The Pittsburgh Pirates have come to an agreement with the minor league affiliate in Bristol, Va. to join the club's development system in 2014, the team announced via Twitter.
Pirates add ninth minor league team
Bristol will join as the ninth minor league affiliate for a Pirates team looking to keep a good flow of young players.
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Bristol had been affiliated with the Chicago White Sox since 1995, but the agreement between the two sides had expired. They are a part of the Appalachian Rookie League and will be added as a ninth minor league affiliate for the Pirates rather than replacing another.
“As we continue to invest in the draft and Latin America, the addition of an advanced Rookie League team provides us another opportunity to maximize the development time of every player who enters into our system,” said Pirates minor league operations director Larry Broadway in a statement.
Bristol will be the first Pirates team in the Appalachian league since 1989 when the team stopped hosting a team with Princeton. They will pair with the Gulf Coast League Pirates to give the team two rookie teams next season.
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