The Nashville Sounds and Texas Rangers have announced a new
player development for the 2019 to 2022 seasons. This will be the seventh different
affiliation for the Sounds as they enter their 42nd season.
The Sounds ended a 4-year player development agreement with
the Oakland Athletics early this week.
The agreement with Oakland began in 2015, the first season in First
Tennessee Park. Over the length of the partnership those attending games in
Music City saw many current big leaguers play for the Sounds. Some of those include, Matt Chapman, Matt
Olson, Joey Wendel and others.
The Sounds previous associations have been with the Brewers
(2005 - 2014), Pirates (1998 - 2004 ), White Sox (1993 - 1997 ), Tigers (1985 -
86 ), Yankees (1980 - 84 ) and Reds (1978 -79, 1987-92 ). Those teams gave Nashville baseball fans the
opportunity to see HOF Trevor Hoffman, Don Mattingly, Buck Showalter, Skeeter
Barnes and Willie McGee to name a few.
Two-thirds of the Red’s 1990 World Championship team was made up of former
Nashville Sounds.
The Texas Rangers ended a multi-year run in Round Rock over the
weekend. The organization looks to continue the tradition of having young high
rated prospects playing in a Sounds uniform.
The Rangers have four farmhands ranked in the MLB Pipeline Top 100
prospect list. OF Leody Taveras (No. 42), OF Willie Calhoun (No. 47), OF Julio
Pablo Martinez (No. 58) and RHP Cole Winn (No. 94) could all play under the big
guitar scoreboard at First Tennessee Park soon.
One of the reasons the Rangers found Nashville an attractive
location was not only a great city with a new state-of-art ballpark but the
outstanding Sounds fans that come out to watch and support the club. The
Nashville community have a long history of league leading attendance going back
to 1978 and continuing in 2018. Over two
million fans have passed through the gates at First Tennessee Park since it opened
in 2015.
Nashville Sounds baseball begin their 42-season on Thursday,
April 4 when the Nashville Sounds host the Iowa Cubs at First Tennessee Park.
Season ticket memberships are available now by calling (615) 690-4487 or by
visiting www.nashvillesounds.com.
