More information on how MLB is uprooting and changing the minor leagues was posted Friday in this Baseball America article, following up on the invitation of 119 (now 120, since Fresno has agreed to be invited) clubs to be MLB team affiliates at four levels.
The Iowa Cubs have been the Cubs’ Triple-A affiliate since 1981, the third-longest Triple-A affiliation in the major leagues (Braves, 1965 with Richmond/Gwinnett and Royals, 1969 with Omaha, are the two longer-running affiliations) and Iowa has been a member of the Pacific Coast League since 1998. After 1997, the original Triple-A American Association disbanded and all the Triple-A teams were placed into the PCL or the International League.