Minor League Baseball Class High-A league based in the Pacific Northwest
This article is about the Minor League Baseball league that began operations in 1955. For the earlier league, see
Pacific Northwest League .
TheNorthwest League is aMinor League Baseball league that operates in theNorthwestern United States andWestern Canada . AClass A Short Season league for most of its history, the league was promoted toHigh-A as part ofMajor League Baseball 's 2021 reorganization of the minor leagues. The league operated as theHigh-A West in 2021, then resumed its original moniker in 2022.
The Northwest League (or theNorthwestern League ) has existed in various forms since 1890, and has been in its current incarnation since 1955.[ 1] Western International League (WIL), aClass B league from 1937 to 1951 (with a stoppage during World War II) and Class A from 1952 to 1954. The league reformed as the Northwest League and dropped to Class B for the 1955 season.[ 2] [ 3]
In 1955, the Northwest League was formed, with seven charter teams:Salem Senators ,Eugene Emeralds ,Yakima Bears ,Spokane Indians ,Tri-City Braves ,Wenatchee Chiefs , andLewiston Broncs .[ 4] [ 5] [ 6]
The start of the 2020 season was postponed due to theCOVID-19 pandemic before ultimately being cancelled on June 30.[ 7] [ 8] [ 9] Boise Hawks andSalem-Keizer Volcanoes . Following MLB's acquisition of the rights to the names of the historical minor leagues, the High-A West was renamed the Northwest League in 2022.[ 10]
Team Founded MLB affiliation City Stadium Capacity Eugene Emeralds 1955 San Francisco Giants Eugene, Oregon PK Park 4,000 Everett AquaSox 1995 Seattle Mariners Everett ,Washington Funko Field 3,682 Hillsboro Hops 2013 Arizona Diamondbacks Hillsboro, Oregon Hillsboro Ballpark 4,500 Spokane Indians 1898 Colorado Rockies Spokane, Washington Avista Stadium 6,803 Tri-City Dust Devils 2001 Los Angeles Angels Pasco, Washington Gesa Stadium 3,654 Vancouver Canadians 2000 Toronto Blue Jays Vancouver ,British Columbia Nat Bailey Stadium 6,500
100km
6
Canadians
5
Dust Devils
4
Indians
3
Hops
2
AquaSox
1
Emeralds
Current team locations
1
Eugene Emeralds
2
Everett AquaSox
3
Hillsboro Hops
4
Spokane Indians
5
Tri-City Dust Devils
6
Vancouver Canadians
League champions have been determined by different means since the Northwest League's formation in 1955. Except for 1956, 1960, and from 1966 to 1973, all seasons have ended with playoffs to determine a league champion.[ 11]
TheSpokane Indians have won 9 championships, the most in the league.[ 11]
[ edit ] Cities that have hosted NWL teams [ edit ] Boise : 1975–1976, 1978, 1987–2020 (34 seasons)Lewiston : 1955–1974 (20 seasons)Bend : 1970–1971, 1978–1994 (19 seasons)North Bend : 1970–1972 (3 seasons)Eugene : 1955–1968, 1974–2025 (65 seasons)Hillsboro : 2013–2025 (12 seasons)Keizer : (Shared with Salem) 1997–2020 (23 seasons)Medford : 1967–1971, 1979–1999 (26 seasons)Portland : 1973–1977, 1995–2000 (11 seasons)Salem : 1955–1965, 1977–1989, (shared with Keizer) 1997–2020 (45 seasons)
Eugene is the most-tenured city in the NWL, having fielded a team in all but five of the NWL's seasons (from 1969–73, they had a PCL franchise).
Hall of Fame alumni [ edit ] Eight alumni of the Northwest League are enshrined in theBaseball Hall of Fame :
Sandy Alomar Jr. –Spokane Indians , 1984Garret Anderson –Boise Hawks , 1990Kevin Appier –Eugene Emeralds , 1987Pedro Astacio –Yakima Bears , 1990Garrett Atkins –Portland Rockies , 2000Jim Bouton –Portland Mavericks , 1973 & 1977Jason Bartlett –Eugene Emeralds , 2001Glenn Beckert -Wenatchee Chiefs , 1963Dante Bichette –Salem Angels , 1984Carlos Beltrán –Spokane Indians , 1996Dallas Braden –Vancouver Canadians , 2004Kris Bryant -Boise Hawks , 2013Bert Campaneris -Lewiston Broncs , 1963Tom Candiotti - Victoria Mussels, 1979José Canseco –Medford A's , 1983Rico Carty -Yakima Valley Braves , 1962Ron Cey -Tri-City Atoms , 1968Aaron Cook –Portland Rockies , 1998Ron Coomer -Medford A's , 1987Chris Davis -Spokane Indians , 2006Eric Davis –Eugene Emeralds , 1980–81Mark DeRosa –Eugene Emeralds , 1996Dick Dietz –Eugene Emeralds , 1962Josh Donaldson -Boise Hawks , 2007Dave Duncan -Lewiston Broncs , 1965Andre Ethier –Vancouver Canadians , 2003Todd Field –Portland Mavericks batboy, 1976–77Chone Figgins –Portland Rockies , 1998Chuck Finley –Salem Angels , 1985George Foster –Medford Giants , 1968Matt Franco –Portland Mavericks batboy, 1977Julio Franco –Central Oregon Phillies , 1979Tom Gordon –Eugene Emeralds , 1987Jason Giambi –Southern Oregon A's , 1992Carlos González –Yakima Bears , 2004Khalil Greene –Eugene Emeralds , 2002Pedro Guerrero –Bellingham Dodgers , 1974Bob Hamelin –Eugene Emeralds , 1988Dave Henderson -Bellingham Mariners , 1977Félix Hernández –Everett AquaSox , 2003Ken Hubbs -Wenatchee Chiefs , 1961Ender Inciarte -Yakima Bears , 2010Ian Kinsler --Spokane Indians , 2003John Kruk –Walla Walla Padres , 1981Paul Konerko –Yakima Bears , 1994Adam Jones –Everett AquaSox , 2003John Lackey –Boise Hawks , 1999Mark Langston -Bellingham Mariners , 1981Ted Lilly -Yakima Bears , 1996Tim Lincecum –Salem-Keizer Volcanoes , 2006Kirk McCaskill –Salem Angels , 1982Denis Menke -Yakima Valley Braves , 1960Wade Miley -Yakima Bears , 2008Rick Monday –Lewiston Broncos , 1965Bill Murray –Grays Harbor Loggers , 1978Joe Nathan –Bellingham Giants , 1995;Salem-Keizer Volcanoes , 1997Claude Osteen -Wenatchee Chiefs , 1958Troy Percival –Boise Hawks , 1991Eduardo Pérez –Boise Hawks , 1991Juan Pierre –Portland Rockies , 1998Kevin Pillar -Vancouver Canadians , 2011Buster Posey –Salem-Keizer Volcanoes , 2008Mark Reynolds -Yakima Bears , 2004Francisco Rodríguez –Boise Hawks , 1999Kurt Russell –Bend Rainbows ,Walla Walla Islanders ,Portland Mavericks , 1971–73, 1977Tim Salmon – Bend Bucks, 1989Jeff Samardzija –Boise Hawks , 2006Casey Sander –Seattle Rainiers , 1975Pablo Sandoval –Salem-Keizer Volcanoes , 2005Kyle Schwarber -Boise Hawks , 2014Mike Scioscia –Bellingham Dodgers , 1976Braden Shipley -Hillsboro Hops , 2014Ted Sizemore -Tri-City Atoms , 1966Marcus Stroman -Vancouver Canadians , 2012Kurt Suzuki –Vancouver Canadians , 2004Noah Syndergaard -Vancouver Canadians , 2011Dansby Swanson -Hillsboro Hops , 2015Mike Sweeney –Eugene Emeralds , 1992–93Nick Swisher –Vancouver Canadians , 2002Kevin Tapani -Medford A's , 1986Miguel Tejada –Southern Oregon A's , 1995Tom Treblehorn -Bend Rainbows , 1970Trea Turner -Eugene Emeralds , 2014Dan Uggla –Yakima Bears , 2001Max Venable -Bellingham Dodgers , 1976Shane Victorino –Yakima Bears , 2000Omar Vizquel -Bellingham Mariners , 1985Matt Williams -Everett Giants , 1986Mitch Williams -Walla Walla Padres , 1982Russell Wilson –Tri-City Dust Devils , 2010Mike Zunino –Everett AquaSox , 2012^ Missildine, Harry (April 20, 1972)."Northwest League goes back to 1890" .Spokesman-Review . Spokane, Washington. p. 22.Archived from the original on January 2, 2021. RetrievedOctober 5, 2020 . ^ "Spokane gets berth in new ball league" .Spokane Daily Chronicle . Washington. November 8, 1954. p. 18.Archived from the original on January 2, 2021. RetrievedOctober 5, 2020 .^ "Indians "on first" in baseball plans" .Spokesman-Review . Spokane, Washington. November 9, 1954. p. 14.Archived from the original on January 2, 2021. RetrievedOctober 5, 2020 .^ "Northwest loop begins to shape into a tight seven-team battle" .Spokane Daily Chronicle . Washington. June 11, 1955. p. 8.Archived from the original on January 2, 2021. RetrievedOctober 5, 2020 .^ Rodman, Bob (June 17, 1981)."29 years of minor league baseball" .Eugene Register-Guard . Oregon. p. 1E.Archived from the original on January 2, 2021. RetrievedOctober 5, 2020 . ^ "Broncs get confirmation from A's on '66 working agreement" .Lewiston Morning Tribune . Idaho. March 2, 1966. p. 13.Archived from the original on September 7, 2023. RetrievedSeptember 7, 2023 .^ "A Message From Pat O'Conner" .Minor League Baseball . March 13, 2020.Archived from the original on January 2, 2021. RetrievedMay 5, 2020 .^ "2020 Minor League Baseball Season Shelved" .Minor League Baseball . June 30, 2020.Archived from the original on January 2, 2021. RetrievedJuly 1, 2020 .^ Mayo, Jonathan (February 12, 2021)."MLB Announces New Minors Teams, Leagues" .Major League Baseball .Archived from the original on December 28, 2021. RetrievedFebruary 12, 2021 . ^ "Historical League Names to Return in 2022" .Minor League Baseball . March 16, 2022.Archived from the original on March 25, 2022. RetrievedMarch 16, 2022 .^a b "Northwest League Past Champions" .Northwest League . Minor League Baseball.Archived from the original on January 2, 2021. RetrievedAugust 10, 2017 .
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