Rockies and Tourists extend affiliation
The Colorado Rockies and its A Full Season affiliate Asheville Tourists announced they have extended their Player Development Contract (PDC) through the 2020 season.
The two teams are affiliated since 1994, one year after the Rockies debuted in MLB. Since their affiliation with the Rockies, the Tourists have won two Sally League (South Atlantic League) titles in 2012 and 2014.
As usual, both sides exchanged pleasantries. “We are thrilled and grateful to once again extend our longstanding partnership with the Asheville Tourists and we look forward to continuing to bring exciting baseball to this beautiful city while also positively impacting this wonderful community off the field,” said Senior Director of Player Development for the Colorado Rockies, Zach Wilson.
Brian DeWine, Tourists President stated “Historically the relationship between the Tourists and the Rockies is one of the strongest between a Major League franchise and a Minor League organization. The ultimate destination of players here in Asheville is Denver. We take pride in our role of helping develop these individuals as they work towards that goal.”
The affiliation between the Rockies and the Tourists is the longest running in the Sally League. With the new agreement, the two teams will be linked to each other for 27 years.
The history of this Asheville Tourists club dates back to 1959. Since that year, the club switched leagues several times. As it started in 1959 in the Sally League, it moved to the Southern League in 1964. In 1968 the club jumped to the Carolina League to return to the Southern League in 1968. In 1971 the Tourists moved to the Dixie Association for one year and returned to the Southern League in 1972. In 1976 the club moved once more, this time to the Western Carolinas League. Eventually, the club moved back to where it all began, the South Atlantic League, in 1980.
Since 1959, the club has known eight different affiliations: Philadelphia Phillies (1959-1960), Pittsburgh Pirates (1961-1966), Houston Astros (1967, 1982-1993), Cincinnati Reds (1968-1970), Chicago White Sox (1971), Baltimore Orioles (1972-1975), Texas Rangers (1976-1981) and the Colorado Rockies (1994-present).