Northwest League

Template:Short description Template:About Template:Distinguish Template:Infobox sports league The Northwest League is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the Northwestern United States and Western Canada. A Class A Short Season league for most of its history, the league was promoted to High-A as part of Major League Baseball's 2021 reorganization of the minor leagues. The league operated as the High-A West in 2021, then resumed its original moniker in 2022.

History

The Northwest League (or the Northwestern League) has existed in various forms since 1890, and has been in its current incarnation since 1955.<ref name=hmsnwlben>Template:Cite news</ref> The current NWL is the descendant of the Western International League (WIL), a Class B league from 1937 to 1951 (with a stoppage during World War II) and Class A from 1952 to 1954. The league reformed as the Northwest League and dropped to Class B for the 1955 season.<ref name=sgbinblg>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=iofibpp>Template:Cite news</ref> The WIL had ten teams in its final season, with four in Canada.

In 1955, the Northwest League was formed, with seven charter teams: Salem Senators, Eugene Emeralds, Yakima Bears, Spokane Indians, Tri-City Braves, Wenatchee Chiefs, and Lewiston Broncs.<ref name=nwlbegtosh>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=tnyomlbb>Template:Cite news</ref> The league switched to the short season schedule in 1966;<ref name=workagr>Template:Cite news</ref> between then and 1982, the NWL fluctuated between four, six, and eight clubs. In 1983, the league returned to an eight-team circuit, which it maintained through 2019.

The start of the 2020 season was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic before ultimately being cancelled on June 30.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=2020can>Template:Cite news</ref> As part of Major League Baseball's 2021 reorganization of the minor leagues, the Northwest League was promoted to High-A, reduced to six teams, and renamed the "High-A West" for the 2021 season.<ref name=JMayo2-12-2021>Template:Cite web</ref> The two dropped teams were the Boise Hawks and Salem-Keizer Volcanoes. Following MLB's acquisition of the rights to the names of the historical minor leagues, the High-A West was renamed the Northwest League in 2022.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Current teams

Template:Table alignment

Team	Founded	MLB affiliation	City	Stadium	Capacity
Eugene Emeralds	1955	San Francisco Giants	Eugene, Oregon	PK Park	4,000
Everett AquaSox	1995	Seattle Mariners	Everett, Washington	Funko Field	3,682
Hillsboro Hops	2013	Arizona Diamondbacks	Hillsboro, Oregon	Hillsboro Ballpark	4,500
Spokane Indians	1898	Colorado Rockies	Spokane, Washington	Avista Stadium	6,803
Tri-City Dust Devils	2001	Los Angeles Angels	Pasco, Washington	Gesa Stadium	3,654
Vancouver Canadians	2000	Toronto Blue Jays	Vancouver, British Columbia	Nat Bailey Stadium	6,500

Template:OSM Location map

Champions

Template:Main

League champions have been determined by different means since the Northwest League's formation in 1955. Except for 1956, 1960, and from 1966 to 1973, all seasons have ended with playoffs to determine a league champion.<ref name=champions>Template:Cite web</ref>

The Spokane Indians have won 9 championships, the most in the league.<ref name=champions/>

Northwest League teams (1955–present)

Template:Col-begin Template:Col-2

Bellingham Dodgers: 1973–1976
Bellingham Mariners: 1977–1994
Bellingham Giants: 1995–1996
Bend Rainbows: 1970–1971
Bend Timber Hawks: 1978
Bend Phillies: 1981–1986
Bend Bucks: 1987–1991
Bend Rockies: 1992–1994
Blue Mountain Bears: 1983
Boise A's: 1975–1976
Boise Buckskins: 1978
Boise Hawks: 1987–2020
Central Oregon Phillies: 1979–1980
Coos Bay-North Bend A's: 1970–1973
Eugene Emeralds: 1955–1968; 1974–present
Everett AquaSox: 1995–present
Everett Giants: 1984–1994
Grays Harbor Loggers: 1977–1978; 1980
Grays Harbor Mets: 1979
Grays Harbor Ports: 1976
Hillsboro Hops: 2013–present
Lewiston Broncs: 1955–1974
Medford Giants: 1967–1968
Medford Dodgers: 1970–1971
Medford A's: 1979–1987
New Westminster Frasers: 1974
Portland Mavericks: 1973–1977
Portland Rockies: 1995–2000
Rogue Valley Dodgers: 1969

Template:Col-2

Salem-Keizer Volcanoes: 1997–2020
Salem Senators: 1955–1960; 1977–1981
Salem Dodgers: 1961–1965
Salem Dodgers: 1988–1989
Salem Angels: 1982–1987
Seattle Rainiers: 1972–1976
Southern Oregon A's: 1988–1995
Southern Oregon Timberjacks: 1996–1999
Spokane Indians: 1955–1956; 1972; 1983–present
Tri-Cities Triplets: 1983–1986
Tri-City A's: 1969
Tri-City Angels: 1963–1964
Tri-City Atoms: 1961; 1965–1968
Tri-City Braves: 1955–1960
Tri-City Dust Devils: 2001–present
Tri-City Padres: 1970–1972
Tri-City Ports: 1974
Tri-City Triplets: 1973
Vancouver Canadians: 2000–present
Victoria Mussels: 1978–1979
Victoria Blues: 1980
Walla Walla Bears: 1969
Walla Walla Phillies: 1970–1971
Walla Walla Islanders: 1972
Walla Walla Padres: 1973–1982
Wenatchee Chiefs: 1955–1965
Yakima Bears (original): 1955–1964
Yakima Bears: 1990–2012
Yakima Valley Braves: 1965–1966

Template:Col-end

Cities that have hosted NWL teams

Template:Col-begin Template:Col-2

British Columbia

New Westminster: 1974 (1 season)
Vancouver: 2000–2023 (24 seasons)
Victoria: 1978–1980 (3 seasons)

Idaho

Boise: 1975–1976, 1978, 1987–2020 (34 seasons)
Lewiston: 1955–1974 (20 seasons)

Oregon

Bend: 1970–1971, 1978–1994 (19 seasons)
North Bend: 1970–1972 (3 seasons)
Eugene: 1955–1968, 1974–2024 (64 seasons)
Hillsboro: 2013–2024 (11 seasons)
Keizer: (Shared with Salem) 1997-2020 (23 seasons)
Medford: 1967–1971, 1979–1999 (26 seasons)
Portland: 1973–1977, 1995–2000 (11 seasons)
Salem: 1955–1965, 1977–1989, (shared with Keizer) 1997–2020 (45 seasons)

Template:Col-2

Washington

Aberdeen: 1976–1980 (5 seasons)
Bellingham: 1973–1996 (24 seasons)
Everett: 1984–2023 (40 seasons)
Seattle: 1972–1976 (5 seasons)
Spokane: 1955–1956, 1972, 1983–2023 (44 seasons)
Tri-Cities: 1955–1974, 1983–1986, 2001–2023 (44 seasons)
Walla Walla: 1969–1983 (15 seasons)
Wenatchee: 1955–1965 (11 seasons)
Yakima: 1955–1966, 1990–2012 (35 seasons)

Template:Col-end Eugene is the most-tenured city in the NWL, having fielded a team in all but five of the NWL's seasons (from 1969–73, they had a PCL franchise).