Current Texas Rangers domestic minor league affiliate locations
Texas Rangers
Round Rock Express
Frisco RoughRiders
Hickory Crawdads
Down East Wood Ducks
ACL Rangers
Current Texas Rangers domestic minor league affiliate locations

The Texas Rangers farm system consists of six Minor League Baseball affiliates across the United States and in the Dominican Republic. Four teams are owned by the major league club, while the Round Rock Express and Frisco RoughRiders are independently owned.

The Rangers have been affiliated with the Double-A Frisco RoughRiders of the Texas League since 2003, making it the longest-running active affiliation in the organization among teams not owned by the Rangers.[1] Their newest affiliate is the Round Rock Express of the Pacific Coast League, which became the Rangers' Triple-A club in 2021.[1] The longest affiliation in team history was the 28-year relationship with the Triple-A American Association/Pacific Coast League's Oklahoma City 89ers/RedHawks from 1983 to 2010.[1]

Geographically, Texas' closest domestic affiliate is the Frisco RoughRiders of the Texas League, which is approximately 28 miles (45 km) away. Texas' furthest domestic affiliate is the Single-A Down East Wood Ducks of the Carolina League some 1,129 miles (1,817 km) away.

Key

* League champions[2]

Texas Rangers

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-A and Low-A. Low-A was reclassified as Single-A in 2022.[3]

Year Triple-A Double-A High-A Single-A Rookie League Foreign Rookie
2022 Round Rock Express Frisco RoughRiders Hickory Crawdads Down East Wood Ducks ACL Rangers DSL Rangers
2021 Round Rock Express[4] Frisco RoughRiders[5] Hickory Crawdads[6] Down East Wood Ducks[7] ACL Rangers DSL Rangers

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.[8]

Year Triple-A Double-A Class A-Advanced Class A Class A Short Season Rookie League Foreign Rookie
2020 Nashville Sounds[9] Frisco RoughRiders[10] Down East Wood Ducks[11] Hickory Crawdads[11] Spokane Indians[12] AZL Rangers DSL Rangers 1
DSL Rangers 2
2019 Nashville Sounds Frisco RoughRiders Down East Wood Ducks Hickory Crawdads Spokane Indians AZL Rangers* DSL Rangers 1
DSL Rangers 2
2018 Round Rock Express[13] Frisco RoughRiders Down East Wood Ducks Hickory Crawdads Spokane Indians AZL Rangers DSL Rangers 1
DSL Rangers 2
2017 Round Rock Express Frisco RoughRiders Down East Wood Ducks* Hickory Crawdads Spokane Indians AZL Rangers DSL Rangers 1
DSL Rangers 2
2016 Round Rock Express Frisco RoughRiders High Desert Mavericks* Hickory Crawdads Spokane Indians AZL Rangers DSL Rangers 1
DSL Rangers 2
2015 Round Rock Express Frisco RoughRiders High Desert Mavericks Hickory Crawdads* Spokane Indians AZL Rangers DSL Rangers 1
DSL Rangers 2
2014 Round Rock Express Frisco RoughRiders Myrtle Beach Pelicans Hickory Crawdads Spokane Indians AZL Rangers DSL Rangers 1*
DSL Rangers 2
2013 Round Rock Express Frisco RoughRiders Myrtle Beach Pelicans Hickory Crawdads Spokane Indians AZL Rangers DSL Rangers*
2012 Round Rock Express Frisco RoughRiders Myrtle Beach Pelicans Hickory Crawdads Spokane Indians AZL Rangers* DSL Rangers
2011 Round Rock Express Frisco RoughRiders Myrtle Beach Pelicans Hickory Crawdads Spokane Indians AZL Rangers DSL Rangers
2010 Oklahoma City RedHawks Frisco RoughRiders Bakersfield Blaze Hickory Crawdads Spokane Indians AZL Rangers DSL Rangers
2009 Oklahoma City RedHawks Frisco RoughRiders Bakersfield Blaze Hickory Crawdads Spokane Indians AZL Rangers DSL Rangers 1
DSL Rangers 2
2008 Oklahoma RedHawks Frisco RoughRiders Bakersfield Blaze Clinton LumberKings Spokane Indians* AZL Rangers DSL Rangers 1
DSL Rangers 2
2007 Oklahoma RedHawks Frisco RoughRiders Bakersfield Blaze Clinton LumberKings Spokane Indians AZL Rangers DSL Rangers
2006 Oklahoma RedHawks Frisco RoughRiders Bakersfield Blaze Clinton LumberKings Spokane Indians AZL Rangers DSL Rangers
2005 Oklahoma RedHawks Frisco RoughRiders Bakersfield Blaze Clinton LumberKings Spokane Indians* AZL Rangers DSL Rangers
2004 Oklahoma RedHawks Frisco RoughRiders* Stockton Ports Clinton LumberKings Spokane Indians AZL Rangers DSL Rangers
2003 Oklahoma RedHawks Frisco RoughRiders Stockton Ports Clinton LumberKings Spokane Indians* AZL Rangers DSL Rangers
2002 Oklahoma RedHawks Tulsa Drillers Port Charlotte Rangers* Savannah Sand Gnats — Pulaski Rangers
GCL Rangers 		DSL Rangers
2001 Oklahoma RedHawks Tulsa Drillers Port Charlotte Rangers Savannah Sand Gnats — Pulaski Rangers
GCL Rangers 		DSL Rangers
2000 Oklahoma RedHawks Tulsa Drillers Port Charlotte Rangers Savannah Sand Gnats — Pulaski Rangers
GCL Rangers* 		DSL Rangers
1999 Oklahoma RedHawks Tulsa Drillers Port Charlotte Rangers Savannah Sand Gnats — Pulaski Rangers
GCL Rangers 		DSL Rangers
1998 Oklahoma RedHawks Tulsa Drillers* Port Charlotte Rangers Savannah Sand Gnats — Pulaski Rangers
GCL Rangers* 		DSL Rangers
1997 Oklahoma City 89ers Tulsa Drillers Port Charlotte Rangers — — Pulaski Rangers
GCL Rangers 		DSL Rangers 1
DSL Rangers 2
1996 Oklahoma City 89ers* Tulsa Drillers Port Charlotte Rangers Charleston RiverDogs — GCL Rangers DSL Rangers
1995 Oklahoma City 89ers Tulsa Drillers Port Charlotte Rangers Charleston RiverDogs Hudson Valley Renegades GCL Rangers DSL Rangers
1994 Oklahoma City 89ers Tulsa Drillers Port Charlotte Rangers Charleston RiverDogs Hudson Valley Renegades GCL Rangers DSL Rangers/Braves
1993 Oklahoma City 89ers Tulsa Drillers Port Charlotte Rangers Charleston Rainbows Erie Sailors GCL Rangers* DSL Rangers/Cubs
1992 Oklahoma City 89ers* Tulsa Drillers Port Charlotte Rangers Gastonia Rangers — Butte Copper Kings
GCL Rangers 		DSL Rangers/Marlins
1991 Oklahoma City 89ers Tulsa Drillers Port Charlotte Rangers Gastonia Rangers — Butte Copper Kings
GCL Rangers 		DSL Rangers
1990 Oklahoma City 89ers Tulsa Drillers Port Charlotte Rangers Gastonia Rangers — Butte Copper Kings
GCL Rangers 		DSL Rangers

1972–1989

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.[8]

Year Triple-A Double-A Class A Class A Short Season Rookie League
1989 Oklahoma City 89ers Tulsa Drillers Port Charlotte Rangers*
Gastonia Rangers 		— Butte Copper Kings
GCL Rangers
1988 Oklahoma City 89ers Tulsa Drillers* Port Charlotte Rangers
Gastonia Rangers 		— Butte Copper Kings
GCL Rangers
1987 Oklahoma City 89ers Tulsa Drillers Port Charlotte Rangers
Gastonia Rangers 		— GCL Rangers
1986 Oklahoma City 89ers Tulsa Drillers Salem Redbirds
Daytona Beach Admirals 		— GCL Rangers
1985 Oklahoma City 89ers Tulsa Drillers Salem Redbirds
Burlington Rangers 		— GCL Rangers
1984 Oklahoma City 89ers Tulsa Drillers Salem Redbirds
Burlington Rangers 		Tri-Cities Triplets GCL Rangers
1983 Oklahoma City 89ers Tulsa Drillers Burlington Rangers Tri-Cities Triplets GCL Rangers
1982 Denver Bears Tulsa Drillers* Burlington Rangers — GCL Rangers
1981 Wichita Aeros Tulsa Drillers Asheville Tourists — GCL Rangers
1980 Charleston Charlies Tulsa Drillers Asheville Tourists — GCL Rangers
1979 Tucson Toros Tulsa Drillers Asheville Tourists — GCL Rangers
1978 Tucson Toros Tulsa Drillers Asheville Tourists — GCL Rangers*
1977 Tucson Toros Tulsa Drillers Asheville Tourists — GCL Rangers
1976 Sacramento Solons San Antonio Brewers Asheville Tourists — GCL Rangers*
1975 Spokane Indians Pittsfield Rangers Lynchburg Rangers
Anderson Rangers 		— GCL Rangers*
1974 Spokane Indians* Pittsfield Rangers Gastonia Rangers* — GCL Rangers
1973 Spokane Indians* Pittsfield Rangers Gastonia Rangers — GCL Rangers*
1972 Denver Bears Pittsfield Rangers Burlington Rangers
Greenville Rangers 		Geneva Senators —

Washington Senators

1963–1971

Year Triple-A Double-A Class A Class A Short Season Rookie League
1971 Denver Bears* Pittsfield Senators Burlington Senators
Anderson Senators 		Geneva Senators —
1970 Denver Bears Pittsfield Senators Burlington Senators
Anderson Senators 		Geneva Senators —
1969 Buffalo Bisons — Burlington Senators
Shelby Senators 		— Wytheville Senators
1968 Buffalo Bisons Savannah Senators Burlington Senators
Salisbury Senators 		Geneva Senators —
1967 Hawaii Islanders York White Roses Burlington Senators Geneva Senators —
1966 Hawaii Islanders York White Roses Burlington Senators
Geneva Senators 		— —
1965 Hawaii Islanders York White Roses Burlington Senators
Geneva Senators 		— Wytheville Senators
1964 Toronto Maple Leafs York White Roses Rocky Mount Senators
Geneva Senators 		— —
1963 — York White Roses Peninsula Senators
Wisconsin Rapids Senators
Geneva Senators 		— —

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.[8]

Year Triple-A Double-A Class A Class B Class C Class D
1962 Syracuse Chiefs — — Raleigh Capitals — Middlesboro Senators
Pensacola Senators
1961 — — — — — Middlesboro Senators
Pensacola Senators

References

  1. ^ a b c "Texas Rangers Minor League Affiliates". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved December 9, 2020.
  2. ^ "2019 Texas Rangers Media Guide" (PDF). Texas Rangers. Major League Baseball. 2019. p. 325. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  3. ^ "Historical League Names to Return in 2022". Minor League Baseball. March 16, 2022. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
  4. ^ "Round Rock Express Officially Become Triple-A Affiliate of the Texas Rangers," Round Rock Express, Tuesday, February 9, 2021. Retrieved February 11, 2021
  5. ^ "RoughRiders to Remain Rangers Affiliate for Next 10 Years," Frisco RoughRiders, Tuesday, February 9, 2021. Retrieved February 11, 2021
  6. ^ "'Dads Accept Invite, Sign 10 Year PDL with Rangers," Hickory Crawdads, Tuesday, February 9, 2021. Retrieved February 11, 2021
  7. ^ "Team Signs 10-year Major League Baseball Professional Development License with Rangers," Down East Wood Ducks, Tuesday, February 9, 2021. Retrieved February 11, 2021
  8. ^ a b c 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.
  9. ^ "Sounds, Rangers Announce Affiliation Through 2022". Ballpark Digest. September 20, 2018. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
  10. ^ "RoughRiders, Rangers Extend PDC Through 2020". Ballpark Digest. April 5, 2018. Retrieved September 11, 2018.
  11. ^ a b Reichard, Kevin. "Affiliate Dance". Ballpark Digest. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  12. ^ "Spokane Indians, Rangers Renew Affiliation". Ballpark Digest. October 2, 2018. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  13. ^ Reichard, Kevin (August 13, 2012). "Rangers, Express extend PDC through 2018". Ballpark Digest. Retrieved September 11, 2018.

External links

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