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Erie, Detroit Extend Player Development Contract

Erie SeaWolves logoAnother affiliation deal to report: the Detroit Tigers and the Erie SeaWolves (Class AA; Eastern League) agreed to a player development contract (PDC) extension through 2020.

The extension was a foregone conclusion after the announcement of a $12 million state grant for UPMC Park.

“We are excited to continue our relationship with the Detroit Tigers through the 2020 season,” SeaWolves Owner and CEO Fernando Aguirre said. “With improvements forthcoming at UPMC Park and the Tigers organization bringing in exciting prospects during their rebuild, we look forward to continuing to see future Major League caliber talent play in Erie.”

The SeaWolves began play in 1995 as the Short-Season New York-Penn League affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. In 1999, Erie welcomed the Double-A Eastern League affiliate of the Anaheim Angels to town. The SeaWolves began their current affiliation with the Detroit Tigers in 2001. Since partnering with the Tigers, 189 SeaWolves players have played in Erie and advanced to play Major League Baseball.

“The Erie SeaWolves have been a great partner to the Detroit Tigers organization since 2001, and our relationship continues to grow stronger with each passing year,” Dave Littlefield, Detroit Tigers Vice President of Player Development said. “The recent announcement of upcoming renovations at UPMC Park proved how committed the city and state are to keeping baseball in Erie, and we’re really pleased to continue being a part of this strong community.”

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.

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