MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — A national process that has been in the works for almost a year concluded Wednesday when Major League Baseball teams officially announced their Minor League Baseball affiliates for the 2021 season.
The West Virginia Power have not been retained as an affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. The Charleston-based franchise has competed in the South Atlantic League ever since the construction of Appalachian Power Park in 2005. Although further changes to MLB’s affiliates list are possible, the Power are now seeking a new affiliation.
“We were certainly very hopeful that we would be on this initial affiliate list,” said WV Power Broadcast and Media Relations Manager David Kahn.
“But this is the start of a process that has been going on for a while. This is the next step in the process where these are the affiliates that have been invited to join Minor League Baseball. While we did not receive an invite, it certainly doesn’t mean that there aren’t affiliates that could reject the invitation and we could can get an invite because of that.”
The Mariners’ new full-season Class A affiliate will be in Modesto, California.
11 full-season clubs did not receive invitations from MLB to join the minors in 2021.
Full list: https://t.co/MOf6CpSQ2I pic.twitter.com/dZmdUdVY5n
— Baseball America (@BaseballAmerica) December 9, 2020
Around forty minor league teams across the country have had their connection with MLB severed or altered in recent months. In Morgantown, the West Virginia Black Bears have been named as a member of the new ‘Draft League’, featuring prospects instead of professionals.
The Power are looking at numerous options to field a team starting in the spring of 2021.
“There’s a million and one pathways for us to continue to have baseball in Charleston. We certainly are exploring all of those options. There’s different leagues, it seems like everyday that Major League Baseball has contrived a new league to possibly try. There’s the Draft League, talk of the Frontier League, there’s the American Association, there’s independent ball.
“The biggest and most important thing to us at this juncture is to continue to provide baseball for the City of Charleston and for our community because we understand baseball has been in the fabric of the City of Charleston and the State of West Virginia for a long time.”
Kahn believes the Power are set up well to attract another franchise. First and foremost, Appalachian Power Park is relatively new by minor league baseball standards.
“The ballpark is fifteen years old and it still looks brand new. We continue to put renovations into it. The video board we have is three years old. We are getting the field worked on. The clubhouse has just been renovated. We have more plans to renovate it again. Our production facilities are state-of-the-art. We have a really good view and a good location in the City of Charleston right in the middle of downtown.”
“We are saddened to learn that MLB did not extend an invitation to the Power to remain a part of affiliated Minor League Baseball for the 2021 season,” said WV Power Managing Partner Tim Wilcox. “Minor League Baseball has been a fabric of this community since the early 1900s, and consistently since 1987. We have time and again shown that our organization, facility and amenities adequately meet and even exceed the current requirements laid down by MLB.
“However, we are not going to close our doors. Our goal for the last 33 years has been to provide family-friendly entertainment to the city of Charleston throughout the spring and summer, and that has not changed today. As for what that will look like, we are still exploring all options. But rest assured, baseball will remain at Appalachian Power Park in the future, and we want our community to be a part of it.”
“The decision to cut the West Virginia Power’s affiliation with MLB is disappointing and marks the end of a long and storied tradition,” said Senator Shelly Moore Capito (R-W.Va.). “However, this is not the end of baseball in Charleston. In fact, I have been given the assurance by the MLB that we will have baseball in our state’s capital city. As I have throughout this entire process, I will continue to work with the teams, the cities, MLB, and everyone else involved to form partnerships that will enable families to hear ‘Play Ball’ again at Power Park.”