| High Desert Mavericks | |||||
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| Minor league affiliations | |||||
| Class | Class A-Advanced (1988–2016) | ||||
| League | California League (1988–2016) | ||||
| Major league affiliations | |||||
| Team |
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| Minor league titles | |||||
| League titles(4) |
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| Team data | |||||
| Name |
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| Colors | Red, black, white | ||||
| Mascot | Wooly-Bully (1991–2016) | ||||
| Ballpark | Heritage Field at Stater Bros. Stadium (1991–2016) | ||||
TheHigh Desert Mavericks were an AmericanMinor League Baseball team inAdelanto, California, that played their home games atHeritage Field at Stater Bros. Stadium. They played in theClass A-AdvancedCalifornia League. The franchise had eight different major league affiliations over its 29 seasons.
The franchise was founded in 1988 and was first based inRiverside, California, and was known as the Red Wave, beginning in 1988. In 1991, the ballclub relocated north, near Hwy 395, to the city ofAdelanto, part of theVictor Valley metro area in California'sHigh Desert region.
The Mavericks played their home baseball games atHeritage Field at Stater Bros. Stadium (known as Stater Bros. Stadium from 2007 to 2014 and Mavericks Stadium until 2007) which opened in 1991 and seats 3,808 fans. The ballpark, next to Hwy 395, is known to be an extreme hitter-friendly venue which tended to inflatehome run totals drastically.[1] As a result, offensive statistics for High Desert players were discounted for comparative purposes, while the reverse was the case for statistics accumulated by High Desert pitchers.[2]
On November 29, 2010, High Desert Mavericks were sold to Main Street Baseball after more than a year on the open market.[3] Rumors had the team possibly relocating toChico, California, if a new proposed ballpark had been built there. Although it was later reported on August 12, 2012, the Mavericks would be staying in the High Desert through the 2015 season and possibly through 2018.[4]
In January 2016, the Adelanto City Council voided the team's lease at Heritage Field.[5] The Mavericks were able to continue for the 2016 season at Heritage Field. However, on August 22, 2016, the California League announced the Mavericks would not return for the 2017 season and would cease operations.[6]
Before the California League announced the Mavericks would not return, rumors had the Mavericks relocating and joining theCarolina League inKinston, North Carolina, while keeping the Rangers affiliation. However, Minor League Baseball also announced on August 22 that twoexpansion teams would join the Carolina League in 2017 with thenew Kinston team taking over the Rangers affiliation at the A-Advanced level from the Mavericks.
In their final game, the High Desert Mavericks defeated theVisalia Rawhide 7–4 on September 17, 2016, to capture the California League championship.[7]
The final championship completed a bookend for the Mavericks who won the title in 1991, their first year of existence, and in 2016, their final year of existence.[8]
The Mavericks' Luke Tendler hit the final California League home run inHeritage Field at Stater Bros. Stadium and the Mavericks history with a solo home run shot in the bottom of the 8th inning.[8]
In March 2019, the city and the Mavericks' owners settled a lawsuit brought by the owners over the city's 2016 attempt to void the stadium lease, with the city paying $3.8 million to the team owners.[9]
