The Wilmington Blue rocks will remain a minor league affiliate of the Kansas City Royals.
The Rocks and Royals announced they’ve signed a two-year extension to their Player Development Contract, keeping it intact through 2020.
Wilmington has been home to Kansas City’s high single-A minor league team since 2007. The Blue Rocks also served as a Royals’ affiliate from 1993 to 2004 before a brief two-year stint with the Boston Red Sox.
“We have always coveted our relationship with the Blue Rocks and are very appreciative of the efforts of Dave Heller (President and CEO, Main Street Baseball and Blue Rocks’ Managing Partner), General Manager Andrew Layman and everyone on the Blue Rocks’ staff, their fans, the Delaware Stadium Corporation and the state of Delaware through the years, said Royals Vice President/Assistant General Manager-Player Personnel J.J. Picollo in a statement."The Blue Rocks have been a great partner and they continue to make Frawley Stadium a great place for our players to develop.”
“The Blue Rocks are very proud to be affiliated with one of the finest organizations in all of baseball, the Kansas City Royals,” said Blue Rocks’ Managing Partner Dave Heller in a statement. “From Dayton Moore, J.J. Picollo, and Scott Sharp right on down, the Royals’ baseball operations team is first-rate; they are great people who do things the right way. I am delighted the Blue Rocks will be continuing our relationship with the Royals and remaining a part of the Royals’ family for another two years.”
The Rocks just completed their 2018 season Monday, finishing 68-72 overall, but 37-33 in the second half.
The Royals current major league roster features 16 players that played in Wilmington during their minor league careers.
