They are the champions: MiLB's winningest clubs
This is the time of year when Minor League championships are won. But the absence of a Minor League Baseball season has meant the absence of playoffs, which has meant the absence of championships. You, of course, already knew this. So enough talk about absence. This article is about those
This is the time of year when Minor League championships are won. But the absence of a Minor League Baseball season has meant the absence of playoffs, which has meant the absence of championships. You, of course, already knew this.
So enough talk about absence. This article is about those with presence, the clubs that have time and time again ended a season with trophies and Champagne and other such signifiers of postseason dominance. What follows is a list of the title-winningest active team (or teams) in each league, and please note the word "active." To be on this list, a team must a) still exist and b) have won the titles in question while in the same league and city in which it currently operates.
Consider this article, then, a championship celebration of championship celebrations.
International League: Columbus Clippers (11 championships)
After playing their first two seasons as a Pirates affiliate, the Clippers linked up with the Yankees prior to the 1979 campaign. The result was an immediate three-peat, with a Steinbrenner-stocked club of "Almost Yankees" winning it all in 1979, '80 and '81. The Clippers won four more championships ('87, '91, '92, '96) as a Yankees affiliate, then four more (2010, '11, '15, '19) with the Indians as their parent club.
Of course, one could argue that the venerable Rochester Red Wings should get the nod when it comes to IL championships. Rochester has 19 titles, but the first nine occurred before the 1933 establishment of the Governors' Cup playoff series. This marked the first instance of postseason play on the circuit, which had previously awarded the title to the team with the best regular-season record. Rochester has won the Governors' Cup 10 times, one fewer than the aforementioned Clippers.
Pacific Coast League: Sacramento River Cats, Tacoma Rainiers (five championships)
The Pacific Coast League has a long and storied history, as it served as something like a de facto third Major League during an era when the American and National circuits had yet to traverse farther across the country than a few blocks above the western banks of the Mississippi River in St. Louis. Thus, it's not surprising that the PCL's all-time winningest teams are the San Francisco Seals (14 titles) and Los Angeles Angels (12). As for active clubs, that honor belongs to Tacoma and Sacramento, each of whom has won five.
Tacoma's titles came between 1961-2010 and are divided among four affiliations (Giants, Cubs, Yankees and Mariners). Sacramento won five in a far more condensed period, as the River Cats were established in 2000 and went on to capture titles in 2003-04, 2007-08 and 2019. The first four of those championships were as an Athletics affiliate. Last year's crown came as an affiliate of the Giants, with whom they remain.
Eastern League: Harrisburg Senators (six championships)
The city of Binghamton has been the site of many an Eastern League championship celebration. The Binghamton Triplets won 10 titles before folding in 1968 and the Binghamton Mets/Rumble Ponies, established in 1992, have won another three. But the active team with the most titles is the Harrisburg Senators, who won six in their first 13 seasons of existence (1987-99). This includes a four-peat from 1996-99, when the Senators were affiliated with the Montreal Expos. The last of the four consecutive titles was won in what is literally the most dramatic fashion possible, as Milton Bradley hit a grand slam on a 3-2 count with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning to give Harrisburg a 12-11 win over the Norwich Navigators.
Southern League: Birmingham Barons, Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (six championships)
The first iteration of the Birmingham Barons dates to 1885, but the current Southern League version of the team debuted in 1981. In the time since, they have hoisted the trophy on six occasions (1983, '87, '89, '93, 2002, '13). The club was a Tigers affiliate in 1983, but the remaining five came during their long-running (and still active) affiliation with the White Sox.
The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, who entered the Southern League as the Suns in 1970, also have won a half-dozen titles. The championships in question occurred between 1996-2014, during a period of time when the team was affiliated with the Tigers (one title), Dodgers (two titles) and, finally, Marlins (three titles).
Texas League: Arkansas Travelers (seven championships)
Like the Barons, the Arkansas Travelers have more than a century's worth of stories to tell. But while the team name dates to 1901, the current Texas League iteration of the Little Rock-based Travelers began in 1966. They went on to win it all in five times as a Cardinals affiliate (1971, '77, '79-80, '89) and twice with the Angels (2001, '08). The Travelers are still a long way from the all-time Texas League record, as the Houston Buffaloes were league champions 16 times between 1889-1957.
California League: San Jose Giants (nine championships)
San Jose and Stockton have each been home to 11 California League championships. The current iteration of the Stockton Ports, established in 1978, has won six. The San Jose Giants have won nine since their establishment as the Bees in 1962. The Orioles-affiliated Bees won it all in '62 and '67, while the Mariners-affiliated Missions brought home the trophy in '79. Since then, San Jose's championships have all come courtesy of the Giants (in '98, 2001, '05, '07 and '09-10).
Carolina League: Winston-Salem Dash (11 championships)
Winston-Salem has been a bedrock of the Carolina League, fielding a team every year since 1945. The Cardinals were the first Winston-Salem team to win it all, doing so in 1950 and again in '51. The Winston-Salem Red Sox added five titles, accomplishing the feat in 1964, '70, '73, '76 and '79. The Spirits, a Cubs affiliate, enjoyed back-to-back championships in 1985-86, then won again in '93. The last Winston-Salem team to emerge as ultimate victors was the 2003 Warthogs, whose parent club was the White Sox.
Florida State League: Daytona Tortugas (six championships)
The Tortugas were known as the Cubs from 1993-2014, winning the FSL championship on a half-dozen occasions ('95, '00, '04, '08, '11 and '14). Their 2004 championship was shared with Tampa, as the teams were unable to play the Finals as a result of Hurricane Ivan's foreboding approach.
Midwest League: Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (nine championships)
The Timber Rattlers joined the Midwest League as the Appleton Foxes in 1962. The Foxes won it all for the first time two years later, as an Orioles affiliate. Their next seven titles, secured between 1964-84, came during a fertile affiliation with the White Sox. The team has won it all just once -- 2012 -- in the Brewers-affiliated Timber Rattlers era.
South Atlantic League: Greensboro Grasshoppers, Augusta GreenJackets, Asheville Tourists (four championships)
The South Atlantic League as we know it today was established in 1980, and in each of the circuit's first three seasons, the Greensboro Hornets captured the championship. Greensboro has won it all on just one other occasion (2011), however. Augusta and Asheville also have claimed a quartet of titles apiece. The former accomplished the feat in 1984, 2001, '04 and '14. The latter in 1989, '95, '99 and 2008.
*New York-Penn League: Auburn Doubledays (eight championships)
*The Oneonta Yankees won a whopping 12 New York-Penn League titles between 1968-98, but that franchise relocated in 2009 to Norwich, Connecticut. This leaves Auburn as the reigning NYPL title king, having won it all eight times. Three came as the Auburn Mets (1962, '64 and '66). The next two came as the Twins ('67 and '70). The Phillies netted one ('73). The Doubledays have won two, in 1998 as an Astros affiliate and 2007 as a Blue Jays affiliate.
Northwest League: Spokane Indians (eight championships)
The Spokane Indians joined the Northwest League as a Padres affiliate in 1983. The team had a remarkable run of success from 1987-90, when it rattled off four championships in a row while its players posed their baseball card photos inside a local mall. The team added one title during its time with the Royals in 1999. Their ongoing Rangers era began with another championship in 2003. Two more followed, in 2005 and '08.
Appalachian League: Bluefield Blue Jays (14 championships)
Bluefield has been in the Appalachian League for a long time, so long that the city's first two championships came in 1949-50 when it was an affiliate of the Boston Braves. Bluefield added a third title in '54, as a Red Sox affiliate; the fourth came in '57 during the team's only season with the Brooklyn Dodgers. A long-running "Baby Birds" affiliation began with the Orioles in '58 and resulted in 10 championships between 1962-2001.
Pioneer League: Billings Mustangs (11 championships)
The uber-venerable Billings Mustangs have won 15 championships, with the first four occurring between 1950-62. The franchise ceased to exist from 1963-68, however. The "new" Mustangs debuted as a Seattle Pilots affiliate in 1969 after the six-season hiatus. Championships were summarily won in '72 and '73, the final two seasons of a three-season stint as a Royals affiliate. Billings partnered with the Reds in '74, an affiliation that lasts to this day. Nine championships have been won during this time, the first in 1978 and the last in 2014.
Benjamin Hill is a reporter for MiLB.com and writes Ben's Biz Blog. Follow Ben on Twitter @bensbiz.
Orioles' Honeycutt joins The Show Before the Show
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Red Sox prospect rips double THROUGH Fenway-esque scoreboard
Red Sox No. 4 prospect Franklin Arias, an infielder for High-A Greenville, REALLY didn’t want to let visiting Asheville score any runs in the top of the eighth inning on Friday night. With runners on first and second base in the bottom of the fourth, Arias showed he apparently held
April's hottest hitting prospects -- one for each organization
The Minor League season is a month old and several of the game's best hitting prospects are off to fast starts. Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony is tearing up Triple-A (just like he did at the end of last year), Padres shortstop Leo De Vries is leading the High-A Midwest
Check out the best -- and wackiest -- Minor League promos happening in May
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from the Baseball Traveler newsletter, presented by Circle K, is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
MiLB podcast coming LIVE to a Somerset this June
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
New ballparks highlight 2025 MiLB road trip stops
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from the Baseball Traveler newsletter, presented by Circle K, is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
Minor League Baseball partners with TruGreen
FRANKLIN, Tenn. -- TruGreen, the nation's leading lawn care treatment provider, is proud to announce a groundbreaking partnership with Minor League Baseball that includes activations across all 120 clubs, a makeover of the home dugout in each market, sponsorship of select MiLB team grounds crews, and a new initiative called
Podcast explains why the Syracuse Mets are looking for Jim Morrison
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Dash im-prom-tu promo and Mets' Suero joins the podcast
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Minor League Baseball partners with Circle K
Minor League Baseball announced a new national partnership with Circle K, which will see the convenience store giant become the “Official Convenience Store of Minor League Baseball.” During the 2025 season, the Circle K brand will be integrated into the MiLB in-stadium experience through in-game video board assets at most
These 15 moments led to season No. 15 of Minor League road trips
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from his newsletter is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
MiLB podcast crew makes Opening Day predictions
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Everything you need to know for Triple-A Opening Day
First, there was big league Opening Day. Now it's Triple-A's turn to take the spotlight. The Minor League season opens Friday when the Triple-A International League and Pacific Coast League seasons get underway for the first of MiLB’s two Opening Days. And right out of the gates, several of baseball's
Top prospects to watch at Triple-A -- one for each organization
It’s Triple-A’s turn up to bat on Friday. The regular season begins for the Minor Leagues’ highest level one day after the action starts on the Major League side. Fun fact: it’ll be the earliest start to a Minor League season since 1951 (March 27). Double-A, High-A and Single-A will
Here's where every Top 100 prospect is expected to start the season
The 2025 Opening Day prospect roster announcements began last week when the Cubs informed Matt Shaw (MLB No. 19) he was making the trip overseas to compete in the Tokyo Series. Roki Sasaki (No. 1) also received the good news, but his assignment was much less of a surprise. Now
Nationals prospect King joins MiLB podcast
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Here are the 2025 All-Spring Breakout Teams
Fifteen games, several jersey swaps and countless highlights later, the second edition of Spring Breakout has officially concluded – and it lived up to its billing. Of the 16 contests sprinkled across four days, only one game (Dodgers vs. Cubs) was rained out. Coincidentally, the Cubs were one of two
Rox young sluggers aim to bring pop back to Coors Field
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Coors Field may provide the best run-scoring environment in Major League Baseball, but the Rockies haven’t taken advantage of it in recent years. Even without adjusting for Coors, they have fielded offenses worse than the league average the past three seasons, and they scored the fewest runs
Astros brass sees potential in consistently 'underranked' farm system
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The last time the Astros landed in the top 10 of MLB Pipeline’s farm system rankings was before the 2019 season. Since those rankings expanded to all 30 teams ahead of the 2020 season -- 11 lists in total -- they’ve never ranked higher than
Complete results and highlights from Spring Breakout
The second edition of MLB Spring Breakout is complete, and there was no shortage of highlights from the future stars of Major League Baseball over the four-day showcase. Here's a complete breakdown of the 16-game exhibition:
Southpaw Spring Breakout: White Sox future on display with Schultz, Smith
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- If all goes as planned for the White Sox, left-handers Hagen Smith and Noah Schultz won’t spend much time following each other to the mound in a single game. Schultz, the No. 1 White Sox prospect and No. 16 overall, per MLB Pipeline, and Smith, who is
In first pro game, Rainer offers pop, promise to Tigers fans
NORTH PORT, Fla. -- Bryce Rainer’s pro career consisted of workouts and batting practice until Sunday.
'Me and Brady on the dirt again': House, King reunite at Spring Breakout
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The 2025 Spring Breakout was a flashback for Brady House and Seaver King. Over 10 years ago, the infielders were travel ball teammates in Georgia who shared the dream of making it to the Major Leagues. Now, they are top prospects in the same organization,
Lambert -- 'an adrenaline guy' -- hoping to be next Mets bullpen gem
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Ryan Lambert loves throwing hard. He relishes the idea of getting to two strikes and blowing hitters away. “Get me in a game,” Lambert said, “cool things will happen.”
Stewart embraces Spring Breakout: 'What's not to love?'
PHOENIX -- Sal Stewart was one fired-up Reds prospect. On Sunday in the first inning during the organization's 9-7 Spring Breakout win over Brewers prospects, Stewart lifted a 2-2 pitch that sailed over the center fielder's head to the wall. Already not known as a speedster, he stumbled running between