The 25th anniversary season for the Sacramento River Cats in Sacramento was one of much success, both on and off the field as the River Cats organization was named the 2024 Bob Freitas Award by Baseball America for the best overall Triple-A organization for the second time in their history (also: 2004).
Sacramento was above the .500 mark for the entire season and finished with 80 wins, the first time achieving the respective accomplishments since 2012. Additionally, the River Cats sold their most new season tickets in a single year since the inaugural season in 2000, had the best single-game turnstile (Sept. 21) since 2019, saw an 8.8 percent total increase in per-game turnstile, and were recognized by the Consulate General of Mexico for their outstanding work in enhancing visibility and representation.
Out of the 86 total players Sacramento used in 2024, 26 of them made their Triple-A debut including three first-round picks in Hunter Bishop (2019), Reggie Crawford (2022), and Bryce Eldridge (2023). Of those 86 players, 38 appeared in uniform for both the River Cats and the San Francisco Giants. River Cats players earned a total of five mid-season awards, including two PCL Pitcher of the Week honors (Mason Black, Tommy Romero), two PCL Player of the Week honors (Tyler Fitzgerald, Luis Matos), and one PCL Pitcher of the Month award (Spencer Bivens).
Memorable moments were aplenty in 2024, which started with Donovan Walton hitting a home run and earning the pitching victory from the mound during Sacramento’s 4-2 extra-innings victory over the Reno Aces on April 2. Four of the first five victories for the River Cats in 2024 came by only one run. Casey Schmitt set a new franchise record with 30 RBI through the first 30 games. Brett Wisely hit a walk-off home run, not just once but twice with each coming a month apart, only to be outdone when Cavan Biggio had two walk-off efforts in a three-day span. Hunter Bishop’s first Triple-A home run was of the inside-the-park variety, one of two on the season for Sacramento as Tyler Fitzgerald logged his second in as many years. Walton also hit two of Sacramento’s five grand slams, while the trio of Marco Luciano, Logan Porter and Jerar Encarnacion hit back-to-back-to-back home runs on June 27.
In 2019, the River Cats celebrated their 20th season in Sacramento in championship fashion, winning the PCL North Division, Pacific Coast League, and Triple-A Championships. Sacramento has won three Triple-A Championships (2007, 2008, 2019) and five Pacific Coast League Championships (including back-to-back championships in 2003 and 2004, and again in 2007 and 2008). The team has won a total of 12 Pacific Coast League Division titles, all coming in the North division (2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2019).
The 2024 season was the 10th in a new era for the Sacramento River Cats. After 15 seasons as an affiliate of the Oakland Athletics, the River Cats are now the Triple-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. Since 1904, the Giants have appeared in the postseason 26 times and won 21 National League pennants. After winning their eighth World Championship in 2014, the Giants became just the fifth franchise in Major League Baseball history to win three championships in the span of five seasons ('10, '12, '14).
There have been five Pacific Coast League Most Valuable Player honors in Sacramento history, most recently earned by David Villar following the 2022 campaign in which he batted .275 with 27 home runs and 82 RBI. He is the first to win the award since the River Cats became an affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. Past winners include infielders Jose Ortiz (2000), Graham Koonce (2003), Dan Johnson (2004), and Scott McClain (2006).
Sacramento saw a franchise record 97 players take the field in 2022. History was also made during the 2019 season as four pitchers (Norwith Gudino, Conner Menez, Tyler Cyr, Trevor Gott) combined to no-hit the Salt Lake Bees on Sept. 3, 2021.
Since the 2015 season, Sutter Health Park has been home to several notable Giants prospects, including 2024 MLB All-Star Heliot Ramos, Kyle Harrison, Mike Yastrzemski, 2024 National League Rawlings Gold Glove recipient Patrick Bailey, 2016 National League All-Star and 2021 World Series Champion Adam Duvall (Braves), and more.
As an affiliate of the Athletics, the River Cats graduated numerous players to the Major Leagues, including 2002 American League Cy Young Award winner Barry Zito (A's), 2002 American League Rookie of the Year Eric Hinske (Blue Jays), 2004 American League Rookie of the Year Bobby Crosby (A's), Eric Byrnes, Nick Swisher, and more.
Off the field, Sacramento has consistently been the talk of Minor League Baseball. The River Cats have been winners of numerous awards for its business practices, sustainability efforts, and outstanding community presence, including October 2024 when the River Cats earned one gold and three bronze medals from Green Operations & Advanced Leadership (GOAL) for their work on Waste Reduction, Diversity & Inclusion, and Sustainable Partnerships. Consistently one of the top-drawing teams in Minor League Baseball, the River Cats attracted the ninth-highest attendance figure for the 2018 campaign (538,786).
The River Cats franchise was purchased by majority owner Art Savage in October 1998 and was relocated to Sacramento prior to the 2000 season from Vancouver, British Columbia. Formerly the Vancouver Canadians (1999 Triple-A World Series Champions), the River Cats call Sutter Health Park home. Nestled along the Sacramento River in West Sacramento, the privately-financed ballpark is the crown jewel of Minor League Baseball.
Affiliate of Oakland Athletics: 2000-2014
Affiliate of San Francisco Giants: 2015-Present
Division Champions: 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2019
League Champions: 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2019
Triple-A Champions: 2007, 2008, 2019
Here are just a few features at Sutter Health Park:
- Overall capacity: 14,014 (10,632 bowl seats and space for 2,566 on the Toyota Home Run Hill)
- 34 Luxury/Business Entertainment Suites
- Only 30 rows in the main seating bowl, including 21 4Topp seating areas behind home plate
- The exclusive Legacy Club
- Solon Club
- On Deck Shop team store
- Dinger’s Jamba Whirl’d - wiffle ball field, jungle gym, splash pad, and Dingerville
- Pacifico Porch and SacTown Smokehouse hospitality areas
The closest seat in Sutter Health Park is just 58 feet from home plate - 2 1/2 feet closer than where the pitching rubber is. Unique designs to the stadium, such as clubhouses beyond the left-field wall, give fans an opportunity to meet and get autographs from players on their way to and from the field.
Designed by the architectural firm HNTB (Howard, Needles, Tammen & Bergendoff) and located in The Bridge District of West Sacramento, Sutter Health Park is just 500 yards from historic Old Sacramento, and just a short walk, bike, or scoot from downtown and the State Capitol. This multi-purpose stadium is primarily home to the Sacramento River Cats but also hosts other sporting events (high school baseball, softball, soccer, etc.), outdoor concerts, festivals, and private functions.
Here are just a few features at Sutter Health Park:
- Overall capacity: 14,014 (10,632 bowl seats and space for 2,566 on the Toyota Home Run Hill).
- 36 Luxury/Business Entertainment Suites.
- Only 30 rows in the main seating bowl, including 21 4Topp seating areas behind home plate.
- The exclusive Legacy Club.
- Solon Club.
- On Deck Shop team store.
- Down on the Farm Kid's Corner - wiffleball field, jungle gym, splash pad, and Dingerville.
- Pacifico Porch, Home Run Terrace, and SacTown Smokehouse hospitality areas.
The closest seat in Sutter Health Park is just 58 feet from home plate - 2 1/2 feet closer than where the pitching rubber is. Unique designs to the stadium, such as clubhouses beyond the left-field wall, give fans an opportunity to meet and get autographs from players on their way to and from the field.
Designed by the architectural firm HNTB (Howard, Needles, Tammen & Bergendoff) and located in The Bridge District of West Sacramento, Sutter Health Park is just 500 yards from historic Old Sacramento, and just a short walk, bike, or scoot from downtown and the State Capitol. This multi-purpose stadium is primarily home to the Sacramento River Cats but also hosts other sporting events (high school baseball, softball, soccer, etc.), outdoor concerts, festivals, and private functions.