Mudcats Officially Accept New PDL with Brewers
ZEBULON - The Carolina Mudcats officially accepted their invitation to become the new Low-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers after signing Major League Baseball’s Professional Development License (PDL) prior to Wednesday’s deadline. Upon signing, the Mudcats remain one of four teams in Milwaukee’s system and one of 120 Minor League
ZEBULON - The Carolina Mudcats officially accepted their invitation to become the new Low-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers after signing Major League Baseball’s Professional Development License (PDL) prior to Wednesday’s deadline. Upon signing, the Mudcats remain one of four teams in Milwaukee’s system and one of 120 Minor League Baseball teams competing across four levels in MLB’s new player development structure.
“We are very pleased to have the Mudcats on board as one of our four affiliates in the new player development structure,” said Brewers President-Baseball Operations David Stearns. “We look forward to the 2021 season and hope to be able to welcome fans back to Five County Stadium to see our young prospects and enjoy the ballpark atmosphere.”
The new PDL system follows the expiration of the Professional Baseball Agreement (PBA) between MLB and MiLB last September. Additionally, under the new PDL, MLB will now govern all aspects of MiLB operations moving forward. The Brewers additionally extended invitations to the Nashville Sounds (Triple-A), Biloxi Shuckers (Double-A) and Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (High-A).
The 2021 season will be the Mudcats’ fifth overall as an affiliate of the Brewers, but the club’s first as Milwaukee’s Low-A affiliate. The Brewers first became the parent club of the Mudcats prior to the 2017 season, but later purchased the Mudcats that same winter. The Carolina Mudcats were first established in 1991 and are entering their 31st consecutive season of baseball at Five County Stadium in Zebulon, N.C. The Mudcats are additionally entering their first season in the Low-A East League. The club was originally a member of the Southern League from 1991 through 2011 and the Carolina League from 2012 through 2020.
In its first year of existence, the Low-A East League consists of 12 teams broken up by three divisions and spread throughout North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia and Maryland. Carolina’s transition to Low-A East comes at the result of MLB’s efforts to reduce travel times and create better geographical synergy between Major League clubs and their affiliates. The Low-A level also consists of Low-A Southeast and Low-A West.
The Mudcats will play in the Low-A East’s Central Division along with the Fayetteville Woodpeckers (Houston Astros affiliate), Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (Chicago White Sox) and Down East Wood Ducks (Texas Rangers) in Kinston, NC. The league’s North Division includes the Lynchburg Hillcats (Cleveland Indians), Delmarva Shorebirds (Baltimore Orioles), Fredericksburg Nationals (Washington Nationals) and Salem Red Sox (Boston Red Sox). The South Division is comprised of the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (Chicago Cubs), Charleston RiverDogs (Tampa Bay Rays), Columbia Fireflies (Kansas City Royals) and Augusta GreenJackets (Atlanta Braves).
Additional information regarding the Mudcats’ 2021 season schedule, team roster and ticket information will be announced at a later date.