Photo Credit: InTheBallparks.com

The Appalachian League is leaving affiliated baseball and taking the Kingsport franchise with it.

The contraction of Minor League Baseball, the likes of which have not been seen in decades, is officially underway. The former rookie-level Appalachian League was rebranded last week as a summer wood bat league for college freshmen and sophomores.

As a result, the Mets and the Kingsport franchise no longer have an affiliation, with the team changing its Twitter handle on Tuesday.

The two organizations had been linked since 1980, when the K-Mets left the Atlanta Braves. They had previously been affiliated with seven other major league teams, beginning with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1942.

In the 40 years since becoming a Mets affiliate, several future big league stars passed through Tennessee, including David Wright, Dwight Gooden, and Darryl Strawberry. The team won league titles in 1988 and 1995.

Though they will no longer be affiliated with the Mets, the Kingsport baseball franchise will still operate in the new league. Their name and logo will be announced at a later date.

As for the players who had been assigned to the Kingsport Mets (including prospects Francisco Alvarez, Junior Santos, and Jaylen Palmer) they will have to be transferred to another affiliate, else released. Losing an affiliate means fewer organizational roster spots, and with the upcoming elimination of the short-season A level, cuts are likely coming.