BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — The Bowling Green Hot Rods are here to stay after signing a new deal with the Tampa Bay Rays of Major League Baseball (MLB) to remain the minor league affiliate.
What You Need To Know
- The new deal is for 10 years
- Some upgrades to the ballpark include a new weight room, female locker rooms and a new hitting tunnel
- In total, 43 teams lost affiliation with the MLB
- New upgrades planned to be finished by the start of the season next year
The ballpark will undergo some major upgrades, and General Manager Eric Leach is excited about signing the new contract.
“With it comes some new standards and facility upgrades that we are looking at having to complete, and we have a year or so to complete those," said Leach. "They are going to be player enhancements and really taking care of the players safety and wellness. New lights, second hitting tunnel and a female locker room."
The new deal also moves the team up a division, which makes for better baseball, according to Leach
"We went from being a low A franchise to a high A, so we took a step up, and we see that in the roster this year," explained Leach. "We actually have 14 players off of our 2019 team back with us because we're a level higher and you traditionally never see that. You might see one or two but to see 14... You will see better prospects and better talent and that makes for better baseball."
There were a total of 120 teams who signed a new deal, leaving 43 minor league teams to be cut totally.
The home opener for the Hot Rods will be May 11, and their first game of the season will be against the Greenville Drive, an affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, on May 4.