Triple-A West
SportBaseball
Founded2021
No. of teams10
CountryUnited States
Most recent
champion(s)		Tacoma Rainiers (2021)
Most titlesTacoma Rainiers (1)
ClassificationTriple-A

The Triple-A West is a 10-team Minor League Baseball league that began operating in the United States in 2021.[1] Along with the Triple-A East, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one grade below Major League Baseball (MLB). The league was created in 2021 in conjunction with MLB's reorganization of the minor leagues.[1] The league is made up of nine teams formerly of the Pacific Coast League and one from the independent Atlantic League of Professional Baseball.

Current teams

Division Team Founded MLB Affiliation Affiliated Since City Stadium Capacity
East Albuquerque Isotopes 2003 Colorado Rockies 2015 Albuquerque, New Mexico Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park 13,500
El Paso Chihuahuas 2014 San Diego Padres 2014 El Paso, Texas Southwest University Park 9,500
Oklahoma City Dodgers 1962 Los Angeles Dodgers 2015 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark 9,000
Round Rock Express 2000 Texas Rangers 2021 Round Rock, Texas Dell Diamond 11,631
Sugar Land Space Cowboys 2012 Houston Astros 2021 Sugar Land, Texas Constellation Field 7,500
West Las Vegas Aviators 1983 Oakland Athletics 2019 Summerlin South, Nevada Las Vegas Ballpark 10,000
Reno Aces 2009 Arizona Diamondbacks 2009 Reno, Nevada Greater Nevada Field 9,013
Sacramento River Cats 2000 San Francisco Giants 2015 West Sacramento, California Sutter Health Park 14,014
Salt Lake Bees 1994 Los Angeles Angels 2001 Salt Lake City, Utah Smith's Ballpark 14,511
Tacoma Rainiers 1960 Seattle Mariners 1995 Tacoma, Washington Cheney Stadium 6,500
[Interactive fullscreen map]
Current team locations:
  East Division
  West Division

Teams timeline

Former Pacific Coast League teams

Sutter Health Park, home of the Sacramento River Cats of the Triple-A West's West Division
Sutter Health Park, home of the Sacramento River Cats of the Triple-A West's West Division

Nine current league teams were placed in the Triple-A West from the Pacific Coast League.[2]

Former Atlantic League teams

One current league team was placed in the Triple-A West from the independent Atlantic League of Professional Baseball.[3]

Champions

Postseason playoffs to determine a league champion in the Triple-A West's inaugural 2021 season were not held. Instead, the team with the best regular-season record was the declared the winner.[4] The title went to the Tacoma Rainiers (73–47; .608), who were 2 games ahead of the second-place Sugar Land Skeeters (71–49; .592).[5]

Champions
Season Team Organization Score Runner-up Organization Ref.
2021 Tacoma Rainiers Seattle Mariners — Sugar Land Skeeters Houston Astros [5]

Awards

José Marmolejos of the Tacoma Rainiers won the first Triple-A West MVP Award in 2021.
José Marmolejos of the Tacoma Rainiers won the first Triple-A West MVP Award in 2021.

Four awards were presented in the Triple-A West's first season: Most Valuable Player, Pitcher of the Year, Top MLB Prospect, and Manager of the Year.[6]

Most Valuable Player

Most Valuable Player
Season Winner Team Organization Position BA HR RBI Ref.
2021 José Marmolejos Tacoma Rainiers Seattle Mariners First baseman .338 26 75 [7]

Pitcher of the Year

Pitcher of the Year
Season Winner Team Organization Record ERA SO Ref.
2021 Peter Solomon Sugar Land Skeeters Houston Astros 8–1 4.70 112 [8]

Top MLB Prospect

Top MLB Prospect
Season Winner Team Organization Position BA HR RBI Ref.
2021 Jo Adell Salt Lake Bees Los Angeles Angels Outfielder .289 23 69 [9]

Manager of the Year

Manager of the Year
Season Winner Team Organization Division Finish Record Refs.
2021 Kristopher Negrón Tacoma Rainiers Seattle Mariners West 1st 78–52 [10][11]

No-hitters

The Triple-A West's first no-hitter occurred on July 3, 2021, when Luke Westphal of the El Paso Chihuahuas allowed no hits against the Albuquerque Isotopes at Isotopes Park in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Rain caused the game to be called after five innings with El Paso ahead 16–0.[12] The first nine-inning no-hitter occurred on September 3, 2021, when four Sacramento River Cats pitchers no-hit the Salt Lake Bees at Sutter Health Park in Sacramento, California. The feat was accomplished by starting pitcher Norwith Gudino and relievers Conner Menez, Tyler Cyr, and Trevor Got.[13]

No-hitters
No. Date Pitcher(s) Team Score BR Opponent Location Ref.
1 July 3, 2021 Luke Westphal El Paso Chihuahuas 16–0 (5) 1 Albuquerque Isotopes Isotopes Park [14]
2 September 3, 2021 Norwith Gudino (4 IP)
Conner Menez (3 IP)
Tyler Cyr (1 IP)
Trevor Got (1 IP) 		Sacramento River Cats 4–0 1 Salt Lake Bees Sutter Health Park [15]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Mayo, Jonathan (February 12, 2021). "MLB Announces New Minors Teams, Leagues". Major League Baseball. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
  2. ^ "Pacific Coast League (AAA) Encyclopedia and History". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
  3. ^ "Atlantic League (Independent) Encyclopedia and History". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
  4. ^ "MiLB Announces 'Triple-A Final Stretch' for 2021". Minor League Baseball. July 14, 2021. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
  5. ^ a b "2021 Triple-A East Standings". Minor League Baseball. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
  6. ^ "Postseason All-Stars". Minor League Baseball. Archived from the original on October 6, 2021. Retrieved October 7, 2021.
  7. ^ "Jose Marmolejos Minor & Winter Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved October 7, 2021.
  8. ^ "Peter Solomon College, Amateur & Minor Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved October 7, 2021.
  9. ^ "Jo Adell Minor & Fall Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved October 7, 2021.
  10. ^ "Kristopher Negron Minor, Fall & Winter Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved October 7, 2021.
  11. ^ "2021 Triple-A West". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved October 7, 2021.
  12. ^ "Westphal Holds Isotopes Hitless in Rain-Shortened Win". Minor League Baseball. July 4, 2021. Retrieved October 7, 2021.
  13. ^ Maun, Tyler (September 4, 2021). "River Cats Quartet Combines on No-Hitter". Minor League Baseball. Retrieved October 7, 2021.
  14. ^ "Chihuahuas 16, Isotopes 0 (Final Score) on Gameday". Minor League Baseball. July 3, 2021. Retrieved October 7, 2021.
  15. ^ "Bees 0, River Cats 4 (Final Score) on Gameday". Minor League Baseball. September 3, 2021. Retrieved October 7, 2021.

Further reading

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