List of Cincinnati Reds minor league affiliates
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Cincinnati Reds farm system consists of seven Minor League Baseball affiliates across the United States and in the Dominican Republic. Four teams are independently owned, while the Arizona Complex League Reds, Dominican Summer League Reds, and Dominican Summer League Rojos are owned by the major league club.
The Reds have been affiliated with the Triple-A Louisville Bats of the International League since 2000, making it the longest-running active affiliation in the organization among teams not owned by the Reds. The longest affiliation in franchise history was with the Billings Mustangs, who were the team's Rookie affiliate in the Pioneer League for 47 seasons from 1974 to 2020. Their newest affiliate is the Chattanooga Lookouts of the Southern League, which became the Reds' Double-A club in 2019; they were previously affiliated with Chattanooga from 1988 to 2008.
Geographically, Cincinnati's closest domestic affiliate is the High-A Dayton Dragons of the Midwest League, which are approximately 49 miles (79 km) away. Cincinnati's furthest domestic affiliate is the Arizona Complex League Reds of the Rookie Arizona Complex League, which are some 1,595 miles (2,567 km) away.
The Cincinnati Reds farm system consists of seven minor league affiliates.[1]
| Class | Team | League | Location | Ballpark | Affiliated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Triple-A | Louisville Bats | International League | Louisville, Kentucky | Louisville Slugger Field | 2000 |
| Double-A | Chattanooga Lookouts | Southern League | Chattanooga, Tennessee | Erlanger Park | 2019 |
| High-A | Dayton Dragons | Midwest League | Dayton, Ohio | Day Air Ballpark | 2000 |
| Single-A | Daytona Tortugas | Florida State League | Daytona Beach, Florida | Jackie Robinson Ballpark | 2015 |
| Rookie | ACL Reds | Arizona Complex League | Goodyear, Arizona | Goodyear Ballpark | 1999 |
| DSL Reds | Dominican Summer League | Boca Chica, Santo Domingo | Baseball City Complex | 1998 | |
| DSL Rojos | 2024 |
Past affiliates
Key
| Season | Each year is linked to an article about that particular Reds season. |
|---|
1932–1962
Minor League Baseball operated with five classes (Double-A, Class A, Class B, Class C, and Class D) from 1932 to 1935.[2] Class A1, between Double-A and Class A, was added in 1936.[3] The minors continued to operate with these six levels through 1945.[3] Triple-A was established as the highest classification in 1946, and Class A1 became Double-A, with Class A through D remaining.[3] These six levels continued through 1962.[2] 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 ended any chance of the PCL being promoted.[2]
| Season | Triple-A | Double-A | Class A | Class B | Class C | Class D | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1932 | — | — | — | — | — | Cedar Rapids Bunnies | [4] |
| 1933 | — | — | Topeka Senators | Rock Island Islanders | — | — | [5] |
| 1934 | — | Toronto Maple Leafs | Topeka Senators | Wilmington Pirates | Bartlesville Reds Beckley Black Knights |
Jeannette Reds | [6] |
| 1935 | — | Toronto Maple Leafs | — | Wilmington Pirates | Bartlesville Reds | Lake Charles Skippers Monessen Reds |
[7] |
| 1936 | — | Toronto Maple Leafs | Nashville Volunteers (A1) | Durham Bulls Macon Peaches |
El Dorado Lions | Cordele Reds DeLand Reds Fremont Reds Lincoln Red Links Paducah Indians |
[8] |
| 1937 | — | Syracuse Chiefs | Nashville Volunteers (A1) | Durham Bulls Peoria Reds |
El Dorado Lions Muskogee Reds |
Cordele Reds DeLand Reds Fremont Reds |
[9] |
| 1938 | — | Syracuse Chiefs | Albany Senators | Columbia Reds Durham Bulls Waterloo Red Hawks |
El Dorado Lions Muskogee Reds |
Rogers Reds Union City Greyhounds |
[10] |
| 1939 | — | Indianapolis Indians | Albany Senators | Columbia Reds Durham Bulls Waterloo Red Hawks |
El Dorado Lions Erie Sailors Helena Seaporters Muskogee Reds Ogden Reds |
Bassett Furnituremakers Grand Forks Chiefs |
[11] |
| 1940 | — | Indianapolis Indians | Birmingham Barons (A1) | Columbia Reds | Ogden Reds Tucson Cowboys |
Lenoir Reds Troy Trojans |
[12] |
| 1941 | — | Indianapolis Indians | Birmingham Barons (A1) | Columbia Reds | Ogden Reds Riverside Reds Tucson Cowboys |
Cordele Reds Wichita Falls Spudders |
[13] |
| 1942 | — | Syracuse Chiefs | Birmingham Barons (A1) | Columbia Reds | Ogden Reds | Cordele Reds | [14] |
| 1943 | — | Syracuse Chiefs | Birmingham Barons (A1) | — | — | — | [15] |
| 1944 | — | Syracuse Chiefs | Birmingham Barons (A1) | — | — | — | [16] |
| 1945 | — | Syracuse Chiefs | — | — | Raleigh Capitals | Lima Reds | [17] |
| 1946 | Syracuse Chiefs | — | Columbia Reds | — | Ogden Reds | Middletown Rockets | [18] |
| 1947 | Syracuse Chiefs | — | Columbia Reds | Providence Chiefs | Ogden Reds Rockford Rox Tyler Trojans |
Lockport Reds Muncie Reds |
[19] |
| 1948 | Syracuse Chiefs | Tulsa Oilers | Columbia Reds | Sunbury Reds | Ogden Reds Rockford Rox Tyler Trojans |
Ballinger Cats Lockport Reds Muncie Reds |
[20] |
| 1949 | Syracuse Chiefs | Tulsa Oilers | Charleston Senators Columbia Reds |
Sunbury Reds | Ogden Reds Rockford Rox Tyler Trojans |
Lockport Reds Muncie Reds |
[21] |
| 1950 | Syracuse Chiefs | Tulsa Oilers | Charleston Senators Columbia Reds |
Decatur Commodores | Ogden Reds | Lockport Reds Muncie Reds Wilmington Pirates |
[22] |
| 1951 | — | Tulsa Oilers | Charleston Senators Columbia Reds |
— | Ogden Reds | Welch Miners | [23] |
| 1952 | — | Tulsa Oilers | Columbia Reds | Burlington Flints Salisbury Reds |
Ogden Reds | Dublin Green Sox Lawton Reds Mattoon Indians |
[24] |
| 1953 | — | Tulsa Oilers | Columbia Reds | Burlington Flints | Ogden Reds | Fitzgerald Pioneers Jackson Generals Lawton Reds |
[25] |
| 1954 | — | Tulsa Oilers | Columbia Reds | Colonial Heights-Petersburg Colts High Point-Thomasville Hi-Toms |
Duluth Dukes Maryville-Alcoa Twins/Morristown Reds Ogden Reds |
Douglas Trojans Fitzgerald Redlegs Fort Walton Beach Jets |
[26] |
| 1955 | Havana Sugar Kings | Nashville Volunteers | Columbia Reds | High Point-Thomasville Hi-Toms Sunbury Redlegs |
Duluth Dukes Ogden Reds |
Douglas Trojans Moultrie Reds Fort Walton Beach Jets |
[27] |
| 1956 | Havana Sugar Kings Seattle Rainiers (Open) |
Nashville Volunteers | Savannah Redlegs | Clovis Pioneers High Point-Thomasville Hi-Toms |
Wausau Lumberjacks Yuma Sun Sox |
Douglas Reds Moultrie Reds West Palm Beach Sun Chiefs |
[28] |
| 1957 | Havana Sugar Kings Seattle Rainiers (Open) |
Nashville Volunteers | Savannah Redlegs | Clovis Redlegs Port Arthur Redlegs / Temple Redlegs Wenatchee Chiefs |
Visalia Redlegs Wausau Lumberjacks |
Bradford Beagles / Hornell Redlegs Graceville Oilers Palatka Redlegs |
[29] |
| 1958 | Havana Sugar Kings Seattle Rainiers |
Nashville Volunteers | Albuquerque Dukes Savannah Redlegs |
Wenatchee Chiefs | Visalia Redlegs | Geneva Redlegs Graceville Oilers Palatka Redlegs |
[30] |
| 1959 | Havana Sugar Kings Seattle Rainiers |
Nashville Volunteers | Savannah Reds | Topeka Hawks | Visalia Redlegs | Geneva Redlegs Palatka Redlegs |
[31] |
| 1960 | Havana Sugar Kings / Jersey City Jerseys Seattle Rainiers |
Nashville Volunteers | Columbia Reds | Topeka Reds | Missoula Timberjacks | Geneva Redlegs Palatka Redlegs |
[32] |
| 1961 | Indianapolis Indians Jersey City Jerseys |
— | Columbia Reds | Topeka Reds | — | Geneva Redlegs Tampa Tarpons |
[33] |
| 1962 | San Diego Padres | — | Macon Peaches | Rocky Mount Leafs | — | Geneva Redlegs Tampa Tarpons |
[34] |
1963–1989
Prior to the 1963 season, Major League Baseball (MLB) initiated a reorganization of Minor League Baseball that resulted in a reduction from six classes to four (Triple-A, Double-A, Class A, and Rookie) in 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.[2]
| Season | Triple-A | Double-A | Class A | Class A Short Season | Rookie | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | San Diego Padres | Macon Peaches | Cedar Rapids Red Raiders Rocky Mount Leafs Tampa Tarpons |
— | — | [35] |
| 1964 | San Diego Padres | Macon Peaches | Cedar Rapids Red Raiders Peninsula Grays Tampa Tarpons |
— | — | [36] |
| 1965 | San Diego Padres | Knoxville Smokies | Peninsula Grays Tampa Tarpons |
— | — | [37] |
| 1966 | Buffalo Bisons | Knoxville Smokies | Peninsula Grays Tampa Tarpons |
Sioux Falls Packers | — | [38] |
| 1967 | Buffalo Bisons | Knoxville Smokies | Tampa Tarpons | Sioux Falls Packers | Wytheville Reds | [39] |
| 1968 | Indianapolis Indians | Asheville Tourists | Tampa Tarpons | Sioux Falls Packers | GCL Reds | [40] |
| 1969 | Indianapolis Indians | Asheville Tourists | Tampa Tarpons | Sioux Falls Packers | GCL Reds | [41] |
| 1970 | Indianapolis Indians | Asheville Tourists | Tampa Tarpons | Sioux Falls Packers | GCL Reds | [42] |
| 1971 | Indianapolis Indians | Trois-Rivières Aigles | Tampa Tarpons | Sioux Falls Packers | GCL Reds | [43] |
| 1972 | Indianapolis Indians | Trois-Rivières Aigles | Tampa Tarpons | — | Melbourne Reds GCL Reds |
[44] |
| 1973 | Indianapolis Indians | Trois-Rivières Aigles | Tampa Tarpons | Seattle Rainiers | GCL Reds | [45] |
| 1974 | Indianapolis Indians | Trois-Rivières Aigles | Tampa Tarpons | Seattle Rainiers | Billings Mustangs | [46] |
| 1975 | Indianapolis Indians | Trois-Rivières Aigles | Tampa Tarpons | Eugene Emeralds | Billings Mustangs | [47] |
| 1976 | Indianapolis Indians | Trois-Rivières Aigles | Tampa Tarpons | Eugene Emeralds | Billings Mustangs | [48] |
| 1977 | Indianapolis Indians | Trois-Rivières Aigles | Shelby Reds Tampa Tarpons |
Eugene Emeralds | Billings Mustangs | [49] |
| 1978 | Indianapolis Indians | Nashville Sounds | Shelby Reds Tampa Tarpons |
Eugene Emeralds | Billings Mustangs | [50] |
| 1979 | Indianapolis Indians | Nashville Sounds | Greensboro Hornets Tampa Tarpons |
Eugene Emeralds | Billings Mustangs | [51] |
| 1980 | Indianapolis Indians | Waterbury Reds | Cedar Rapids Reds Tampa Tarpons |
Eugene Emeralds | Billings Mustangs | [52] |
| 1981 | Indianapolis Indians | Waterbury Reds | Cedar Rapids Reds Tampa Tarpons |
Eugene Emeralds | Billings Mustangs | [53] |
| 1982 | Indianapolis Indians | Waterbury Reds | Cedar Rapids Reds Tampa Tarpons |
Eugene Emeralds | Billings Mustangs | [54] |
| 1983 | Indianapolis Indians | Waterbury Reds | Cedar Rapids Reds Tampa Tarpons |
Eugene Emeralds | Billings Mustangs | [55] |
| 1984 | Wichita Aeros | Vermont Reds | Cedar Rapids Reds Tampa Tarpons |
— | Billings Mustangs GCL Reds |
[56] |
| 1985 | Denver Zephyrs | Vermont Reds | Cedar Rapids Reds Tampa Tarpons |
— | Billings Mustangs GCL Reds |
[57] |
| 1986 | Denver Zephyrs | Vermont Reds | Cedar Rapids Reds Tampa Tarpons |
— | Billings Mustangs GCL Reds |
[58] |
| 1987 | Nashville Sounds | Vermont Reds | Cedar Rapids Reds Tampa Tarpons |
— | Billings Mustangs GCL Reds |
[59] |
| 1988 | Nashville Sounds | Chattanooga Lookouts | Cedar Rapids Reds Greensboro Hornets |
— | Billings Mustangs GCL Reds |
[60] |
| 1989 | Nashville Sounds | Chattanooga Lookouts | Cedar Rapids Reds Greensboro Hornets |
— | Billings Mustangs GCL Reds |
[61] |
1990–2020
Minor League Baseball operated with six classes from 1990 to 2020. In 1990, 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.[2]
| Season | Triple-A | Double-A | Class A-Advanced | Class A | Class A Short Season | Rookie | Foreign Rookie | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Nashville Sounds | Chattanooga Lookouts | — | Cedar Rapids Reds Charleston Wheelers |
— | Billings Mustangs GCL Reds |
— | [62] |
| 1991 | Nashville Sounds | Chattanooga Lookouts | — | Cedar Rapids Reds Charleston Wheelers |
— | Billings Mustangs Princeton Reds |
— | [63] |
| 1992 | Nashville Sounds | Chattanooga Lookouts | — | Cedar Rapids Reds Charleston Wheelers |
— | Billings Mustangs Princeton Reds |
— | [64] |
| 1993 | Indianapolis Indians | Chattanooga Lookouts | Winston-Salem Spirits | Charleston Wheelers | — | Billings Mustangs Princeton Reds |
— | [65] |
| 1994 | Indianapolis Indians | Chattanooga Lookouts | Winston-Salem Spirits | Charleston Wheelers | — | Billings Mustangs Princeton Reds |
— | [66] |
| 1995 | Indianapolis Indians | Chattanooga Lookouts | Winston-Salem Warthogs | Charleston Alley Cats | — | Billings Mustangs Princeton Reds |
— | [67] |
| 1996 | Indianapolis Indians | Chattanooga Lookouts | Winston-Salem Warthogs | Charleston Alley Cats | — | Billings Mustangs Princeton Reds |
— | [68] |
| 1997 | Indianapolis Indians | Chattanooga Lookouts | — | Burlington Bees Charleston Alley Cats |
— | Billings Mustangs | — | [69] |
| 1998 | Indianapolis Indians | Chattanooga Lookouts | — | Burlington Bees Charleston Alley Cats |
— | Billings Mustangs | DSL Reds | [70] |
| 1999 | Indianapolis Indians | Chattanooga Lookouts | — | Clinton LumberKings Rockford Reds |
— | Billings Mustangs GCL Reds |
DSL Reds | [71] |
| 2000 | Louisville RiverBats | Chattanooga Lookouts | — | Clinton LumberKings Dayton Dragons |
— | Billings Mustangs GCL Reds |
DSL Reds | [72] |
| 2001 | Louisville RiverBats | Chattanooga Lookouts | Mudville Nine | Dayton Dragons | — | Billings Mustangs GCL Reds |
DSL Reds | [73] |
| 2002 | Louisville Bats | Chattanooga Lookouts | Stockton Ports | Dayton Dragons | — | Billings Mustangs GCL Reds |
DSL Reds VSL Cagua[n 1] |
[75] |
| 2003 | Louisville Bats | Chattanooga Lookouts | Potomac Cannons | Dayton Dragons | — | Billings Mustangs GCL Reds |
DSL Reds VSL Cagua[n 2] |
[77] |
| 2004 | Louisville Bats | Chattanooga Lookouts | Potomac Cannons | Dayton Dragons | — | Billings Mustangs GCL Reds |
DSL Reds VSL Cagua |
[78] |
| 2005 | Louisville Bats | Chattanooga Lookouts | Sarasota Reds | Dayton Dragons | — | Billings Mustangs GCL Reds |
DSL Reds VSL Reds |
[79] |
| 2006 | Louisville Bats | Chattanooga Lookouts | Sarasota Reds | Dayton Dragons | — | Billings Mustangs GCL Reds |
DSL Reds VSL Reds |
[80] |
| 2007 | Louisville Bats | Chattanooga Lookouts | Sarasota Reds | Dayton Dragons | — | Billings Mustangs GCL Reds |
DSL Reds VSL Rays/Reds |
[81] |
| 2008 | Louisville Bats | Chattanooga Lookouts | Sarasota Reds | Dayton Dragons | — | Billings Mustangs GCL Reds |
DSL Diamondbacks/Reds DSL Reds |
[82] |
| 2009 | Louisville Bats | Carolina Mudcats | Sarasota Reds | Dayton Dragons | — | Billings Mustangs GCL Reds |
DSL Reds | [83] |
| 2010 | Louisville Bats | Carolina Mudcats | Lynchburg Hillcats | Dayton Dragons | — | Billings Mustangs AZL Reds |
DSL Reds VSL Reds |
[84] |
| 2011 | Louisville Bats | Carolina Mudcats | Bakersfield Blaze | Dayton Dragons | — | Billings Mustangs AZL Reds |
DSL Reds VSL Reds |
[85] |
| 2012 | Louisville Bats | Pensacola Blue Wahoos | Bakersfield Blaze | Dayton Dragons | — | Billings Mustangs AZL Reds |
DSL Diamondbacks/Reds DSL Reds |
[86] |
| 2013 | Louisville Bats | Pensacola Blue Wahoos | Bakersfield Blaze | Dayton Dragons | — | Billings Mustangs AZL Reds |
DSL Reds DSL Rojos |
[87] |
| 2014 | Louisville Bats | Pensacola Blue Wahoos | Bakersfield Blaze | Dayton Dragons | — | Billings Mustangs AZL Reds |
DSL Reds DSL Rojos |
[88] |
| 2015 | Louisville Bats | Pensacola Blue Wahoos | Daytona Tortugas | Dayton Dragons | — | Billings Mustangs AZL Reds |
DSL Reds DSL Rojos |
[89] |
| 2016 | Louisville Bats | Pensacola Blue Wahoos | Daytona Tortugas | Dayton Dragons | — | Billings Mustangs AZL Reds |
DSL Reds DSL Rojos |
[90] |
| 2017 | Louisville Bats | Pensacola Blue Wahoos | Daytona Tortugas | Dayton Dragons | — | Billings Mustangs AZL Reds |
DSL Reds DSL Rojos |
[91] |
| 2018 | Louisville Bats | Pensacola Blue Wahoos | Daytona Tortugas | Dayton Dragons | — | Billings Mustangs Greeneville Reds AZL Reds |
DSL Reds | [92] |
| 2019 | Louisville Bats | Chattanooga Lookouts | Daytona Tortugas | Dayton Dragons | — | Billings Mustangs Greeneville Reds AZL Reds |
DSL Reds | [93] |
| 2020[n 3] | Louisville Bats | Chattanooga Lookouts | Daytona Tortugas | Dayton Dragons | — | Billings Mustangs Greeneville Reds AZL Reds |
DSL Reds | [95] |
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.[96] Low-A was reclassified as Single-A in 2022.[97]
| Season | Triple-A | Double-A | High-A | Single-A | Rookie | Foreign Rookie | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Louisville Bats | Chattanooga Lookouts | Dayton Dragons | Daytona Tortugas | ACL Reds | DSL Reds | [98] |
| 2022 | Louisville Bats | Chattanooga Lookouts | Dayton Dragons | Daytona Tortugas | ACL Reds | DSL Reds | [99] |
| 2023 | Louisville Bats | Chattanooga Lookouts | Dayton Dragons | Daytona Tortugas | ACL Reds | DSL Reds | [100] |
| 2024 | Louisville Bats | Chattanooga Lookouts | Dayton Dragons | Daytona Tortugas | ACL Reds | DSL Reds DSL Rojos |
[101] |
| 2025 | Louisville Bats | Chattanooga Lookouts | Dayton Dragons | Daytona Tortugas | ACL Reds | DSL Reds DSL Rojos |
[102] |