There are 14 Minor League Baseball (MiLB) leagues and 206 teams in operation across the United States, Dominican Republic, and Canada, which are affiliated with Major League Baseball (MLB) teams. They are organized by one of five classes (from highest to lowest): Triple-A, Double-A, High-A, Single-A, and Rookie. Of these, 120 teams in 11 leagues (from Triple-A to Single-A) are each affiliated with one MLB team through a standardized professional development license. Additionally, three leagues consisting of a total of 85 Rookie teams are located at MLB spring training complexes in Arizona and Florida, as well as in the Dominican Republic.[1] These affiliated leagues contest their seasons during the MLB season.
The Arizona Fall League, consisting of six teams, operates in the autumn after the conclusion of the MiLB and MLB seasons to develop top prospects at various classifications.
Seven independent baseball leagues, consisting of a total of 69 teams, have no direct affiliation with Major League Baseball, though the American Association, Atlantic League, Frontier League, and Pioneer League are designated MLB Partner Leagues.[2]
Leagues affiliated with Major League Baseball
Triple-A leagues
The Triple-A classification is the highest level of play in Minor League Baseball, just below Major League Baseball. A total of 30 affiliated teams compete at this level, with 20 teams in the International League and 10 teams in the Pacific Coast League.[3]
International League
Pacific Coast League
| Team | Division | City | State | Stadium | Capacity | Affiliate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albuquerque Isotopes | East | Albuquerque | New Mexico | Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park | 13,500 | Colorado Rockies |
| El Paso Chihuahuas | East | El Paso | Texas | Southwest University Park | 9,500 | San Diego Padres |
| Las Vegas Aviators | West | Las Vegas | Nevada | Las Vegas Ballpark | 10,000 | Oakland Athletics |
| Oklahoma City Baseball Club | East | Oklahoma City | Oklahoma | Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark | 9,000 | Los Angeles Dodgers |
| Reno Aces | West | Reno | Nevada | Greater Nevada Field | 9,013 | Arizona Diamondbacks |
| Round Rock Express | East | Round Rock | Texas | Dell Diamond | 11,631 | Texas Rangers |
| Sacramento River Cats | West | West Sacramento | California | Sutter Health Park | 14,014 | San Francisco Giants |
| Salt Lake Bees | West | Salt Lake City | Utah | Smith's Ballpark | 14,511 | Los Angeles Angels |
| Sugar Land Space Cowboys | East | Sugar Land | Texas | Constellation Field | 7,500 | Houston Astros |
| Tacoma Rainiers | West | Tacoma | Washington | Cheney Stadium | 6,500 | Seattle Mariners |
Double-A leagues
The Double-A classification is the second-highest level of play in Minor League Baseball. A total of 30 teams compete at this level, with 12 teams in the Eastern League, 8 teams in the Southern League, and 10 teams in the Texas League.[3]
Eastern League
Southern League
| Team | Division | City | State | Stadium | Capacity | Affiliate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biloxi Shuckers | South | Biloxi | Mississippi | MGM Park | 6,000 | Milwaukee Brewers |
| Birmingham Barons | North | Birmingham | Alabama | Regions Field | 8,500 | Chicago White Sox |
| Chattanooga Lookouts | North | Chattanooga | Tennessee | AT&T Field | 6,340 | Cincinnati Reds |
| Mississippi Braves | South | Pearl | Mississippi | Trustmark Park | 8,480 | Atlanta Braves |
| Montgomery Biscuits | South | Montgomery | Alabama | Montgomery Riverwalk Stadium | 7,000 | Tampa Bay Rays |
| Pensacola Blue Wahoos | South | Pensacola | Florida | Admiral Fetterman Field | 5,038 | Miami Marlins |
| Rocket City Trash Pandas | North | Madison | Alabama | Toyota Field | 7,000 | Los Angeles Angels |
| Tennessee Smokies | North | Kodak | Tennessee | Smokies Stadium | 6,412 | Chicago Cubs |
Texas League
| Team | Division | City | State | Stadium | Capacity | Affiliate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amarillo Sod Poodles | South | Amarillo | Texas | Hodgetown | 6,631 | Arizona Diamondbacks |
| Arkansas Travelers | North | North Little Rock | Arkansas | Dickey–Stephens Park | 5,800 | Seattle Mariners |
| Corpus Christi Hooks | South | Corpus Christi | Texas | Whataburger Field | 7,679 | Houston Astros |
| Frisco RoughRiders | South | Frisco | Texas | Riders Field | 10,316 | Texas Rangers |
| Midland RockHounds | South | Midland | Texas | Momentum Bank Ballpark | 6,669 | Oakland Athletics |
| Northwest Arkansas Naturals | North | Springdale | Arkansas | Arvest Ballpark | 7,305 | Kansas City Royals |
| San Antonio Missions | South | San Antonio | Texas | Nelson W. Wolff Municipal Stadium | 9,200 | San Diego Padres |
| Springfield Cardinals | North | Springfield | Missouri | Hammons Field | 10,486 | St. Louis Cardinals |
| Tulsa Drillers | North | Tulsa | Oklahoma | ONEOK Field | 7,833 | Los Angeles Dodgers |
| Wichita Wind Surge | North | Wichita | Kansas | Riverfront Stadium | 10,000 | Minnesota Twins |
High-A leagues
High-A is the third-highest level of play in Minor League Baseball. A total of 30 teams compete at this level, with 12 teams in the Midwest League, 12 teams in the South Atlantic League, and 6 teams in the Northwest League.[3]
Midwest League
South Atlantic League
Northwest League
| Team | City | State/Province | Stadium | Capacity | Affiliate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eugene Emeralds | Eugene | Oregon | PK Park | 4,000 | San Francisco Giants |
| Everett AquaSox | Everett | Washington | Funko Field | 3,682 | Seattle Mariners |
| Hillsboro Hops | Hillsboro | Oregon | Ron Tonkin Field | 4,500 | Arizona Diamondbacks |
| Spokane Indians | Spokane | Washington | Avista Stadium | 6,803 | Colorado Rockies |
| Tri-City Dust Devils | Pasco | Washington | Gesa Stadium | 3,654 | Los Angeles Angels |
| Vancouver Canadians | Vancouver | British Columbia | Nat Bailey Stadium | 6,013 | Toronto Blue Jays |
Single-A leagues
Single-A is the fourth-highest level of play in Minor League Baseball. A total of 30 teams compete at this level, with 12 teams in the Carolina League, 10 teams in the Florida State League, and 8 teams in the California League.[3]
Carolina League
Florida State League
| Team | Division | City (all in Florida) | Stadium | Capacity | Affiliate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bradenton Marauders | West | Bradenton | LECOM Park | 8,500 | Pittsburgh Pirates |
| Clearwater Threshers | West | Clearwater | BayCare Ballpark | 8,500 | Philadelphia Phillies |
| Daytona Tortugas | East | Daytona Beach | Radiology Associates Field at Jackie Robinson Ballpark | 4,200 | Cincinnati Reds |
| Dunedin Blue Jays | West | Dunedin | TD Ballpark | 5,509 | Toronto Blue Jays |
| Fort Myers Mighty Mussels | West | Fort Myers | Hammond Stadium | 7,500 | Minnesota Twins |
| Jupiter Hammerheads | East | Jupiter | Roger Dean Stadium | 6,871 | Miami Marlins |
| Lakeland Flying Tigers | West | Lakeland | Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium | 8,500 | Detroit Tigers |
| Palm Beach Cardinals | East | Jupiter | Roger Dean Stadium | 6,871 | St. Louis Cardinals |
| St. Lucie Mets | East | Port St. Lucie | Clover Park | 7,347 | New York Mets |
| Tampa Tarpons | West | Tampa | George M. Steinbrenner Field | 11,026 | New York Yankees |
California League
| Team | Division | City (all in California) | Stadium | Capacity | Affiliate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fresno Grizzlies | North | Fresno | Chukchansi Park | 10,650 | Colorado Rockies |
| Inland Empire 66ers | South | San Bernardino | San Manuel Stadium | 5,000 | Los Angeles Angels |
| Lake Elsinore Storm | South | Lake Elsinore | Lake Elsinore Diamond | 7,866 | San Diego Padres |
| Modesto Nuts | North | Modesto | John Thurman Field | 4,000 | Seattle Mariners |
| Rancho Cucamonga Quakes | South | Rancho Cucamonga | LoanMart Field | 6,200 | Los Angeles Dodgers |
| San Jose Giants | North | San Jose | Excite Ballpark | 4,200 | San Francisco Giants |
| Stockton Ports | North | Stockton | Banner Island Ballpark | 5,300 | Oakland Athletics |
| Visalia Rawhide | South | Visalia | Valley Strong Ballpark | 2,468 | Arizona Diamondbacks |
Rookie leagues
The Rookie classification is the lowest level of play in Minor League Baseball. A total of 85 teams compete at this level, with 18 teams in the Arizona Complex League,[4] 20 teams in the Florida Complex League,[5] and 47 teams in the Dominican Summer League.[6]
Arizona Complex League
Florida Complex League
Dominican Summer League
Fall leagues
Arizona Fall League
The Arizona Fall League, an off-season league owned and operated by Major League Baseball, consists of six teams in the state of Arizona.[7]
| Team | City | Stadium |
|---|---|---|
| Glendale Desert Dogs | Glendale | Camelback Ranch-Glendale |
| Mesa Solar Sox | Mesa | Sloan Park |
| Peoria Javelinas | Peoria | Peoria Sports Complex |
| Salt River Rafters | Scottsdale | Salt River Fields at Talking Stick |
| Scottsdale Scorpions | Scottsdale | Scottsdale Stadium |
| Surprise Saguaros | Surprise | Surprise Stadium |
MLB Partner Leagues
MLB Partner Leagues consist of 48 teams with no direct affiliation with individual MLB organizations, but collaborate on promoting the sport in North America. Three leagues—the American Association, Atlantic League, and Frontier League, had been fully independent leagues—while the Pioneer League had previously been a Rookie-classification affiliated league.
American Association of Professional Baseball
The American Association of Professional Baseball consists of 12 teams.[8]
| Team | Division | City | State/Province | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago Dogs | East | Rosemont | Illinois | Impact Field | 6,300 |
| Cleburne Railroaders | East | Cleburne | Texas | The Depot at Cleburne Station | 2,500 |
| Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks | West | Fargo | North Dakota | Newman Outdoor Field | 4,513 |
| Gary SouthShore RailCats | East | Gary | Indiana | U.S. Steel Yard | 6,139 |
| Kane County Cougars | East | Geneva | Illinois | Northwestern Medicine Field | 10,923 |
| Kansas City Monarchs | West | Kansas City | Kansas | Legends Field | 6,537 |
| Lake Country DockHounds | East | Oconomowoc | Wisconsin | Wisconsin Brewing Company Park | 3,641 |
| Lincoln Saltdogs | West | Lincoln | Nebraska | Haymarket Park | 8,000 |
| Milwaukee Milkmen | East | Franklin | Wisconsin | Franklin Field | 4,000 |
| Sioux City Explorers | West | Sioux City | Iowa | Lewis and Clark Park | 3,631 |
| Sioux Falls Canaries | West | Sioux Falls | South Dakota | Sioux Falls Stadium | 4,500 |
| Winnipeg Goldeyes | West | Winnipeg | Manitoba | Blue Cross Park | 7,561 |
Atlantic League of Professional Baseball
The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball consists of 10 teams.[9]
| Team | Division | City | State | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston Dirty Birds | South | Charleston | West Virginia | GoMart Ballpark | 4,500 |
| Gastonia Honey Hunters | South | Gastonia | North Carolina | CaroMont Health Park | 5,000 |
| Hagerstown Flying Boxcars | North | Hagerstown | Maryland | Hagerstown Multi-Use Sports and Events Facility | 3,500 |
| High Point Rockers | South | High Point | North Carolina | Truist Point | 5,000 |
| Lancaster Barnstormers | North | Lancaster | Pennsylvania | Clipper Magazine Stadium | 6,000 |
| Lexington Counter Clocks | South | Lexington | Kentucky | Wild Health Field | 6,994 |
| Long Island Ducks | North | Central Islip | New York | Fairfield Properties Ballpark | 6,002 |
| Southern Maryland Blue Crabs | South | Waldorf | Maryland | Regency Furniture Stadium | 4,200 |
| Staten Island FerryHawks | North | Staten Island | New York | SIUH Community Park | 7,171 |
| York Revolution | North | York | Pennsylvania | WellSpan Park | 5,200 |
Frontier League
The Frontier League consists of 16 teams.[10]
Pioneer League
The Pioneer League consists of 10 teams.
| Team | Division | City | State | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Billings Mustangs | North | Billings | Montana | Dehler Park | 6,500 |
| Boise Hawks | South | Boise | Idaho | Memorial Stadium | 3,452 |
| Glacier Range Riders | North | Kalispell | Montana | Flathead Field | 5,500 |
| Grand Junction Jackalopes | South | Grand Junction | Colorado | Suplizio Field | 7,014 |
| Great Falls Voyagers | North | Great Falls | Montana | Centene Stadium | 2,500 |
| Idaho Falls Chukars | North | Idaho Falls | Idaho | Melaleuca Field | 3,400 |
| Missoula PaddleHeads | North | Missoula | Montana | Ogren Park at Allegiance Field | 3,500 |
| Northern Colorado Owlz | South | Windsor | Colorado | TicketSmarter Stadium | 2,800 |
| Ogden Raptors | South | Ogden | Utah | Lindquist Field | 8,262 |
| Rocky Mountain Vibes | South | Colorado Springs | Colorado | UCHealth Park | 8,500 |
Non-partner independent leagues
Empire Professional Baseball League
The independent Empire Professional Baseball League consists of 5 teams.[11]
| Team | City | State/Territory | Stadium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japan Islanders | Lyon Mountain | New York | Lyon Mountain Citizens Ballpark |
| Malone Border Hounds | Malone | New York | |
| Plattsburgh Thunderbirds | Plattsburgh | New York | Chip Cummings Field |
| Saranac Lake Surge | Saranac Lake | New York | Petrova Field |
| Tupper Lake Riverpigs | Tupper Lake | New York | Municipal Park |
Pecos League
The independent Pecos League consists of 16 teams.[12]
| Team | Division | City | State | Stadium |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alpine Cowboys | Mountain | Alpine | Texas | Kokernot Field |
| Austin Weirdos | Mountain | Austin | Texas | Parque Zaragosa |
| Bakersfield Train Robbers | Pacific | Bakersfield | California | Sam Lynn Ballpark |
| Blackwell FlyCatchers | Mountain | Blackwell | Oklahoma | Morgan Field |
| Dublin Leprechauns | Pacific | Dublin | California | Fallon Sports Park |
| Garden City Wind | Mountain | Garden City | Kansas | Clint Lightner Field |
| Martinez Sturgeon | Pacific | Martinez | California | Waterfront Park |
| Marysville Drakes | Pacific | Marysville | California | Bryant Field |
| North Platte 80's | Mountain | Pecos | Texas | Bill Wood Field |
| Pecos Bills | Mountain | North Platte | Nebraska | Cyclone Ballpark |
| Roswell Invaders | Mountain | Roswell | New Mexico | Joe Baumann Park |
| San Rafael Pacifics | Pacific | San Rafael | California | Albert Park |
| Santa Fe Fuego | Mountain | Santa Fe | New Mexico | Fort Marcy Park |
| Trinidad Triggers | Mountain | Trinidad | Colorado | Central Park |
| Tucson Saguaros | Mountain | Tucson | Arizona | Kino Sports Complex |
| Vallejo Seaweed | Pacific | Vallejo | California | Wilson Park |
United Shore Professional Baseball League
The independent, single-site United Shore Professional Baseball League consists of four teams.[13]
| Team | City | State | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham Bloomfield Beavers | Utica | Michigan | Jimmy John's Field | 4,500 |
| Eastside Diamond Hoppers | Utica | Michigan | Jimmy John's Field | 4,500 |
| Utica Unicorns | Utica | Michigan | Jimmy John's Field | 4,500 |
| Westside Woolly Mammoths | Utica | Michigan | Jimmy John's Field | 4,500 |
See also
References
- ↑ "Teams by League". Minor League Baseball. Retrieved October 13, 2020.
- ↑ "American Association, Frontier League Now MLB Partner Leagues". Ballpark Digest. August Publishing. September 24, 2020. Retrieved October 13, 2020.
- 1 2 3 4 Mayo, Jonathan (February 12, 2021). "MLB Announces New Minors Teams, Leagues". Major League Baseball. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
- ↑ "Arizona League Divisions". Arizona League. Minor League Baseball. Retrieved May 28, 2021.
- ↑ "Gulf Coast League Divisions". Gulf Coast League. Minor League Baseball. Retrieved May 28, 2021.
- ↑ "Dominican Summer League Rosters". Minor League Baseball. Retrieved October 17, 2020.
- ↑ "About". Arizona Fall League. Major League Baseball. Retrieved October 13, 2020.
- ↑ "American Association Announces 2021 Schedule". American Association of Independent Professional Baseball. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
- ↑ "League Directory". Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. Retrieved October 13, 2020.
- ↑ "Teams". Frontier League. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
- ↑ "Teams". Empire Professional Baseball League. Retrieved October 13, 2020.
- ↑ "Home". Pecos League. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
- ↑ "Teams". United Shore Professional Baseball League. Retrieved October 13, 2020.