There has been an affiliation change at the Double-A level, as the Chattanooga Lookouts (Southern League) and Cincinnati Reds have announced a player development contract (PDC) through the 2020 season.
The announcement marks a reunion of sorts, as the Lookouts and Reds were affiliated from 1988-2008 before parting ways. After a six-season stint with the Los Angeles Dodgers that ran from 2009-2014, the Lookouts were most recently aligned with the Minnesota Twins from 2015-2018. The Reds, meanwhile, had most recently been affiliated at the Double-A level with the Pensacola Blue Wahoos (Southern League).
“The Reds are thrilled to be returning to the city of Chattanooga and forming a new partnership with the Lookouts, both on and off the field,” said Cincinnati Reds President of Baseball Operations Dick Williams. “We are excited to be working with Jason Freier and his partners, the Lookouts’ front office, and, most importantly, the fans and the Chattanooga community at large. During our previous stint as partners, we witnessed firsthand that the city of Chattanooga and the Lookouts franchise combine to provide a great springboard to the Major Leagues and we are looking forward to enjoying similar success with a new generation of players and fans.”
“We are thrilled to have the Reds back in Chattanooga,” said Lookouts Owner Jason Freier. “It’s exciting to be reunited with baseball’s original franchise. The proximity of our cities is a great benefit of our partnership. Reds games are broadcast into the Chattanooga market and Cincinnati is just a drive away, so our fans will be able to follow their Lookouts up to the big leagues.”
“The development of homegrown talent will always be at the core of what the Cincinnati Reds do, and Double-A is such an important step in that development process,” said Cincinnati Reds Vice President of Player Development Shawn Pender. “We are thrilled that our players will get to take that step in a place like Chattanooga, and are confident that they will represent the city and the franchise well.”
You can read more about the current state of affiliations on our Affiliate Dance page. We expect a number of player development contracts to be renewed in the coming week, but there are always intriguing openings at every level of baseball. As you can see on the Affiliate Dance page, we’re now at the point where MLB and MiLB teams can search for new affiliation options, so there’s always a shuffle of sorts at the end of the season.
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