The Sugar Land Space Cowboys are changing owners after the Houston Astros announced it would sell the Minor League Baseball team, along with two others, to Diamond Baseball Holdings (DBH), an organization that owns and operates several minor league teams.
In a press release shared on social media Tuesday afternoon, the Astros said the three teams — the Space Cowboys, the Corpus Christi Hooks, and the Fayetteville Woodpeckers — will continue to be affiliates of the Astros despite the sale.
"Diamond Baseball Holdings is the perfect partner for the Astros," Jim Crane, owner and chairman of the Astros, said. "Not only do they have a successful track record of investing in communities and Minor League Baseball, they also are committed to a best-in-class local fan experience."
According to the press release, the change in ownership will not lead to drastic in-house changes. DBH will keep its existing general managers, front office staff, and the three clubs will stay in their respective communities.
"Our affiliates are critical partners to the success of our major league franchise," Astros General Manager Dana Brown said. "We are excited to invest in our players within each of these communities and look forward to working alongside DBH and the local communities to ensure our players continue to have the best-in-class minor league experience they have been accustomed to."
The deal still needs to be finalized by the league, according to the press release. If and when that happens, the deal will close in the coming weeks. These would be the first Astros-affiliated clubs to join DBH.
"We're excited to welcome these three outstanding Astros affiliates to the DBH family," DBH Executive Chairman Pat Battle and CEO Peter Freund said in a joint statement. "The Space Cowboys, Hooks and Woodpeckers embody what makes Minor League Baseball so special as each has cultivated deep community roots and a strong player development culture. Our goal is to work closely with the Astros organization to enhance the foundation that they have built, bringing additional investment, resources and a relentless focus on fans and players."
The Sugar Land Space Cowboys were first acquired by the Houston Astros in 2021.
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