Major League Baseball unveiled its new direction for the stripped-down 120-team minor league operation on Friday, focusing on less travel and bringing the triple-A teams closer to parent clubs where possible.

Toledo, Detroit’s Triple A partner since 1987, remains the organization’s top prospect but will now join the new Triple A East league of 20 teams. The Mud Hens have long been part of an international league with 14 teams.

Muddonna, Toledo’s mascot, was laid off in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo: David Guralnick, Detroit News)

The new league will be divided into three divisions, with Toledo being supported by Columbus, Indianapolis, Iowa, Louisville, Omaha and St. Paul in the Midwest division. Other teams in the league include Buffalo, Lehigh Valley, Rochester, Scranton / Wilkes-Barre, Syracuse and Worcester in the Northeast Division and Charlotte, Durham, Gwinnett, Jacksonville, Memphis, Nashville and Norfolk in the Southeast Division.

The other 10 Triple A partners play in the Triple A West League.

Double-A Erie will play in the northeast division of that level in the Southwest Division, along with Akron, Altoona, Bowie, Harrisburg and Richmond. The Northeast Division includes Binghamton, Hartford, New Hampshire, Portland, Reading, and Somerset.

High Single A will look a lot like the old Midwest League for Tigers’ daughter West Michigan. The Whitecaps will play in the High-A Central League in the East Division with Dayton, Fort Wayne, the Great Lakes (Midland), Lake County and Lansing, while the West will be Beloit, Cedar Rapids, Peoria, Quad City and South Ben and Wisconsin.

The Tigers’ Low Single-A daughter in Lakeland will play in the Low-A Southeast League in the West Division with Bradenton, Clearwater, Dunedin, Fort Myers and Tampa, while the East will play Daytona, Jupiter, Palm Beach and St. Lucie.

The Tigers freaked West Michigan for High A. and Lakeland to Low A this season.

“We’re excited to introduce this new model that not only represents a pipeline for the majors, but also continues the minor league tradition of supporting millions of families in hundreds of communities,” said MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred in one Explanation. In modernizing our minor league system, we prioritized the qualities that make the minor leagues an integral part of our game while strengthening the development of professional athletes on and off the field.

“We look forward to demonstrating the best of our game in local communities, supporting all those who are working hard to grow the sport, and sharing unrivaled technology and resources with teams and players in the small league.”

MLB has cut membership on at least 40 minor league teams, including the Connecticut Tigers, Detroit’s a-ball partners for the short season.

Among the other changes promised by MLB: increase the pay for smaller leagues by only 38% and even 72% from 2021 and improve sports facilities and facilities.

The 2020 minor league season was canceled as part of the COVID-19 pandemic.

tpaul@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @ tonypaul1984