Peter Freund has now officially closed on a majority purchase of the Memphis Redbirds (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) from the St. Louis Cardinals, as the two teams announce a PDC extension through 2020.
Freund is the principal owner of the Williamsport Crosscutters (short season A; NY-Penn League) and a co-owner of the Charleston RiverDogs (Low A; Sally League). The Cardinals will retain a minority ownership in the Redbirds.
“I cannot wait to get to work and am looking very forward to connecting with Redbirds fans and the entire Memphis community,” Freund said.
The Redbirds and the Cardinals also announced an extension to their player-development contract (PDC), which now runs through the 2020 season. The Redbirds have been the Triple-A affiliate of the Cardinals since the 1998 season.
“Memphis is a great baseball city, and AutoZone Park is one of the premiere ballparks in the game,” Cardinals General Manager John Mozeliak said. “We are thrilled that our players will continue to compete in this beautiful stadium and in front of these fans.”
“This is an exciting new chapter for the Redbirds,” Redbirds President and General Manager Craig Unger said. “I cannot wait to begin working with Peter and am thrilled that Memphis sports fans will continue to be able to cheer on the future stars of the St. Louis Cardinals for years to come.”
You can check out the current state of player development contracts on our Affiliate Dance page.
RELATED STORIES: Freund to buy majority share of Memphis Redbirds