Triple-A professional baseball provided the best in fun, family-oriented entertainment to Southern Nevada baseball fans for 41 years (1983-2019, 2021-24). It all started April 1, 1983, when an overflow crowd of 13,878 fans jammed Cashman Field for a Major League Baseball exhibition game between the Seattle Mariners and the San Diego Padres. Las Vegas then welcomed Pacific Coast League baseball to Cashman Field on April 10, 1983, before a crowd of 10,622. The then-Stars, in their brown, gold and burnt orange uniforms, defeated Salt Lake City, 11-8. Under manager Harry Dunlop, the Stars finished the 1983 regular season 83-60 (.580); it would stand as the franchise’s best single-season record for 19 years until the 2002 Las Vegas 51s went 85-59 (.590). Stars outfielder Kevin McReynolds, the 1983 PCL MVP, set the tone for the caliber of Triple-A players who would play in Las Vegas and compete in what was a talent-laden PCL. Thanks to their highly successful inaugural season, the 1983 Stars were inducted into the Southern Nevada Sports Hall of Fame on June 8, 2007. In just their third year of existence, the Stars - under manager Larry Bowa - captured their first PCL crown with an 80-62 (.563) record in 1986. Two years later (1988), manager Steve Smith led Las Vegas to a second PCL title (74-66, .529, regular season).
Cashman Field experienced another milestone on July 11, 1990, when it hosted the Triple-A All-Star Game. Two years later, Stars right-hander, Tim Worrell etched his name in the record books when he improbably tamed hitter-friendly Cashman Field by becoming the first Las Vegas pitcher in Cashman Field history to throw a no-hitter, doing so on September 5, 1992, against the Phoenix Firebirds.
During its first 18 years of existence (1983-2000), the Las Vegas franchise had a player development agreement with the San Diego Padres, posting a 1,227-1,329 record (.480) over those 18 seasons. The 1996 season, under the helm of Jerry Royster, was marred by tragedy when veteran infielder Mike Sharperson died on May 26 following a single-car accident at the interstate 15/215 Beltway interchange. The players rallied behind their popular fallen teammate and put together a 42-30 second-half record to earn the Stars’ first post-season berth since 1992. Sharperson’s #15 jersey was later retired.
Prominent players who suited up for Las Vegas during the team’s tenure as a Padres affiliate included: Sandy Alomar Jr. (two-time PCL MVP in 1988 and ‘89), Roberto Alomar, Carlos Baerga, Andy Benes, Bruce Bochy, Homer Bush, Jerald Clark, Joey Cora (franchise-record with a 37-game hitting streak), the late Mike Darr, Ben Davis, Rob Deer, Ozzie Guillen, the late Tony Gwynn (rehab assignment), Andy Hawkins, Dustin Hermanson, John Kruk, Rick Lancellotti (single-season franchise record with 131 RBI), Joe Lansford, Derek Lee, Keith Lockhart, Shane Mack, Tim Pyznarski (1986 PCL MVP), Bip Roberts, Benito Santiago, and Eddie Williams, who set a franchise record with four home runs and 10 RBI against Calgary on April 22, 1998.
The beginning of the 21st century also signaled a changing of the guard for the franchise. Las Vegas announced a new player development agreement with the Los Angeles Dodgers (2001), a franchise rich in tradition. Along with a new affiliation came a new nickname and logo when the Las Vegas Stars became the Las Vegas 51s. The alien-themed name and logo paid homage to the semi-secret government base known as “Area 51,” which is located 160 miles northwest of Las Vegas. The Dodgers spent eight seasons in Las Vegas (2001-08, 561-586, .489), advancing to the PCL playoffs once (in 2002).
During that time as a Los Angeles affiliate, Las Vegas fans got to watch several Dodger stars play at Cashman Field on MLB rehab assignments, including Adrian Beltre (2001), Paul Lo Duca (2001), Kevin Brown (2002), Dave Roberts (2003), Hideo Nomo (2004), Jayson Werth (2004-05), Milton Bradley (2005), Eric Gagné (2005-06), Brad Penny (2005), Odalis Perez (2005), Cesar Izturis (2006), Rafael Furcal (2008), Nomar Garciaparra (2008), Andruw Jones (2008) and Juan Pierre (2008). Fans also got to see the franchise’s second-no hitter thrown at Cashman Field, when Left-hander Lindsay Gulin no-hit Tacoma, on June 13, 2003.
Following the run with the Dodgers, the 51s spent four seasons as the top farm club of the Toronto Blue Jays (2009-12), compiling an overall record of 287-288 (.499). On September 17, 2012, Las Vegas announced a player development agreement with the New York Mets that would run for six years (2013-18). During that span, the 51s went 436-422 (.508) and captured back-to-back Pacific Conference Southern Division Titles (2013 & 2014; 81-63 record each season). In 2015, the Mets won the National League pennant and advanced to the World Series for the first time in 15 years (2000). A total of 11 players on the Mets’ 25-man World Series roster played with Triple-A Las Vegas between 2013-15.
Following the 2017 season, the Mets purchased the Triple-A Syracuse franchise in Syracuse, New York, announcing they would begin play in the International League in 2019. Needing a new affiliate, the 51s looked West and reached a deal with the Oakland Athletics on September 17, 2018. The initial two-year agreement between the clubs has since been extended via MLB’s Professional Development League (PDL) license holders agreement with the 120 minor league clubs.
Prior to the start of the 2019 season, the Las Vegas franchise experienced a total rebranding that included not just a new affiliate, but also a new nickname, logo and stadium. On December 8, 2018, the 51s officially became the Aviators, a name that pays tribute to Howard R. Hughes Jr., whose legacy includes significant aviation-related firsts and accomplishments. The organization also left Cashman Field near Downtown Las Vegas for brand-new Las Vegas Ballpark in Downtown Summerlin. The inaugural season at Las Vegas Ballpark was a smash, as the Aviators led all of Minor League Baseball in total attendance (650,934) and per-game attendance (9,299) in 2019, selling out 47 of 70 home games. The ballpark was named winner of the 2019 MiLB Triple-A Best of the Ballparks Fan Vote (also won in 2021 & 2022); winner of BaseballParks.com 20th Annual Ballpark of the Year Award; and honored as Ballpark of the Year and Aviators Team of the Year by Ballpark Digest.
Under PCL Manager of the Year Fran Riordan (also named PCL Manager of the Year in 2023, 75-74 record), the 2019 Aviators compiled the second-best record in the 16-team PCL (83-57, .593) and captured the 2019 Pacific Southern Division Championship, returning to the playoffs for the first time since 2014. The 83-57 record marked a single-season franchise record for winning percentage at .593 (140-game season).
Prominent players who have played for Las Vegas since the turn of the century include: Peter Alonso (2019 N.L. Rookie of the Year), J.P. Arencibia (2010 PCL MVP), Paul Blackburn, Seth Brown, Eric Campbell, David Cooper (2011 PCL batting champion), Travis d’Arnaud, Jacob deGrom (2014 Sporting News, MLBPA, BBWAA NL Rookie of the Year; 2018 & 2019 N.L. Cy Young Award), Eric Gagné, Zack Gelof, Phil Hiatt (2001 PCL MVP), Matt Kemp, Shea Langeliers, Brett Lawrie, James Loney (2006 PCL batting champion), Russell Martin, Jorge Mateo, Mason Miller, Rafael Montero, Sean Murphy, Brandon Nimmo, T.J. Rivera (2016 PCL batting champion), Amed Rosario (2017 PCL Rookie of the Year), Randy Ruiz (2009 PCL MVP), Dominic Smith, Noah Syndergaard, Terry Tiffee (2008 PCL batting champion) and Zack Wheeler.