The Pittsburgh Pirates today announced a two-year player development contract with the Greensboro Grasshoppers that will run through the 2020 season. The announcement was made by Pirates Executive Vice President, General Manager Neal Huntington and Pirates Senior Director of Minor League Operations, Larry Broadway. 
 
"We are extremely excited to begin a new relationship with the Greensboro Grasshoppers franchise," said Broadway. "It is a first-class operation that plays in a first-class facility in front of a first-class fan base. We are looking forward to the player development opportunities that this new partnership will present. We are also looking forward to becoming entrenched in the greater Greensboro community by, among many other connections, bringing our Pirates Community Commitment Program in to ensure that help our players impact the community in a positive way." 
 
The Grasshoppers, who have led the South Atlantic League in attendance the last two seasons, play at First National Bank Field in downtown Greensboro, North Carolina. The state-of-the-art facility features a 30' wide, open-air concourse, 36 concession points of sale, the Grandstand outdoor sports bar, a kid-safe play park and numerous amenities. In addition to serving as the home of the Grasshoppers, the ballpark also plays host to numerous additional events each year, including the ACC Baseball Tournament in 2010, 2012 and 2014. 
 
The Pirates had been affiliated in the South Atlantic League with the West Virginia Power since 2009, receiving tremendous support from the Charleston West Virginia community and the Power's leadership team.