Mariners Minors: New Affiliates Bring Change To Landscape

The Jackson Generals have left the Mariners organization after ten years of wavering success. In place of the AA affiliate, the team has agreed to a contract with the AA Arkansas Travelers. The M’s have also made another change, signing a four year deal with the High-A Modesto Nuts, as well as buying a chunk of the organization.

Earlier this week, the Mariners made a few changes to their minor league set up. With their contract expiring, the Generals have moved on from the M’s to complete a four year deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

During the past ten seasons, the Generals have made the Division Championship series four times, losing twice. The former year they won the division series (2012), the Generals went on to lose the Southern League Championship.

This season is the later year that they won the division series. They would go on to win the Southern League Championship. It was the first time the Generals won the SL title since 2000 when they were in the Chicago Cubs organization.

Whoever the M’s assign to the would-have-been Generals squad will now play in Little Rock,

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Arkansas for the Travelers. The Travelers have more than a century’s worth of history. In 1961, they formed their modern organization, after the Little Rock Travelers became defunct. That team had been around since 1902.

For a brief moment, the Travelers were a AAA team in the International league and then the Pacific Coast League. That lasted three years. In 1966, the organization became the Texas League team we know today.

The Travelers have won the Texas League championship eight times since 1966. They last won it all back in 2008. Although they made it to the final twice since.

The Mariners have signed a two year deal with the club for the moment. If the Mariners prospects can help bring titles nine and ten to the Travelers, who knows how long the partnership will be extended.

As for the other minor league change, the Mariners have put all their nuts in the Modesto Nuts can. Not only have the Mariners purchased a majority stake of the minor league affiliate (51%), they also signed a four year agreement with the High-A, California League club.

The M’s are no stranger to the California League. This will be their ninth affiliation since 1978. However, this time around their commitment seems much greater, or they wouldn’t have taken control of the the organization.

Michael Savit, a managing partner of HWS Baseball IV, LLC., which has owned the team since 2005 had this to say about the long term partnership.

"“I think this is a great day for the Nuts, the City of Modesto and all baseball fans in the Stanislaus County area,” he said. “The Mariners are a great organization, and the commitment they are making to the franchise says a great deal about Modesto and its baseball future. We couldn’t be happier about partnering with the Mariners.”"

Next: Mariners: What We Learned

The M’s are putting so much commitment into the early level of High-A club. This will hopefully help to continue to build up their already great minor league system. The moves make the future look even brighter for the future Mariners stars.