The Mets Low-A affiliate in Savannah are likely headed north after the 2015 season.
Adam Rubin of ESPN New York says a move for the Savannah Sand Gnats of the South Atlantic League is “semi-official,” and are likely headed to Columbia, South Carolina for the 2016 season.
The Sand Gnats would move to Spirit Communications Park, a $37 million ballpark which just broke ground in January. With the move, the club would change their name as well.
“The minor league baseball team will be leaving to go to Columbia,” Leisure Services Bureau Director Joe Shearouse said, according to Chris Buchanan of WJCL News in Savannah. “They will be playing this season.”
Sand Gnats owner, Jason Freier, has explored a new venue for his club after the city of Savannah said they would consider a new ballpark over a five year time frame.
“Our position with Savannah all along is that we needed some level of certainty,” Freier said in January, according to The State. “We’re no closer to having certainty than we were when we bought the team six years ago.”
Should the Sand Gnats move to South Carolina, the state would have three teams in the South Atlantic League.
The Mets’ player development agreement with the Sand Gnats expires after the 2016 season. They have been affiliated with the Sand Gnats since 2007.
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