JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The I’s are dotted and the T’s are crossed. The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp’s move to Triple-A is complete.
A move that was announced last December was made official Friday morning when the Jumbo Shrimp signed Major League Baseball’s Professional Development License to officially lock the team in to Triple-A for the next 10 years.
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Jacksonville will be the Triple-A affiliate of the Marlins, which brings the highest level of minor league baseball back to town for the first time since 1968.
The Jumbo Shrimp will play in the Triple-A East league and in the Southeast Division.
The move was a formality after Jacksonville’s parent club, the Miami Marlins, extended an invitation for the team to move up a level on Dec. 9, 2020.
Minor league baseball underwent a massive overhaul last offseason to reduce the number of teams from 162 to 120 and provide four affiliates for each Major League Baseball team.
All 30 MLB franchises will now have a Triple-A, Double A, high-Class A and a low-Class A minor league teams, as well as developmental squads at sites in Florida, Arizona and the Dominican Republic. The full leagues were released Friday as well, with the Triple-A league replaced what was the International League and the Pacific Coast League.
“This is a momentous day for Jumbo Shrimp fans to officially bring the top level of Minor League Baseball to 121 Financial Ballpark,” said Jumbo Shrimp owner and CEO Ken Babby.
“As we enter this new era of Minor League Baseball, the familiarity of continuing our long-standing partnership with the Miami Marlins, whose players, coaches and staff have long embraced the city of Jacksonville and Northeast Florida, is so exciting. We look forward to growing that relationship as the Marlins’ Triple-A affiliate for many years to come.”
TRIPLE-A
Triple-A East
Midwest Division
Columbus Clippers (Indians)
Indianapolis Indians (Pirates)
Louisville Bats (Reds)
Omaha Storm Chasers (Royals)
St. Paul Saints (Twins)
Toledo Mud Hens (Tigers)
Northeast Division
Buffalo Bisons (Blue Jays)
Lehigh Valley IronPigs (Phillies)
Rochester Red Wings (Nationals)
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (Yankees)
Syracuse Mets (Mets)
Worchester Red Sox (Red Sox)
Southeast Division
Charlotte Knights (White Sox)
Durham Bulls (Rays)
Gwinnett Stripers (Braves)
Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (Marlins)
Memphis Redbirds (Cardinals)
Nashville Sounds (Brewers
Norfolk Tides (Orioles)
Triple-A West
East Division
Albuquerque Isotopes (Rockies)
El Paso Chihuahuas (Padres)
Oklahoma City Dodgers (Dodgers)
Round Rock Express (Rangers)
Sugar Land Skeeters (Astros)
West Division
Las Vegas Aviators (A’s)
Reno Aces (D-backs)
Sacramento River (Giants)
Salt Lake Bees (Angels)
Tacoma Rainiers (Mariners)