West Virginia Power and Mariners join forces

With the Pittsburgh Pirates leaving for Greensboro, the West Virginia Power was left without a parent club. But the void was filled quickly as the Seattle Mariners signed a new Player Development Contract with the club.

Next to the Pittsburgh Pirates leaving the Power behind, the Miami Marlins signed a deal with the (former) Mariners’ farm team, the Clinton LumberKings. So without an A Full Season farm team, the Mariners did not have many choices.

The new Player Development Contract will last through the 2020 season.

“Joining the Seattle Mariners family is an exciting moment for our franchise,” said Power Executive Vice President Ken Fogel. “The Mariners boast a minor league system filled with talent that we cannot wait to showcase at Appalachian Power Park throughout 2019 and beyond. While we are grateful for the 10 years spent under the Pirates’ umbrella, we are excited to share this new opportunity with the city of Charleston and the surrounding fan base. We are confident that our partnership with the Mariners will bring unbridled success both on the field and in the community.”

The Pittsburgh Pirates and the West Virginia Power were affiliated for ten years (2009-2018). The Mariners and the LumberKings were partners for the same amount of time.

Mariners’ Director of Player Development, Andy McKay stated: “We are ecstatic to partner with the West Virginia Power. Our conversations with their leadership team immediately revealed that we have similar values and priorities. As with all of our affiliates, we will work to put the best possible product on the field with the goal of winning baseball games and playing meaningful games late in the season. Off the field, we look forward to our community service responsibilities and the relationships we will build with the fans.” Jerry DiPoto, the M’s Mariners Executive Vice President & General Manager added: ““The opportunity to partner with the West Virginia Power is truly exciting for the entire Mariners organization. The combination of quality, experienced baseball people and a beautiful ballpark in a capital city provide all of us with something to look forward to for 2019 and beyond.”

The history of the West Virginia Power dates back to 1987 when the team was named Charleston (WV) Wheelers. In 1995 the team changed its moniker into Charleston AlleyCats. Eventually, in 2005 the team adopted the current moniker. The change to the Power moniker was explained in the following statement: “West Virginia is and will continue to be recognized as one of the leading energy providers for the country. The energy production from coal, natural gas, and hydroelectric sources, combined with the fact that Charleston serves as the center for the state’s political and economic powers led us to the name of the team. We felt it was extremely important that the name reflects the entire region and are excited about the tremendous marketing opportunities that will go along with the name.”