Oakland A’s Announce New Triple-A Affiliation with Las Vegas 51s
Sep 18, 2018, 12:00 AM | Updated: Jan 4, 2019, 11:34 am
(Photo by Michael Zagaris/Oakland Athletics/Getty Images)
(Photo by Michael Zagaris/Oakland Athletics/Getty Images)
by Matt George – Sports 1140 KHTK Reporter
From Sacramento to Nashville and now Las Vegas. The Oakland Athletics Triple-A affiliation has bounced around a bit over the last decade, and now the Green & Gold spreads into Sin City.
Athletics Executive Vice President Billy Beane and 51s President Don Logan agreed to a two-year Player Development Contract through the 2020 season.
🌳🐘⚾️ The @Athletics are putting down roots in Las Vegas! #LV51s announce a two-year Player Development Contract with the American League Oakland A's through the 2020 season. pic.twitter.com/22bMoTeOOS
— Las Vegas Aviators (@AviatorsLV) September 17, 2018
Las Vegas is set to open an all-new ballpark in Summerlin soon, which, along with the location, was a major contributing factor to the A’s interest.
“We made it clear that they were our first choice and likewise they said they were hoping we would want to be there” said Oakland General Manager David Forst.
The Athletics have been one of the most successful franchises in the MLB throughout their farm system. Oakland doesn’t shy away from calling up and sending down talent as needed frequently throughout the season. Now, instead of the 2,294 miles to Nashville, players will enjoy a significantly shorter 558 mile commute.
