List of Houston Astros minor league affiliates
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1990–present
The current structure of minor league baseball has been in effect since the 1990 season when the Class A level was subdivided for a second time with the creation of Advanced A. The Rookie level consists of domestic and foreign circuits, the latter based in the Dominican Republic and Venezuela.[1]
| Year | AAA | AA | Advanced A | A | Short Season A | Rookie | Foreign Rookie |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Fresno Grizzlies | Corpus Christi Hooks | Lancaster JetHawks | Quad Cities River Bandits | Tri-City ValleyCats | ||
| 2015 | Fresno Grizzlies | Corpus Christi Hooks | Lancaster JetHawks | Quad Cities River Bandits | Tri-City ValleyCats | ||
| 2014 | Oklahoma City RedHawks | Corpus Christi Hooks | Lancaster JetHawks | Quad Cities River Bandits | Tri-City ValleyCats | Greeneville Astros GCL Astros |
DSL Astros Orange DSL Astros Blue |
| 2013 | Oklahoma City RedHawks | Corpus Christi Hooks | Lancaster JetHawks | Quad Cities River Bandits | Tri-City ValleyCats | Greeneville Astros GCL Astros |
DSL Astros |
| 2012 | Oklahoma City RedHawks | Corpus Christi Hooks | Lancaster JetHawks | Lexington Legends | Tri-City ValleyCats | Greeneville Astros GCL Astros |
DSL Astros |
| 2011 | Oklahoma City RedHawks | Corpus Christi Hooks | Lancaster JetHawks | Lexington Legends | Tri-City ValleyCats | Greeneville Astros GCL Astros |
DSL Astros |
| 2010 | Round Rock Express | Corpus Christi Hooks | Lancaster JetHawks | Lexington Legends | Tri-City ValleyCats | Greeneville Astros GCL Astros |
DSL Astros |
| 2009 | Round Rock Express | Corpus Christi Hooks | Lancaster JetHawks | Lexington Legends | Tri-City ValleyCats | Greeneville Astros GCL Astros |
DSL Astros |
| 2008 | Round Rock Express | Corpus Christi Hooks | Salem Avalanche | Lexington Legends | Tri-City ValleyCats | Greeneville Astros | DSL Astros VSL Astros |
| 2007 | Round Rock Express | Corpus Christi Hooks | Salem Avalanche | Lexington Legends | Tri-City ValleyCats | Greeneville Astros | DSL Astros VSL Astros |
| 2006 | Round Rock Express | Corpus Christi Hooks | Salem Avalanche | Lexington Legends | Tri-City ValleyCats | Greeneville Astros | DSL Astros VSL Astros |
| 2005 | Round Rock Express | Corpus Christi Hooks | Salem Avalanche | Lexington Legends | Tri-City ValleyCats | Greeneville Astros | DSL Astros VSL Astros |
| 2004 | New Orleans Zephyrs | Round Rock Express | Salem Avalanche | Lexington Legends | Tri-City ValleyCats | Greeneville Astros | DSL Astros Venoco 1 |
| 2003 | New Orleans Zephyrs | Round Rock Express | Salem Avalanche | Lexington Legends | Tri-City ValleyCats | Martinsville Astros | DSL Astros Venoco |
| 2002 | New Orleans Zephyrs | Round Rock Express | Lexington Legends Michigan Battle Cats |
Tri-City ValleyCats | Martinsville Astros | DSL Astros Venoco |
|
| 2001 | New Orleans Zephyrs | Round Rock Express | Lexington Legends Michigan Battle Cats |
Pittsfield Astros | Martinsville Astros | DSL Astros | |
| 2000 | New Orleans Zephyrs | Round Rock Express | Kissimmee Cobras | Michigan Battle Cats | Auburn Doubledays | Martinsville Astros | DSL Astros |
| 1999 | New Orleans Zephyrs | Jackson Generals | Kissimmee Cobras | Michigan Battle Cats | Auburn Doubledays | Martinsville Astros | DSL Astros |
| 1998 | New Orleans Zephyrs | Jackson Generals | Kissimmee Cobras | Quad Cities River Bandits | Auburn Doubledays | GCL Astros | DSL Astros |
| 1997 | New Orleans Zephyrs | Jackson Generals | Kissimmee Cobras | Quad Cities River Bandits | Auburn Doubledays | GCL Astros | DSL Astros |
| 1996 | Tucson Toros | Jackson Generals | Kissimmee Cobras | Quad Cities River Bandits | Auburn Doubledays | GCL Astros | |
| 1995 | Tucson Toros | Jackson Generals | Kissimmee Cobras | Quad Cities River Bandits | Auburn Astros | GCL Astros | |
| 1994 | Tucson Toros | Jackson Generals | Osceola Astros | Quad Cities River Bandits | Auburn Astros | GCL Astros | |
| 1993 | Tucson Toros | Jackson Generals | Osceola Astros | Asheville Tourists Quad Cities River Bandits |
Auburn Astros | GCL Astros | DSL Astros |
| 1992 | Tucson Toros | Jackson Generals | Osceola Astros | Asheville Tourists | Auburn Astros | GCL Astros | DSL Astros |
| 1991 | Tucson Toros | Jackson Generals | Osceola Astros | Asheville Tourists | Auburn Astros | GCL Astros | DSL Astros |
| 1990 | Tucson Toros | Columbus Mudcats | Osceola Astros | Asheville Tourists | Auburn Astros | GCL Astros |
1963–1989
The foundation of the minors' current structure was the result of a reorganization initiated by Major League Baseball (MLB) before the 1963 season. The reduction from six classes to four (AAA, AA, A and Rookie) was a 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 Short Season A in 1966.[1]
| Year | AAA | AA | A | Short Season A | Rookie |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Tucson Toros | Columbus Mudcats | Osceola Astros, Asheville Tourists | Auburn Astros | GCL Astros |
| 1988 | Tucson Toros | Columbus Astros | Osceola Astros, Asheville Tourists | Auburn Astros | GCL Astros |
| 1987 | Tucson Toros | Columbus Astros | Osceola Astros, Asheville Tourists | Auburn Astros | GCL Astros |
| 1986 | Tucson Toros | Columbus Astros | Osceola Astros, Asheville Tourists | Auburn Astros | GCL Astros |
| 1985 | Tucson Toros | Columbus Astros | Osceola Astros, Asheville Tourists | Auburn Astros | GCL Astros |
| 1984 | Tucson Toros | Columbus Astros | Daytona Beach Astros, Asheville Tourists | Auburn Astros | GCL Astros |
| 1983 | Tucson Toros | Columbus Astros | Daytona Beach Astros, Asheville Tourists | Auburn Astros | GCL Astros |
| 1982 | Tucson Toros | Columbus Astros | Daytona Beach Astros, Asheville Tourists | Auburn Astros | GCL Astros |
| 1981 | Tucson Toros | Columbus Astros | Daytona Beach Astros | GCL Astros Orange, GCL Astros Blue | |
| 1980 | Tucson Toros | Columbus Astros | Daytona Beach Astros | GCL Astros Orange, GCL Astros Blue | |
| 1979[2] | Charleston Charlies | Columbus Astros | Daytona Beach Astros | GCL Astros | |
| 1978 | Charleston Charlies | Columbus Astros | Daytona Beach Astros | GCL Astros | |
| 1977 | Charleston Charlies | Columbus Astros | Cocoa Astros | GCL Astros | |
| 1976 | Memphis Blues | Columbus Astros | Dubuque Packers | Covington Astros | |
| 1975 | Iowa Oaks | Columbus Astros | Dubuque Packers | Covington Astros | |
| 1974[3] | Denver Bears | Columbus Astros | Cedar Rapids Astros | Covington Astros | |
| 1973 | Denver Bears | Columbus Astros | Cedar Rapids Astros | Covington Astros | |
| 1972 | Oklahoma City 89ers | Columbus Astros | Cocoa Astros | Covington Astros | |
| 1971 | Oklahoma City 89ers | Columbus Astros | Cocoa Astros, Sumter Astros | Covington Astros | |
| 1970 | Oklahoma City 89ers | Columbus Astros | Cocoa Astros | Williamsport Astros | Covington Astros |
| 1969 | Oklahoma City 89ers | Cocoa Astros, Peninsula Astros | Williamsport Astros | Covington Astros | |
| 1968 | Oklahoma City 89ers | Dallas–Fort Worth Spurs | Cocoa Astros, Greensboro Patriots | Covington Astros | |
| 1967 | Oklahoma City 89ers | Amarillo Sonics | Cocoa Astros, Asheville Tourists | Covington Astros | |
| 1966 | Oklahoma City 89ers | Amarillo Sonics | Cocoa Astros, Durham Bulls, Salisbury Astros | Bismarck-Mandan Pards | |
| 1965[4] | Oklahoma City 89ers | Amarillo Sonics | Cocoa Astros, Durham Bulls, Salisbury Astros | ||
| 1964 | Oklahoma City 89ers | San Antonio Bullets | Durham Bulls, Modesto Colts | ||
| 1963[5] | Oklahoma City 89ers | San Antonio Bullets | Durham Bulls, Modesto Colts, Moultrie Colt .22s |
Pre-1963
The minors operated with six classes (AAA, AA, A, B, C, D) from 1946 to 1962. The Pacific Coast League (PCL) was reclassified from AAA 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 killed any chance of the PCL being promoted. The 1963 reorganization resulted in the Eastern and South Atlantic Leagues being elevated from A to AA, five of seven Class D circuits plus the ones in B and C upgraded to A and the Appalachian League reclassified from D to Rookie. The Alabama–Florida League folded following the 1962 campaign.[1]
| Year | AAA | AA | A | B | C | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | Oklahoma City 89ers | Durham Bulls | Modesto Colts | Moultrie Colt .22s |
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Cronin, John "Truth in the Minor League Class Structure: The Case for the Reclassification of the Minors" The Baseball Research Journal (Society for American Baseball Research), Spring 2013
- ↑ Official Baseball Dope Book. St. Louis, Missouri: The Sporting News, 1979.
- ↑ Official Baseball Dope Book. St. Louis, Missouri: The Sporting News, 1974.
- ↑ Official Baseball Dope Book. St. Louis, Missouri: The Sporting News, 1965.
- ↑ Official Baseball Record Book. St. Louis, Missouri: The Sporting News, 1963.
External links
- Houston Astros Minor League Affiliates Baseball-Reference.com
