NEWSLETTER
Today, Major League Baseball formally invited 120* minor league teams to join the new minor league setup, which will be operated by MLB going forward. That’s four affiliates per MLB organization, which will also retain teams in rookie ball and the Dominican Republic.
You can see the full list of affiliates here, but I know you’re most interested in having it confirmed that there aren’t big changes coming for the Chicago Cubs. Thankfully, there are not. As we’ve been expecting, the Iowa Cubs stay the AAA affiliate, the Tennessee Smokies stay the AA affiliate, the South Bend Cubs become the High-A affiliate, and the Myrtle Beach Pelicans become the Low-A affiliate (their leagues are changing levels).
The Eugene Emeralds, formerly the Cubs’ short-season Low-A affiliate – a classification that doesn’t exist anymore – are joining the San Francisco Giants org as their new High-A affiliate. Glad to see they landed in a new organization, because they’ve always been very well run.
So, again, mostly no huge changes here for the Cubs organization as you know it. What you’ll now see more of is prospects heading from rookie ball to Myrtle Beach, instead of heading to either Eugene or South Bend.
Here’s the Cubs’ official announcement:
The Chicago Cubs today announced that the organization has invited the Triple-A Iowa Cubs, the Double-A Tennessee Smokies, the High-A South Bend Cubs and Low-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans to remain affiliates in Major League Baseball’s new player development structure.
“We are pleased to invite four of our long-time affiliates to continue working with us and help develop our players,” said Cubs Vice President of Player Development Matt Dorey. “These four teams have combined to work with the Cubs for 66 years, and that is only possible with strong ownership, hardworking front offices and welcoming communities at each level of our system.
“We would also like to thank the Eugene Emeralds for their commitment and tireless effort the past six years, highlighted by Northwest League titles in 2016 and 2018,” Dorey said. “We are grateful to Allan Benavides, Matt Dompe and the entire Eugene front office.”
The Iowa Cubs have been an affiliate of the Cubs since 1981, and the 40-year relationship is third-longest among any major league team and an affiliate at the Triple-A level. Tennessee joined Chicago’s farm system in 2007 while both South Bend and Myrtle Beach joined Chicago’s player development starting with the 2015 season.
*(It’s technically 119 thanks to an unresolved issue in the Rockies’ system, about which you can read more at BA.)
