Amarillo joins Padres as Double-A affiliate

Bill Center, longtime sportswriter for U-T San Diego, is an employee of the Padres.
Amarillo will be rejoining the Padres family of Minor League affiliates in 2019 as the home of San Diego's Double-A Texas League team.
The announcement was made Monday morning as the Padres were also announcing player-development extensions with Advanced Single-A Lake Elsinore of the California League and Short-Season Single-A Tri-City of the Northwest League.
All three contracts run through the end of the 2020 season.
Amarillo will replace San Antonio as the Padres' Double-A affiliate in the Texas League. But the Padres association with the Elmore Sports Group continues. Elmore owns both the San Antonio and Amarillo franchises, and is taking the San Antonio Missions into the Triple-A Pacific Coast League next season.
The Padres' 35-season association began in Amarillo in 1976. For the past 12 seasons, the Padres were in San Antonio, during which the Missions won three Texas League titles (2007, 2011 and 2013).
Amarillo's first run as the Padres' Double-A affiliate ended after seven seasons in 1982. Among the future Padres who developed in Amarillo were outfielders Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn (.462 batting average in 23 games in 1981) and Kevin McReynolds; infielder Tim Flannery, and pitchers Eric Show, Andy Hawkins and Mark Thurmond.
"The Padres are thrilled to continue our partnership with the Elmore Sports Group as Double-A baseball returns to Amarillo," said Padres' Director of Player Development Sam Geaney.
The Elmore Group is looking to build a new ballpark in Amarillo. At 3,502 feet, Amarillo will have the second-highest elevation of any Padres affiliate to Triple-A El Paso.
Meanwhile, Lake Elsinore will complete 20 seasons as the Padres' California League affiliate when this extension expires in 2020. Only Fort Wayne -- the Padres' Midwest League affiliate since 1999 -- has been with the club longer.
While with the Padres, Lake Elsinore has been to the playoffs 12 times and won California League titles in 2001 and 2011. This season's Storm roster included California League postseason All-Stars third baseman Hudson Potts and outfielder Buddy Reed. Eighteen of the 40 players on the Padres' current 40-man roster played at Lake Elsinore.
Tri-City has been with the Padres since 2015 in the area's third tour as the Padres' Northwest League affiliate. The Padres were previously at Tri-City from 1970-72 and Walla Walla from 1973-82.