Mets announce Syracuse and Binghamton as affiliates under new MLB player-development structure

The Syracuse Mets and the Binghamton Rumble Ponies are among the Minor League baseball teams that will be affiliates of the New York Mets under Major League Baseball’s (MLB) new player-development structure in 2021.

The New York Mets on Wednesday announced that they have invited the Syracuse Mets, Binghamton Rumble Ponies, Brooklyn Cyclones and the St. Lucie Mets to become the organization’s four minor-league affiliates.

About the affiliates

Syracuse, which became a Mets affiliate in 2019, has been invited to serve as its Triple-A affiliate. The Mets had also signed a lease extension keeping the team in Syracuse through at least 2043, per the office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

“We are thrilled to have the New York Mets continue to call Onondaga County home,” Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon said in a statement. “When Onondaga County joined the Mets family in 2019 as the Triple-A affiliate, there was an undeniable excitement and momentum in our community. Now with the $25 million renovation of NBT Bank Stadium nearly complete, we are excited more than ever to once again enjoy a baseball game in safe and healthy way while cheering on the New York Mets!”

Binghamton has been invited to continue as the Double-A affiliate and has been a Mets affiliate since 1992. Edgardo Alfonzo, Pete Alonso, Michael Conforto, Jacob deGrom, José Reyes, Noah Syndergaard and David Wright are among numerous players to have played minor-league baseball in Binghamton, the Mets said.

“This is welcome news and a huge win for our community,” New York State Senator Fred Akshar (R–Endwell) said. “My sincere thanks go out the New York Mets, their new owner Steve Cohen and President Sandy Alderson. This couldn’t happen without strong commitments, investments and cooperation at the national, state and local level with our local partners U.S. Senator Schumer, Binghamton Mayor David and Rumble Ponies owner John Hughes. A true team effort that I’m proud to be a part of. On behalf of our community, I can’t wait to see baseball return once again when this pandemic is hopefully far behind us.”