The El Paso Chihuahuas (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) and the San Diego Padres announced an extension of their player development contract (PDC) through the 2016 season.
The announcement was made a press conference today.
“We are thrilled to continue our partnership with the Padres,” said Alan Ledford, MountainStar Sports Group President. “They are a terrific partner and we appreciate their assistance in bringing a top quality product to El Paso. Their entire organization have been great to work with and we sincerely appreciate all the support they have provided.”
“We are excited to move forward with the Padres and look to a bright future as they continue to build through their farm system,” said General Manager Brad Taylor. “The Padres have been extremely accommodating to work with and appreciative of the great atmosphere here in El Paso. It is remarkable to know that the coaches and players all want to see a continuing relationship with El Paso and the Chihuahuas.”
“Triple-A is an important level in the development of our players, and we are fortunate to have a great partnership with the El Paso club,” said A.J. Preller, Executive Vice President/General Manager of the San Diego Padres. “The Chihuahuas have created a special atmosphere at their new ballpark that makes for a unique game experience. We are looking forward to continuing our affiliation and building on a successful first year in El Paso.”
The relationship between the franchises has survived two moves (it began when the team was the Portland Beavers and maintained when the team was moved to Tucson) and five different ownership groups between them. Still, there was speculation the Chihuahuas ownership could jump affiliation to another Texas-based team — say, the Houston Astros.
Here’s a look at the current affiliate status in Minor League Baseball.
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