List of California League champions
The
Low-A West, an 8-team circuit divided into two divisions.[3] Prior to the 2022 season, MLB renamed the Low-A West as the California League, and it carried on the history of the league prior to reorganization.[4] In 2021, the Low-A West held a best-of-five series between the top two teams in the league, regardless of division standings, to determine a league champion.[5]
A league champion has been determined at the end of each season by either postseason playoffs or being declared champion by the league office. In 2019, the first-half winner in each division (North and South) received a bye into the second round, or division series. Each division's second-half winner and wild card team, the team with the best winning percentage over the entire season to have not won either half of the season, faced each other in a best-of-three series. The winner of this mini-series met the division's first-half winner in a best-of-five series to determine division champions. Then, the North and South division winners played a best-of-five series to determine a league champion.[6] As of 2022, the winners of each division from both the first and second halves of the season meet in a best-of-three division series, with the winners of the two division series meeting in a best-of-three championship series.[7]
League champions
- Score and finalist information is only presented when postseason play occurred. The lack of this information indicates a declared league champion.
| Year | Champion | Score | Finalist |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1941 | Santa Barbara Saints |
4–1 | Fresno Cardinals
|
| 1942 | Not in operation | ||
| 1943 | Not in operation | ||
| 1944 | Not in operation | ||
| 1945 | Not in operation | ||
| 1946 | Stockton Ports | 4–0 | Modesto Reds
|
| 1947 | Stockton Ports | 4–0 | Santa Barbara Dodgers |
| 1948 | Santa Barbara Dodgers | 4–3 | Stockton Ports |
| 1949 | San Jose Red Sox | 4–1 | Ventura Yankees
|
| 1950 | Modesto Reds |
4–1 | Stockton Ports |
| 1951 | Santa Barbara Dodgers | 4–1 | Visalia Cubs
|
| 1952 | Fresno Cardinals |
4–2 | San Jose Red Sox |
| 1953 | San Jose Red Sox | 4–2 | Stockton Ports |
| 1954 | Modesto Reds |
4–1 | San Jose Red Sox |
| 1955 | Fresno Cardinals |
3–1 | Stockton Ports |
| 1956 | Fresno Cardinals |
3–1 | Stockton Ports |
| 1957 | Salinas Packers |
3–1 | Reno Silver Sox |
| 1958 | Fresno Giants | 3–1 | Visalia Redlegs
|
| 1959 | Modesto Reds |
4–2 | Bakersfield Bears
|
| 1960 | Reno Silver Sox | — | — |
| 1961 | Reno Silver Sox | — | — |
| 1962 | San Jose Bees |
4–3 | Reno Silver Sox |
| 1963 | Stockton Ports | 2–0 | Modesto Colts
|
| 1964 | Fresno Giants | — | — |
| 1965 | Stockton Ports | 2–0 | San Jose Bees
|
| 1966 | Modesto Reds |
— | — |
| 1967 | San Jose Bees |
2–0 | Modesto Reds
|
| 1968 | Fresno Giants | 2–1 | San Jose Bees
|
| 1969 | Stockton Ports | 2–1 | Visalia Mets
|
| 1970 | Bakersfield Dodgers |
— | — |
| 1971 | Visalia Mets |
2–0 | Fresno Giants |
| 1972 | Modesto Reds |
2–0 | Bakersfield Dodgers
|
| 1973 | Lodi Lions |
2–0 | Bakersfield Dodgers
|
| 1974 | Fresno Giants | 3–2 | San Jose Bees
|
| 1975 | Reno Silver Sox | — | — |
| 1976 | Reno Silver Sox | 3–1 | Salinas Angels
|
| 1977 | Lodi Dodgers |
3–0 | Salinas Angels
|
| 1978 | Visalia Oaks |
3–2 | Lodi Dodgers
|
| 1979 | San Jose Missions | 3–2 | Stockton Ports |
| 1980 | Stockton Ports | 3–0 | Visalia Oaks
|
| 1981 | Lodi Dodgers |
3–2 | Visalia Oaks
|
| 1982 | Modesto A's |
4–2 | Visalia Oaks
|
| 1983 | Redwood Pioneers | 3–1 | Visalia Oaks
|
| 1984 | Modesto A's |
3–1 | Bakersfield Dodgers
|
| 1985 | Fresno Giants | 3–2 | Stockton Ports |
| 1986 | Stockton Ports | 3–0 | Visalia Oaks
|
| 1987 | Fresno Giants | 4–3 | Reno Padres
|
| 1988 | Riverside Red Wave | 3–0 | Stockton Ports |
| 1989 | Bakersfield Dodgers |
3–0 | Stockton Ports |
| 1990 | Stockton Ports | 3–2 | Bakersfield Dodgers
|
| 1991 | High Desert Mavericks | 3–2 | Stockton Ports |
| 1992 | Stockton Ports | 3–1 | Visalia Oaks
|
| 1993 | High Desert Mavericks | 3–2 | Modesto A's
|
| 1994 | Rancho Cucamonga Quakes | 3–1 | Modesto A's
|
| 1995 | San Bernardino Spirit |
3–0 | San Jose Giants |
| 1996 | Lake Elsinore Storm | 3–2 | San Jose Giants |
| 1997 | High Desert Mavericks | 3–0 | San Bernardino Stampede
|
| 1998 | San Jose Giants | 3–1 | Rancho Cucamonga Quakes |
| 1999 | San Bernardino Stampede |
3–2 | San Jose Giants |
| 2000 | San Bernardino Stampede |
3–0 | Visalia Oaks
|
| 2001 [a] |
San Jose Giants Lake Elsinore Storm |
— | — |
| 2002 | Stockton Ports | 3–1 | Lake Elsinore Storm |
| 2003 | Inland Empire 66ers | 3–0 | Stockton Ports |
| 2004 | Modesto A's |
3–2 | Lancaster JetHawks |
| 2005 | San Jose Giants | 3–2 | Lake Elsinore Storm |
| 2006 | Inland Empire 66ers | 3–2 | Visalia Oaks
|
| 2007 | San Jose Giants | 3–2 | Lake Elsinore Storm |
| 2008 | Stockton Ports | 3–1 | Lancaster JetHawks |
| 2009 | San Jose Giants | 3–0 | High Desert Mavericks |
| 2010 | San Jose Giants | 3–2 | Rancho Cucamonga Quakes |
| 2011 | Lake Elsinore Storm | 3–1 | Stockton Ports |
| 2012 | Lancaster JetHawks | 3–0 | Modesto Nuts |
| 2013 | Inland Empire 66ers | 3–0 | San Jose Giants |
| 2014 | Lancaster JetHawks | 3–2 | Visalia Rawhide |
| 2015 | Rancho Cucamonga Quakes | 3–0 | San Jose Giants |
| 2016 | High Desert Mavericks | 3–0 | Visalia Rawhide |
| 2017 | Modesto Nuts | 3–0 | Lancaster JetHawks |
| 2018 | Rancho Cucamonga Quakes | 3–0 | Visalia Rawhide |
| 2019 | Visalia Rawhide | 3–1 | Lake Elsinore Storm |
| 2020 | None (season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic)[1] | ||
| 2021 | San Jose Giants[8] | 3–0 | Fresno Grizzlies |
| 2022 | Lake Elsinore Storm | 2–0 | Fresno Grizzlies |
| 2023 | Modesto Nuts | 2–0 | Rancho Cucamonga Quakes |
Championship wins by team
Active California League teams appear in bold.
| Wins | Team | Championship years |
|---|---|---|
| 12 | San Jose Red Sox / Bees / Missions / Giants | 1949, 1953, 1962, 1967, 1979, 1998, 2001, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2021 |
| 11 | Stockton Ports | 1946, 1947, 1963, 1965, 1969, 1980, 1986, 1990, 1992, 2002, 2008 |
| 10 | Modesto Reds / A's/ Nuts | 1950, 1954, 1959, 1966, 1972, 1982, 1984, 2004, 2017, 2023 |
| 9 | Fresno Cardinals / Giants | 1952, 1955, 1956, 1958, 1964, 1968, 1974, 1985, 1987 |
| 6 | San Bernardino Stampede / Spirit / Inland Empire 66ers | 1995, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2013 |
| 4 | High Desert Mavericks | 1991, 1993, 1997, 2016 |
| 4 | Lake Elsinore Storm | 1996, 2001, 2011, 2022 |
| 4 | Reno Silver Sox | 1960, 1961, 1975, 1976 |
| 3 | Santa Barbara Saints / Dodgers | 1941, 1948, 1951 |
| 3 | Lodi Lions / Dodgers |
1973, 1977, 1981 |
| 3 | Rancho Cucamonga Quakes | 1994, 2015, 2018 |
| 3 | Visalia Mets / Oaks / Rawhide | 1971, 1978, 2019 |
| 2 | Bakersfield Dodgers |
1970, 1989 |
| 2 | Lancaster JetHawks | 2012, 2014 |
| 1 | Redwood Pioneers | 1983 |
| 1 | Riverside Red Wave | 1988 |
| 1 | Salinas Packers |
1957 |
Notes
- September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
References
- General
- "League Champions". California League. Minor League Baseball. Retrieved February 26, 2016.
- Specific
- ^ a b "2020 Minor League Baseball Season Shelved". Minor League Baseball. June 30, 2020. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
- ^ Reichard, Kevin (February 12, 2021). "Minor League Baseball Overhaul Unveiled". Ballpark Digest. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
- ^ Mayo, Jonathan (February 12, 2021). "MLB Announces New Minors Teams, Leagues". Major League Baseball. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
- ^ "Historical League Names to Return in 2022". Minor League Baseball. March 16, 2022. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
- ^ Heneghan, Kelsie (July 1, 2021). "Playoffs Return to the Minor Leagues". Minor League Baseball. Retrieved July 2, 2021.
- ^ "Playoff Procedures". California League. Minor League Baseball. Retrieved February 26, 2016.
- ^ "MiLB Playoff Procedures". MiLB.com. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
- ^ Trujillo, Nick (September 25, 2021). "San Jose Wins Low-A West Title". Minor League Baseball. Retrieved October 10, 2021.