AKRON, Ohio — Ken Babby is moving up to the big leagues, which means the Akron RubberDucks are officially under new ownership.

Babby's Fast Forward Sports Group on Tuesday announced the sale of the Guardians ' Double-A affiliate to Prospector Baseball Group, co-founded by venture capitalist and former Brooklyn Nets CEO John Abbamondi. It marks the end of a fruitful era for professional baseball in Akron, a time that saw the rebranded club not just thrive on the field but in the community.

But with a group led by Patrick Zalupski recently buying MLB's Tampa Bay Rays, Babby was named that organization's CEO, and it was time to leave the minors behind. He released the following statement:

"This is a bittersweet moment for me and for our family. Northeast Ohio has been a home to us for

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