COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Columbia Fireflies will no longer be a minor league affiliate of the New York Mets, ending a 12-year long partnership with the franchise that predates their move to Columbia.
The Mets announced Tuesday their list of minor league affiliates that did not include the Fireflies. The team moving forward will have 4 teams, including three in New York (Syracuse, Binghamton and Brooklyn) and another at their Spring Training facility in Port St. Lucie, Florida.
Some major league teams have begun restructuring minor league baseball to have their teams located near them geographically. Earlier this month, the New York Yankees announced they'd no longer be affiliates with the Charleston River Dogs.
The Fireflies will have a new affiliation, although it's not clear which team that will be just yet. The team said it hopes to make an announcement in the coming weeks.
The Fireflies had been a Mets affiliate for 12 years, back when the team was still in Savannah and was known as the Sand Gnats. The Fireflies started play in Columbia during the 2016 at Segra Park.
The Fireflies' 2020 season was cancelled due to the pandemic. They're set to resume in 2021.
The Fireflies say all Mets-cobranded merchandise will be available in the Mason Jar online team store at 60% off beginning Wednesday at 10:00 a.m.