The Pittsburgh Pirates will no longer lease their academy in Venezuela according to Jennifer Langosch, thus ending their affiliation in the Venezuela Summer League. Starting next season they will have two teams in the Dominican Summer League. There will be no change in the amount of players they sign as the Dominican Academy is big enough to handle two full 35 man rosters. All of the players currently under contract in the VSL will be transferred to the Dominican Academy. The DSL is known as having the higher quality of play between the two foreign leagues.
The VSL Pirates have won six straight pennants and they have had a team in the league since 2003.