Twins moving Midwest League affiliate from Beloit to Cedar Rapids

After spending eight years in Beloit, the Twins were ready for a change. It's about one hour closer to the Twin Cities and has a much nicer ballpark.

September 18, 2012 at 6:04PM
The Cedar Rapids Kernels' mascot, Mr. Shucks
The Cedar Rapids Kernels' mascot, Mr. Shucks (Howard Sinker/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

CLEVELAND -- The Twins are moving their Class A Midwest League affiliation from Beloit, Wis., to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, with a press conference to announce the new four-year agreement scheduled for Wednesday at 1:30 p.m.

"We went there [to Cedar Rapids] and visited the facilities and met with their board of directors yesterday," Twins minor league director Jim Rantz said. "We haven't signed anything yet, but there's probably going to be an announcement at 1:30 tomorrow."

After spending eight years in Beloit, the Twins were ready for the change. Cedar Rapids had been home to the Angels' Midwest League affiliate for 20 years, but now there's an opening. It's about one hour closer to the Twin Cities and has a much nicer ballpark.

"The stadium is 10 years old and seats 5,500; Beloit is still trying to get a stadium," Rantz said. "Cedar Rapids is another nice location for us geographically, and there are a number of Twins fans down that way."

The Cedar Rapids Kernels' mascot, Mr. Shucks
(Howard Sinker/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Mr. Shucks. Photo from Cedar Rapids Kernels website.

about the writer

about the writer

Joe Christensen

Sports team leader

Joe Christensen, a Minnesota Star Tribune sports team leader, graduated from the University of Minnesota and spent 15 years covering Major League Baseball, including stops at the Riverside Press-Enterprise and Baltimore Sun. He joined the Minnesota Star Tribune in 2005 and spent four years covering Gophers football.

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