Braves Affiliates Announce 2021 Schedules
Minor League Baseball announced its schedule for the 2021 season Thursday, providing a bit of hope and optimism for minor league fans who haven’t seen a game in what seems like ages, whether in person or on MiLB.tv.
Braves affiliate schedules are as follows (with the acknowledgement that it’s still a long time until April and questions still have to be answered):
As was previously reported, Triple-A will open somewhat in conjunction with Major League Baseball, so Gwinnett will start April 6 with a schedule spanning 142 games. The other three affiliates will start May 4 and span 120 games. Minor leaguers destined to play for those affiliates are initially held back from spring training to reduce numbers, hence the later start date.
You will also notice the change in how the schedule is broken up by opponents. Series will now last six games per opponent spanning Tuesday-Sunday each week, with Monday as a universal off day across the minors.
The number of opponents is also drastically cut for some teams, although it seems to vary. For an example outside of the Braves system, more than half of Jacksonville’s season will be played against Charlotte and Norfolk. Gwinnett is playing eight teams and Mississippi is only playing six. Rome and Augusta are similar in terms of numbers of opponents.
For diehard prospect fans, prospect writers and scouts, it presents a challenge to see every team and player in a decent amount of time. One positive for this group is essentially the guarantee that you will see every player on a roster when you sit on a series. The casual fan who simply enjoys a night at the park won’t know the difference.
This change in scheduling is meant to reduce travel and the number of opponents a team sees while we all remain in this flux. A more traditional schedule is expected in 2022.
For Braves fans who have longed to see a prospect on the field again, having Gwinnett as the lone affiliate for all of April isn’t a bad thing. Gwinnett will have a strong roster likely consisting of several notable pitchers like Tucker Davidson, Kyle Muller, Jasseel De La Cruz, maybe Huascar Ynoa and whoever doesn’t win the fifth spot in the rotation, in addition to Drew Waters and probably one of the catchers.
For those who will stay at home, Gwinnett has a good broadcast on MiLB.tv. For those who will purchase what’s likely to be limited seating in pods, Gwinnett’s home opener is April 13 against Memphis (Cardinals) after opening the season April 6 at Durham (Rays). Gwinnett will be at home 12 straight games in April, also hosting Columbus (Indians). The season ends Sept. 19 at home against Nashville (Brewers). The Stripers will also play Jacksonville (Marlins), Charlotte (White Sox), Louisville (Reds) and Norfolk (Orioles).
Mississippi opens at home May 4 against Pensacola (Marlins). After a road trip to Biloxi (Brewers), the Braves return home May 18 for 12 straight against Chattanooga (Reds) and Montgomery (Rays). The season ends Sept. 19 at Chattanooga. Mississippi will also play Birmingham (White Sox) and Tennessee (Cubs).
Rome opens on the road May 4 at Winston-Salem (White Sox) and May 11 at Greensboro (Pirates). The home opener is May 18 against Bowling Green (Rays) followed by Greenville (Red Sox). The season ends Sept. 19 at home against Hickory (Rangers). The Braves will also play Asheville (Astros), Aberdeen (Orioles) and Wilmington (Nationals).
Augusta will make its debut as a Braves affiliate May 4 at home against Columbia (Royals). After a road trip to Myrtle Beach (Cubs), the GreenJackets return home May 18 against Fayetteville (Astros) before again hitting the road to Columbia to end the month. The season ends Sept. 19 at Myrtle Beach. Augusta will also play Charleston (Rays), Kannapolis (White Sox) and Carolina (Brewers).
For those interested in the ticket situation, a paragraph in Gwinnett’s schedule release sums it up better than I can and will likely apply to every affiliate:
The Stripers are working closely with local health officials, Major League Baseball, and the Atlanta Braves on the possibility of limited capacities to start the 2021 season at Coolray Field. More information on new ballpark policies including contactless mobile-only ticketing, a socially-distanced seating manifest, and safety protocols can be found by visiting GoStripers.com/covid19. Season ticket memberships are available now online at GoStripers.com/memberships and limited individual game tickets will be available to the public closer to Opening Night.