Current season, competition or edition: 2025 American Association season | |
 | |
| Classification | Independent baseball |
|---|---|
| Sport | Baseball |
| Founded | 2005 |
| First season | 2006 |
| Commissioner | Joshua Schaub |
| No. of teams | 12 |
| Countries | United States Canada |
| Confederation | WBSC Americas[1] |
| Most recent champion | Kane County Cougars (2025) |
| Most titles | Winnipeg Goldeyes andKansas City Monarchs (3) |
| Related competitions | Baseball Champions League Americas |
| Official website | aabaseball |
TheAmerican Association of Professional Baseball is anindependentprofessional baseball league founded in 2005. It operates in the central United States and Canada, mostly in cities not served byorganized baseball (Major League Baseball teams or theirminor league affiliates). The league's level of play is comparable toHigh-A in organized baseball.[2] League offices are located inMoorhead, Minnesota, and Joshua Schaub is the current league commissioner. Though a separate legal entity, the league shared a commissioner and director of umpires with theCan-Am League during the latter league's existence. The American Association of Professional Baseball has501(c)(6) tax-exempt status with theInternal Revenue Service.[3] In 2020, as part of MLB'sreorganization of the minor leagues, the American Association,Atlantic League, andFrontier League became officialMLB Partner Leagues, joining MLB in promoting the sport acrossNorth America, particularly in areas not served by organized baseball.[4]
The American Association (AA) was founded in October 2005 when theSt. Paul Saints,Lincoln Saltdogs,Sioux City Explorers, andSioux Falls Canaries announced they were leaving theNorthern League. Around the same time, theCentral Baseball League announced it was disbanding after four seasons; the league'sFort Worth Cats,Shreveport-Bossier Sports,Pensacola Pelicans,Coastal Bend Aviators, andEl Paso Diablos joined the four former Northern League teams and the expansionSt. Joe Blacksnakes to form the AA as a ten-team league. The new league began play in 2006, with a 96-game schedule, since expanded to 100 games.
2008 saw the AA lose the Blacksnakes and Aviators, with theGrand Prairie AirHogs andWichita Wingnuts joining in their place. Following the 2010 season, four more Northern League franchises (theFargo-Moorhead RedHawks,Gary SouthShore RailCats,Kansas City T-Bones, andWinnipeg Goldeyes) left the Northern League as its stability came into question and joined the AA. In 2011 and 2012 the league went through a significant shift. Fort Worth had its membership revoked and moved to theNorth American League, while Shreveport and Pensacola both relocated. The Pelicans moved toAmarillo, Texas, and became the Amarillo Sox (later theAmarillo Thunderheads) while Shreveport, who had changed their name to the Shreveport-Bossier Captains, moved toLaredo, Texas and became theLaredo Lemurs. The AA also reorganized into North, Central, and South Divisions; Fargo-Moorhead, Sioux Falls, St. Paul, and Winnipeg comprised the North, Gary SouthShore, Kansas City, Lincoln, Sioux City, and Wichita the Central, and Amarillo, El Paso, Fort Worth, Grand Prairie, and Shreveport the South Division. The top finishers in each of the three divisions earnedautomatic playoff berths, with the team with the next-best record that was not a division winner receiving awild card spot.
For the 2012 season, the AA began interleague play with the Can-Am League.[5] The two leagues were both headquartered in Durham, North Carolina, and both had Miles Wolff as their commissioner. This was similar tointerleague play in MLB, but the AA and Can-Am League were separate legal entities and had separate playoffs and championships.
At the end of the 2013 season, due to theTucson Padres relocating to El Paso, the Diablos suspended operations. The team was eventually revived and relocated, operating as theJoplin Blasters in the South Division. The Blasters ceased operations after the conclusion of the 2016 season.
On November 19, 2015, Miles Wolff announced that there would no longer be interleague play. It also was announced that the AA would become a 12-team league, with theAmarillo Thunderheads andGrand Prairie AirHogs operating as a joint team called theTexas AirHogs, playing 25 games in Amarillo and 25 games in Grand Prairie[6][7] Shortly before the 2017 season, theLaredo Lemurs withdrew from the league.[8] They were temporarily replaced by theSalina Stockade from thePecos League for the season. The AirHogs played in Grand Prairie full-time in 2017, and theCleburne Railroaders joined the league the same season.
TheChicago Dogs joined the league in 2018[9] The league, now composed of twelve teams, again realigned, with Chicago, Fargo-Moorhead, Gary SouthShore, Sioux Falls, St. Paul, and Winnipeg in the North Division, and Cleburne, Kansas City, Lincoln, Sioux City, Texas, and Wichita in the South Division. TheMilwaukee Milkmen joined for 2019, replacing the Wichita Wingnuts, which folded in large part due to the demolition ofLawrence-Dumont Stadium and their eventual replacement by the affiliatedWichita Wind Surge.
In 2020, due to theCOVID-19 pandemic, the league announced that 6 of its 12 clubs would play an abbreviated 60-game season beginning on July 3, 2020.[10] Five stadiums were used for gameplay:Sioux Falls Stadium (hosting the Sioux Falls Canaries and St. Paul Saints during July),Newman Outdoor Field (hosting the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks and Winnipeg Goldeyes),Franklin Field (hosting the Milwaukee Milkmen),Impact Field (hosting the Chicago Dogs), andCHS Field (hosting the St. Paul Saints beginning in August). Players from non-participating teams had the opportunity to be drafted by one of the six active clubs. A limited number of fans were allowed to attend games, in accordance with local government guidelines and restrictions.
The2021 season saw the league lose both the AirHogs, who dropped out of the league,[11] and the Saints, who moved to affiliated ball as theTriple-A affiliate of theMinnesota Twins.[12] Joining the league in 2021 were theKane County Cougars, who were dropped from affiliated ball during the 2021 minor league reorganization,[13] as well as theHouston Apollos, who were a traveling team for the 2021 campaign.[14]
In May 2021, the league announced the approval of Lake Country Baseball, based inOconomowoc, Wisconsin, as a new member of the league starting in 2022. Construction commenced later that summer on a new stadium and multi-use indoor sports facility, which opened for play on May 20, 2022, asWisconsin Brewing Company Park.[15] The team selected the nameLake Country DockHounds, after hosting an online name the team contest.[16]
With the DockHounds joining the league for the 2022 season, the AA again realigned its divisions. Going away from the prior North/South divisions, the league decided to go with East/West divisions. The league placed Chicago, Cleburne, Gary SouthShore, Kane County, Lake Country, and Milwaukee in the East Division; and Fargo-Moorhead, Kansas City, Lincoln, Sioux City, Sioux Falls, and Winnipeg in the West Division. The league also changed the playoff format. The top four teams in each division make the playoffs, and the team in each division with the best record is allowed to choose their first-round opponent from the remaining three division teams.[17]
The AA typically recruits college and former major and minor league players. Some former college players who join the AA chose not to enter or were not picked in theMLB draft, but want to continue to play professionally, be seen by major league scouts, and possibly get signed by MLB organizations. Former affiliated-league players that played at all levels of organized baseball sometimes join the AA after being released, injured, or having other circumstances as a way to be seen by scouts from MLB organizations and potentially be re-signed. For example,David Peralta was signed in 2004 as a pitcher for theSt. Louis Cardinals, but suffered injuries and was released in 2009. He resurrected his career as an outfielder with teams such as the AA'sWichita Wingnuts andAmarillo Sox in 2012 and 2013, then became a starting outfielder for theArizona Diamondbacks. Other former MLB players join the AA to stay involved in baseball after their MLB career, often as coaches and managers.
Rosters are limited to 25 players. A maximum of six may be veterans, and minimum of five must be rookies or LS-1. Of the remaining players, a maximum of six may be LS-4, and up to two of the LS-4 players may have LS-5 status.[18]
Rookie: A player with less than one year of service.
LS-1: A player with fewer than two years of service.
LS-2: A player with fewer than three years of service.
LS-3: A player with fewer than four years of service.
LS-4: A player with fewer than five years of service.
LS-5: A player with less than 6 years of service.
Veteran: A player with six or more years of service. If a player has six or more years of service but has not reached the age of 26 by September 1 of that season, he will be considered an LS-4, while if he has not reached the age of 24 by September 1 of that season, he will be considered an LS-3.[19]
| American Association of Professional Baseball | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Team | Founded | Joined | City | Stadium | Capacity |
| East | Chicago Dogs | 2018 | Rosemont, Illinois | Impact Field | 8,300 | |
| Cleburne Railroaders | 2017 | Cleburne, Texas | La Moderna Field | 3,750 | ||
| Gary SouthShore RailCats | 2002 | 2011 | Gary, Indiana | U.S. Steel Yard | 6,139 | |
| Kane County Cougars | 1991 | 2021 | Geneva, Illinois | Northwestern Medicine Field | 10,923 | |
| Lake Country DockHounds | 2022 | Oconomowoc, Wisconsin | Wisconsin Brewing Company Park | 3,641 | ||
| Milwaukee Milkmen | 2019 | Franklin, Wisconsin | Franklin Field | 4,000 | ||
| West | Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks | 1996 | 2011 | Fargo, North Dakota | Newman Outdoor Field | 4,513 |
| Kansas City Monarchs | 2003 | 2011 | Kansas City, Kansas | Legends Field | 6,537 | |
| Lincoln Saltdogs | 2001 | 2006 | Lincoln, Nebraska | Haymarket Park | 8,486 | |
| Sioux City Explorers | 1993 | 2006 | Sioux City, Iowa | Lewis and Clark Park | 3,800 | |
| Sioux Falls Canaries | 1993 | 2006 | Sioux Falls, South Dakota | Sioux Falls Stadium | 5,462 | |
| Winnipeg Goldeyes | 1994 | 2011 | Winnipeg, Manitoba | Blue Cross Park | 7,461 | |
League membersFormer TeamOther League
| Team | Number | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Winnipeg Goldeyes | 3 | 2012, 2016, 2017 |
| Kansas City T-Bones/Monarchs | 3 | 2018, 2021, 2023 |
| Fort Worth Cats | 2 | 2006, 2007 |
| Kane County Cougars | 2 | 2024, 2025 |
| Sioux Falls Canaries | 1 | 2008 |
| Lincoln Saltdogs | 1 | 2009 |
| Shreveport-Bossier Captains | 1 | 2010 |
| Grand Prairie AirHogs | 1 | 2011 |
| Gary SouthShore RailCats | 1 | 2013 |
| Wichita Wingnuts | 1 | 2014 |
| Laredo Lemurs | 1 | 2015 |
| St. Paul Saints | 1 | 2019 |
| Milwaukee Milkmen | 1 | 2020 |
| Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks | 1 | 2022 |
The AA hosted an annualAll-Star Game from 2006 to 2010 and has continued to do so intermittently since then. The league's first All-Star game was played inEl Paso, Texas, on July 18, 2006, which pitted a team of AA All-Stars against an All-Star team from the Can-Am League. Its current format pits the all-stars from each division against each other, except for the 2017 edition, which featured another tilt against the Can-Am League. There was no All-Star game held in 2011–2013, 2015, 2018, 2020, or 2021.
| Date | Score | Venue (City) | Attendance | MVP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 18, 2006 | AA 5, Can-Am 3 | Cohen Stadium | 10,102 | Jake Whitesides,St. Joe Blacksnakes |
| July 17, 2007 | South 6, North 4 | Sioux Falls Stadium | 5,263 | Jorge Alverez,El Paso Diablos |
| July 22, 2008 | South 11, North 4 | Midway Stadium | 6,330 | Bryan Fryer,Fort Worth Cats |
| July 21, 2009 | North 6, South 2 | QuikTrip Park | 5,504 | Trevor Lawhorn,Sioux Falls Canaries |
| July 27, 2010 | South 12, North 3 | Lawrence–Dumont Stadium | 4,012 | Christopher Garcia,Shreveport-Bossier Captains |
| 2011-13 | No Game Scheduled | |||
| July 29, 2014 | South 7, North 0 | Shaw Park | 6,889 | Devin Goodwin,Laredo Lemurs |
| 2015 | No Game Scheduled | |||
| August 2, 2016 | North 6, South 1 | CHS Field | 8,015 | David Rohm,Winnipeg Goldeyes |
| July 25, 2017 | Can-Am 3, AA 2 | RCGT Park | 4,961 | Danny Grauer,Ottawa Champions |
| 2018 | No Game Scheduled | |||
| July 23, 2019 | North 7, South 3 | CHS Field | 7,565 | Colin Willis,Gary SouthShore RailCats |
| 2020-21 | Game Cancelled due to theCOVID-19 pandemic | |||
| July 12, 2022 | West 7, East 6 | Impact Field | 4,143 | Jabari Henry,Sioux Falls Canaries |
| July 18, 2023 | East 4, West 2 | Franklin Field | 2,255 | Bryan Torres,Milwaukee Milkmen |
| July 23, 2024 | West 4, East 3 | Legends Field | — | Ismael Alcantara,Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks |
| July 22, 2025 | East 9, West 2 | Newman Outdoor Field | 3,033 | Aaron Altherr,Cleburne Railroaders |
| Year | Total attendance | Average Per Game | Change from previous year avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 1,296,936 | 2,819 | n/a |
| 2007 | 1,318,841 | 2,924 | +105 |
| 2008 | 1,506,870 | 3,312 | +388 |
| 2009 | 1,483,214 | 3,154 | -158 |
| 2010 | 1,227,518 | 2,692 | -462 |
| 2011 | 2,162,269 | 3,152 | +460 |
| 2012 | 2,241,510 | 3,508 | +356 |
| 2013 | 2,150,031 | 3,435 | -73 |
| 2014 | 1,885,998 | 3,332 | -103 |
| 2015 | 2,006,110 | 3,215 | -117 |
| 2016 | 1,833,503 | 3,156 | -59 |
| 2017 | 1,866,910 | 3,322 | +166 |
| 2018 | 1,891,794 | 3,251 | -71 |
| 2019 | 1,775,249 | 3,082 | -169 |
| 2020 | 179,150** | 1,066* | -2,016 |
| 2021 | 1,198,085 | 2,106* | +1,040 |
| 2022 | 1,510,341 | 2,591 | +485 |
| 2023 | 1,549,917 | 2,668 | +77 |
| 2024 | 1,610,478 | 2,791 | +123 |
| 2025 | 1,584,525 | 2,723 | -68 |
*Limited attendance due toCOVID-19 pandemic.**60 game schedule with 6 teams due toCOVID-19 pandemic.
Season: 413,482, St. Paul, 2016
Game: 13,406, El Paso, July 4, 2011[19]
