The Buffalo Bisons (Class AAA; International League) and the Toronto Blue Jays announced a two-year extension to their player-development contract (PDC), through the 2020 season.
The Blue Jays and Bisons have been affiliates since the 2013 season, and the extension was anticipated by many in the industry.
“Having a strong Major League parent club that is willing to support our efforts both on the field and off is extremely important to our overall success and the Toronto Blue Jays have been and continue to be a fantastic partner of ours since day one,” said Bisons Vice President/General Manager Mike Buczkowski. “We’re looking forward to continuing this relationship and bringing the excitement of both our clubs to the great baseball fans in Western New York, Southern Ontario and in Toronto.”
“We are very proud to extend our relationship with the Rich family and the Buffalo Bisons,” said Blue Jays Director of Player Development Gil Kim. “The first class treatment that our players receive in Buffalo is a testament to the leadership of Jon Dandes, Mike Buczkowski and the entire Bisons organization.” “The Bisons are instrumental in helping to create the optimal environments, both on and off the field, so that our players can maximize their potential en route to Toronto. We look forward to this relationship continuing for many years to come.”
You can read more about the current state of affiliations on our Affiliate Dance page. We expect a number of affiliations to be renewed in coming weeks, but there are always intriguing openings at every level of baseball. As you can see on the Affiliate Dance page, MLB and MiLB teams can renew their existing affiliations at any point. At the end of the 2018 season, teams can file to search new affiliation options, so there’s always a shuffle of sorts at the end of the year.