The Beloit Snappers received a formal invitation from Major League Baseball to become the Advanced-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins on Wednesday. The prospective move will elevate Beloit to the Advanced-A classification after 39 years at the Class A level while aligning the team with a Marlins franchise that reached the playoffs in 2020 and boasts the fifth-best farm system in baseball according to MLB Pipeline.

“We are thankful to receive the invitation to become a licensee of Major League Baseball and the Advanced-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins,” Quint Studer of Gateway Professional Baseball, managing partners of the Snappers, said. “One year ago, the Beloit community made a decision to build a new downtown baseball stadium. Thanks to the support of the fans and the community for the stadium project, Beloit will be one of the 120 licensed Minor League teams in 2021 and beyond, have a great new partnership with the Miami Marlins, and bring a higher level of competition and talent to Beloit fans by being moved up to the Advanced-A level.”

The team will take on a new look and new name as they move into a new downtown multi-use stadium in 2021. Five potential team names were developed from fan submissions, including Beloit Cheeseballs, Beloit Moo, Beloit Polka Pike, Beloit Sky Carp or the Beloit Supper Clubbers.