The Toronto Blue Jays farm system consists of six Minor League Baseball affiliates across the United States and in Canada and the Dominican Republic. Three teams are independently owned, while three others—the Dunedin Blue Jays, Florida Complex League Blue Jays, and Dominican Summer League Blue Jays—are owned by the major league club.
The Blue Jays have been affiliated with the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats of the Eastern League since 2004, making it the longest-running active affiliation in the organization among teams not owned by the Blue Jays. The longest affiliation in team history was the 31-year relationship with the Triple-A International League's Syracuse Chiefs from 1978 to 2008. Their newest affiliate is the Buffalo Bisons of the International League, which became the Blue Jays' Triple-A club in 2013.
Geographically, Toronto's closest affiliate is the Buffalo Bisons, which are approximately 95 kilometres (59 mi) away. Toronto's furthest affiliate is the High-A Vancouver Canadians of the Northwest League some 3,359 kilometres (2,087 mi) away.
The Toronto Blue Jays farm system consists of six minor league affiliates.[1]
Class | Team | League | Location | Ballpark | Affiliated |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Triple-A | Buffalo Bisons | International League | Buffalo, New York | Sahlen Field | 2013 |
Double-A | New Hampshire Fisher Cats | Eastern League | Manchester, New Hampshire | Delta Dental Stadium | 2003 |
High-A | Vancouver Canadians | Northwest League | Vancouver, British Columbia | Nat Bailey Stadium | 2011 |
Single-A | Dunedin Blue Jays | Florida State League | Dunedin, Florida | TD Ballpark | 1987 |
Rookie | FCL Blue Jays | Florida Complex League | Englebert Complex | Dunedin, Florida | 2007 |
DSL Blue Jays | Dominican Summer League | Boca Chica, Santo Domingo | Baseball City Complex | 2009 |
Season | Each year is linked to an article about that particular Blue Jays season. |
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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(s). |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1977 | — | — | — | Utica Blue Jays | — | [3] |
1978 | Syracuse Chiefs | — | Dunedin Blue Jays | Utica Blue Jays | Medicine Hat Blue Jays | [4] |
1979 | Syracuse Chiefs | — | Dunedin Blue Jays Kinston Eagles |
Utica Blue Jays | Medicine Hat Blue Jays | [5] |
1980 | Syracuse Chiefs | Knoxville Blue Jays | Kinston Eagles | Utica Blue Jays | Medicine Hat Blue Jays | [6] |
1981 | Syracuse Chiefs | Knoxville Blue Jays | Florence Blue Jays Kinston Eagles |
— | Medicine Hat Blue Jays GCL Blue Jays |
[7] |
1982 | Syracuse Chiefs | Knoxville Blue Jays | Florence Blue Jays Kinston Blue Jays |
— | Medicine Hat Blue Jays GCL Blue Jays |
[8] |
1983 | Syracuse Chiefs | Knoxville Blue Jays | Florence Blue Jays Kinston Blue Jays |
— | Medicine Hat Blue Jays GCL Blue Jays |
[9] |
1984 | Syracuse Chiefs | Knoxville Blue Jays | Florence Blue Jays Kinston Blue Jays |
— | Medicine Hat Blue Jays GCL Blue Jays |
[10] |
1985 | Syracuse Chiefs | Knoxville Blue Jays | Florence Blue Jays Kinston Blue Jays |
— | Medicine Hat Blue Jays GCL Blue Jays |
[11] |
1986 | Syracuse Chiefs | Knoxville Blue Jays | Florence Blue Jays Ventura County Gulls |
St. Catharines Blue Jays | Medicine Hat Blue Jays | [12] |
1987 | Syracuse Chiefs | Knoxville Blue Jays | Dunedin Blue Jays Myrtle Beach Blue Jays |
St. Catharines Blue Jays | Medicine Hat Blue Jays | [13] |
1988 | Syracuse Chiefs | Knoxville Blue Jays | Dunedin Blue Jays Myrtle Beach Blue Jays |
St. Catharines Blue Jays | Medicine Hat Blue Jays | [14] |
1989 | Syracuse Chiefs | Knoxville Blue Jays | Dunedin Blue Jays Myrtle Beach Blue Jays |
St. Catharines Blue Jays | Medicine Hat Blue Jays DSL Blue Jays |
[15][16] |
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 | Syracuse Chiefs | Knoxville Blue Jays | Dunedin Blue Jays | Myrtle Beach Blue Jays | St. Catharines Blue Jays | Medicine Hat Blue Jays | DSL Blue Jays DSL Blue Jays/Brewers |
[17][18] |
1991 | Syracuse Chiefs | Knoxville Blue Jays | Dunedin Blue Jays | Myrtle Beach Hurricanes | St. Catharines Blue Jays | Medicine Hat Blue Jays GCL Blue Jays |
DSL Blue Jays 1 DSL Blue Jays 2 |
[19][20] |
1992 | Syracuse Chiefs | Knoxville Blue Jays | Dunedin Blue Jays | Myrtle Beach Hurricanes | St. Catharines Blue Jays | Medicine Hat Blue Jays GCL Blue Jays |
DSL Blue Jays East DSL Blue Jays West |
[21] |
1993 | Syracuse Chiefs | Knoxville Smokies | Dunedin Blue Jays | Hagerstown Suns | St. Catharines Blue Jays | Medicine Hat Blue Jays GCL Blue Jays |
DSL Blue Jays East DSL Blue Jays West |
[22] |
1994 | Syracuse Chiefs | Knoxville Smokies | Dunedin Blue Jays | Hagerstown Suns | St. Catharines Blue Jays | Medicine Hat Blue Jays GCL Blue Jays |
DSL Blue Jays 1 DSL Blue Jays 2 |
[23] |
1995 | Syracuse Chiefs | Knoxville Smokies | Dunedin Blue Jays | Hagerstown Suns | St. Catharines Blue Jays | Medicine Hat Blue Jays GCL Blue Jays |
DSL Blue Jays | [24] |
1996 | Syracuse Chiefs | Knoxville Smokies | Dunedin Blue Jays | Hagerstown Suns | St. Catharines Stompers | Medicine Hat Blue Jays | DSL Blue Jays | [25] |
1997 | Syracuse SkyChiefs | Knoxville Smokies | Dunedin Blue Jays | Hagerstown Suns | St. Catharines Stompers | Medicine Hat Blue Jays | DSL Blue Jays | [26] |
1998 | Syracuse SkyChiefs | Knoxville Smokies | Dunedin Blue Jays | Hagerstown Suns | St. Catharines Stompers | Medicine Hat Blue Jays | DSL Blue Jays | [27] |
1999 | Syracuse SkyChiefs | Knoxville Smokies | Dunedin Blue Jays | Hagerstown Suns | St. Catharines Stompers | Medicine Hat Blue Jays | DSL Blue Jays | [28] |
2000 | Syracuse SkyChiefs | Tennessee Smokies | Dunedin Blue Jays | Hagerstown Suns | Queens Kings | Medicine Hat Blue Jays | DSL Blue Jays | [29] |
2001 | Syracuse SkyChiefs | Tennessee Smokies | Dunedin Blue Jays | Charleston Alley Cats | Auburn Doubledays | Medicine Hat Blue Jays | DSL Blue Jays | [30] |
2002 | Syracuse SkyChiefs | Tennessee Smokies | Dunedin Blue Jays | Charleston Alley Cats | Auburn Doubledays | Medicine Hat Blue Jays | DSL Blue Jays VSL Carora[n 1] |
[32] |
2003 | Syracuse SkyChiefs | New Haven Ravens | Dunedin Blue Jays | Charleston Alley Cats | Auburn Doubledays | Pulaski Blue Jays | DSL Blue Jays VSL Cocorote[n 2] |
[34] |
2004 | Syracuse SkyChiefs | New Hampshire Fisher Cats | Dunedin Blue Jays | Charleston Alley Cats | Auburn Doubledays | Pulaski Blue Jays | DSL Blue Jays | [35] |
2005 | Syracuse SkyChiefs | New Hampshire Fisher Cats | Dunedin Blue Jays | Lansing Lugnuts | Auburn Doubledays | Pulaski Blue Jays | DSL Blue Jays | [36] |
2006 | Syracuse SkyChiefs | New Hampshire Fisher Cats | Dunedin Blue Jays | Lansing Lugnuts | Auburn Doubledays | Pulaski Blue Jays | DSL Blue Jays VSL Blue Jays/Twins |
[37] |
2007 | Syracuse Chiefs | New Hampshire Fisher Cats | Dunedin Blue Jays | Lansing Lugnuts | Auburn Doubledays | GCL Blue Jays | DSL Blue Jays 1 DSL Blue Jays 2 |
[38] |
2008 | Syracuse Chiefs | New Hampshire Fisher Cats | Dunedin Blue Jays | Lansing Lugnuts | Auburn Doubledays | GCL Blue Jays | DSL Blue Jays 1 DSL Blue Jays 2 |
[39] |
2009 | Las Vegas 51s | New Hampshire Fisher Cats | Dunedin Blue Jays | Lansing Lugnuts | Auburn Doubledays | GCL Blue Jays | DSL Blue Jays | [40] |
2010 | Las Vegas 51s | New Hampshire Fisher Cats | Dunedin Blue Jays | Lansing Lugnuts | Auburn Doubledays | GCL Blue Jays | DSL Blue Jays | [41] |
2011 | Las Vegas 51s | New Hampshire Fisher Cats | Dunedin Blue Jays | Lansing Lugnuts | Vancouver Canadians | Bluefield Blue Jays GCL Blue Jays |
DSL Blue Jays | [42] |
2012 | Las Vegas 51s | New Hampshire Fisher Cats | Dunedin Blue Jays | Lansing Lugnuts | Vancouver Canadians | Bluefield Blue Jays GCL Blue Jays |
DSL Blue Jays | [43] |
2013 | Buffalo Bisons | New Hampshire Fisher Cats | Dunedin Blue Jays | Lansing Lugnuts | Vancouver Canadians | Bluefield Blue Jays GCL Blue Jays |
DSL Blue Jays | [44] |
2014 | Buffalo Bisons | New Hampshire Fisher Cats | Dunedin Blue Jays | Lansing Lugnuts | Vancouver Canadians | Bluefield Blue Jays GCL Blue Jays |
DSL Blue Jays | [45] |
2015 | Buffalo Bisons | New Hampshire Fisher Cats | Dunedin Blue Jays | Lansing Lugnuts | Vancouver Canadians | Bluefield Blue Jays GCL Blue Jays |
DSL Blue Jays | [46] |
2016 | Buffalo Bisons | New Hampshire Fisher Cats | Dunedin Blue Jays | Lansing Lugnuts | Vancouver Canadians | Bluefield Blue Jays GCL Blue Jays |
DSL Blue Jays | [47] |
2017 | Buffalo Bisons | New Hampshire Fisher Cats | Dunedin Blue Jays | Lansing Lugnuts | Vancouver Canadians | Bluefield Blue Jays GCL Blue Jays |
DSL Blue Jays | [48] |
2018 | Buffalo Bisons | New Hampshire Fisher Cats | Dunedin Blue Jays | Lansing Lugnuts | Vancouver Canadians | Bluefield Blue Jays GCL Blue Jays |
DSL Blue Jays | [49] |
2019 | Buffalo Bisons | New Hampshire Fisher Cats | Dunedin Blue Jays | Lansing Lugnuts | Vancouver Canadians | Bluefield Blue Jays GCL Blue Jays |
DSL Blue Jays | [50] |
2020[n 3] | Buffalo Bisons | New Hampshire Fisher Cats | Dunedin Blue Jays | Lansing Lugnuts | Vancouver Canadians | Bluefield Blue Jays GCL Blue Jays |
DSL Blue Jays | [52] |
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.[53] Low-A was reclassified as Single-A in 2022.[54]
Season | Triple-A | Double-A | High-A | Single-A | Rookie | Foreign Rookie | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2021 | Buffalo Bisons | New Hampshire Fisher Cats | Vancouver Canadians | Dunedin Blue Jays | FCL Blue Jays | DSL Blue Jays | [55] |
2022 | Buffalo Bisons | New Hampshire Fisher Cats | Vancouver Canadians | Dunedin Blue Jays | FCL Blue Jays | DSL Blue Jays | [56] |
2023 | Buffalo Bisons | New Hampshire Fisher Cats | Vancouver Canadians | Dunedin Blue Jays | FCL Blue Jays | DSL Blue Jays | [57] |
2024 | Buffalo Bisons | New Hampshire Fisher Cats | Vancouver Canadians | Dunedin Blue Jays | FCL Blue Jays | DSL Blue Jays | [58] |