The Seattle Mariners have extended invitations to four existing affiliates for the 2021 season and beyond: Tacoma Rainiers, Arkansas Travelers, Everett AquaSox and Modesto Nuts.
“We are pleased to invite these four great communities to continue to work with us to develop the next generation of Mariners players,” Executive Vice President & General Manager of Baseball Operations Jerry Dipoto said in a press statement.
The response from the Rainiers front office was a little pointed, but reflected the feelings of many Triple-A owners who want to withhold judgement on affiliation until a final Player Development License (PDL) is released:
Our statement on the Seattle Mariners affiliate invitation: pic.twitter.com/rvY3giyjq4
— Tacoma Rainiers (@RainiersLand) December 9, 2020
No such qualms in Everett: “The Everett AquaSox would like to thank the Seattle Mariners for their invitation to continue our partnership. The Mariners have been outstanding partners for over 25 years, and we look forward to many more years with them as a member of the Northwest League,” said AquaSox General Manager Danny Tetzlaff in a press statement.
Here’s the most up-to-date information about the current affiliation status.
Everett will rise to High A with the rest of the Northwest League, while the Modesto Nuts (majority owned by the Mariners) will move down to Low A along with the rest of the California League. The West Virginia Power, the Mariners’ Low-A affiliate, was not offered a slot in the new 120-year MiLB lineup.
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