The Oakland Athletics have announced the club has come to terms on a player development contract with the Triple-A Las Vegas 51s of the Pacific Coast League through the 2020 season.
"It is an incredibly exciting time to partner with the Las Vegas 51s," said Athletics Executive VP of Baseball Operations Billy Beane. "Their ownership group is committed to providing a first-class environment for our players, which includes the grand opening of the Las Vegas Ballpark for the inaugural season of our affiliation. We're looking forward to working closely with Don Logan and his staff as we both work towards putting a championship club on the field."
"We are excited to have the Oakland A's as our new Major League affiliate," 51s President/COO Don Logan said. "I have known Billy Beane for a long time and consider him a friend. The relationship with the A's goes back to the 1990's when they played regular season games in Las Vegas (1996). The A's have enjoyed great success at the Triple-A level with their minor league system which has been second to none. The new PDC will provide a tremendous environment for the players with the state-of-the-art amenities that will enhance player development with the indoor hitting cages, mounds and workout areas in the Las Vegas Ballpark. The proximity with the Bay Area to Las Vegas will also provide the opportunity to move players much easier regarding the roster transactions from the Triple-A to the Major League level. McCarran International Airport has non-stop flights to the numerous PCL markets, as well as the big cities, that enables our team to have the best travel in the 16-team league. This will be a great situation for our fans to watch top prospects in the A's system as well as players on Major League rehabilitation assignments showcase their talents in the Las Vegas Ballpark."
The 51s will be moving in to Las Vegas Ballpark, a brand new facility in the Downtown Summerlin area in Las Vegas, Nevada. In addition to serving as the 10,000-person capacity home to Las Vegas' Triple-A baseball team, the Las Vegas Ballpark will host civic, community, nonprofit and sporting events.
Since moving to Oakland, the A's have been affiliated at the Triple-A level with Nashville (2015-18), Sacramento (2000-14), Vancouver (1999), Edmonton (1995-1998), Tacoma (1981-1994), Ogden (1979-80), Vancouver (1978), San Jose (1977), Tucson (1973-76), Iowa (1969-72) and Vancouver (1968).