One of the key storylines this offseason is the restructuring of the minor league system by Major League Baseball. With the professional baseball agreement between the two leagues expiring at the end of the 2020 season, MLB has sought to take more control and reshape the feeder system to its liking. That means cutting over 40 affiliates, eliminating short-season ball, and limiting travel.
It had been assumed from the time this news first broke that the Eugene Emeralds would be lost as part of the short-season shift. Sure enough, Cubs Insider recently confirmed that loss with a coy tweet from Emeralds’ GM Allan Benavides.