Rockies and Yard Goats extend PDC

The Colorado Rockies and the Hartford Yard Goats (AA Eastern League) have extended their Player Development Contract through the 2020 season.
Both franchises have been cooperating since 2015.

Of course, representatives of both clubs exchanged pleasantries.

“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.”

Rockies Senior Director of Player Development Zach Wilson stated: ““I speak for the entire Colorado Rockies organization in expressing our excitement in announcing our PDC extension with the Hartford Yard Goats. 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 history of the Yard Goats can be traced back to 1973 when the Boston Red Sox put their new AA team in Bristol Connecticut. After the Red Sox’ AA team in Pawtucket was replaced by their AAA team, the Bostonians moved their AA team to Bristol. In 1983 the Red Sox moved their AA team to New Britain and named it Red Sox once again. Eventually, after the Red Sox moved on with another club, the Minnesota Twins stepped in and the team in New Britain was renamed Hardware City RockCats. That name lasted only two seasons. In 1996 the name of the town was adopted again. The intention was to move the team to Hartford in 2016, but this move hit a snag as the stadium, Dunkin’ Donuts Park was far from ready at the start of the 2016 season. In fact, the team played all of the 2016 season on the road. But finally at the start of the 2017 season the Yard Goats had their home as Dunkin’ Donuts Park was finally finished.

The name Yard Goats was chosen in a name-the-team contest. The word Yard Goats is railroad slang for the switch engines or terminal tractors that shuttle train cars between different locomotives. The club colors are a nod to the former NHL team the Hartford Wahlers, that moved to Raleigh in North Carolina to become the Carolina Hurricanes.