Padres To Field Two AZL Teams

The Padres will field two teams in the Rookie-level Arizona League in 2017, farm director Sam Geaney confirmed Monday morning.

The unusual but not unprecedented step will make the Padres the only franchise with two AZL affiliates. The Yankees and Tigers both have two affiliates in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League.

The Royals were the last franchise to have two AZL affiliates. They had two AZL teams in 2003 before returning to one team the following season.