Hartford Yard Goats & Colorado Rockies Announce PDC Extension

Hartford Yard Goats and Colorado Rockies Announce Affiliation Extension Agreement
Announced Today at Baseball Winter Meetings in Orlando, FL    

Orlando, FL- The Hartford Yard Goats Baseball Club and the Colorado Rockies have announced a Player Development Contract (PDC) extension for another two years. The announcement was made today at the 2017 Baseball Winter Meetings at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort in Orlando, Florida. The agreement will keep the Yard Goats and Rockies together through the 2020 season. The Rockies' organization employs all the Yard Goats players, coaches and training staff.     
"We are delighted to extend our affiliation with the Colorado Rockies," Yard Goats President Tim Restall said. "The Yard Goats and Rockies share the same sentiment in being involved in the local community, which is one of the reasons this relationship works so well. Our players have been wonderful ambassadors in Greater Hartford and have engaged our fans both inside and outside of Dunkin' Donuts Park. The Rockies strong farm system will allow our fans to continue to see some of baseball's biggest prospects play in Hartford."
The Yard Goats franchise has been affiliated with the Colorado Rockies since 2015 and in just three seasons has sent 16 players to the Major Leagues. Last season, Infielder Ryan McMahon and Outfielder Stephen Cardullo played for both the Yard Goats and Rockies. In 2016, six players began the season at Hartford before eventually being promoted to Colorado. The Rockies sent right-handed Pitcher Chad Bettis on a Major League rehabilitation assignment to pitch two games for the Yard Goats at Dunkin' Donuts Park in July.
"I speak for the entire Colorado Rockies organization in expressing our excitement in announcing our PDC extension with the Hartford Yard Goats," Rockies Senior Director of Player Development Zach Wilson said. "We are grateful to the Yard Goats' ownership and front office as well as to the great City of Hartford and its baseball fans, all of which have embraced our franchise, players, and staff. We are privileged to be a part of this community and to play at Dunkin' Donuts Park, which has cemented itself as a landmark of the city."
The Rockies farm system entered last season as the 8^th best organization in baseball by MLBPipeline.com. In addition, Baseball America named the Rockies as having the overall 10^th best farm system in their annual publication. Yard Goats shortstop Brendan Rodgers surfaced as one of the best prospects in MiLB and ranks as the Rockies #1 overall prospect.