The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West Division. The team's farm system consists of seven Minor League Baseball affiliates across the United States and in the Dominican Republic. Four affiliates are independently owned, while three—the Arizona Complex League Padres and two Dominican Summer League Padres squads—are owned by the major league club.
The Padres have been affiliated with the High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps of the Midwest League since 1999, making it the longest-running affiliation in the organization among teams not owned by the Padres. Their newest affiliate is the San Antonio Missions of the Texas League, which became the Padres' Double-A club in 2021.
Geographically, San Diego's closest domestic affiliate is the Single-A Lake Elsinore Storm of the California League, which is approximately 66 miles (106 km) away. San Diego's furthest domestic affiliate is the Fort Wayne TinCaps some 1,849 miles (2,976 km) away.
The San Diego Padres farm system consists of seven minor league affiliates.[1]
Class | Team | League | Location | Ballpark | Affiliated |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Triple-A | El Paso Chihuahuas | Pacific Coast League | El Paso, Texas | Southwest University Park | 2014 |
Double-A | San Antonio Missions | Texas League | San Antonio, Texas | Nelson W. Wolff Municipal Stadium | 2021 |
High-A | Fort Wayne TinCaps | Midwest League | Fort Wayne, Indiana | Parkview Field | 1999 |
Single-A | Lake Elsinore Storm | California League | Lake Elsinore, California | Lake Elsinore Diamond | 2001 |
Rookie | ACL Padres | Arizona Complex League | Peoria, Arizona | Peoria Sports Complex | 2021 |
DSL Padres Brown | Dominican Summer League | Boca Chica, Santo Domingo | San Diego Padres Complex | 2023 | |
DSL Padres Gold |
Season | Each year is linked to an article about that particular Padres season. |
---|
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. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1969 | — | Elmira Pioneers[n 1] | Key West Padres | — | Salt Lake City Bees | [5] |
1970 | Salt Lake City Bees | Elmira Pioneers[n 1] | Lodi Padres | Tri-City Padres | — | [6] |
1971 | Hawaii Islanders | — | Lodi Padres | Tri-City Padres | — | [7] |
1972 | Hawaii Islanders | Alexandria Aces | — | Walla Walla Islanders Tri-City Padres |
— | [8] |
1973 | Hawaii Islanders | Alexandria Aces | — | Walla Walla Padres | — | [9] |
1974 | Hawaii Islanders | Alexandria Aces | — | Walla Walla Padres | — | [10] |
1975 | Hawaii Islanders | Alexandria Aces | Reno Silver Sox[n 2] | Walla Walla Padres | — | [13] |
1976 | Hawaii Islanders | Amarillo Gold Sox | Reno Silver Sox[n 2] | Walla Walla Padres | — | [14] |
1977 | Hawaii Islanders | Amarillo Gold Sox | Reno Silver Sox | Walla Walla Padres | — | [15] |
1978 | Hawaii Islanders | Amarillo Gold Sox | Reno Silver Sox | Walla Walla Padres | — | [16] |
1979 | Hawaii Islanders | Amarillo Gold Sox | Reno Silver Sox | Walla Walla Padres | — | [17] |
1980 | Hawaii Islanders | Amarillo Gold Sox | Reno Silver Sox | Walla Walla Padres | — | [18] |
1981 | Hawaii Islanders | Amarillo Gold Sox | Reno Silver Sox Salem Redbirds |
Walla Walla Padres | GCL Padres | [19] |
1982 | Hawaii Islanders | Amarillo Gold Sox | Reno Padres Salem Redbirds |
Walla Walla Padres | GCL Padres | [20] |
1983 | Las Vegas Stars | Beaumont Golden Gators | Miami Marlins Reno Padres Salem Redbirds |
Spokane Indians | — | [21] |
1984 | Las Vegas Stars | Beaumont Golden Gators | Miami Marlins Reno Padres |
Spokane Indians | — | [22] |
1985 | Las Vegas Stars | Beaumont Golden Gators | Charleston Rainbows Reno Padres |
Spokane Indians | — | [23] |
1986 | Las Vegas Stars | Beaumont Golden Gators | Charleston Rainbows Reno Padres |
Spokane Indians | — | [24] |
1987 | Las Vegas Stars | Wichita Pilots | Charleston Rainbows Reno Padres |
Spokane Indians | — | [25] |
1988 | Las Vegas Stars | Wichita Pilots | Charleston Rainbows Riverside Red Wave |
Spokane Indians | AZL Padres | [26] |
1989 | Las Vegas Stars | Wichita Wranglers | Charleston Rainbows Riverside Red Wave |
Spokane Indians | AZL Padres | [27] |
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(s). |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1990 | Las Vegas Stars | Wichita Wranglers | Riverside Red Wave | Charleston Rainbows Waterloo Diamonds |
Spokane Indians | AZL Padres | DSL Padres/Red Sox/Tigers | [28][29] |
1991 | Las Vegas Stars | Wichita Wranglers | High Desert Mavericks | Charleston Rainbows Waterloo Diamonds |
Spokane Indians | AZL Padres | DSL Padres/Angels/Dodgers | [30][31] |
1992 | Las Vegas Stars | Wichita Wranglers | High Desert Mavericks | Charleston Rainbows Waterloo Diamonds |
Spokane Indians | AZL Padres | DSL Padres/Yankees | [32] |
1993 | Las Vegas Stars | Wichita Wranglers | Rancho Cucamonga Quakes | Waterloo Diamonds | Spokane Indians | AZL Padres | DSL Padres/Yankees | [33] |
1994 | Las Vegas Stars | Wichita Wranglers | Rancho Cucamonga Quakes | Springfield Sultans | Spokane Indians | AZL Padres | DSL Padres/Cubs | [34] |
1995 | Las Vegas Stars | Memphis Chicks | Rancho Cucamonga Quakes | Clinton LumberKings | — | Idaho Falls Braves AZL Padres |
DSL Padres/Cubs | [35] |
1996 | Las Vegas Stars | Memphis Chicks | Rancho Cucamonga Quakes | Clinton LumberKings | — | Idaho Falls Braves AZL Padres |
DSL Padres/Cubs | [36] |
1997 | Las Vegas Stars | Mobile BayBears | Rancho Cucamonga Quakes | Clinton LumberKings | — | Idaho Falls Braves AZL Padres |
DSL Padres | [37] |
1998 | Las Vegas Stars | Mobile BayBears | Rancho Cucamonga Quakes | Clinton LumberKings | — | Idaho Falls Braves AZL Padres |
DSL Padres | [38] |
1999 | Las Vegas Stars | Mobile BayBears | Rancho Cucamonga Quakes | Fort Wayne Wizards | — | Idaho Falls Braves AZL Padres |
DSL Padres | [39] |
2000 | Las Vegas Stars | Mobile BayBears | Rancho Cucamonga Quakes | Fort Wayne Wizards | — | Idaho Falls Padres AZL Padres |
DSL Padres | [40] |
2001 | Portland Beavers | Mobile BayBears | Lake Elsinore Storm | Fort Wayne Wizards | Eugene Emeralds | Idaho Falls Padres | DSL Padres | [41] |
2002 | Portland Beavers | Mobile BayBears | Lake Elsinore Storm | Fort Wayne Wizards | Eugene Emeralds | Idaho Falls Padres | DSL Padres VSL Chivacoa[n 3] |
[43] |
2003 | Portland Beavers | Mobile BayBears | Lake Elsinore Storm | Fort Wayne Wizards | Eugene Emeralds | Idaho Falls Padres | DSL Padres VSL Tronconero 1[n 4] |
[45] |
2004 | Portland Beavers | Mobile BayBears | Lake Elsinore Storm | Fort Wayne Wizards | Eugene Emeralds | AZL Padres | DSL Padres VSL Universidad de Carabobo[n 5] |
[47] |
2005 | Portland Beavers | Mobile BayBears | Lake Elsinore Storm | Fort Wayne Wizards | Eugene Emeralds | AZL Padres | DSL Padres VSL Padres/Red Sox |
[48] |
2006 | Portland Beavers | Mobile BayBears | Lake Elsinore Storm | Fort Wayne Wizards | Eugene Emeralds | AZL Padres | DSL Padres | [49] |
2007 | Portland Beavers | San Antonio Missions | Lake Elsinore Storm | Fort Wayne Wizards | Eugene Emeralds | AZL Padres | DSL Padres | [50] |
2008 | Portland Beavers | San Antonio Missions | Lake Elsinore Storm | Fort Wayne Wizards | Eugene Emeralds | AZL Padres | DSL Padres | [51] |
2009 | Portland Beavers | San Antonio Missions | Lake Elsinore Storm | Fort Wayne TinCaps | Eugene Emeralds | AZL Padres | DSL Padres | [52] |
2010 | Portland Beavers | San Antonio Missions | Lake Elsinore Storm | Fort Wayne TinCaps | Eugene Emeralds | AZL Padres | DSL Padres | [53] |
2011 | Tucson Padres | San Antonio Missions | Lake Elsinore Storm | Fort Wayne TinCaps | Eugene Emeralds | AZL Padres | DSL Padres | [54] |
2012 | Tucson Padres | San Antonio Missions | Lake Elsinore Storm | Fort Wayne TinCaps | Eugene Emeralds | AZL Padres | DSL Padres | [55] |
2013 | Tucson Padres | San Antonio Missions | Lake Elsinore Storm | Fort Wayne TinCaps | Eugene Emeralds | AZL Padres | DSL Padres | [56] |
2014 | El Paso Chihuahuas | San Antonio Missions | Lake Elsinore Storm | Fort Wayne TinCaps | Eugene Emeralds | AZL Padres | DSL Padres | [57] |
2015 | El Paso Chihuahuas | San Antonio Missions | Lake Elsinore Storm | Fort Wayne TinCaps | Tri-City Dust Devils | AZL Padres | DSL Padres | [58] |
2016 | El Paso Chihuahuas | San Antonio Missions | Lake Elsinore Storm | Fort Wayne TinCaps | Tri-City Dust Devils | AZL Padres | DSL Padres | [59] |
2017 | El Paso Chihuahuas | San Antonio Missions | Lake Elsinore Storm | Fort Wayne TinCaps | Tri-City Dust Devils | AZL Padres 1 AZL Padres 2 |
DSL Padres | [60] |
2018 | El Paso Chihuahuas | San Antonio Missions | Lake Elsinore Storm | Fort Wayne TinCaps | Tri-City Dust Devils | AZL Padres 1 AZL Padres 2 |
DSL Padres | [61] |
2019 | El Paso Chihuahuas | Amarillo Sod Poodles | Lake Elsinore Storm | Fort Wayne TinCaps | Tri-City Dust Devils | AZL Padres 1 AZL Padres 2 |
DSL Padres | [62] |
2020[n 6] | El Paso Chihuahuas | Amarillo Sod Poodles | Lake Elsinore Storm | Fort Wayne TinCaps | Tri-City Dust Devils | AZL Padres 1 AZL Padres 2 |
DSL Padres | [64] |
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.[65] Low-A was reclassified as Single-A in 2022.[66]
Season | Triple-A | Double-A | High-A | Single-A | Rookie | Foreign Rookie | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2021 | El Paso Chihuahuas | San Antonio Missions | Fort Wayne TinCaps | Lake Elsinore Storm | ACL Padres | DSL Padres | [67] |
2022 | El Paso Chihuahuas | San Antonio Missions | Fort Wayne TinCaps | Lake Elsinore Storm | ACL Padres | DSL Padres | [68] |
2023 | El Paso Chihuahuas | San Antonio Missions | Fort Wayne TinCaps | Lake Elsinore Storm | ACL Padres | DSL Padres Brown DSL Padres Gold |
[69] |
2024 | El Paso Chihuahuas | San Antonio Missions | Fort Wayne TinCaps | Lake Elsinore Storm | ACL Padres | DSL Padres Brown DSL Padres Gold |
[70] |