationals
Orioles
Triple-A: Norfolk Tides
Double-A: Bowie Baysox
High-A: Aberdeen Ironbirds
Low-A: Delmarva Shorebirds
Padres
Triple-A: El Paso Chihuahuas
Double-A: San Antonio Missions
High-A: Fort Wayne TinCaps
Low-A: Lake Elsinore Storm
Phillies
Triple-A: Lehigh ValleyIron Pigs
Double-A: Reading Fightin Phils
High-A: Jersey Shore BlueClaws
Low-A: Clearwater Threshers
Pirates
Triple-A: Indianapolis Indians
Double-A: Altoona Curve
High-A: Greensboro Grasshoppers
Low-A: Bradenton Marauders
Rangers
Triple-A: Round Rock Express
Double-A: Frisco Rough Riders
High-A: Hickory Crawdads
Low-A: Down East Wood Ducks
Rays
Triple-A: Durham Bulls
Double-A: Montgomery Biscuits
High-A: Bowling Green Hot Rods
Low-A: Charleston Riverdogs
Reds
Triple-A: Louisville Bats
Double-A: Chattanooga Lookouts
High-A: Dayton Dragons
Low-A: Daytona Tortugas
Red Sox
Triple-A: Worcester Red Sox
Double-A: Portland Sea Dogs
High-A: Greenville Drive
Low-A: Salem Red Sox
Rockies
Triple-A: Albuquerque Isotopes
Double-A: Hartford Yard Goats
High-A: Spokane Indians
Low-A: TBD (possibly Fresno Grizzlies)
Royals
Triple-A: Omaha StormChasers
Double-A: Northwest Arkansas Naturals
High-A: Quad City Bandits
Low-A: Columbia Fireflies
Tigers
Triple-A: Toledo Mud Hens
Double-A: Erie SeaWolves
High-A: West Michigan Whitecaps
Low-A: Lakeland Flying Tigers
Twins
Triple-A: St. Paul Saints
Double-A: Wichita Wind Surge
High-A: Cedar Rapids Kernels
Low-A: Fort Myers Mighty Mussels
White Sox
Triple-A: Charlotte Knights
Double-A: Birmingham Barons
High-A: Winston-Salem Dash
Low-A: Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
Yankees
Triple-A: Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders
Double-A: Somerset Patriots
High-A: Hudson Valley Renegades
Low-A: Tampa Tarpons
