The Missoula PaddleHeads are an independent baseball team of the Pioneer League, which is not affiliated with
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), ...
(MLB) but is an MLB Partner League. They are located in
Missoula, Montana
Missoula ( ; fla, label=Salish language, Séliš, Nłʔay, lit=Place of the Small Bull Trout, script=Latn; kut, Tuhuⱡnana, script=Latn) is a city in the U.S. state of Montana; it is the county seat of Missoula County, Montana, Missoula Cou ...
, and play their home games at
Ogren Park at Allegiance Field
Ogren Park at Allegiance Field is a stadium in Missoula, Montana. It is primarily used for baseball, and is the home field of the Missoula PaddleHeads of the Pioneer Baseball League, Pioneer League. Built in 2004, it seats 3,500 people. The park ...
.
In conjunction with a contraction of Minor League Baseball in 2021, the Pioneer League, of which the PaddleHeads have been members since 1999, was converted from an MLB-affiliated Rookie Advanced league to an
independent baseball league
An independent baseball league is a professional baseball organization in the United States or Canada that is not overseen by Major League Baseball and is outside the Minor League Baseball clubs affiliated to it.
The Northern League and Frontie ...
and granted status as an MLB Partner League, with Missoula continuing as members. Prior to this, the PaddleHeads had been affiliated with 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 f ...
(1996–2020).
The team has won the Pioneer League championship five times; in 1999, 2006, 2012, 2015, and 2021.
The club was known as the Missoula Osprey from 1999 through the 2019 season. Previously, the franchise played in
Lethbridge
Lethbridge ( ) is a city in the province of Alberta, Canada. With a population of 101,482 in its 2019 Alberta municipal censuses, 2019 municipal census, Lethbridge became the fourth Alberta city to surpass 100,000 people. The nearby Canadian ...
,
Alberta
Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Ter ...
, as the
Lethbridge Black Diamonds
The Lethbridge Black Diamonds were a minor league baseball team located in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada.
Missoula alumni with MLB experience
Sixty-nine Missoula players have also played in Major League Baseball. They are:
;1999: JD Closser,
Jorge de la Rosa
Jorge Alberto de la Rosa Gonzalez (born April 5, 1981) is a Mexican former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Milwaukee Brewers, Kansas City Royals, Colorado Rockies, Arizona Diamondbacks and Chicago ...
Lyle Overbay
Lyle Stefan Overbay (born January 28, 1977) is an American former professional baseball first baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Toronto Blue Jays, Pittsburgh Pirates, Atlanta Braves, New York Yankees ...
Jerry Gil
Jerry Bienvenido Gil Manzanillo (born October 14, 1982, in San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic) is a Dominican Republic, Dominican professional baseball pitcher. Gil made his MLB debut in with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Gil played almost ex ...
José Valverde
José Rafael Valverde (born March 24, 1978) is a Dominican former professional baseball pitcher who played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Houston Astros, Detroit Tigers, and New York Mets. He is nicknamed ...
;2001:
Scott Hairston
Scott Alexander Hairston (born May 25, 1980) is a Mexican-American former professional baseball left fielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Arizona Diamondbacks, San Diego Padres, Oakland Athletics, New York Mets, Chicago Cubs ...
;2002:
Dustin Nippert
Dustin David Nippert (born May 6, 1981) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played for the Arizona Diamondbacks and Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball, and the Doosan Bears and KT Wiz of the KBO League. Nippert won the KBO ...
,
Tony Peña
Antonio Francisco Peña Padilla (; born June 4, 1957) is a Dominican former professional baseball player, manager and coach. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball for the Pirates, Cardinals, Red Sox, Indians, White Sox, and Astros. ...
Miguel Montero
Miguel Angel Montero Fernandez (born July 9, 1983) is a Venezuelan-American former professional baseball catcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago Cubs, Toronto Blue Jays, and Washington Nationals ...
(2002-2003)
;2003:
Emilio Bonifacio Emilio may refer to:
* Emilio Navaira, a Mexican-American singer often called "Emilio"
* Emilio Piazza Memorial School, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State
* Emilio (given name)
* ''Emilio'' (film), a 2008 film by Kim Jorgensen
See also
* Emílio (dis ...
Wilkin Castillo
Wilkin Castillo (born June 1, 1984) is a Dominican former professional baseball catcher. He made his major league debut in 2008 for the Cincinnati Reds. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Reds and Miami Marlins. Listed at and , ...
,
Steven Jackson
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Pedro Ciriaco
Pedro Joel Ciriaco Leguisamon (born September 27, 1985) is a Dominican former professional baseball infielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) primarily for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Boston Red Sox, San Diego Padres, Kansas City Royals, ...
,
Rusty Ryal
Rusty Allen Ryal (born March 16, 1983) is an American former professional baseball utility man. He was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 14th round of the 2005 MLB Draft, out of Oklahoma State University. He is the son of the former ma ...
Héctor Ambriz
Héctor Ambriz (born May 24, 1984) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cleveland Indians, Houston Astros, and San Diego Padres.
Early life
Ambriz, who is of Mexican-American de ...
Jordan Norberto
Jordan Norberto Vallenilla (born December 8, 1986) is a Dominican former professional baseball pitcher. He previously played in Major League Baseball for the Arizona Diamondbacks and Oakland Athletics, and in the Nippon Professional Baseball L ...
,
Gerardo Parra
Gerardo Enrique Parra (born May 6, 1987) is a Venezuelan former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Milwaukee Brewers, Baltimore Orioles, Colorado Rockies, San Francisco Giants ...
Clay Zavada
Clay Pflibson Zavada (born June 28, 1984) is a former professional baseball pitcher who pitched in Major League Baseball for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2009. He is noted for his Rollie Fingers moustache.
Early career
Zavada attended Illinois V ...
,
Tony Barnette
Anthony Lee Barnette (born November 9, 1983) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Texas Rangers and Chicago Cubs and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Tokyo Yakult Swal ...
;2007:
Bryan Augenstein
Bryan Christopher Augenstein (born July 11, 1986) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Arizona Diamondbacks and St. Louis Cardinals.
Early life
Augenstein was born in Sebastian, Flo ...
,
Tommy Layne
Thomas Kevin Layne (born November 2, 1984) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He previously pitched for the San Diego Padres, Boston Red Sox, and New York Yankees of Major League Baseball.
Amateur career
Layne attended Fort Z ...
,
Evan Scribner
Evan Lee Scribner (born July 19, 1985) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Diego Padres, Oakland Athletics, and Seattle Mariners.
Professional career Arizona Diamondbacks
Scr ...
,
Jarrod Parker
Jarrod Parker (born November 24, 1988) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He was drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks as the 9th overall pick in the 2007 Major League Baseball Draft from Norwell High School in Ossian, Indiana. H ...
Jake Elmore
Jacob David Elmore (born June 15, 1987) is an American former professional baseball infielder. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Houston Astros, Cincinnati Reds, Tampa Bay Rays, Milwaukee Brewers, and Pitt ...
,
Daniel Schlereth
Daniel Robert Schlereth (born May 9, 1986) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Arizona Diamondbacks and Detroit Tigers. He is currently the manager for the Joliet Slammers of the F ...
Mike Belfiore
Michael John Belfiore (born October 3, 1988) is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Baltimore Orioles in 2013.
Belfiore attended Boston College where he was a first baseman and a pitcher. After being drafted by t ...
Keon Broxton
Keon Darell Broxton (born May 7, 1990) is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Acereros de Monclova of the Mexican League. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Milwaukee Brewers, N ...
,
Eury De La Rosa
Eury De La Rosa (born February 24, 1990) is a Dominican former professional baseball pitcher. He had played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Career Arizona Diamondbacks
De La Rosa was signed as an amateur free agent ...
,
Paul Goldschmidt
Paul Edward Goldschmidt (born September 10, 1987) is an American professional baseball first baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball (MLB).
Lightly recruited out of The Woodlands High School in The Woodlands, Texas, Golds ...
,
Bradin Hagens
Bradin Carl Hagens (born May 12, 1989) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Rakuten Monkeys of the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL). He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Arizona Diamondbacks and for the H ...
,
Ender Inciarte
Ender David Inciarte Montiel (born October 29, 1990) is a Venezuelan professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Atlanta Braves and New York Mets. He made his MLB deb ...
,
Chris Owings
Christopher Scott Owings (born August 12, 1991) is an American professional baseball utility player who is a free agent. He has previously played in MLB for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Kansas City Royals, Boston Red Sox, Colorado Rockies and B ...
,
Patrick Schuster
Patrick James Schuster (born October 30, 1990) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Oakland Athletics and the Philadelphia Phillies.
Before beginning his professional career, ...
David Holmberg
David A. Holmberg (born July 19, 1991) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Cincinnati Reds, and Chicago White Sox.
Career Chicago White Sox
...
,
Stephen Cardullo
Stephen Andrew Cardullo (born August 31, 1987) is an American professional baseball outfielder and first baseman who is a free agent. After playing college baseball for the Florida State Seminoles, Cardullo played for the Colorado Rockies of Majo ...
(2010-2011)
;2011:
Archie Bradley Archie Bradley may refer to:
* Archie Bradley (baseball) (born 1992), American baseball pitcher
*Archie Bradley (boxer)
Archie Bradley (4 January 1897 – 27 March 1969) was an Australian professional boxer of the 1920s. Also known as the ...
Jake Lamb
Jacob Ryan Lamb (born October 9, 1990) is an American professional baseball infielder in the Los Angeles Angels organization. He made his MLB debut with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2014, and was an All-Star in 2017. He has also played in MLB fo ...
Andrew Velazquez
Andrew Velazquez (born July 14, 1994), nicknamed "Squid", is an American professional baseball infielder for the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played in MLB for the Tampa Bay Rays, Cleveland Indians, Baltimore ...
;2013:
Silvino Bracho
Silvino Bracho (born July 17, 1992) is a Venezuelan professional baseball pitcher in the Cincinnati Reds organization. Bracho was signed by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2011 as an amateur free agent. He has previously played in MLB for the Diamon ...
Justin Williams
Justin Craig Williams (born October 4, 1981) is a
Canadian-American former professional ice hockey right winger. He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Philadelphia Flyers, Carolina Hurricanes, Los Angeles Kings, and Washingto ...
(2013-2014),
Daniel Palka
Daniel Bennett Palka (born October 28, 1991) is an American professional baseball outfielder in the Boston Red Sox organization. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago White Sox and in the KBO League for the Samsung Lions.
C ...
Touki Toussaint
Dany Gilbert Kiti "Touki" Toussaint (; born June 20, 1996) is a Haitian-American professional baseball pitcher in the Cleveland Guardians organization. He was drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the first round of the 2014 Major League Basebal ...