Another big affiliation shift could take place with the Chattanooga Lookouts (Class AA; Southern League), where Minnesota Twins officials could announce a new player development contract (PDC) today.
Twins officials flew into Chatanooga last night to tour AT&T Field and check out the team’s player facilities. A local newspaper is reporting a new deal could be announced as early as today if all checks out:
Barring any hitches regarding the 6,340-seat downtown facility built in 2000, the Twins and Lookouts could announce a player development partnership in a news conference as early as this afternoon.
Chattanooga has been the Class AA affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers since September 2008, but the Dodgers did not renew their player development contract in order to hook up with Tulsa of the Texas League.
“I appreciate all the Dodgers did for us over six years,” Lookouts owner Frank Burke said Tuesday afternoon. “They brought us some great memories with Yasiel Puig and Clayton Kershaw and Scott Van Slyke, but now I’m looking forward to starting a relationship with another major league team.
“This is the start of a new chapter for us.”
The Lookouts were on the lookout for a new parent after the Los Angeles Dodgers made the decision to seek a new Class AA farm team. The Dodgers will announce today a new affiliation with the Tulsa Drillers (Class AA; Texas League).
The Twins had previously been affiliated with the New Britain Rock Cats (Class AA; Eastern League). There are two other MLB teams looking for Class AA affiliations: the Colorado Rockies and the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Here’s a look at the current affiliate status in Minor League Baseball.
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