Lookouts Sign Affiliation Agreement With Reds

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – The Chattanooga Lookouts announced today that they have officially accepted the Cincinnati Reds invitation to continue as the Reds’ Double-A affiliate. The player development license, which begins with the 2021 season, will run through the 2030 season.

“This is an incredibly exciting day for our team,” said Lookouts President Rich Mozingo. “We are very proud to be a part of the Cincinnati Reds system and continue to do what we do best – create a best-in-class fan experience, develop big-league ballplayers, grow our business and support our community. Our fans can rest assured that the future of baseball in Chattanooga is strong.”

The 2021 season will mark the 24th season of affiliation between the Reds and the Lookouts. The teams signed a two-year player development contract in 2018 after having spent 21-years as partners from 1988-2008.

“We’ve been engaged with Major League Baseball and the Reds to forge a relationship that preserves the history and tradition of the minors, while creating a modern player development system that will benefit everyone — fans, players, teams, and our community — for decades to come,” Mozingo said.

MLB’s new player development structure will consist of 120 teams across four levels: Triple-A, Double-A, High-A, and Low-A. Each MLB team will have one Minor League licensed affiliate at each level. (MLB teams also will have additional affiliates in the Dominican Republic and in either Arizona or Florida.)

Next season’s Lookouts schedule and promotional calendar will be released at a later date. “We look forward to the resumption of baseball at AT&T Field,” Mozingo said. “We can’t wait until we have our 2021 schedule so fans can start planning to be out at the ballpark.”

As planning for 2021 continues, the Lookouts will monitor Tennessee and Hamilton County COVID-19 related projected protocols, requirements, and recommendations for the Spring and Summer months.

“We’ll approach the 2021 season with extreme care and consideration,” Mozingo said. “Every event at AT&T Field will put the health and safety of our fans, guests, staff, and players first. We’re hopeful that between now and Opening Day we’ll see tremendous strides taken towards returning to some level of normalcy. Whatever the situation when it’s time to ‘play ball,’ we’ll be ready as a staff and as a facility.”