Oakland A’s reportedly moving A-ball affiliate to Vancouver

The Oakland A’s are reportedly moving their A-ball affiliate to Vancouver, potentially bringing that team much closer.

For the past decade, the Vancouver Canadians had been the Toronto Blue Jays short season A-ball team, a minor league franchise that allowed baseball fans on Canada’s west coast to have a connection with the one major league team in the country. Those nine years of actual minor league games was fruitful for both clubs, with Vancouver winning four league titles and over 70 players heading to the majors.

However, that partnership is over, with Vancouver no longer affiliated with the Blue Jays. Instead, the Oakland A’s will reportedly move an A-ball affiliate to the city, bringing a team that much closer to the major league club.

To this point, it is uncertain as to which A-ball team will be replaced with the affiliate in Vancouver. There has been speculation that the A’s Midwest League team, the Beloit Snappers, could be moved to Vancouver.

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It is also worth noting that, if the A’s continue to have Vancouver as a short season A-ball affiliate, it would move one of their minor league teams much closer. The Vermont Lake Monsters are currently the A’s short season team, and are over 3000 miles away from the Coliseum.

Interestingly, a potential swap could work. While Vancouver is much closer to Oakland, Burlington Vermont is also a lot closer to Toronto. If the A’s do decide to move their short season team out of the northeast, the Blue Jays could simply pick up the void and end up with an affiliate that is much closer as well.

Of course, this is all speculation. The A’s have yet to announce this move in any official capacity. It does make a great deal of sense, but there is still uncertainty as to which leagues, and even teams, will continue to operate in the traditional minor league sense given how Major League Baseball is determined to restructure the minor league system.

According to reports, the Oakland A’s are moving one of their A-ball affiliates to Vancouver. While the move would make sense, an official announcement has yet to come.