Oakland adds Lansing to 2021 affiliate lineup | Ballpark Digest (original) (raw)

The Lansing Lugnuts will become an Oakland Athletics affiliate and join Las Vegas Aviators, Midland RockHounds and Stockton Ports in the A’s lineup if invites today are confirmed.

As part of the shift of the Midwest League, the Lugnuts will become the Athletics’ High-A affiliate; as a result of the shift of the California League, Stockton will become the Athletics’ Low-A affiliate.

The Lugnuts replace the Beloit Snappers in the Athletics affiliate lineup. The Snappers have been invited to be the Miami Marlins’ High-A affiliate. The Lugnuts had been an affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays, but Toronto chose to place its High-A affiliate in Vancouver.

“On behalf of the A’s, I am excited to invite four outstanding organizations to partner with us under MLB’s new player development structure,” said A’s General Manager David Forst, in a press statement.. “We are proud to have already been affiliated with three of these communities, and are thrilled to welcome another into the A’s player development family. We know how much minor league baseball was missed in 2020 and look forward to A’s minor leaguers playing in Las Vegas, Midland, Lansing, and Stockton for many years to come.”

“We are pleased to learn that the Oakland A’s have chosen to affiliate with the Aviators,” said Don Logan, Las Vegas Aviators President & Chief Operations Officer, in a press statement. “We look forward to the possibility of renewing our relationship with them once a deal is reached between MLB and its Minor League partners. The Aviators are among the very best franchises in Minor League Baseball and look forward to once again bringing exciting Pacific Coast League baseball to the fans in southern Nevada.”

“The Stockton Ports would like to thank the Oakland Athletics for the invitation to continue our partnership as an affiliated club,” said Stockton Ports President Pat Filippone. “We have had a strong partnership for 16 years and look forward to many more as a member of the California League.”

“This would be an exciting move for us, to embark on our 25th season by moving up to High A,” said Lugnuts owner Tom Dickson. “Our players work hard every year for a promotion. This year our whole organization may very well be getting a promotion in addition to joining one of Major League Baseball’s storied franchises in the Athletics, with nine World Series titles and a host of greats enshrined in Cooperstown. We look forward to reviewing the terms of the invitation to ensure that we are doing what is best for Lansing and Lugnuts fans.”

Here’s the most up-to-date information about the current affiliation status.