Ogden Raptors remain, while the Orem Owlz move to Colorado

The boys of summer, or at least some of them, will be back in Utah in 2021.

The state’s short-season minor league baseball teams found some stability when the Pioneer League became a partner with Major League Baseball. Both organizations announced the agreement Monday.

While the arrangement guarantees a future for the Pioneer League, which appeared to be on the chopping block when MLB announced a restructuring last year, that stability will be elsewhere for one of the state’s two Pioneer teams.

The Orem Owlz will relocate to Windsor, Colo., and become the Northern Colorado Owlz. The Owlz, an Anaheim Angels affiliate, have played at Utah Valley University since 2005 and have won four Pioneer League titles in that time.

The Ogden Raptors, which also play in the Pioneer League, will remain, as will the Salt Lake Bees. The Bees are already the Triple-A affiliate of the Anaheim Angels and will not be affected by MLB’s arrangement with the Pioneer League.

The Pioneer League had previously been a Rookie-level affiliate of the MLB. Now its teams will play a 92-game schedule spanning from May to September. It will receive many of the same level of players — those who in previous MLB Drafts would have gone in the 21st to 40th rounds but now will be undrafted. According to the release, the MLB will also provide initial funding for the league’s operating expenses, install scouting technology in Pioneer League ballparks and create a procedure for transferring players to MLB clubs. The leagues will also “explore joint marketing, ticketing and fan engagement opportunities.”

All eight Pioneer League teams, located in Montana, Idaho, Colorado and Utah, agreed to the arrangement.