VANCOUVER

Vancouver Canadians 1 of 4 teams to get affiliation invitation from Blue Jays

Published Wednesday, December 9, 2020 10:01AM PST

Michael Dharni wears a face mask to curb the spread of COVID-19 as he waits to participate in a fan batting practice session hosted by the Vancouver Canadians minor league baseball team at Nat Bailey Stadium, in Vancouver, on Thursday, Sept. 3, 2020. (Darryl Dyck / THE CANADIAN PRESS)

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TORONTO -- The Toronto Blue Jays have issued affiliation invitations to four minor-league clubs as part of Major League Baseball's player development overhaul.

The club announced Wednesday that invitations have been sent to the Buffalo Bisons (triple-A), New Hampshire Fisher Cats (double-A), Vancouver Canadians (high-A), and Dunedin Blue Jays (low-A).

Major League Baseball is contracting the number of guaranteed minor-league affiliations from 160 to 120 next year, leaving teams with four affiliates.

Under the new structure the Canadians would become a full-season affiliate of the Blue Jays. The Canadians have been a short-season class-A affiliate of the Jays since 2011.

The Bisons and the Fisher Cats have been affiliated with the Blue Jays since 2013 and 2004, respectively. Toronto played its games last season at Buffalo's Sahlen Field after being unable to play at Rogers Centre due to federal COVID-19 restrictions.

The Dunedin Blue Jays play in Toronto's U.S. base of operations in Dunedin, Fla.