Return of the MWL: High-A Central renamed the Midwest League
From 1996 through 2019, the Lansing Lugnuts proudly and steadfastly competed in the Midwest League, winning two league championships and hosting four All-Star Games. In 2020, there was no Minor League Baseball season. And in 2021, the Midwest League was renamed the High-A Central as part of The Great Reorganization
From 1996 through 2019, the Lansing Lugnuts proudly and steadfastly competed in the Midwest League, winning two league championships and hosting four All-Star Games.
In 2020, there was no Minor League Baseball season.
And in 2021, the Midwest League was renamed the High-A Central as part of The Great Reorganization of Minor League Baseball under MLB control; the level moved up from Low-A to High-A, the Lugnuts changed affiliations from Toronto to Oakland, and the league shrank from 16 teams to 12 teams.
But as of Wednesday, March 16, the Midwest League name is back, along with the other historic league names that were removed entering 2021. The Triple-A West is once more the Pacific Coast League, and the Triple-A East is once again the International League. The Double-A Central returns to being the Texas League, with the Double-A East and Double-A South reverting to their former Eastern League and Southern League names. The High-A West goes back to its former moniker of Northwest League, and the High-A East gets its old Sally nickname back as the South Atlantic League. Lastly, you can once again call the Low-A East the Carolina League, the Low-A Southeast the Florida State League, and the Low-A West the California League.
Each of these league names returns with a great lineage of history. The Midwest League, for instance, dates back to 1966, when it replaced the Three-I League (Illinois, Iowa, Indiana). That makes it one of the newer kids on the block, what with the Sally beginning in 1903, the Texas League in 1888, the Southern League in 1885, and the International League, which saw the likes of Satchel Paige, Babe Ruth, Roberto Clemente and Jackie Robinson, in 1884.
The divisions remain as they were in 2021: The Midwest League East will see the Lugnuts battle West Michigan, Great Lakes, Dayton, Fort Wayne and Lake County. The West Division comprises Beloit, Cedar Rapids, Peoria, Quad Cities and Wisconsin. There is one notable team name change; the Marlins-affiliated Beloit Snappers rebranded as the Beloit Sky Carp during the offseason.
The Lugnuts open the 132-game Midwest League season at home against the Lake County Captains on Friday, April 8. Click here to purchase your tickets now.
For more information on the Lugnuts, call (517) 485-4500.
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