Aviators to remain Athletics’ Triple-A affiliate in 2021

Las Vegas Review-Journal

4 years ago

Las Vegas Aviators second baseman Trace Loehr (7, right) makes the out in the third inning on S ... — Las Vegas Aviators second baseman Trace Loehr (7, right) makes the out in the third inning on Sacramento River Cats catcher Ronnie Freeman (22) at second then throws to first during game five of their best-of-five first-round Pacific Coast League playoff series at the Las Vegas Ballpark Sunday, Sept. 8, 2019, in Las Vegas. (L.E. Baskow/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @Left_Eye_Images

The Aviators will remain the Oakland Athletics’ Triple-A affiliate in the 2021 season under the new minor-league baseball structure.

Las Vegas became the A’s top farm club beginning in the 2019 season, but there was no minor-league baseball this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are pleased to learn that the Oakland A’s have chosen to affiliate with the Aviators,” Las Vegas president Don Logan said in a statement. “We look forward to the possibility of renewing our relationship with them once a deal is reached between MLB and its Minor League partners. The Aviators are among the very best franchises in Minor League Baseball and look forward to once again bringing exciting Pacific Coast League baseball to the fans in southern Nevada.”

The A’s also announced affiliations with Midland, Texas; Lansing, Michigan; and Stockton, California.

“In Las Vegas, Don Logan and the Howard Hughes Corporation welcomed us to a brand-new ballpark in 2019, and we can’t think of a better place for our Triple-A team to be than in Summerlin,” A’s general manager David Forst said in a statement.

The A’s move was tame compared to the major shakeup that the rest of minor league baseball saw Wednesday. With each MLB team declaring a Triple-A, Double-A, High-A and Low-A team, 43 minor league franchises were left on the sideline.

The changes by MLB were intended to cut costs and streamline the minor league system.

Contact reporter Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com. Follow @markanderson65 on Twitter.