MLB Invites 119 Teams To Join Minor Leagues In 2021 – Baseball America

Multiple sources tell Baseball America that Major League Baseball has sent invitations to 119 of the 120 teams it is inviting to be part of its MLB-developed minor league system.

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Baseball America has been able to confirm the 119 invitations. They are:

MLB TeamAAAAAHiALoA
Arizona DiamondbacksRenoAmarilloHillsboroVisalia
Atlanta BravesGwinnettMississippiRomeAugusta
Baltimore OriolesNorfolkBowieAberdeenDelmarva
Boston Red SoxWorcesterPortlandGreenvilleSalem
Chicago White SoxCharlotteBirminghamWinston-SalemKannapolis
Chicago CubsIowaTennesseeSouth BendMyrtle Beach
Cincinnati RedsLouisvilleChattanoogaDaytonDaytona
Cleveland IndiansColumbusAkronLake CountyLynchburg
Colorado RockiesAlbuquerqueHartfordSpokaneTo Be Determined
Detroit TigersToledoErieWest MichiganLakeland
Houston AstrosSugar LandCorpus ChristiAshevilleFayetteville
Kansas City RoyalsOmahaNorthwest ArkansasQuad CitiesColumbia
Los Angeles AngelsSalt LakeRocket CityTri-City (Wash.)Inland Empire
Los Angeles DodgersOklahoma CityTulsaGreat LakesRancho Cucamonga
Miami MarlinsJacksonvillePensacolaBeloitJupiter
Milwaukee BrewersNashvilleBiloxiWisconsinCarolina
Minnesota TwinsSt. PaulWichitaCedar RapidsFort Myers
New York YankeesScranton/Wilkes-BarreSomersetHudson ValleyTampa
New York MetsSyracuseBinghamtonBrooklynSt. Lucie
Oakland AthleticsLas VegasMidlandLansingStockton
Philadelphia PhilliesLehigh ValleyReadingJersey ShoreClearwater
Pittsburgh PiratesIndianapolisAltoonaGreensboroBradenton
San Diego PadresEl PasoSan AntonioFort WayneLake Elsinore
San Francisco GiantsSacramentoRichmondEugeneSan Jose
Seattle MarinersTacomaArkansasEverettModesto
St. Louis CardinalsMemphisSpringfieldPeoriaPalm Beach
Tampa Bay RaysDurhamMontgomeryBowling GreenCharleston, S.C.
Texas RangersRound RockFriscoHickoryDown East
Toronto Blue JaysBuffaloNew HampshireVancouverDunedin
Washington NationalsRochesterHarrisburgWilmingtonFredericksburg

There are 11 full season affiliated teams that did not receive invites.

Double-A: Jackson Generals (Southern), Trenton Thunder (Eastern)

High Class A: Charlotte Stone Crabs (Florida State), Florida Fire Frogs (Florida State), Frederick Keys (Carolina)

Low Class A: Burlington Bees (Midwest), Clinton LumberKings (Midwest), Hagerstown Suns (South Atlantic), Lexington Legends (South Atlantic), Kane County Cougars (Midwest), West Virginia Power (South Atlantic)

In addition the impasse over the fate of the Rockies affiliate in the California League appears to be unresolved. Major League Baseball has told Fresno that it will not be offered a Triple-A affiliation but that it is open to offering a low Class A California League club (which would be the Rockies affiliate). That issue remains unresolved, which means MLB sent out 119 invitations today, not 120. Lancaster and Fresno have not received invitations.

Bowling Green Brianwesterholtfourseam

Four Factors Dominate List Of 119 Minor League Teams

So why did one minor league team make it onto Major League Baseball’s list of 119 invited teams while another nearby team did not?