The Washington Nationals extend invitations to Minor League teams therefore setting and their affiliates. The Washington Nationals announced that the Wilmington Blue Rocks would become their High A team affiliate.
Well, it seems that the Washington Nationals minor league system has been finalized. Today, the Washington Nationals announced that the Wilmington Blue Rocks would become their High A team affiliate.
The Wilmington Blue Rocks join the Nationals after spending 26 of the last 28 seasons (1993–2004, 2007–20) as the Kansas City Royals Single-A Carolina League affiliate. They spent two seasons (2005–06) as an affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. The Blue Rocks play their home games at Daniel S. Frawley Stadium, a facility that opened when the organization relocated to Wilmington, Delaware in 1993.
“Clark Minker and I can’t wait to welcome the 2019 World Series champion Washington Nationals to Wilmington,” said Blue Rocks owner Dave Heller. “They are a team of great integrity which prides itself on doing the right things the right way. A championship community deserves a championship team, and from our first communications with Mark Lerner, Mike Rizzo and Mark Scialabba, we knew the Nationals were a first-class organization and a perfect fit for Wilmington. We couldn’t be more excited about the future!”
“We are very excited to extend the invitations to these four affiliates and their communities,” said Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo in a statement issued by the Washington Nationals. “All four affiliates are located in the northeast and mid-Atlantic regions, with Harrisburg, Wilmington and Fredericksburg located within 120 miles of Nationals Park. Wilmington and Fredericksburg are easily accessible via the I-95 corridor. Our four affiliates and their proximity to Washington, D.C. will be critical not only to player development and roster construction, but also to our injury rehabilitation process. We are certain that each affiliate and the surrounding community will be assets to our player development and organization as a whole.”
With the addition of the Wilmington Blue Rocks the Nationals minor league structure has been set.
The Red Wings spent the previous 18 seasons (2003–20) as the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. Prior to that 18-year run with the Twins, the Red Wings were affiliated with the Baltimore Orioles for 42 years (1961–2002) and the St. Louis Cardinals for 32 seasons (1929–60). They were originally founded in 1899. The Red Wings play their home games at Frontier Field, a downtown Rochester facility with a seating capacity of more than 13,000.
The Harrisburg Senators will continue to serve as Washington’s Double-A affiliate as they have since 2005. Before baseball’s return to D.C. in 2005, the Senators spent 14 seasons (1991–2004) as the Double-A affiliate of the Montreal Expos. The Harrisburg organization and the surrounding community have been vital in developing the homegrown talent that has been integral to Washington’s success at the Major League level.
The Wilmington Blue Rocks join the Nationals after spending 26 of the last 28 seasons (1993–2004, 2007–20) as the Kansas City Royals Single-A Carolina League affiliate. They spent two seasons (2005–06) as an affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. The Blue Rocks play their home games at Daniel S. Frawley Stadium, a facility that opened when the organization relocated to Wilmington, Delaware in 1993.
The Fredericksburg Nationals return as one of Washington’s Single-A affiliates, extending the partnership that has been in place since 2005. Only 55 miles from Nationals Park, Washington utilized the new stadium facilities in Fredericksburg, Virginia, as its Alternate Training Site during the 2020 season. Formerly known as the Potomac Nationals, this affiliate has been dedicated to helping develop eventual Major Leaguers and has been an asset in the rehabilitation process for injured players.
Here is the new structure:
