List of Minnesota Twins minor league affiliates
The Minnesota Twins farm system consists of six Minor League Baseball affiliates across the United States and in the Dominican Republic.[1] Four teams are independently owned, while two—the Gulf Coast League Twins and Dominican Summer League Twins—are owned by the major league club.
Current Minnesota Twins domestic minor league affiliate locations
Starting in 2021, the Wichita Wind Surge of the Southern League will be affiliated with the Minnesota Twins Double-A club .[2] The team will drop down to Double-A without having played a Triple-A game.[3]
The Cedar Rapids Kernels of the Class A Midwest League is approximately 223 miles (359 km) away. The Twins have been affiliated with the Class A-Advanced Fort Myers Mighty Mussels of the Florida State League since 1993, making it the longest-running active affiliation in the organization among teams not owned by the Twins.[4]
Geographically, Minnesota's closest domestic affiliate is the St. Paul Saints of the Pacific Coast League, which became the Twins' Triple-A club in 2021. [5]
Minnesota's furthest domestic affiliates are the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels of the Class A-Advanced Florida State League and Gulf Coast League Twins of the Rookie Gulf Coast League which share a facility some 1,423 miles (2,290 km) away.
Minnesota Twins
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. Class A Short Season teams and domestic Rookie League teams that operated away from Spring Training facilities were eliminated.
| Year | Triple-A | Double-A | High Single-A | Low Single-A | Rookie League | Foreign Rookie |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | St. Paul Saints | Wichita Wind Surge[5] | Cedar Rapids Kernels | Fort Myers Mighty Mussels | GCL Twins | DSL Twins |
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.[6]
| Year | Triple-A | Double-A | Class A-Advanced | Class A | Class A Short Season | Rookie League | Foreign Rookie |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Rochester Red Wings[7] | Pensacola Blue Wahoos[8] | Fort Myers Mighty Mussels[9] | Cedar Rapids Kernels[10] | — | Elizabethton Twins,[11] GCL Twins | DSL Twins |
| 2019 | Rochester Red Wings | Pensacola Blue Wahoos | Fort Myers Miracle | Cedar Rapids Kernels | — | Elizabethton Twins, GCL Twins | DSL Twins |
| 2018 | Rochester Red Wings | Chattanooga Lookouts | Fort Myers Miracle | Cedar Rapids Kernels | — | Elizabethton Twins, GCL Twins | DSL Twins |
| 2017 | Rochester Red Wings | Chattanooga Lookouts | Fort Myers Miracle | Cedar Rapids Kernels | — | Elizabethton Twins, GCL Twins | DSL Twins |
| 2016 | Rochester Red Wings | Chattanooga Lookouts | Fort Myers Miracle | Cedar Rapids Kernels | — | Elizabethton Twins, GCL Twins | DSL Twins |
| 2015 | Rochester Red Wings | Chattanooga Lookouts | Fort Myers Miracle | Cedar Rapids Kernels | — | Elizabethton Twins, GCL Twins | DSL Twins |
| 2014 | Rochester Red Wings | New Britain Rock Cats | Fort Myers Miracle | Cedar Rapids Kernels | — | Elizabethton Twins, GCL Twins | DSL Twins |
| 2013 | Rochester Red Wings | New Britain Rock Cats | Fort Myers Miracle | Cedar Rapids Kernels | — | Elizabethton Twins, GCL Twins | DSL Twins |
| 2012 | Rochester Red Wings | New Britain Rock Cats | Fort Myers Miracle | Beloit Snappers | — | Elizabethton Twins, GCL Twins | DSL Twins |
| 2011 | Rochester Red Wings | New Britain Rock Cats | Fort Myers Miracle | Beloit Snappers | — | Elizabethton Twins, GCL Twins | DSL Twins |
| 2010 | Rochester Red Wings | New Britain Rock Cats | Fort Myers Miracle | Beloit Snappers | — | Elizabethton Twins, GCL Twins | DSL Twins |
| 2009 | Rochester Red Wings | New Britain Rock Cats | Fort Myers Miracle | Beloit Snappers | — | Elizabethton Twins, GCL Twins | DSL Twins |
| 2008 | Rochester Red Wings | New Britain Rock Cats | Fort Myers Miracle | Beloit Snappers | — | Elizabethton Twins, GCL Twins | DSL Twins |
| 2007 | Rochester Red Wings | New Britain Rock Cats | Fort Myers Miracle | Beloit Snappers | — | Elizabethton Twins, GCL Twins | DSL Twins |
| 2006 | Rochester Red Wings | New Britain Rock Cats | Fort Myers Miracle | Beloit Snappers | — | Elizabethton Twins, GCL Twins | DSL Twins |
| 2005 | Rochester Red Wings | New Britain Rock Cats | Fort Myers Miracle | Beloit Snappers | — | Elizabethton Twins, GCL Twins | DSL Twins |
| 2004 | Rochester Red Wings | New Britain Rock Cats | Fort Myers Miracle | Quad Cities River Bandits | — | Elizabethton Twins, GCL Twins | DSL Twins |
| 2003 | Rochester Red Wings | New Britain Rock Cats | Fort Myers Miracle | Quad Cities River Bandits | — | Elizabethton Twins, GCL Twins | DSL Twins |
| 2002 | Edmonton Trappers | New Britain Rock Cats | Fort Myers Miracle | Quad Cities River Bandits | — | Elizabethton Twins, GCL Twins | DSL Twins |
| 2001 | Edmonton Trappers | New Britain Rock Cats | Fort Myers Miracle | Quad Cities River Bandits | — | Elizabethton Twins, GCL Twins | DSL Twins |
| 2000 | Salt Lake Buzz | New Britain Rock Cats | Fort Myers Miracle | Quad Cities River Bandits | — | Elizabethton Twins, GCL Twins | — |
| 1999 | Salt Lake Buzz | New Britain Rock Cats | Fort Myers Miracle | Quad Cities River Bandits | — | Elizabethton Twins, GCL Twins | DSL Twins/Co-op |
| 1998 | Salt Lake Buzz | New Britain Rock Cats | Fort Myers Miracle | Fort Wayne Wizards | — | Elizabethton Twins, GCL Twins | DSL Twins/Co-op |
| 1997 | Salt Lake Buzz | New Britain Rock Cats | Fort Myers Miracle | Fort Wayne Wizards | — | Elizabethton Twins, GCL Twins | — |
| 1996 | Salt Lake Buzz | Hardware City Rock Cats | Fort Myers Miracle | Fort Wayne Wizards | — | Elizabethton Twins, GCL Twins | — |
| 1995 | Salt Lake Buzz | Hardware City Rock Cats | Fort Myers Miracle | Fort Wayne Wizards | — | Elizabethton Twins, GCL Twins | — |
| 1994 | Salt Lake Buzz | Nashville Xpress | Fort Myers Miracle | Fort Wayne Wizards | — | Elizabethton Twins, GCL Twins | — |
| 1993 | Portland Beavers | Nashville Xpress | Fort Myers Miracle | Fort Wayne Wizards | — | Elizabethton Twins, GCL Twins | — |
| 1992 | Portland Beavers | Orlando Sun Rays | Visalia Oaks | Kenosha Twins | — | Elizabethton Twins, GCL Twins | — |
| 1991 | Portland Beavers | Orlando Sun Rays | Visalia Oaks | Kenosha Twins | — | Elizabethton Twins, GCL Twins | |
| 1990 | Portland Beavers | Orlando Sun Rays | Visalia Oaks | Kenosha Twins | — | Elizabethton Twins, GCL Twins | — |
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.[6]
| Year | Triple-A | Double-A | Class A | Class A Short Season | Rookie League |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Portland Beavers | Orlando Twins | Visalia Oaks, Kenosha Twins | — | Elizabethton Twins GCL Twins |
| 1988 | Portland Beavers | Orlando Twins | Visalia Oaks, Kenosha Twins | — | Elizabethton Twins |
| 1987 | Portland Beavers | Orlando Twins | Visalia Oaks, Kenosha Twins | — | Elizabethton Twins |
| 1986 | Toledo Mud Hens | Orlando Twins | Visalia Oaks, Kenosha Twins | — | Elizabethton Twins |
| 1985 | Toledo Mud Hens | Orlando Twins | Visalia Oaks, Kenosha Twins | — | Elizabethton Twins |
| 1984 | Toledo Mud Hens | Orlando Twins | Visalia Oaks, Kenosha Twins | — | Elizabethton Twins |
| 1983 | Toledo Mud Hens | Orlando Twins | Visalia Oaks, Wisconsin Rapids Twins | — | Elizabethton Twins |
| 1982 | Toledo Mud Hens | Orlando Twins | Visalia Oaks, Wisconsin Rapids Twins | — | Elizabethton Twins |
| 1981 | Toledo Mud Hens | Orlando Twins | Visalia Oaks, Wisconsin Rapids Twins | — | Elizabethton Twins |
| 1980 | Toledo Mud Hens | Orlando Twins | Visalia Oaks, Wisconsin Rapids Twins | — | Elizabethton Twins |
| 1979[12] | Toledo Mud Hens | Orlando Twins | Visalia Oaks, Wisconsin Rapids Twins | — | Elizabethton Twins |
| 1978 | Toledo Mud Hens | Orlando Twins | Visalia Oaks, Wisconsin Rapids Twins | — | Elizabethton Twins |
| 1977 | Tacoma Twins | Orlando Twins | Visalia Oaks, Wisconsin Rapids Twins | — | Elizabethton Twins |
| 1976 | Tacoma Twins | Orlando Twins | Wisconsin Rapids Twins | — | Elizabethton Twins |
| 1975 | Tacoma Twins | Orlando Twins | Wisconsin Rapids Twins | — | Elizabethton Twins |
| 1974[13] | Tacoma Twins | Orlando Twins | Lynchburg Twins, Wisconsin Rapids Twins | — | Elizabethton Twins |
| 1973 | Tacoma Twins | Orlando Twins | Lynchburg Twins, Wisconsin Rapids Twins | Geneva Twins | — |
| 1972 | Tacoma Twins | Charlotte Hornets | Orlando Twins, Lynchburg Twins, Wisconsin Rapids Twins, Charlotte Twins | — | — |
| 1971 | Portland Beavers | Charlotte Hornets | Orlando Twins, Lynchburg Twins, Wisconsin Rapids Twins | Auburn Twins St. Cloud Rox |
GCL Twins |
| 1970 | Evansville Triplets | Charlotte Hornets | Orlando Twins, Lynchburg Twins, Wisconsin Rapids Twins | Auburn Twins St. Cloud Rox |
GCL Twins |
| 1969 | Denver Bears | Charlotte Hornets | Orlando Twins, Red Springs Twins, Wisconsin Rapids Twins | Auburn Twins St. Cloud Rox |
GCL Twins |
| 1968 | Denver Bears | Charlotte Hornets | Orlando Twins, Wilson Tobs, Wisconsin Rapids Twins | Auburn Twins St. Cloud Rox |
GCL Twins |
| 1967 | Denver Bears | Charlotte Hornets | Orlando Twins, Wilson Tobs, Wisconsin Rapids Twins | Auburn Twins St. Cloud Rox |
GCL Twins |
| 1966 | Denver Bears | Charlotte Hornets | Orlando Twins, Wilson Tobs, Wisconsin Rapids Twins, Thomasville Hi-Toms | St. Cloud Rox | GCL Twins |
| 1965[14] | Denver Bears | Charlotte Hornets | Orlando Twins, Wilson Tobs, Wisconsin Rapids Twins, Thomasville Hi-Toms St. Cloud Rox |
— | — |
| 1964 | Atlanta Crackers | Charlotte Hornets | Orlando Twins, Wilson Tobs, Wisconsin Rapids Twins, Bismarck-Mandan Pards | — | — |
| 1963[15] | Dallas-Fort Worth Rangers | Charlotte Hornets | Orlando Twins, Wilson Tobs, Erie Sailors, Bismarck-Mandan Pards | — | Wytheville Twins |
1961–1962
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.[6]
| Year | Triple-A | Double-A | Class A | Class B | Class C | Class D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | Vancouver Mounties | — | Charlotte Hornets | Wilson Tobs | Bismarck-Mandan Pards | Erie Sailors, Wytheville Twins, Fort Walton Beach Jets |
| 1961 | Syracuse Chiefs | Nashville Volunteers | Charlotte Hornets | Wilson Tobs | — | Erie Sailors, Wytheville Twins, Fort Walton Beach Jets |
Washington Senators
| Year | Triple-A | Double-A | Class A | Class B | Class C | Class D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | Charleston Senators | — | Charlotte Hornets | Wilson Tobs | — | Erie Sailors Wytheville Senators Fort Walton Beach Jets |
| 1959 | — | Chattanooga Lookouts | Charlotte Hornets | Fox Cities Foxes | Missoula Timberjacks | Sanford Greyhounds Lynchburg Senators Fort Walton Beach Jets |
| 1958 | — | Chattanooga Lookouts | Charlotte Hornets | Fox Cities Foxes | Missoula Timberjacks | Gainesville G-Men Elmira Pioneers Fort Walton Beach Jets Superior Senators |
| 1957[16] | — | Chattanooga Lookouts | Charlotte Hornets | Kinston Eagles/Wilson Tobs Midland/Lamesa Indians |
Missoula Timberjacks | Elmira Pioneers Fort Walton Beach Jets Superior Senators |
| 1956 | Louisville Colonels | Chattanooga Lookouts | Charlotte Hornets | Hobbs Sports | Thibodaux Senators | Fort Walton Beach Jets Erie Senators Superior Senators |
| 1955 | — | Chattanooga Lookouts | Charlotte Hornets | Hagerstown Packets Rock Hill Chiefs |
— | Orlando C.B.s Fulton Lookouts Erie Senators |
| 1954 | — | Chattanooga Lookouts | Charlotte Hornets | Hagerstown Packets Rock Hill Chiefs |
Wichita Falls/Sweetwater Spudders | Orlando C.B.s Fulton Lookouts Erie Senators |
| 1953 | — | Chattanooga Lookouts | Scranton Miners | Charlotte Hornets | — | Orlando Senators Bluefield Blue-Grays Fulton Lookouts |
| 1952 | — | Chattanooga Lookouts | — | Danville Leafs Charlotte Hornets Havana Cubans |
Drummondville Cubs | Orlando Senators Fulton Lookouts Roanoke Rapids Jays |
| 1951 | — | Chattanooga Lookouts | — | Charlotte Hornets Havana Cubans |
Erie Sailors | Orlando Senators Fulton Railroaders Roanoke Rapids Jays |
| 1950 | — | Chattanooga Lookouts | Augusta Tigers | Charlotte Hornets Havana Cubans |
New Castle Chiefs | Orlando Senators Fulton Railroaders Emporia Nationals Concord Nationals Wellsville Senators Rome Red Sox |
| 1949 | — | Chattanooga Lookouts | — | Charlotte Hornets Havana Cubans Hagerstown Owls |
New Castle Nats | Orlando Senators Fulton Railroaders Emporia Nationals Concord Nationals |
| 1948[17] | — | Chattanooga Lookouts | — | Charlotte Hornets Bridgeport Bees Gadsden Pilots Sherman–Denison Twins |
Havana Cubans Henderson Oilers |
Orlando Senators Fulton Chicks Emporia Nationals Big Spring Broncs |
| 1947 | — | Chattanooga Lookouts | — | Charlotte Hornets | Havana Cubans | Orlando Senators Kingsport Cherokees Brewton Millers |
| 1946 | — | Chattanooga Lookouts | — | Charlotte Hornets Pensacola Fliers |
— | Orlando Senators Kingsport Cherokees |
| 1945 | — | — | Chattanooga Lookouts Williamsport Grays |
— | — | — |
| 1944 | — | — | Chattanooga Lookouts Williamsport Grays |
— | — | — |
| 1943 | — | — | Chattanooga Lookouts/Montgomery Rebels | — | — | Kingsport Cherokees |
| 1942 | — | — | Chattanooga Lookouts | Charlotte Hornets | — | Newport Canners |
| 1941 | — | — | Chattanooga Lookouts | Charlotte Hornets Greenville Spinners Selma Cloverleafs |
— | Orlando Senators Thomasville Lookouts |
| 1940 | — | — | — | Charlotte Hornets Greenville Spinners Selma Cloverleafs |
— | Orlando Senators DeLand Red Hats Newport Canners Salisbury Cardinals Thomasville Tourists Shelby Colonels |
| 1939 | — | — | Springfield Nationals | Charlotte Hornets Greenville Spinners |
Oswego Netherlands | Orlando Senators Sanford Lookouts Salisbury Senators Shelby Nationals Greensburg Senators Greenville Greenies |
| 1938 | — | — | Trenton Senators | Charlotte Hornets | — | Sanford Lookouts Salisbury Indians Americus Cardinals |
| 1937 | — | — | Chattanooga Lookouts Trenton Senators |
Charlotte Hornets Jacksonville Tars |
— | Sanford Lookouts Salisbury Indians |
| 1936 | — | Albany Senators | Chattanooga Lookouts | — | Brockville Pirates | Sanford Lookouts |
| 1935 | — | Albany Senators | Chattanooga Lookouts | — | — | Panama City Pilots |
| 1934 | — | — | Chattanooga Lookouts | — | — | — |
| 1933 | — | — | Chattanooga Lookouts | — | Springfield Chicks | — |
| 1932 | — | — | Chattanooga Lookouts | — | — | — |
References
- "Twins Affiliates". Minnesota Twins. Major League Baseball. Retrieved July 30, 2017.
- E Neal III, La Velle (1 December 2020). "Twins' new affiliates in St. Paul and Wichita will be announced this week". Minneapolis Star Tribune. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
- Eldridge, Taylor (1 December 2020). "Wichita's baseball team will drop to Double-A, source says; no MLB announcement yet". Wichita Eagle. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
- "Minnesota Twins Minor League Affiliates". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 30, 2017.
- Neal III, La Velle E. "St. Paul Saints to become Twins' top minor-league team; Class AA in Wichita," Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN), Tuesday, December 1, 2020. Retrieved December 2, 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.
- "Red Wings, Twins Extend PDC Through 2020". Ballpark Digest. August 1, 2018. Retrieved September 13, 2018.
- "Blue Wahoos Announce New Affiliation Partnership with Minnesota Twins". Pensacola Blue Wahoos. October 1, 2018. Retrieved October 1, 2018.
- Kelner, Marshall (September 14, 2018). "Miracle, Twins extend PDC for four additional years". Minor League Baseball. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
- Reichard, Kevin (August 6, 2014). "Kernels, Twins extend affiliation through 2020". Ballpark Digest. Retrieved September 13, 2018.
- Reichard, Kevin. "Affiliate Dance". Ballpark Digest. Retrieved September 13, 2018.
- Official Baseball Dope Book. St. Louis, Missouri: The Sporting News, 1979.
- Official Baseball Dope Book. St. Louis, Missouri: The Sporting News, 1974.
- Official Baseball Dope Book. St. Louis, Missouri: The Sporting News, 1965.
- Official Baseball Record Book. St. Louis, Missouri: The Sporting News, 1963.
- Official Baseball Guide. St. Louis, Missouri: The Sporting News, 1957.
- Official Baseball Guide. St. Louis, Missouri: The Sporting News, 1948.
External links
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