Renegades Earn Their (Pin)Stripes

Hudson Valley Renegades invited to become High-A affiliate of the New York Yankees

Wappingers Falls, NY (December 9, 2020) - The 27-time World Series Champions are coming to town, as the most storied franchise in professional sports has invited the Renegades to become an affiliate beginning with the 2021 season. For their first 26 years, the Renegades played to packed houses at Dutchess Stadium in the short-season New York Penn League. Starting next season, the ballpark will come alive for the first time as a full season club, providing fans and partners dozens of extra opportunities each year to experience the combination of world class baseball and entertainment.

“Our most important assets are our young players coming up through our system, the future New York Yankees” said Yankees Senior Vice President and General Manager Brian Cashman. “We are looking forward to seeing our players become an integral part of the Hudson Valley community and further develop their baseball talent at Dutchess Stadium for many years to come. We really appreciate the opportunity to partner with The Renegades, the Goldklang Group and everyone in Dutchess County”.

The partnership aligns the Yankees’ three highest affiliates geographically- Scranton, PA (AAA) and Somerset, NJ (AA)- creating tremendous synergy for their player development needs. The agreement also continues the relationship between the parent club and Renegades’ ownership group, led by the Goldklang family. The group has operated a Yankee affiliate in Charleston, SC for the last 16 years, and the group’s Chairman, Marv Goldklang, has been a limited partner in the parent club for over four decades.

“The Renegades are thrilled to partner with the 27-time world champion New York Yankees and look forward to seeing many top prospects play at The Dutch for years to come. To affiliate with them, in the shadow of Yankee Stadium in beautiful Hudson Valley, is a dream come true for so many of our fans. We can’t wait for the first pitch in 2021” said Jeff Goldklang, President of the Goldklang Group.

The Renegades have called Dutchess Stadium home since 1994, and are regarded as one of the Hudson Valley’s premiere entertainment destinations. Consistently placing at or near the top in average attendance in their League, the transition to a full season should not only be seamless but create additional opportunities for fans to experience the combination of industry-leading entertainment and tomorrow’s Yankee stars. Since their inception in 1994, the Renegades have won three championships (1999, 2012, and 2017), as well as the prestigious Bob Freitas award by Baseball America for operational excellence in 1998 and 2019.

“Growing up a Yankees fan and now being invited to become their High Class-A affiliate is truly amazing” said Steve Gliner, President and General Manager of the Renegades. “We are excited that we could provide the people of the Hudson Valley some exciting news during these difficult and trying times.”

The Dutch has benefitted from several upgrades meant to modernize and update the facility to current baseball standards in recent years- most notably the complete replacement of the seating bowl and a full-scale improvement of the parking lot- and future commitment to Yankee player development needs was of primary focus for the Yankees in deciding to select Dutchess County and the Renegades for their affiliation.

Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro said, “Dutchess County is truly thrilled to partner with baseball’s most successful franchise, the New York Yankees, and our hometown Hudson Valley Renegades to host the Yanks’ High Single-A affiliate at our own Dutchess Stadium. For more than a quarter-century, the Renegades have offered quality family entertainment, thrilling fans from throughout the Hudson Valley. The team’s new affiliation with the Yankees will only expand the Renegades’ appeal, as fans from throughout New York State and the northeast have already reached out, eager to be part of this exciting new affiliation. When they come to Dutchess Stadium to watch the next generation of Yankees stars take their formative steps, these new fans will enjoy all our county has to offer – from unique dining and tourist destinations, to the small-town charm and sense of community that make Dutchess County a worldwide destination. We congratulate the Yankees and Renegades on their new collaboration, and we look forward to being a willing host and partner for years to come.”

The invitation will result in the Yankees becoming the third different affiliate in the Renegades 27-year history. They were a Texas Rangers affiliate (1994-95) and a longtime partner with the Tampa Bay Rays (1996-2020).

A press conference has been scheduled for Thursday, December 10th, at 1pm. For details, please contact Joe Ausanio at [email protected].

For more information about the 2021 Renegades season, please follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. You can also visit us online at hvrenegades.com or call the Renegades office at 845-838-0094.