![]() These are the upper level indy leagues and are now designated as MLB Partner Leagues. There are three “core” independent leagues that have been around and established for many years. In fact, indy leagues have an equivalent level of play to various affiliated levels (more on that in each league description). It does not mean that the talent level in indy ball is below affiliated rookie ball. Independent teams have players that are signed to a contract for only that team. These players have contracts with a major league organization. MLB teams have affiliated minor league teams (AAA, AA, High A, Low A and may have 1-2 Rookie teams at their spring training complex as well as one international summer team in the Dominican Republic). *Starting in 2021, there are now four independent leagues that are considered Partner Leagues to the MLB However, they still do not have an affiliation with any specific team/organization. Independent baseball (or indy ball) is a group of leagues with teams that are not affiliated with any major league baseball (MLB) organization.* Each team is independently owned and operated. The 231 ballparks are grouped on this page by state and the actual city in which a ballpark is located is what's listed for its city.Are you new to indy ball, either as a fan or a player? Here’s your crash course in independent baseball. There will always be some discrepancies over some ballpark capacities and opening dates with what you might find in individual cases elsewhere, but team-posted data and Baseball Pilgrimages research provide the basis for the numbers and years listed. The common theme among the leagues is they are domestic-based and charge admission to games.Īll information in the 2022 complete pro ballpark list is as accurate as possible. In all, there are 23 pro leagues: 2 each make up the majors and MLB spring training, 11 are minor leagues affiliated with the major leagues, and there are 8 independent leagues (4 of which are now considered MLB Partner Leagues). Exceptions are made for stadiums that host at least 10 games. Only ballparks that are permanent homes of pro teams are included in the count, so venues such as Birmingham's Rickwood Field, which usually hosts an annual minor league game, are omitted. The ballpark breakdown is spread across the major leagues (30), affiliated minor leagues (119), and independent leagues (67), with spring training-only stadiums (15) accounting for the balance. Hawaii was home to a pair of independent league teams as recently as 2013 and last had affiliated ball in 1987, with the aptly named Hawaii Islanders, which was a Triple-A team that began play in 1961.Īlas, Alaska's remoteness has prevented it from ever being home to professional baseball, and thus the state is the only one to never have a pro ballpark.įor the 2022 season, professional baseball is being played in 231 ballparks in 44 states, 4 Canadian provinces and the District of Columbia. Louisiana hasn't been home to a pro baseball team since 2019, after which the New Orleans Baby Cakes left the state (and the Shrine on Airline) for Wichita. However, because the pandemic cancelled the 2020 minor league season, the last year Pawtucket's McCoy Stadium and Vermont's Centennial Field were home to a pro team was 2019. Rhode Island and Vermont each had a sole longtime team through 2020, after which the Pawtucket (RI) Red Sox moved and Vermont Lake Monsters were contracted. Among them, Wyoming last had one based in Casper, where Mike Lansing Field (pictured above) hosted a minor league franchise from the ballpark's opening in 2002 until the Casper Ghosts moved away after the 2011 season. In 2022, six states fail to have a professionally-used field. That means the eight operating independent leagues are responsible for 29% of all active pro ballparks in 2022. Thomas More Stadium in Florence, KY is among the 67 ballparks being used by teams that have no ties to a Major League Baseball club. Of note, to find the most recent year in which none of the current 231 ballparks opened you have to go all the way back to 1986. List of Current Major, Minor and Independent League Ballparks Baseball PilgrimagesĪngel Stadium of Anaheim is one of 20 pro parks found in California, which makes the Golden State the most populated pro ballpark state in 2022.ĪutoZone Park in Memphis, TN was part of the ballpark building boom at the turn of the century, which saw 11 current ballparks open in both the 20 seasons.
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