Major League Baseball announced on Friday the new minor league teams and league alignment for the 2020 season.
The New York Mets’ minor league affiliates and their new divisions will be as follows:
Syracuse Mets (Triple-A East, Northeast division)
Binghamton Rumble Ponies (Double-A Northeast, Northeast division)
Brooklyn Cyclones (High-A East, North division)
St. Lucie Mets (Low-A Southeast, East division)
There’s no surprises on the Mets front, as we learned back in December how their minor league affiliates were going to shake out.
“We feel having a first-class player development system is crucial to achieving sustained success on the field, and all four of our affiliates are critical to that effort,” Mets president Sandy Alderson said in December. “We are proud to have worked with such great leadership throughout the state and in each of these communities and are thankful for their continued support.”
A new set of standards is also being introduced alongside the new division alignment, according to the Brooklyn Cyclones’ website:
- Player salary increases ranging from 38-72 percent for the 2021 season.
- Modernized facility standards better suited for professional athletes.
- Improved amenities and working conditions for players and staff.
- Reduced in-season travel for players and coaches.
- Better geographical alignment.
“We are excited to unveil this new model, which not only provides a pipeline to the Majors, but continues the Minor Leagues’ tradition of entertaining millions of families in hundreds of communities,” MLB commissioner Robert Manfred said. “In modernizing our Minor League system, we prioritized the qualities that make the Minor Leagues such an integral part of our game while strengthening how we develop professional athletes on and off the field. We look forward to demonstrating the best of our game throughout local communities, supporting all those who are working hard to grow the sport, and sharing unrivaled technology and resources with minor league teams and players.”
For the full list of the new league alignment and teams, MLB.com has the lowdown.
