Hudson Valley named minor league home team for the New York Yankees

Those ‘Savages’ in the box will start as High Single-A Renegades

After one of the strangest years trying to restart America’s favorite pastime in the midst of a global pandemic with cardboard cut-out fans and video game-generated cheers, there is finally good news if you’re a real-life baseball fan here in the Hudson Valley:

The Hudson Valley Renegades have been named a minor league affiliate for the New York Yankees.

Over the weekend the Yankees' front end officially announced that they would indeed be moving their High Single-A minor league affiliate from Staten Island to the valley’s own Dutchess Stadium.

So, in that field right off of Route 9D in Wappingers (and spotted from I-84 westbound), fans may get the chance to watch the next Major League Baseball star of the likes of Aaron Judge, Luke Voit, Brett Gardner or DJ LeMahieu (we all have our favorites) round the bases. Or even big leaguers working out the kinks after an injury (oh, hey there, Giancarlo...).

“Dutchess County is proud to join the long illustrious history of the New York Yankees as host of a minor league affiliate at our own Dutchess Stadium beginning next season,” Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro said in a statement, “even” as a Mets fan, he confirmed to HVNY.

Previously, the Renegades were the NY-Penn League affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays.

The Yankees office said the “determination was made that Hudson Valley would be best for our players, especially given the long term and tremendously beneficial relationship we have had with Marvin Goldklang, who is a longstanding partner and associate of the Steinbrenner family and the Yankees.”

In addition to the chance to see a lot of top talent on the field, moving to the High Single-A designation will offer the “first-ever full season schedule” of minor league baseball here in the Hudson Valley with 140 games in the works, compared to the previous 75-game season.

Editor’s note: Pitchers and catchers report in approximately 98 days.

Here’s a link to the full announcement from the MLB: https://www.mlb.com/yankees/press-release/press-release-yankees-announce-new-minor-league-affiliation-structure

Posted on 11/9/2020
by niki@hvny.info