Crosscutters Lose Phillies Affiliation; Announce New “MLB Draft League”
WILLIAMSPORT, PA – The Williamsport Crosscutters announced Monday they will be part of a newly created “MLB Draft League,” an amateur league, and will no longer be a farm team for the Philadelphia Phillies. The announcement follows word earlier this year that Major League teams would be cutting back on the number of their minor league affiliates.
According to a Crosscutters post, the team will be part of a six team league, including the State College Spikes. Others will be the Mahoning Valley Scrappers and West Virginia Black Bears and the Trenton Thunder (formerly part of the Eastern League). The ‘Cutters said Major League Baseball is in advanced negotiations with a sixth club to be announced in the coming weeks.
The new league plans a 68-game regular season, from late May to mid-August. The Monday announcement said Bowman Field will continue to be the site of a major league game each August, in conjunction with the Little League World Series. The Los Angeles Angels and Cleveland Indians are scheduled to play Aug. 23, 2021.
The new league announcement said players will receive “unprecedented visibility to MLB Club scouts through in-person observation and state-of-the-art scouting technology, as well as instruction from former MLB players and educational programming designed to prepare them for careers as professional athletes.” MLB and Prep Baseball Report will assign players and coaching staffs for each team as well as provide league administrative functions.
The Crosscutters have scheduled a special Facebook Live event for Tuesday, Dec. 8 at 7 p.m. where fans can learn more about the MLB Draft League from members of the Cutters front office and have an opportunity to ask questions about the upcoming season.
The Crosscutters also provided more detail in a question and answer attachment:
Frequently Asked Questions About the Williamsport Crosscutters Move to the MLB Draft League
Why are the Crosscutters changing leagues?
The contract between MLB and Minor League Baseball expired on September 30, 2020. With that, MLB sought to decrease the number of Minor League teams from 160 to 120 and realign leagues and affiliations. By cutting down on the number of teams, Major League Baseball hopes to see an improvement to minor league facilities, which would improve the development of their players, and a geographic reorganization that would reduce costs and time of travel for the players.
What league do the Williamsport Crosscutters now play in?
The Williamsport Crosscutters, along with a number of other former New York-Penn League teams (and others) will now be part of the new MLB Draft League featuring draft-eligible players from across the United States projected as premium selections in the MLB Draft. The league will be run by Major League Baseball and their partner Prep Baseball Report.
Are the Crosscutters still affiliated with the Philadelphia Phillies?
Unfortunately, under the new system, our affiliation with the Phillies comes to an end.
What team ARE the Crosscutters affiliated with?
The Cutters are affiliated with Major League Baseball as a whole, not any specific team. Our players will be eligible to be drafted by ANY Major League Club.
What other teams are in the league?
The league consists of five founding members; the Trenton Thunder (formerly of the Double-A Eastern League), Mahoning Valley Scrappers, State College Spikes, West Virginia Black Bears and Williamsport Crosscutters (all formerly of the New York-Penn League). Other teams are expected to join the league in the coming weeks.
Why did the Crosscutters not elect to become an independent team?
We prefer to remain affiliated with Major League Baseball and feel it assures our continued long-term success. The independent league structure of having responsibility for player and coaching staff salaries is not a financially viable option for us in this market that could lead to a quick demise of our team.
How many games will be played and when will the season start and end?
The length of the season will be very similar to past years but start about 2 weeks sooner (the latter part of May) and end about 2 weeks sooner (mid-August). A total of 68 games will be played (34 home and 34 away). A schedule is expected to be released in the coming months.
How will players and coaching staff for the team be chosen?
Players and coaching staffs will be assigned to teams in the MLB Draft League by Major League Baseball and Prep Baseball Report. Rosters will consist of the top draft-eligible players from across the United States.
When does the MLB Draft take place?
The MLB Draft, previously held in early June, has now been moved to mid-July and will take place during MLB All-Star Weekend.
Will these players still play in the Major Leagues?
Absolutely! Many, if not all, of our players will be drafted by MLB Clubs. They will follow much the same timeline as our former players on their way to the Major Leagues. In fact, it’s expected that an even greater number of former Cutters will eventually play in the Major Leagues than in the past.
What can we expect as far as the level of play?
We expect the level of play to be the same or even better than that of the NYPL.
Will the team still be called the Williamsport Crosscutters?
YES. We are still the Williamsport Crosscutters with the same logo, same ownership group led by Principal Owner & President Peter Freund, & the same front office staff (including Rhashan of course).
What differences should we expect when we come to a game?
In a word, nothing. The same fun, affordable family entertainment you’ve come to expect from the Cutters in the past remains including our usual mix fireworks shows, giveaways and memories-making experiences. The only difference you may notice is that instead of a Phillies patch on their shoulders, our players will feature an MLB logo patch.
Will ticket prices be raised?
No. Season Ticket Packages (MVP Club), Bonus Books, Mini-Plans and single game ticket prices will remain the same as in 2019. In addition, we have added a Food & Beverage Credit to ALL season ticket packages beginning with the 2021 season AT NO EXTRA CHARGE. The amount of credit depends on the MVP Club/Season Ticket Package Plan you have.
I paid for a Season Ticket Package (or Bonus Book/Mini Plan) for the 2020 season and elected to roll my payment over to 2021. Do I have to do anything to reserve my tickets for the upcoming season?
No. Your Sales Representative will be in contact with you sometime after January 1 to get everything in place for 2021 and see how you would like your 10% bonus credit that was part of your rollover agreement.
When will 2021 Season Tickets, Bonus Books and Mini Plans go on sale if I did not have them for 2020 and rollover my payments to 2021?
All ticket plans are scheduled to be available online sometime in January.
I usually buy a Bonus Book(s) for holiday gift-giving. How can I do that this year if they are not yet on sale?
We would recommend that you purchase a Cutters Gift Card online for gift-giving this year. As a reference, 10-Voucher Bonus Books will again be $59 and 6-voucher Bonus Books is $35. Gift cards never expire and can be used for tickets, merchandise and food & beverage. You can purchase Cutters gift cards here starting at $15. https://crosscutters.milbstore.com/collections/gift-cards
I paid for a Sponsorship Package for the 2020 season and elected to roll my payment over to 2021. Do I have to do anything to reserve my assets for the upcoming season?
No. Your Sales Representative will be in contact with you sometime after January 1 to get everything in place for you for 2021 and see how you would like us your 10% bonus credit that was part of your rollover agreement.
Will there be a new scoreboard for the 2021 season?
The City of Williamsport is once again working on the bidding process for a new videoboard for the ballpark that is scheduled be in place for the 2021 season. The videoboard will be purchased with a combination of state matching grants and investment by the Williamsport Crosscutters. In addition, a new expanded Visitor’s Clubhouse, Umpires Locker Room and Press Box were constructed last off-season that was paid for through a state matching grant.
Will the MLB Little League Classic still be taking place at BB&T Ballpark?
The MLB Little League Classic will be held in 2021 and beyond. The 2021 game between the Cleveland Indians and the Los Angeles Angels is scheduled for August 23.
How will COVID-19 impact the 2021 season?
Please know that the Williamsport Crosscutters have taken steps to ensure your safety when it’s time to open our gates. These steps include; the purchase of commercial sanitizing equipment, hand sanitizing stations and other protections along with implementing updated policies and procedures for the protection of our employees and fans.
Presently, we do not know what effect, if any, the pandemic will have on our season and resulting stadium capacity. The Cutters will keep fans updated if any changes/restrictions are in place that will affect our normal operations and/or schedule. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation should we need implement any special policies for your protection as required by the state.
Have more questions? We are here to help. Email us at mail@crosscutters.com or call the Cutters Hotline at (570) 326-3389. We appreciate your patience during this unprecedented time and can’t wait to PLAY BALL in 2021.
