Okay, I'll bite. Could the Nationals latch onto the independent league team in Loudon as an affiliate? I don't know how that whole things works. Is it a possibility?
Not easily. As others have pointed out, the Nats have a development agreement with Potomac. Now, I'm no lawyer, but contracts and agreements can be broken. And maybe the Nats have a case that the facilities don't meet their standards. The fact that the Carolina League "condemneded" the outfield for a few weeks and made the team play on the road supports the Nats' arguments.
However, independent ball is just that, independent. Not affiliated with Major League Baseball.
The Carolina League awarded a franchise to Potomac. That affiliation remains in place until... it doesn't. If the Nats got out of their contract with Potomac, they'd need to find an open affiliation in the Carolina/California/Florida State/Midwest Leagues. That little dance happens every September/October; there's expiring affiliations every year. However, most teams stay with their partners. The Red Sox got so tired of not being to get a High -A eastrn US affiliate, they bought the Salem team. And affiliated them self the next time the agreement was available.
