Three Royals affiliates among 42 minor league teams targeted for elimination
Three minor league affiliates of the Kansas City Royals are among 42 minor league teams identified by Major League Baseball as targets to be dropped from their current circuits.
The teams are listed in an initial proposal for a revised Professional Baseball Agreement that would start in 2021, the season after the current PBA between Major League Baseball and minor league clubs expires. The plan would reduce the number of minor league clubs from 160 to 118.
The Royals affiliates on the list are the Lexington Legends of the South Atlantic League (Class A), the Burlington Royals of the Appalachian League (Rookie Advanced) and Idaho Falls Chukars of the Pioneer League (Rookie Advanced).
The 42 teams targeted for elimination (current major league affiliation in parentheses):
Double-A
Eastern League: Binghamton, N.Y. (New York Mets); Erie, Pa. (Detroit)
Southern League: Chattanooga, Tenn. (Cincinnati); Jackson, Tenn. (Arizona)
Class A Advanced
California League: Lancaster (Colorado)
Carolina League: Frederick, Md. (Baltimore)
Florida State League: Daytona (Cincinnati); Kissimmee (Atlanta)
Class A
Midwest League: Burlington, Iowa (Los Angeles Angels); Clinton, Iowa (Miami); Quad Cities, Iowa (Houston)
South Atlantic League: Charleston, W.Va. (Seattle); Hagerstown, Md. (Washington); Lexington, Ky. (Kansas City)
Class A Short Season
New York-Penn League: Auburn, N.Y. (Washington); Batavia, N.Y. (Miami); Lowell, Mass. (Boston); Mahoning Valley, Ohio (Cleveland); Norwich, Conn. (Detroit); State College, Pa. (St. Louis); Staten Island, N.Y. (New York Yankees); Vermont (Oakland); Williamsport, Pa. (Philadelphia)
Northwest League: Salem-Keizer, Ore. (San Francisco); Tri-City, Wash. (San Diego)
Rookie Advanced
Appalachian League: Bluefield, W. Va. (Toronto); Bristol, Va. (Pittsburgh); Burlington, N.C. (Kansas City); Danville, Va. (Atlanta); Elizabethton, Tenn. (Minnesota); Greeneville, Tenn. (Cincinnati); Johnson City, Tenn. (St. Louis); Kingsport, Tenn. (New York Mets); Princeton, W. Va. (Tampa Bay)
Pioneer League: Billings, Mont. (Cincinnati); Grand Junction, Colo. (Colorado); Great Falls, Mont. (Chicago White Sox); Idaho Falls (Kansas City); Missoula, Mont. (Arizona); Ogden, Utah (Los Angeles Dodgers); Orem, Utah (Los Angeles Angels); Rocky Mountain, Colo. (Milwaukee)
