Norwich — The future of the Norwich Sea Unicorns remained in question Monday after the team was not included in a new summer league of pre-draft top players announced by Major League Baseball.

The new league does include four other teams from the defunct New York-Penn League.  The Norwich Sea Unicorns, a short-season Single A team affiliated with the Detroit Tigers, had  been a member of that league. The league was scrapped in Major League Baseball's overhaul of the minor league system that calls for reducing the number of affiliated teams from 162 to 120.

The Norwich team had signed a 10-year lease in the summer of 2019 with the city of Norwich to play at the Thomas J. Dodd Memorial Stadium starting in 2020.

But even before the COVID-19 virus forced the cancellation of the 2020 season, the newly named team’s future was placed in doubt when news leaked in the fall of 2019 that Major League Baseball planned to reduce and restructure the minor league system. The plan eliminates rookie and short-season leagues, cuts in half the amateur draft that fed those teams and expands independent and summer college leagues.

The Sea Unicorns are not part of the new six-team MLB Draft League, announced Monday for draft-eligible top prospect players. The sixth and final team is expected to be announced soon, Major League Baseball spokesman Michael Teevan said Monday.

“We’re waiting to hear if we’re part of the 120 to receive a license from Major League Baseball,” Norwich Sea Unicorns Senior Vice President CJ Knudsen said Monday. “We’ve got a great facility and a great market. It’s located near two major airports and is in a great geographic location. Unfortunately, it’s all unknown. It seems to be 100% handled by Major League Baseball.”

The transformation of minor league baseball has been trickling out over the past few months. The new MLB Draft League includes the Mahoning Valley Scrappers, the West Virginia Black Bears, State College Spikes and the Williamsport Crosscutters, all former New York-Penn League teams, and the Trenton Thunder, formerly of the AA Eastern League.

Previously, a new Class A Mid-Atlantic League was announced, with the former New York-Penn League Brooklyn Cyclones, Mets affiliate, and Hudson Valley Renegades, Yankees affiliate, shifting to that league.

Knudsen said if the Norwich team could remain one of the 120 remaining Major League-affiliated teams, it’s unknown at what minor league level, what league or whether the Norwich team could remain affiliated with the Detroit Tigers. He said Detroit officials love Dodd Stadium, its amenities and Norwich.

With the realignment and Major League Baseball’s stated goal of reducing minor league travel, there appear to be few options for affiliated ball in Norwich. The AA Eastern League, where Dodd Stadium previously hosted the Yankees and San Francisco Giants teams for 15 years, and the new Mid-Atlantic League would be the closest leagues.

If Norwich is not selected as one of the 120 affiliated teams, Knudsen said: “we would reevaluate and look at all options.”

Meanwhile, the team has retained its front office staff at Dodd Stadium, and the team store has remained open for online merchandise sales, Knudsen said.

“We’re just in a holding pattern, waiting to see what is the future of our team,” Knudsen said.

Knudsen updated Norwich Mayor Peter Nystrom on the situation Monday morning. Nystrom called the announcement of the new MLB Draft League “well-greased,” painting an overly rosy picture of the league, without pointing out that the teams would be on their own to finance the operations.

Nystrom had been part of an organized effort among cities and towns slated to lose their teams trying to fight the MLB reorganization plan. Nystrom remains angry that Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred approved the new 10-year lease between the then-Connecticut Tigers and the city of Norwich in the summer of 2019, just two months before the restructuring plan was publicized. Nystrom said the commissioner should have warned the parties to hold off before making financial commitments.

“Obviously, just being held up like this is disappointing, and it’s disheartening,” Nystrom said.

c.bessette@theday.com