List of Oakland Athletics minor league affiliates
The Oakland Athletics farm system consists of seven Minor League Baseball affiliates across the United States. All four teams are independently owned. Additionally, the Athletics operate complex based rookie level squads playing in the Arizona League and the Dominican Summer League.
The Athletics have been affiliated with the Double-A Midland RockHounds of the Texas League since 1999, making it the longest-running active affiliation in the organization among teams not owned by the Athletics.[1] Their newest affiliate is the Lansing Lugnuts of the Midwest League which became the Athletics' High Single-A club in 2021.[1] The longest affiliation in team history was the 30-year relationship with the then-Class A-Advanced California League's Modesto A's from 1975 to 2004.[1]
Geographically, Oakland's closest domestic affiliate is the Stockton Ports of the Low Single-A California League, which is approximately 51 miles (82 km) away. Their furthest domestic affiliate is the Lansing Lugnuts of the High Single-A Midwest League, which is approximately 2,331 miles (3,751 km) away.
2021–present
The current structure of Minor League Baseball is the result of an overall contraction of the system beginning with the 2021 season. Class A was reduced to two levels: High Single-A and Low Single-A.
1990–2020
Minor League Baseball operated with six classes from 1990 to 2020. The Class A level was subdivided for a second time with the creation of Class A-Advanced. The Rookie level consisted of domestic and foreign circuits.[3]
Year | Triple-A | Double-A | Class A-Advanced | Class A | Class A Short Season | Rookie League | Foreign Rookie |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2020 | Las Vegas Aviators[4] | Midland RockHounds[5] | Stockton Ports[6] | Beloit Snappers[7] | Vermont Lake Monsters[8] | AZL Athletics Gold AZL Athletics Green |
DSL Athletics |
2019 | Las Vegas Aviators | Midland RockHounds | Stockton Ports | Beloit Snappers | Vermont Lake Monsters | AZL Athletics Gold AZL Athletics Green |
DSL Athletics |
2018 | Nashville Sounds[9] | Midland RockHounds | Stockton Ports | Beloit Snappers | Vermont Lake Monsters | AZL Athletics | DSL Athletics |
2017 | Nashville Sounds | Midland RockHounds | Stockton Ports | Beloit Snappers | Vermont Lake Monsters | AZL Athletics | DSL Athletics |
2016 | Nashville Sounds | Midland RockHounds | Stockton Ports | Beloit Snappers | Vermont Lake Monsters | AZL Athletics | DSL Athletics |
2015 | Nashville Sounds | Midland RockHounds | Stockton Ports | Beloit Snappers | Vermont Lake Monsters | AZL Athletics | DSL Athletics |
2014 | Sacramento River Cats | Midland RockHounds | Stockton Ports | Beloit Snappers | Vermont Lake Monsters | AZL Athletics | DSL Athletics |
2013 | Sacramento River Cats | Midland RockHounds | Stockton Ports | Beloit Snappers | Vermont Lake Monsters | AZL Athletics | DSL Athletics |
2012 | Sacramento River Cats | Midland RockHounds | Stockton Ports | Burlington Bees | Vermont Lake Monsters | AZL Athletics | DSL Athletics |
2011 | Sacramento River Cats | Midland RockHounds | Stockton Ports | Burlington Bees | Vermont Lake Monsters | AZL Athletics | DSL Athletics |
2010 | Sacramento River Cats | Midland RockHounds | Stockton Ports | Kane County Cougars | Vancouver Canadians | AZL Athletics | DSL Athletics |
2009 | Sacramento River Cats | Midland RockHounds | Stockton Ports | Kane County Cougars | Vancouver Canadians | AZL Athletics | DSL Athletics |
2008 | Sacramento River Cats | Midland RockHounds | Stockton Ports | Kane County Cougars | Vancouver Canadians | AZL Athletics | DSL Athletics 1 & 2 |
2007 | Sacramento River Cats | Midland RockHounds | Stockton Ports | Kane County Cougars | Vancouver Canadians | AZL Athletics | DSL Athletics 1 & 2 |
2006 | Sacramento River Cats | Midland RockHounds | Stockton Ports | Kane County Cougars | Vancouver Canadians | AZL Athletics | DSL Athletics 1 & 2 |
2005 | Sacramento River Cats | Midland RockHounds | Stockton Ports | Kane County Cougars | Vancouver Canadians | AZL Athletics | DSL Athletics 1 & 2 |
2004 | Sacramento River Cats | Midland RockHounds | Modesto A's | Kane County Cougars | Vancouver Canadians | AZL Athletics | DSL Athletics 1 & 2 |
2003 | Sacramento River Cats | Midland RockHounds | Modesto A's | Kane County Cougars | Vancouver Canadians | AZL Athletics | DSL Athletics 1 & 2 |
2002 | Sacramento River Cats | Midland RockHounds | Modesto A's Visalia Oaks |
— | Vancouver Canadians | AZL Athletics | DSL Athletics East & West |
2001 | Sacramento River Cats | Midland RockHounds | Modesto A's Visalia Oaks |
— | Vancouver Canadians | AZL Athletics | DSL Athletics East & West |
2000 | Sacramento River Cats | Midland RockHounds | Modesto A's Visalia Oaks |
— | Vancouver Canadians | AZL Athletics | DSL Athletics East & West |
1999 | Vancouver Canadians | Midland RockHounds | Modesto A's Visalia Oaks |
— | Southern Oregon Timberjacks | AZL Athletics | DSL Athletics East & West |
1998 | Edmonton Trappers | Huntsville Stars | Modesto A's Visalia Oaks |
— | Southern Oregon Timberjacks | AZL Athletics | DSL Athletics East & West |
1997 | Edmonton Trappers | Huntsville Stars | Modesto A's Visalia Oaks |
— | Southern Oregon Timberjacks | AZL Athletics | DSL Athletics East & West |
1996 | Edmonton Trappers | Huntsville Stars | Modesto A's | West Michigan Whitecaps | Southern Oregon Timberjacks | AZL Athletics | DSL Athletics |
1995 | Edmonton Trappers | Huntsville Stars | Modesto A's | West Michigan Whitecaps | Southern Oregon A's | AZL Athletics | DSL Athletics |
1994 | Tacoma Tigers | Huntsville Stars | Modesto A's | West Michigan Whitecaps | Southern Oregon A's | AZL Athletics | DSL Athletics |
1993 | Tacoma Tigers | Huntsville Stars | Modesto A's | Madison Muskies | Southern Oregon A's | AZL Athletics | DSL Athletics |
1992 | Tacoma Tigers | Huntsville Stars | Modesto A's | Madison Muskies | Southern Oregon A's | AZL Athletics | DSL Athletics |
1991 | Tacoma Tigers | Huntsville Stars | Modesto A's | Madison Muskies | Southern Oregon A's | AZL Athletics | DSL Athletics |
1990 | Tacoma Tigers | Huntsville Stars | Modesto A's | Madison Muskies | Southern Oregon A's | AZL Athletics | DSL Athletics |
1963–1989
The foundation of the minors' current structure was the result of a reorganization initiated by Major League Baseball (MLB) before the 1963 season. The reduction from six classes to four (Triple-A, Double-AA, Class A, and Rookie) was a response to the general decline of the minors throughout the 1950s and early-1960s when leagues and teams folded due to shrinking attendance caused by baseball fans' preference for staying at home to watch MLB games on television. The only change made within the next 27 years was Class A being subdivided for the first time to form Class A Short Season in 1966.[3]
Year | Triple-A | Double-A | Class A | Class A Short Season | Rookie League |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1989 | Tacoma Tigers | Huntsville Stars | Modesto A's Madison Muskies |
Southern Oregon A's | AZL Athletics DSL Athletics |
1988 | Tacoma Tigers | Huntsville Stars | Modesto A's Madison Muskies |
Southern Oregon A's | AZL Athletics |
1987 | Tacoma Tigers | Huntsville Stars | Modesto A's Madison Muskies |
Medford A's | — |
1986 | Tacoma Tigers | Huntsville Stars | Modesto A's Madison Muskies |
Medford A's | — |
1985 | Tacoma Tigers | Huntsville Stars | Modesto A's Madison Muskies |
Medford A's | Pocatello Gems |
1984 | Tacoma Tigers | Albany-Colonie A's | Modesto A's Madison Muskies |
Medford A's | Idaho Falls A's |
1983 | Tacoma Tigers | Albany A's | Modesto A's Madison Muskies |
Medford A's | Idaho Falls A's |
1982 | Tacoma Tigers | West Haven A's | Modesto A's Madison Muskies |
Medford A's | Idaho Falls A's |
1981 | Tacoma Tigers | West Haven A's | Modesto A's | Medford A's | — |
1980 | Ogden A's | West Haven Whitecaps | Modesto A's | Medford A's | — |
1979 | Ogden A's | Waterbury A's | Modesto A's | Medford A's | — |
1978 | Vancouver Canadians | Jersey City A's | Modesto A's | Bend Timber Hawks | — |
1977 | San Jose Missions | Chattanooga Lookouts | Modesto A's | — | Medicine Hat A's |
1976 | Tucson Toros | Chattanooga Lookouts | Modesto A's | Boise A's | — |
1975 | Tucson Toros | Birmingham A's | Modesto A's | Boise A's | — |
1974 | Tucson Toros | Birmingham A's | Burlington Bees | Lewiston Broncs | — |
1973 | Tucson Toros | Birmingham A's | Burlington Bees | Lewiston Broncs | — |
1972 | Iowa Oaks | Birmingham A's | Burlington Bees | Coos Bay-North Bend A's | — |
1971 | Iowa Oaks | Birmingham A's | Burlington Bees | Coos Bay-North Bend A's | — |
1970 | Iowa Oaks | Birmingham A's | Burlington Bees | Coos Bay-North Bend A's | — |
1969 | Iowa Oaks | Birmingham A's | Burlington Bees Lodi Crushers |
Tri-City A's | — |
1968 | Vancouver Mounties | Birmingham A's | Burlington Bees Leesburg Athletics Peninsula Grays |
— | GCL Athletics |
1967 | Vancouver Mounties | Birmingham A's | Burlington Bees Leesburg Athletics Peninsula Grays |
— | GCL Athletics |
1966 | Vancouver Mounties | Mobile A's | Burlington Bees Leesburg Athletics Modesto Reds |
Lewiston Broncs | — |
1965 | Vancouver Mounties | Birmingham Barons | Lewiston Broncs Burlington Bees Leesburg Athletics Shelby Rebels |
— | — |
1964 | Dallas Rangers | Birmingham Barons | Lewiston Broncs Daytona Beach Islanders Burlington Bees |
— | Wytheville A's |
1963 | Portland Beavers | Binghamton Triplets | Lewiston Broncs Daytona Beach Islanders Burlington Bees |
— | — |
1923–1962
The minors operated with six classes (Triple-A, Double-A, and Classes A, B, C, and D) from 1946 to 1962. The Pacific Coast League (PCL) was reclassified from Triple-A to Open in 1952 due to the possibility of becoming a third major league. This arrangement ended following the 1957 season when the relocation of the National League's Dodgers and Giants to the West Coast killed any chance of the PCL being promoted. The 1963 reorganization resulted in the Eastern and South Atlantic Leagues being elevated from Class A to Double-A, five of seven Class D circuits plus the ones in B and C upgraded to A, and the Appalachian League reclassified from D to Rookie.[3]
Year | Triple-A | Double-A | Class A | Class B | Class C | Class D |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1962 | Portland Beavers | Albuquerque Dukes | Binghamton Triplets | Lewiston Broncs | Minot Mallards | Daytona Beach Islanders |
1961 | Hawaii Islanders | Shreveport Sports | Portsmouth-Norfolk Tides | Lewiston Broncs | Visalia A's | Albuquerque Dukes Sarasota Sun Sox |
1960 | Dallas-Fort Worth Rangers | Shreveport Sports | — | Sioux City Soos Lewiston Broncs |
Visalia A's | Albuquerque Dukes Sanford Greyhounds |
1959 | Portland Beavers | Shreveport Sports | Albany Senators | Sioux City Soos | Pocatello A's | Grand Island A's Plainview A's Olean A's |
1958 | Buffalo Bisons | Little Rock Travelers | Albany Senators | Rochester/Winona A's | Pocatello A's | Grand Island A's Plainview A's Selma Cloverleafs |
1957 | Buffalo Bisons | Little Rock Travelers | Columbia Gems | Abilene Blue Sox | Pocatello A's Crowley Millers |
Seminole Oilers Grand Island A's Mattoon Athletics |
1956 | Columbus Jets | — | Columbia Gems | Abilene Blue Sox | Pocatello Bannocks Crowley Millers |
Seminole Oilers Fitzgerald A's Grand Island A's |
1955 | Columbus Jets | — | Savannah Athletics | Lancaster Red Roses Hot Springs Bathers |
Burlington A's | Welch Miners/Marion A's Seminole Oilers |
1954 | Ottawa Athletics | — | Savannah Athletics | Lancaster Red Roses | Drummondville A's | Hopkinsville Hoppers Welch Miners |
1953 | Ottawa Athletics | — | Savannah Indians Williamsport A's |
Fayetteville Highlanders | St. Hyacinthe A's | Cordele A's Hopkinsville Hoppers Welch Miners |
1952 | Ottawa Athletics | — | Savannah Indians Lincoln A's |
Fayetteville A's Harrisburg Senators |
St. Hyacinthe A's | Lexington Indians Cordele A's Corning A's |
1951 | — | — | Savannah Indians Lincoln A's |
Fayetteville A's Salisbury A's |
Rome Colonels | Lexington Indians Cordele A's Corning A's |
1950 | Buffalo Bisons | — | Savannah Indians Lincoln A's |
Fayetteville A's Sunbury A's West Palm Beach Indians |
Youngstown A's | Lexington A's Red Springs Red Robins Welch Miners Portsmouth A's Tarboro A's Cordele A's |
1949 | — | — | Savannah Indians Lincoln A's |
Martinsville A's | Kewanee A's Youngstown A's |
Lexington A's Red Springs Red Robins Welch Miners Portsmouth A's Moultrie A's Tarboro A's |
1948 | — | — | Savannah Indians Lincoln A's |
— | Martinsville A's Moline/Kewanee A's |
Lexington A's Federalsburg A's Red Springs Red Robins Welch Miners Portsmouth A's Moultrie A's |
1947 | — | Birmingham Barons | Savannah Indians Lincoln A's |
Lancaster Red Roses | Martinsville A's Moline A's Niagara Falls Frontiers |
Lexington A's Federalsburg A's Nyack Rocklands Red Springs Red Robins Welch Miners |
1946 | Toronto Maple Leafs | — | Savannah Indians | Lancaster Red Roses | Martinsville A's Kingston Ponies |
Lexington A's Federalsburg A's |
1945 | — | Toronto Maple Leafs | — | Lancaster Red Roses | Martinsville A's | Lexington A's |
1944 | — | — | Elmira Pioneers | Lancaster Red Roses | — | — |
1943 | — | — | Elmira Pioneers | Wilmington Blue Rocks | — | — |
1942 | — | — | Williamsport Grays | Wilmington Blue Rocks | Newport News Builders | — |
1941 | — | Toronto Maple Leafs | Williamsport Grays | Wilmington Blue Rocks | Newport News Pilots | Federalsburg A's |
1940 | — | Toronto Maple Leafs | Williamsport Grays | Wilmington Blue Rocks | — | Federalsburg A's |
1939 | — | — | Williamsport Grays | — | — | Federalsburg A's Lexington Indians Abbeville A's |
1938 | — | — | Williamsport Grays | — | — | Federalsburg A's Lexington Indians |
1937 | — | — | Williamsport Grays | — | — | Federalsburg A's |
1936 | — | — | Williamsport Grays | Richmond Colts | Cleveland A's | — |
1935 | — | — | Williamsport Grays | Richmond Colts | — | — |
1934 | — | Montreal Royals | Williamsport Grays | — | — | — |
1933 | — | Montreal Royals | Williamsport Grays | — | — | — |
1932 | — | Portland Beavers | — | — | — | — |
1924 | — | — | Shreveport Gassers | — | — | — |
1923 | — | — | Shreveport Gassers | — | — | — |
References
- "Oakland Athletics Minor League Affiliates". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 27, 2017.
- Gallegos, Martin (December 9, 2020). "New club among A's Minor League invites". MLB. Retrieved December 9, 2020.
- Cronin, John (Spring 2013). "Truth in the Minor League Class Structure: The Case for the Reclassification of the Minors". The Baseball Research Journal. Society for American Baseball Research. Retrieved July 27, 2017.
- "A's Announce Partnership with Las Vegas 51s". Major League Baseball. September 17, 2018.
- Kevin, Reichard (September 25, 2018). "Affiliate Dance". Ballpark Digest. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
- Speddon, Zach (April 8, 2016). "Ports Extended PDC with A's". Ballpark Digest. Retrieved September 6, 2018.
- "Snappers And Athletics Extend PDC Through 2020". Beloit Snappers. Minor League Baseball. September 21, 2018. Retrieved September 21, 2018.
- "Lake Monsters, A's Extend PDC Through 2020". Ballpark Digest. August 9, 2018. Retrieved September 6, 2018.
- Reichard, Kevin (September 18, 2014). "Sounds, Athletics announce four-year PDC". Ballpark Digest. Retrieved September 6, 2018.