Astros headed to Buies Creek in 2017

The Houston Astros' new Carolina League affiliate will play at Campbell University for the next two seasons and be called the Buies Creek Astros, the team announced Thursday.

Buies Creek becomes the Astros' Class A Advanced affiliate after the organization decided to leave the California League, where it had been affiliated with Lancaster since 2009. The California and Carolina Leagues worked together on realignment for 2017 -- the Bakersfield Blaze and High Desert Mavericks were contracted and two new franchises are being added to the Carolina League, including the recently announced Down East Wood Ducks in Kinston, North Carolina.

Buies Creek will serve as the Astros' temporary home for the 2017 and 2018 seasons before the organization's anticipated move to nearby Fayetteville, North Carolina.

A press conference is scheduled for Friday at noon ET at the team's new ballpark, Jim Perry Stadium, and will include Astros president Reid Ryan, senior vice president of business operations Marcel Braithwaite, Carolina League president John Hopkins, Campbell University president J. Bradley Creed, Campbell athletic director Bob Roller, Fayetteville council member Jim Arp and Buies Creek's general manager, David Lane.

Jim Perry Stadium currently has a capacity of 1,000, including 630 seats, and was renovated in 2012. It's named after Campbell baseball alum Jim Perry, who pitched in the Majors and won the 1970 American League Cy Young Award.

The team also said Buies Creek will play its first game April 6 at home against the Salem Red Sox.