Prospect League Adds Clinton LumberKings, Burlington Bees to Lineup

PRESS RELEASE – The Prospect League is proud to announce further expansion with the additions of the Clinton LumberKings and Burlington Bees.  “We are proud to announce that both the Burlington Bees and the Clinton LumberKings are joining the Prospect League for the upcoming 2021 season and beyond,” said Prospect League Commissioner Dennis Bastien. “We applaud their decision to be a part of our league and welcome them with open arms.”

MLB Offers 119 Clubs Affiliation, Await Fresno Outcome

Major League Baseball has neared completion of its extreme revamp of the minor leagues, officially offering 120 Player Development licenses to franchises that will survive as affiliated clubs and comprise a slimmed-down player-development apparatus with centralized control under MLB.  Read more here.  Read more from Forbes here and Sporting News here.

Saints Bring Their Distinctive Brand of Entertainment to Triple-A

PRESS RELEASE – For 28 years the St. Paul Saints introduced the baseball world to pigs delivering baseballs to umpires, nuns giving massages to fans, and promotions poking fun at current events, politics, the baseball industry, and oftentimes themselves, all while being an Independent Professional Baseball Club. The Saints “Fun is Good” motto is about to enter center stage on a completely different level. The Saints, in a partnership with the Minnesota Twins, have received an invitation to become the top tier, Triple-A, Minor League affiliate of their Twin Cities neighbor beginning in the 2021 season.

Staten Island Yankees Cease Operations, Sue Parent Club and MLB

The Staten Island Yankees, the former short-season Class A affiliate of the New York Yankees, announced Thursday that the organization is ceasing operations and filed a lawsuit against its former parent club – as well as Major League Baseball.  Read more here.

Fresno Grizzlies Given More Time to Work Out Deal

Major League Baseball has given the Fresno Grizzlies (Triple-A, Pacific Coast League) more time to work out the fate of the franchise.  MLB said in a letter last week the team must accept a demotion from Triple-A to Single-A baseball by Nov. 30 or prepare to go without affiliation to a team in the majors.  Read more here.

Owlz Relocate from Orem (UT) to Windsor (CO)

The Orem Owlz (Independent Professional, Pioneer League) have announced that they are relocating from their home in Orem (UT) to the Future Legends Complex in Windsor (CO).  They will be renamed the Northern Colorado (NoCo) Owlz in 2021.  Read more here.

MLB to Launch League for Draft Prospects

PRESS RELEASE – Major League Baseball, Prep Baseball Report (PBR), and five founding members today announced the formation of the MLB Draft League, which will become the first league in the country focused on top prospects who are eligible to be drafted by MLB Clubs that summer.

Pioneer League Named MLB Partner League

PRESS RELEASE – Major League Baseball and the Pioneer League jointly announced today that the Pioneer League has been designated a “Partner League” of MLB.

NYC Committing $5.1M to Upgrade Richmond County Bank Ballpark

New York City has committed to a $5.1 million allocation to upgrade and revitalize Richmond County Bank Ballpark, which will prime it for other uses besides baseball. The funding comes on the heels of recent news that the New York Yankees would end its affiliation with the Staten Island Yankees (Single-A, New York-Penn League).  Read more here.

Dodgers to Officially Cut Ties with Raptors

In expected news, the Los Angeles Dodgers will reportedly cut ties with Ogden Raptors (Rookie-level, Pioneer League), as part of the downsizing scheduled to take place across the minor leagues for the 2021 season.  Read more here.   Read more local news here.

Former AirHogs Ballpark to Become Venue for Major League Cricket

Major League Cricket has leased a 5,400-seat minor league baseball stadium in Grand Prairie, Texas, and will turn the venue into a cricket stadium for the league’s inaugural 2022 season.  Read more here.  The ballpark was the home of the now-defunct Texas/Grand Prairie AirHogs (Independent Professional, American Association).  Read more here.

Astros Officially Make Independent Skeeters Triple-A Affiliate

The Houston Astros’ farm system is getting closer than before to the team’s home base of Minute Maid Park. On Friday, the club officially announced it has agreed to purchase a majority stake in the Sugar Land Skeeters and designate it as its Triple-A affiliate.  Read more here.

Expedition League Launches Team in Caldwell (Idaho)

PRESS RELEASE – The Expedition League, with 11 teams in North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Wyoming, Montana, and Manitoba Canada, today announced the arrival of its affiliate in Caldwell, Idaho. The Canyon County Spuds will play at Wolfe Field.

MLB Seeks Response from NYPL Teams

Major League Baseball has reportedly asked New York-Penn League teams to provide an indication whether they are interested in joining the summer wood bat league that MLB recently proposed to league members.  Read more here.  More on MLB’s affiliation revamp.

Yankees Ditch Double-A Trenton for Independent Somerset

The New York Yankees have announced changes to their minor league affiliation structure as a result of the expiration of the Professional Baseball Agreement (between Major League Baseball and Minor League Baseball) and the creation of the Prospect Development Pipeline.  Read more here.  Read about the Somerset Patriots here.

Gastonia Pro Baseball Narrows List of Possible Team Names to Five Finalists

The newest club in the Atlantic League (Independent Professional) located in Gastonia (NC) announced in August the launch of its “Name the Team Contest,” which encourages fans to submit names for consideration as the club builds its brand identity.  The team has narrowed the field to five finalists — Fire Ants, Honey Hunters, Uppercuts, Hogzillas, and Hotshots. Fans can learn more about the names and make their selection here by Oct. 31.

New Johnstown Franchise Named ‘Mill Rats’

PRESS RELEASE – The first Pennsylvanian team in the collegiate summer level Prospect League will pay tribute to that state’s blue collar heritage with its brand. The Johnstown Mill Rats’ nickname derives from a term used to describe coal miners and steel workers. The term originally had a derogatory connotation, but it’s been embraced and repurposed to reflect the grit and determination a person needs to work in those industries.

Expedition League Adds Butte to Lineup

Press Release – The Expedition League, with 10 teams in North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Wyoming and Manitoba, Canada, today announced the arrival of its affiliate in Butte, Montana. The team will play at 3 Legends Stadium at the Copper Mountain Recreation Complex in Butte. 3 Legends Stadium is a beautiful ballpark that was completed in 2017.

Mock Talks Bubble Baseball

In this article penned for USA TODAY Sports Weekly, Joe Mock of BaseballParks.com provides us with an in-depth look at the “bubble” MLB playoffs that are now underway.  Read more here.  View playoff schedule here.

Statement by Minor League Baseball

PRESS RELEASE – The Chairman of Minor League Baseball’s Professional Baseball Agreement negotiating committee, D.G. Elmore, issued the following statement today:

“Name the Team” Contest Underway in Columbus (GA)

The Columbus Baseball Team is holding a “name the Columbus Baseball Team” contest, available via this Google form.  The team will be identified by Jan. 1 and will compete in the Sunbelt Baseball League.  Read more here.  Read background story here.  The team will play at Golden Park.  Thanks to Joe DeLeonard for the heads up.

Frontier League Adds Ottawa to Lineup, Ownership Group Led by Goldeyes’ Sam Katz

PRESS RELEASE – The Frontier League has announced the granting of an expansion membership to Ottawa, Ontario, to begin play in the 2021 season. Ottawa becomes the 15th Frontier League team and the third in Canada, joining the Quebec Capitales and Trois-Rivieres Aigles.

Coastal Plain League Adds Spartanburg to Lineup

Summer baseball is returning to Spartanburg and South Carolina’s oldest ballpark. The city council Monday gave the Coastal Plain League the OK to use Duncan Park for a team of top collegiate athletes to play a 52-game season, from late May to mid-August.  Read more here.

West Coast League Adds Edmonton to Lineup

PRESS RELEASE – Western North America’s premier summer collegiate baseball league continues to grow with Tuesday’s announcement from Baseball Edmonton introducing the Edmonton Riverhawks as the West Coast League’s 15th member team.

Justin Timberlake Joins Effort to Bring MLB to Nashville

Ten-time Grammy award winner Justin Timberlake cast his lot Wednesday with Music City Baseball, the group gaining momentum in its effort to bring a Major League Baseball franchise to Nashville.  Read more here.

West Coast League Adds Kamloops (BC) to Lineup

PRESS RELEASE – Canada’s Tournament Capital just added another sports team to its roster, the Kamloops NorthPaws. The announcement on September 9 was surrounded by much socially distanced fanfare at Norbrock Stadium, the home of the NorthPaws when they begin play.

Prospect League Adds Johnstown (PA) to Lineup, Name-the-Team Contest Underway

PRESS RELEASE – The Prospect League is proud to announce the addition of Johnstown, Pa. as an expansion franchise, which will begin play in the 2021 season at Sargent’s Stadium at the Point.

West Coast Reportedly Adding Kamloops

The West Coast League (Summer Collegiate) reportedly plans to expand to Kamloops (BC), possibly beginning the 2021 season.  Read more here.  The league recently announced the naming of the new franchise in Nanaimo (BC).  Kamloops is about two hours from Kelowna (BC), the home of WCL’s Kelowna Falcons.

Joe Mock Granted Near-Exclusive Access to Fanless Christening of Globe Life Field

Joe Mock of  BaseballParks.com was one of the few granted access to Globe Life Field, as the Texas Rangers christened their new ballpark with no fans in the stands.  Mock’s original reporting appeared in USA TODAY Sports Weekly.  Read story and view photos here.

The @Rangers opened beautiful @GlobeLifeField Friday, but no fans could attend. Read about the fan-less atmosphere, with thoughts from the gameday coordinators and broadcasters. https://t.co/3hAg4thdDJ pic.twitter.com/qGdGQQJzlI

— Joe Mock (@baseballparks) July 27, 2020

Atlantic League Adds Gastonia (NC) to 2021 Lineup

The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB) announced today it is expanding to the City of Gastonia with a team ownership group led by Brandon Bellamy, CEO of Velocity Companies, Inc. Gastonia becomes the second Atlantic League location in North Carolina, joining High Point, where the Rockers began play in 2019.

It’s the ‘Nanaimo NightOwls’

PRESS RELEASE – The lights, the history, the proud First Nations lore. And the world-famous dessert that helped make the City of Nanaimo a household name, all combined.

MiLB Shelves Season

PRESS RELEASE – Major League Baseball™ (MLB™) has informed Minor League Baseball™ (MiLB™) that it will not be providing its affiliated Minor League teams with players for the 2020 season. As a result, there will not be a Minor League Baseball season in 2020.

Atlantic League Clubs Announce Updated 2020 Plans

PRESS RELEASE – The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball today announced that, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, several member clubs have not gained necessary approval from governmental and health officials to open their ballparks to a capacity level sufficient for participation. As a result, the 2020 schedule for each team has been opened up, with clubs permitted to seek new solutions for this season that conform to their current governmental guidelines in order to get ballparks opened and begin play.

Five NWL Teams Will Begin Play July 1 in Regional ‘Minnesota-Iowa Pod’

PRESS RELEASE – Another “pod” of Northwoods League teams comprised of the Willmar Stingers, Mankato MoonDogs, Rochester Honkers, St. Cloud Rox and the Waterloo Bucks will return for play this summer starting July 1. The season for this pod will last until August 20th with the team holding the best winning percentage being declared the winner.

The NWL and Kingfish Announce Plans for 2020 Season

PRESS RELEASE – The Northwoods League and the Kenosha Kingfish are happy to announce that the Kingfish will be taking the field this summer in front of fans at Simmons Field.

Northwoods Leagues Announces Six-Team ‘Michigan Pod’ to Begin Summer Play

PRESS RELEASE – The Traverse City Pit Spitters, Kalamazoo Growlers and the Battle Creek Bombers in cooperation with the Northwoods League, announced today that baseball will be played in Traverse City, Kalamazoo and Battle Creek this summer.

American Association to Start 2020 Season with Three Ballparks, Six Teams

PRESS RELEASE – Sports talk show hosts and fans believed the perfect time to begin the 2020 baseball season was the Fourth of July Weekend. America’s birthday, fireworks, and baseball have always gone together. Baseball fans were looking for a glimmer of hope.

Affiliated Minor League Ballparks to Host Six TCL Teams, Bringing Circuit to 10 for 2020

PRESS RELEASE – This morning at 11am in multiple cities in Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana press conferences are being held to announce the return of baseball after the COVID-19 pause of the college and professional game.

Six Northwoods League Teams Will Begin Play July 1 in Regional ‘Wisconsin-Illinois Pod’

PRESS RELEASE – Another “pod” of Northwoods League teams comprised of the Fond du Lac Dock Spiders, the Green Bay Booyah, the La Crosse Loggers, the Rockford Rivets, the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters, and the Wisconsin Woodchucks will return for play this summer starting July 1st.

Bismarck Larks Add Two Teams to Play in 2020: Bismarck Bull Moose, Mandan Flickertails

PRESS RELEASE – The Bismarck Larks have made big changes to their 2020 season. The biggest change is welcoming two other Northwoods League teams to the community, the Flickertails and Bull Moose. To eliminate travel, the three teams will each play a 48-game schedule against each other for a total of 72 games at Bismarck Municipal Ballpark, home of Dakota Community Bank & Trust Field.