The American Association of Professional Baseball is an
independent
Independent or Independents may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups
* Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s
* Independ ...
professional baseball
Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world.
Modern professional ...
league founded in 2005. It operates in the central United States and Canada, mostly in cities not served by
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
teams or their
minor league affiliates. Joshua Schaub is the league commissioner. League offices are located in
Moorhead, Minnesota
Moorhead () is a city in and county seat of Clay County, Minnesota, United States, on the banks of the Red River of the North. Located in the Red River Valley, an extremely fertile and active agricultural region, Moorhead is also home to several ...
. Though a separate entity, the league shared a commissioner and director of umpires with the
Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball
The Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball, commonly known as the Can-Am League, was a professional, independent baseball league with teams in the Northeast United States and Eastern Canada, founded in 2005 as a reorganization of ...
during that league's existence. The American Association of Professional Baseball has
501(c)(6) tax-exempt status with the
Internal Revenue Service. In 2020, as part of MLB's
reorganization of the minor leagues, the American Association, together with the
Atlantic League and the
Frontier League
The Frontier League is a professional independent baseball league with teams in the Northeastern and Midwestern United States and Eastern Canada. Formed in 1993, it is the oldest currently running independent league in the United States. The le ...
, became an official
MLB Partner League
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 (fro ...
.
History
The American Association was founded in October 2005 when the
St. Paul Saints,
Lincoln Saltdogs
The Lincoln Saltdogs are a professional baseball team based in Lincoln, Nebraska, in the United States. The Saltdogs are in the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major League Baseball. Since the 2001 sea ...
,
Sioux City Explorers, and
Sioux Falls Canaries
The Sioux Falls Canaries are a professional baseball team based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States. The Canaries are members of the North Division of the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major L ...
announced they were leaving the
Northern League. Around the same time, the
Central Baseball League
The Central Baseball League, formerly the Texas–Louisiana League, was a independent baseball league whose member teams were not affiliated with any Major League Baseball (MLB) franchises.
In 1991, potential owners, Dallas businessman Byron P ...
announced it was disbanding after four seasons. The
Fort Worth Cats
The Fort Worth Cats was a professional baseball team based in Fort Worth, Texas, in the United States. The Cats were a member of the South Division of the now disbanded United League Baseball, which was not affiliated with Major League Basebal ...
,
Shreveport-Bossier Sports,
Pensacola Pelicans
The Pensacola Pelicans were a minor league baseball team based in Pensacola, Florida. In various incarnations, they played in three different independent baseball leagues (leagues unaffiliated with Major League Baseball) from 2002 to 2010. They ...
,
Coastal Bend Aviators
The Coastal Bend Aviators were a minor league baseball team which played in Robstown, Texas, in the United States from 2003 to 2007. They were a member of the Central Baseball League, then the American Association and were not affiliated with a ...
, and
El Paso Diablos
"El Paso Diablos" refers to two different professional baseball teams based in El Paso, Texas, in the United States. The most recent Diablos were a member of the South Division of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, wh ...
joined the four former Northern League teams and the expansion
St. Joe Blacksnakes to form the American Association as a ten-team league. The new league began play in 2006, with a 96-game schedule, which has since expanded to 100 games.
2008 saw the league lose the Blacksnakes and Aviators, with the
Grand Prairie AirHogs
The Texas AirHogs were a professional baseball team based in Grand Prairie, Texas from 2008 to 2020. The AirHogs were members of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. Be ...
and
Wichita Wingnuts
The Wichita Wingnuts were an independent baseball team based in Wichita, Kansas, in the United States. The Wingnuts were members of the South Division of the American Association of Professional Baseball.
An expansion franchise in the 2008 seas ...
joining in their place. In 2011 and 2012 the league went through a significant shift. Fort Worth was kicked out of the AA and moved to the
North American League, while Shreveport and Pensacola both relocated. The Pelicans moved to
Amarillo, Texas
Amarillo ( ; Spanish for "yellow") is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the seat of Potter County. It is the 14th-most populous city in Texas and the largest city in the Texas Panhandle. A portion of the city extends into Randall County ...
and became the Amarillo Sox (later the
Amarillo Thunderheads
The Amarillo Thunderheads, formerly known as the Amarillo Sox, were a professional minor league baseball team based in Amarillo, Texas. They were members of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, an independent baseball l ...
) while Shreveport, who had changed their name to the Shreveport-Bossier Captains, moved to
Laredo, Texas
Laredo ( ; ) is a city in and the county seat of Webb County, Texas, United States, on the north bank of the Rio Grande in South Texas, across from Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico. Laredo has the distinction of flying seven flags (the flag of th ...
and became the
Laredo Lemurs
The Laredo Lemurs were a professional baseball team based in Laredo, Texas, that played in the independent American Association from 2012 to 2016. The team played their home games at the Uni-Trade Stadium in Laredo, replacing the Laredo Broncos o ...
. In addition, four more Northern League franchises (
Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks
The Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks are a professional minor-league baseball team based in Fargo, North Dakota, in the United States. The RedHawks are members of the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major Leagu ...
,
Gary SouthShore RailCats
The Gary SouthShore RailCats are a professional baseball team based in Gary, Indiana, in the United States. The RailCats are members of the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major League Baseball. The Rai ...
,
Kansas City T-Bones
The Kansas City Monarchs are a professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Kansas. Formerly known as the Kansas City T-Bones, they are members of the American Association of Professional Baseball; which, in 2020, became designated as a Majo ...
, and
Winnipeg Goldeyes
The Winnipeg Goldeyes are a minor-league baseball team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The Goldeyes play in the American Association of Professional Baseball, which they joined in 2011. Previously, the Goldeyes were members of the Norther ...
) joined the American Association as that league's stability came into question.
For the 2012 season, the American Association began interleague play with the
Can-Am League
The Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball, commonly known as the Can-Am League, was a professional, independent baseball league with teams in the Northeast United States and Eastern Canada, founded in 2005 as a reorganization ...
. The two leagues were both headquartered in Durham, North Carolina, and both had Miles Wolff as their commissioner. This was similar to interleague play in Major League Baseball, but American Association and Can-Am League were separate legal entities and had separate playoffs/championships.
At the end of the 2013 season, due to the
Tucson Padres
The Tucson Padres were a minor league baseball team representing Tucson, Arizona in the Pacific Coast League (PCL). They were the Triple-A affiliate for the San Diego Padres. The team moved to Tucson from Portland, Oregon for the 2011 season. I ...
relocating to their city, the El Paso Diablos suspended operations. The team was eventually revived and relocated, operating as the
Joplin Blasters. The Blasters ceased operations after the conclusion of the 2016 season.
On November 19, 2015, Miles Wolff announced that there would no longer be interleague play. It also was announced that for the
Amarillo Thunderheads
The Amarillo Thunderheads, formerly known as the Amarillo Sox, were a professional minor league baseball team based in Amarillo, Texas. They were members of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, an independent baseball l ...
and
Grand Prairie AirHogs
The Texas AirHogs were a professional baseball team based in Grand Prairie, Texas from 2008 to 2020. The AirHogs were members of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. Be ...
would operate as a joint team, the
Texas AirHogs
The Texas AirHogs were a professional baseball team based in Grand Prairie, Texas from 2008 to 2020. The AirHogs were members of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. Be ...
, playing 25 games in Amarillo and 25 games in Grand Prairie to make up a 12-team league. The team remained in Grand Prairie full-time in 2017, with the
Cleburne Railroaders
The Cleburne Railroaders are a professional baseball team based in Cleburne, Texas, that plays in the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major League Baseball. The team, which began play in 2017, plays i ...
joining the league the same season. Shortly before the 2017 season, the
Laredo Lemurs
The Laredo Lemurs were a professional baseball team based in Laredo, Texas, that played in the independent American Association from 2012 to 2016. The team played their home games at the Uni-Trade Stadium in Laredo, replacing the Laredo Broncos o ...
withdrew from the league. They were temporarily replaced by the
Salina Stockade
The Salina Stockade was built in Salina, Kansas, to provide the residents with protection from the American Indians in the area, many of whom were hostile toward white settlement. Salina had been raided in 1862 by Native Americans and then Confed ...
from the
Pecos League Pecos may refer to:
Places
* Pecos River, rises near Santa Fe, New Mexico, United States
* Pecos, Texas, a city in Reeves County, Texas, United States
* Pecos County, Texas, named for the Pecos River
** Pecos Spring, a spring
* Pecos, New Mexico, ...
for the season. The
Chicago Dogs
The Chicago Dogs are an independent professional baseball team based in Rosemont, Illinois. They are members of the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major League Baseball. They began play in 2018 and p ...
joined for 2018 and the
Milwaukee Milkmen
The Milwaukee Milkmen are an independent baseball team based in Franklin, Wisconsin. They are members of the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major League Baseball. They began play in 2019 and play hom ...
joined in 2019, replacing the Wichita Wingnuts, who folded in large part due to the demolition of
Lawrence-Dumont Stadium and their eventual replacement by the
Wichita Wind Surge
The Wichita Wind Surge are a Minor League Baseball team of the Texas League and the Double-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. They are located in Wichita, Kansas, and began play in 2021 at Riverfront Stadium.
The Wind Surge were supposed to b ...
.
In 2020, due to the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
, the league announced that 6 of its 12 clubs would play an abbreviated 60-game season beginning on July 3, 2020. Five stadiums were used for gameplay:
Sioux Falls Stadium
Sioux Falls Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. It originally opened in 1941 and was renovated in 2000.
It is primarily used for baseball and is the home field of the unaffiliated Sioux Falls Canaries baseball team of ...
(hosting the
Sioux Falls Canaries
The Sioux Falls Canaries are a professional baseball team based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States. The Canaries are members of the North Division of the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major L ...
and
St. Paul Saints during July),
Newman Outdoor Field
Newman Outdoor Field is a baseball stadium in Fargo, North Dakota. It is located on the campus of North Dakota State University and is the home of the independent American Association's Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks and the North Dakota State Bison bas ...
(hosting the
Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks
The Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks are a professional minor-league baseball team based in Fargo, North Dakota, in the United States. The RedHawks are members of the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major Leagu ...
and
Winnipeg Goldeyes
The Winnipeg Goldeyes are a minor-league baseball team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The Goldeyes play in the American Association of Professional Baseball, which they joined in 2011. Previously, the Goldeyes were members of the Norther ...
),
Franklin Field
Franklin Field is a sports stadium in Philadelphia, United States, at the eastern edge of the University of Pennsylvania's campus. It is the home stadium for the Penn Relays, and the University of Pennsylvania's stadium for American football, foo ...
(hosting the
Milwaukee Milkmen
The Milwaukee Milkmen are an independent baseball team based in Franklin, Wisconsin. They are members of the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major League Baseball. They began play in 2019 and play hom ...
),
Impact Field
Impact Field is a baseball park in Rosemont, Illinois, US, which is part of the Chicago metropolitan area. It is the home of the Chicago Dogs, an independent league baseball team playing in the American Association of Independent Professional ...
(hosting the
Chicago Dogs
The Chicago Dogs are an independent professional baseball team based in Rosemont, Illinois. They are members of the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major League Baseball. They began play in 2018 and p ...
), and
CHS Field
CHS Field is a baseball park in downtown Saint Paul, Minnesota. It is home to the St. Paul Saints of the International League of Minor League Baseball, as well as home to Hamline University's baseball team. With the Saints' affiliation to the M ...
(hosting the
St. Paul Saints beginning in August). Players from non-participating teams had the opportunity to be drafted by one of the six active clubs. A limited number of fans were allowed to attend games, in accordance with local government guidelines and restrictions.
The
2021 season saw the league lose both the
Texas AirHogs
The Texas AirHogs were a professional baseball team based in Grand Prairie, Texas from 2008 to 2020. The AirHogs were members of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. Be ...
, who dropped out of the league, and the
St. Paul Saints who move to affiliated ball as the
Triple-A affiliate of the
Minnesota Twins. Joining the league in 2021 is the
Kane County Cougars
The Kane County Cougars are an independent professional baseball team located in Geneva, Illinois and are members of the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major League Baseball (MLB). They play thei ...
, who were dropped from affiliated ball during the
2021 minor league reorganization, as well as the
Houston Apollos
The Houston Apollos were a minor professional ice hockey team based in Houston, Texas. They played in the Central Hockey League from 1965 to 1969, and then from 1979 to 1981.
From 1965 to 1969, they were a farm team of the NHL's Montreal Canadie ...
who will be a traveling team for the 2021 campaign.
In May 2021, the league announced the approval of Lake Country Baseball, based in
Oconomowoc, Wisconsin
Oconomowoc ( ) is a city in Waukesha County, Wisconsin, United States. The name was derived from Coo-no-mo-wauk, the Potawatomi language, Potawatomi term for "waterfall." The population was 15,712 at the 2010 census. The city is partially adjacen ...
, as a new member of the league starting in 2022. Construction commenced later that summer on a new stadium and multi-use indoor sports facility, which opened for play on May 20, 2022 as
Wisconsin Brewing Company Park. The team selected the name
Lake Country DockHounds
The Lake Country DockHounds are a professional baseball team based in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, that plays in the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major League Baseball. The DockHounds played their first ...
, after hosting an online name the team contest.
With the DockHounds joining the league for the 2022 season, the American Association opted for realignment of the divisions. Going away from the prior North/South divisions, the league decided to go with East/West divisions. The league placed Cleburne, Chicago, Kane County, Gary SouthShore, Milwaukee, and Lake Country in the East Division; and Winnipeg, Fargo-Moorhead, Sioux Falls, Sioux City, Lincoln, and Kansas City in the West Division. The league also changed the playoff format taking the top four teams in each division into the playoffs, and allowing the team in each division with the best record to choose their first round opponent from the remaining three division teams.
Business model
The American Association (AA) typically recruits college and former major and minor league players. Former affiliated-league players who get injured or have other circumstances join the AA as an opportunity to get re-signed by major league organizations. For example,
David Peralta
Senger David Peralta Guerreiro (born August 14, 1987) nicknamed "Freight Train" is a Venezuelan professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent. He made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2014. He won ...
was signed in 2004 as a pitcher for the
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals ha ...
but suffered injuries and was released in 2009. He resurrected his career as an outfielder with teams such as the AA's
Wichita Wingnuts
The Wichita Wingnuts were an independent baseball team based in Wichita, Kansas, in the United States. The Wingnuts were members of the South Division of the American Association of Professional Baseball.
An expansion franchise in the 2008 seas ...
and
Amarillo Sox
The Amarillo Thunderheads, formerly known as the Amarillo Sox, were a professional minor league baseball team based in Amarillo, Texas. They were members of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, an independent baseball ...
in 2012 and 2013, then became a starting outfielder for the
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks (colloquially known as the D-backs) are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The ...
.
Other players include college players who were not drafted into MLB but seek the opportunity to be seen by major league scouts and possibly get signed by major league organizations. Other former MLB players join the AA as a way to stay involved in baseball after their MLB career, often as coaches and managers.
As of 2008, the salary cap for each team was $100,000, with a minimum salary of $800 per month.
The price of an expansion team is also about $750,000.
This is in stark contrast with the minor and major leagues. Former Commissioner Miles Wolff stated in an interview that "We have to pay the salaries of the players, which they don't in an affiliated
eague It's a much riskier business. Just because of the longevity and tradition, we usually don't get the best cities, either, so some of the markets we're in are not great markets. But as I say, I think it's a better product."
In 2018, the league raised the minimum salary to $1,200 per month to comply with the new Save America's Pastime Act.
Roster rules
Rosters are limited to 25 players, with a maximum of six may be veterans and minimum of five must be rookies or LS-1. The remaining players will be designated limited service players and of those LS players only six (6) may be LS-4. Two of the LS-4 players may have LS-5 status.
Rookie: A player with less than one year of service.
LS-1: A player with fewer than two years of service.
LS-2: A player with fewer than three years of service.
LS-3: A player with fewer than four years of service.
LS-4: A player with fewer than five years of service.
LS-5: A player with less than 6 years of service.
Veteran: A player with six or more years of service. If a player has six or more years of service but has not reached the age of 26 by September 1 of that season, he will be considered an LS-4. If he has not reached the age of 24 by September 1 of that season, he will be considered an LS-3.
Teams
Current teams
League timeline
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id:Full value:rgb(0.742,0.727,0.852) # Use this color to denote a team that is a current league member
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bar:1 color:OtherC1 from:01/01/2003 till:12/31/2005 text: CBL
bar:1 color:Past from:01/01/2006 till:12/31/2007 text:Coastal Bend Aviators
The Coastal Bend Aviators were a minor league baseball team which played in Robstown, Texas, in the United States from 2003 to 2007. They were a member of the Central Baseball League, then the American Association and were not affiliated with a ...
(2006–2007)
bar:2 color:OtherC1 from:01/01/2005 till:12/31/2005 text: CBL
bar:2 color:Past from:01/01/2006 till:12/31/2013 text:El Paso Diablos
"El Paso Diablos" refers to two different professional baseball teams based in El Paso, Texas, in the United States. The most recent Diablos were a member of the South Division of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, wh ...
(2006–2013)
bar:3 color:OtherC1 from:01/01/2001 till:12/31/2001 text:AAA
AAA, Triple A, or Triple-A is a three-letter initialism or abbreviation which may refer to:
Airports
* Anaa Airport in French Polynesia (IATA airport code AAA)
* Logan County Airport (Illinois) (FAA airport code AAA)
Arts, entertainment, and me ...
bar:3 color:OtherC1 from:01/01/2002 till:12/31/2005 text: CBL
bar:3 color:Past from:01/01/2006 till:12/31/2011 text:Fort Worth Cats
The Fort Worth Cats was a professional baseball team based in Fort Worth, Texas, in the United States. The Cats were a member of the South Division of the now disbanded United League Baseball, which was not affiliated with Major League Basebal ...
(2006–2011)
bar:3 color:OtherC1 from:01/01/2012 till:12/31/2012 text:NAL
NAL or Nal may refer to:
In organizations:
* Nal Sarovar Bird Sanctuary, in India
* National Aerospace Laboratories, India
* National Aerospace Laboratory of Japan
* National Alliance of Liberals, a political party in Ghana
* United States Nat ...
bar:3 color:OtherC1 from:01/01/2013 till:12/31/2014 text: ULB
bar:4 color:OtherC1 from:01/01/2001 till:12/31/2005 text: Nor
bar:4 color:Full from:01/01/2006 till:12/31/2019 text:Lincoln Saltdogs
The Lincoln Saltdogs are a professional baseball team based in Lincoln, Nebraska, in the United States. The Saltdogs are in the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major League Baseball. Since the 2001 sea ...
(2006–2019, 2021–present)
bar:4 color:Full from:01/01/2021 till:end text:
bar:5 color:OtherC1 from:01/01/2002 till:12/31/2003 text:SEL
Sel is a municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Otta. The municipality also includes several notable villages including ...
bar:5 color:OtherC1 from:01/01/2004 till:12/31/2005 text: CBL
bar:5 color:Past from:01/01/2006 till:12/31/2010 text:Pensacola Pelicans
The Pensacola Pelicans were a minor league baseball team based in Pensacola, Florida. In various incarnations, they played in three different independent baseball leagues (leagues unaffiliated with Major League Baseball) from 2002 to 2010. They ...
(2006–2010)
bar:6 color:Past from:01/01/2006 till:12/31/2007 text: St. Joe Blacksnakes (2006–2007)
bar:7 color:OtherC1 from:start till:12/31/2005 text: Nor (from 1993)
bar:7 color:Past from:01/01/2006 till:12/31/2020 text: St. Paul Saints (2006–2020)
bar:7 color:OtherC1 from:01/01/2021 till:end text: IL
bar:8 color:OtherC1 from:01/01/2003 till:12/31/2005 text: CBL
bar:8 color:Past from:01/01/2006 till:12/31/2008 $UpLeftMargin text:Shreveport Sports
The Shreveport Sports were a professional Minor League Baseball team based in Shreveport, Louisiana, in the United States. The Sports fielded a team from 1925 to 1935, 1938 to 1942, 1946 to 1957, and 1959 to 1961. They were affiliated with the C ...
~(2006–2008)
bar:8 color:Past from:01/01/2009 till:12/31/2011 text:Shreveport-Bossier Captains
The Shreveport–Bossier Captains were a professional baseball team based in Shreveport, Louisiana, in the United States. Following the 2011 season, the team was sold to new ownership and moved to Laredo, Texas, to continue play as the Laredo Le ...
(2009–2011)
bar:9 color:OtherC1 from:start till:12/31/2005 text: Nor (from 1993)
bar:9 color:Full from:01/01/2006 till:12/31/2019 text: Sioux City Explorers (2006–2019, 2021–present)
bar:9 color:Full from:01/01/2021 till:end text:
bar:10 color:OtherC1 from:start till:12/31/2005 text: Nor (from 1993)
bar:10 color:Full from:01/01/2006 till:12/31/2009 text:Sioux Falls Canaries
The Sioux Falls Canaries are a professional baseball team based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States. The Canaries are members of the North Division of the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major L ...
(2006–2009)
bar:10 color:Full from:01/01/2010 till:12/31/2012 $UpLeftMargin text: Sioux Falls Pheasants ~(2010–2012)
bar:10 color:Full from:01/01/2013 till:end text:Sioux Falls Canaries
The Sioux Falls Canaries are a professional baseball team based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States. The Canaries are members of the North Division of the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major L ...
(2013–present)
bar:11 color:Past from:01/01/2008 till:12/31/2015 text:Grand Prairie AirHogs
The Texas AirHogs were a professional baseball team based in Grand Prairie, Texas from 2008 to 2020. The AirHogs were members of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. Be ...
(2008–2015)
bar:11 color:Past from:01/01/2016 till:12/31/2019 text:Texas AirHogs
The Texas AirHogs were a professional baseball team based in Grand Prairie, Texas from 2008 to 2020. The AirHogs were members of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. Be ...
(2016–2019)
bar:12 color:Past from:01/01/2008 till:12/31/2018 text:Wichita Wingnuts
The Wichita Wingnuts were an independent baseball team based in Wichita, Kansas, in the United States. The Wingnuts were members of the South Division of the American Association of Professional Baseball.
An expansion franchise in the 2008 seas ...
(2008–2018)
bar:13 color:Past from:01/01/2011 till:12/31/2014 text:Amarillo Sox
The Amarillo Thunderheads, formerly known as the Amarillo Sox, were a professional minor league baseball team based in Amarillo, Texas. They were members of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, an independent baseball ...
(2011–2014)
bar:13 color:Past from:01/01/2015 till:12/31/2015 text:Amarillo Thunderheads
The Amarillo Thunderheads, formerly known as the Amarillo Sox, were a professional minor league baseball team based in Amarillo, Texas. They were members of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, an independent baseball l ...
(2015)
bar:14 color:OtherC1 from:start till:12/31/2010 text: Nor (from 1996)
bar:14 color:Full from:01/01/2011 till:end text:Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks
The Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks are a professional minor-league baseball team based in Fargo, North Dakota, in the United States. The RedHawks are members of the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major Leagu ...
(2011–present)
bar:15 color:OtherC1 from:01/01/2002 till:12/31/2010 text: Nor
bar:15 color:Full from:01/01/2011 till:12/31/2019 text:Gary SouthShore RailCats
The Gary SouthShore RailCats are a professional baseball team based in Gary, Indiana, in the United States. The RailCats are members of the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major League Baseball. The Rai ...
(2011–2019, 2021–present)
bar:15 color:Full from:01/01/2021 till:end text:
bar:16 color:OtherC1 from:01/01/2003 till:12/31/2010 text: Nor
bar:16 color:Full from:01/01/2011 till:12/31/2019 text:Kansas City T-Bones
The Kansas City Monarchs are a professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Kansas. Formerly known as the Kansas City T-Bones, they are members of the American Association of Professional Baseball; which, in 2020, became designated as a Majo ...
(2011–2019)
bar:16 color:Full from:01/01/2021 till:end text:Kansas City Monarchs
The Kansas City Monarchs were the longest-running franchise in the history of baseball's Negro leagues. Operating in Kansas City, Missouri, and owned by J. L. Wilkinson, they were charter members of the Negro National League from 1920 to 19 ...
(2021–present)
bar:17 color:OtherC1 from:start till:12/31/2010 text: Nor (from 1994)
bar:17 color:Full from:01/01/2011 till:end text:Winnipeg Goldeyes
The Winnipeg Goldeyes are a minor-league baseball team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The Goldeyes play in the American Association of Professional Baseball, which they joined in 2011. Previously, the Goldeyes were members of the Norther ...
(2011–present)
bar:18 color:Past from:01/01/2012 till:12/31/2016 text:Laredo Lemurs
The Laredo Lemurs were a professional baseball team based in Laredo, Texas, that played in the independent American Association from 2012 to 2016. The team played their home games at the Uni-Trade Stadium in Laredo, replacing the Laredo Broncos o ...
(2012-2016)
bar:19 color:Past from:01/01/2015 till:12/31/2016 text: Joplin Blasters (2015–2016)
bar:20 color:Full from:01/01/2017 till:12/31/2019 text:Cleburne Railroaders
The Cleburne Railroaders are a professional baseball team based in Cleburne, Texas, that plays in the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major League Baseball. The team, which began play in 2017, plays i ...
(2017–2019, 2021–present)
bar:20 color:Full from:01/01/2021 till:end text:
bar:21 color:OtherC1 from:01/01/2016 till:12/31/2016 text: PL
bar:21 color:Past from:01/01/2017 till:12/31/2017 $UpLeftMargin text: Salina ~Stockade ~(2017)
bar:21 color:OtherC1 from:01/01/2018 till:12/31/2018 text: CAL
bar:21 color:OtherC1 from:01/01/2019 till:12/31/2019 text: PA
bar:21 color:OtherC1 from:01/01/2020 till:12/31/2021 text: PL
bar:22 color:Full from:01/01/2018 till:end text:Chicago Dogs
The Chicago Dogs are an independent professional baseball team based in Rosemont, Illinois. They are members of the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major League Baseball. They began play in 2018 and p ...
(2018–present)
bar:23 color:Full from:01/01/2019 till:end text:Milwaukee Milkmen
The Milwaukee Milkmen are an independent baseball team based in Franklin, Wisconsin. They are members of the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major League Baseball. They began play in 2019 and play hom ...
(2019–present)
bar:24 color:OtherC1 from:start till:12/31/2019 text: MWL (from 1991)
bar:24 color:Full from:01/01/2021 till:end text:Kane County Cougars
The Kane County Cougars are an independent professional baseball team located in Geneva, Illinois and are members of the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major League Baseball (MLB). They play thei ...
(2021–present)
bar:25 color:OtherC1 from:01/01/2012 till:12/31/2020 text: PL
bar:25 color:Past from:01/01/2021 till:12/31/2021 text: Houston Apollos
The Houston Apollos were a minor professional ice hockey team based in Houston, Texas. They played in the Central Hockey League from 1965 to 1969, and then from 1979 to 1981.
From 1965 to 1969, they were a farm team of the NHL's Montreal Canadie ...
(2021)
bar:26 color:Full from:01/01/2022 till:end text:Lake Country DockHounds
The Lake Country DockHounds are a professional baseball team based in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, that plays in the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major League Baseball. The DockHounds played their first ...
(2022—present)
ScaleMajor = gridcolor:line unit:year increment:1 start:01/01/2001
TextData =
fontsize:L
textcolor:black
pos:(0,30)
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text:"American Association Timeline"
fontsize:M
textcolor:black
pos:(260,200)
tabs:(40-left)
text:"2006: AA is formed"
#> If the chart uses more than one bar color, add a legend by selecting the appropriate fields from the following three options (use only the colors that are used in the graphic.) Leave a blank line after the end of the timeline, then add a line with the selected values from the list, separated by a space. <#
Former teams
*
Coastal Bend Aviators
The Coastal Bend Aviators were a minor league baseball team which played in Robstown, Texas, in the United States from 2003 to 2007. They were a member of the Central Baseball League, then the American Association and were not affiliated with a ...
– founding member of league, originally from
Central Baseball League
The Central Baseball League, formerly the Texas–Louisiana League, was a independent baseball league whose member teams were not affiliated with any Major League Baseball (MLB) franchises.
In 1991, potential owners, Dallas businessman Byron P ...
, folded after 2007
*
St. Joe Blacksnakes – founding member of league, folded after 2007
*
Pensacola Pelicans
The Pensacola Pelicans were a minor league baseball team based in Pensacola, Florida. In various incarnations, they played in three different independent baseball leagues (leagues unaffiliated with Major League Baseball) from 2002 to 2010. They ...
– founding member of league, originally from
Central Baseball League
The Central Baseball League, formerly the Texas–Louisiana League, was a independent baseball league whose member teams were not affiliated with any Major League Baseball (MLB) franchises.
In 1991, potential owners, Dallas businessman Byron P ...
, became the Amarillo Sox
*
Fort Worth Cats
The Fort Worth Cats was a professional baseball team based in Fort Worth, Texas, in the United States. The Cats were a member of the South Division of the now disbanded United League Baseball, which was not affiliated with Major League Basebal ...
– founding member of the league, had its membership revoked by the league on October 26, 2011, after failing to provide the league with a letter of credit
Moved to the
North American League, then
United League Baseball
United League Baseball was an independent baseball league that operated in Texas. The league operated from 2006 to 2009. The league then temporarily merged with the Northern League and the Golden Baseball League to form the North American Leagu ...
, then later folded
*
Shreveport-Bossier Captains
The Shreveport–Bossier Captains were a professional baseball team based in Shreveport, Louisiana, in the United States. Following the 2011 season, the team was sold to new ownership and moved to Laredo, Texas, to continue play as the Laredo Le ...
– moved to Laredo, Texas to become
Laredo Lemurs
The Laredo Lemurs were a professional baseball team based in Laredo, Texas, that played in the independent American Association from 2012 to 2016. The team played their home games at the Uni-Trade Stadium in Laredo, replacing the Laredo Broncos o ...
*
El Paso Diablos
"El Paso Diablos" refers to two different professional baseball teams based in El Paso, Texas, in the United States. The most recent Diablos were a member of the South Division of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, wh ...
– suspended operations after the 2013 season to make way for the Triple-A
El Paso Chihuahuas
The El Paso Chihuahuas are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres. They are located in El Paso, Texas, and play their home games at Southwest University Park, which opened ...
. resumed operations in 2015 as the
Joplin Blasters
*
Amarillo Thunderheads
The Amarillo Thunderheads, formerly known as the Amarillo Sox, were a professional minor league baseball team based in Amarillo, Texas. They were members of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, an independent baseball l ...
– originally called the Amarillo Sox; merged with the
Grand Prairie AirHogs
The Texas AirHogs were a professional baseball team based in Grand Prairie, Texas from 2008 to 2020. The AirHogs were members of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. Be ...
prior to the 2016 season and changed name to
Texas AirHogs
The Texas AirHogs were a professional baseball team based in Grand Prairie, Texas from 2008 to 2020. The AirHogs were members of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. Be ...
*
Joplin Blasters – folded following the 2016 season
*
Laredo Lemurs
The Laredo Lemurs were a professional baseball team based in Laredo, Texas, that played in the independent American Association from 2012 to 2016. The team played their home games at the Uni-Trade Stadium in Laredo, replacing the Laredo Broncos o ...
– folded following the 2016 season
*
Salina Stockade
The Salina Stockade was built in Salina, Kansas, to provide the residents with protection from the American Indians in the area, many of whom were hostile toward white settlement. Salina had been raided in 1862 by Native Americans and then Confed ...
– moved to the
Can-Am League
The Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball, commonly known as the Can-Am League, was a professional, independent baseball league with teams in the Northeast United States and Eastern Canada, founded in 2005 as a reorganization ...
as a partial-schedule traveling team following the 2017 season
*
Wichita Wingnuts
The Wichita Wingnuts were an independent baseball team based in Wichita, Kansas, in the United States. The Wingnuts were members of the South Division of the American Association of Professional Baseball.
An expansion franchise in the 2008 seas ...
– suspended operations following the 2018 season as their ballpark was to be demolished to make way for
a new ballpark and the Double-A
Wichita Wind Surge
The Wichita Wind Surge are a Minor League Baseball team of the Texas League and the Double-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. They are located in Wichita, Kansas, and began play in 2021 at Riverfront Stadium.
The Wind Surge were supposed to b ...
*
Texas AirHogs
The Texas AirHogs were a professional baseball team based in Grand Prairie, Texas from 2008 to 2020. The AirHogs were members of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. Be ...
– did not play the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, folded after the season
*
St. Paul Saints – founding member of the league, became the Triple A affiliate of the
Minnesota Twins following the 2020 season joining the
International League
*
Houston Apollos
The Houston Apollos were a minor professional ice hockey team based in Houston, Texas. They played in the Central Hockey League from 1965 to 1969, and then from 1979 to 1981.
From 1965 to 1969, they were a farm team of the NHL's Montreal Canadie ...
- travelling team from the
Pecos League Pecos may refer to:
Places
* Pecos River, rises near Santa Fe, New Mexico, United States
* Pecos, Texas, a city in Reeves County, Texas, United States
* Pecos County, Texas, named for the Pecos River
** Pecos Spring, a spring
* Pecos, New Mexico, ...
brought in for the 2021 season
Champions
All-Star Game
The American Association hosted an annual
All-Star Game
An all-star game is an exhibition game that purports to showcase the best players (the "stars") of a sports league. The exhibition is between two teams organized solely for the event, usually representing the league's teams based on region or d ...
from 2006 to 2010. The league's first All-Star game was played in
El Paso, Texas
El Paso (; "the pass") is a city in and the county seat, seat of El Paso County, Texas, El Paso County in the western corner of the U.S. state of Texas. The 2020 population of the city from the United States Census Bureau, U.S. Census Bureau w ...
, on July 18, 2006, which pit a team of American Association All-Stars against an All-Star team from the
Can-Am League
The Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball, commonly known as the Can-Am League, was a professional, independent baseball league with teams in the Northeast United States and Eastern Canada, founded in 2005 as a reorganization ...
. Its current format pits the all-stars from each division against each other. There was no All-Star game in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2018, 2020, or 2021.
;Game results
*2006 – AA 5, Can-Am 3
*2007 – South 6, North 4
*2008 – South 11, North 4
*2009 – North 6, South 2
*2010 – South 12, North 3
*2011 – game cancelled
*2012 – game cancelled
*2013 – game cancelled
*2014 – South 7, North 0
*2015 – North 3, South 1
*2016 – North 6, South 1
*2017 – Can-Am 3, AA 2
*2018 – game cancelled
*2019 – North 7, South 3
*2020 – game cancelled due to the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
*2021 – game cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
*2022 — West 7, East 6
Most Valuable Players
*2006 – Pichi Balet, (Lincoln Saltdogs)
*2007 – Jorge Alvarez, (El Paso Diablos)
*2008 – Beau Torbert, (Sioux Falls Canaries)
*2009 – Greg Porter, (Wichita Wingnuts)
*2010 – Beau Torbert, (Sioux Falls Canaries)
*2011 – Lee Cruz, (Amarillo Sox)
*2012 – Nic Jackson, (Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks)
*2013 – C. J. Ziegler, (Wichita Wingnuts)
*2014 –
Brent Clevlen, (Wichita Wingnuts)
*2015 – Vinny DiFazio, (St. Paul Saints)
*2016 – Nate Samson, (Sioux City Explorers)
*2017 –
Josh Romanski, (Winnipeg Goldeyes)
*2018 – Jose Sermo, (Sioux City Explorers)
*2019 –
Keon Barnum, (Chicago Dogs)
*2020 –
Adam Brett Walker II, (Milwaukee Milkmen)
*2021 –
Adam Brett Walker II, (Milwaukee Milkmen)
*2022 – Jabari Henry, (Sioux Falls Canaries)
League attendance
Attendance Records
Season: 413,482, St. Paul, 2016
Game: 13,406, El Paso, July 4, 2011
See also
*
Baseball awards – U.S. independent professional leagues
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:American Association Of Professional Baseball
Independent baseball leagues in the United States
Baseball leagues in Florida
Baseball leagues in Indiana
Baseball leagues in Iowa
Baseball leagues in Kansas
Baseball leagues in Louisiana
Baseball leagues in Minnesota
Baseball leagues in Missouri
Baseball leagues in Nebraska
Baseball leagues in North Dakota
Baseball leagues in South Dakota
Baseball leagues in Texas
Baseball leagues in Canada
Sports leagues established in 2006
2006 establishments in the United States
501(c)(6) nonprofit organizations
Baseball leagues in Illinois
Baseball leagues in Wisconsin