View source for Midwest League

{{short description|American Minor League baseball league}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Infobox sports league
| logo        = Midwest League logo.svg
| current_season = 2025 Midwest League season
| pixels      = 
| caption     = 
| sport       = [[Baseball]]
| classification = [[High-A]] (2021–present)<br />[[Class A (baseball)|Class A]] (1963–2020)<br/>[[Class D (baseball)|Class D]] (1947–1962)
| founded     = {{start date and years ago|1947|p=yes}}
| president   = 
| motto       =
| teams       = 12
| country     = United States
| champion    = [[West Michigan Whitecaps]] (2025)
| most_champs = [[Wisconsin Timber Rattlers]] and [[Lansing Lugnuts]] (9)
| TV          = 
| folded      = 
| replaced = 
| website     = 
}}

The '''Midwest League''' is a [[Minor League Baseball]] league established in 1947 and based in the [[Midwestern United States]]. A [[Class A (baseball)|Class A]] 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 Midwest League began as the [[Illinois State League]] (1947–1948) and then became the [[Mississippi–Ohio Valley League]] (1949–1955). In 1956, the Mississippi–Ohio Valley League was renamed the Midwest League.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/league.cgi?code=MSOH&class=D |title=Mississippi-Ohio Valley League (D) Encyclopedia and History |website=[[Baseball-Reference.com]] |access-date=March 15, 2018}}</ref><ref name="baseball-reference.com">{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/league.cgi?code=MIDW&class=A |title=Midwest League (A) Encyclopedia and History |website=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=March 15, 2018}}</ref> The circuit temporarily operated for the 2021 season as the '''High-A Central''' before reassuming its original moniker in 2022.

The [[Lansing Lugnuts]] and [[Wisconsin Timber Rattlers]] franchises jointly have won the most [[List of Midwest League champions|Midwest League championships]], with nine each.

==History==
The Midwest League directly evolved from two earlier leagues in the region. In 1947, the Class D [[Illinois State League]] (ISL) began operation with six Illinois teams: the [[Belleville Stags]], [[Centralia Cubs]], [[Marion Indians]], [[Mattoon Indians]], [[Mount Vernon Kings|Mount Vernon Braves]], and [[West Frankfort Cardinals]]. In 1949, the ISL changed its name to the [[Mississippi–Ohio Valley League]] after Marion moved their franchise to Kentucky and became the [[Paducah Chiefs]]. In 1954, the Mississippi-Ohio Valley League expanded, adding teams in [[Clinton, Iowa|Clinton]] and [[Dubuque, Iowa]]. The Mississippi-Ohio Valley League was then renamed Midwest League in 1956.

The original teams in 1956, the first year of Midwest League play, were: [[Clinton LumberKings|Clinton Pirates]], [[Decatur Commodores]], [[Dubuque Packers]], [[Kokomo Dodgers]], [[Lafayette Red Sox]], [[Mattoon Phillies]], [[Michigan City White Caps]] and the [[Paris Lakers]]. Mattoon is the oldest franchise in the MWL, evolving into today's [[Fort Wayne TinCaps]], while Clinton is the oldest MWL locale.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/league.cgi?id=0c107f1f |title=1956 Midwest League |website=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=March 15, 2018}}</ref>

In 1960, the [[Quad Cities River Bandits|Davenport Braves]] joined the league as an expansion team. In 1962, [[Appleton, Wisconsin|Appleton]], [[Burlington, Iowa|Burlington]], and [[Cedar Rapids, Iowa|Cedar Rapids]] joined the Midwest League from the [[Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League]] which folded operations when those franchises switched leagues.<ref name="baseball-reference.com"/> All those franchised remain in the league today. In 1963, the Midwest League was designated as a Class A league, after the minor league classification structure was reorganized.<ref>{{cite web |first=John |last=Cronin |url=http://sabr.org/research/truth-minor-league-class-structure-case-reclassification-minors |title=Truth in the Minor League Class Structure: The Case for the Reclassification of the Minors - Society for American Baseball Research |date=Spring 2013 |website=sabr.org |access-date=March 15, 2018}}</ref>

The 1975 [[Waterloo Hawks (baseball)|Waterloo Royals]], led by future MLB All-Stars [[Willie Wilson (baseball)|Willie Wilson]] and [[Dan Quisenberry]], are ranked #60 on MiLB.com's Top 100 Teams. The Royals finished the season 93–35.<ref>{{cite web |first1=Bill |last1=Weiss |first2=Marshall |last2=Wright |url=http://www.milb.com/milb/history/top100.jsp?idx=60 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103180112/http://www.milb.com/milb/history/top100.jsp?idx=60 |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 3, 2012 |title=Top 100 Teams - MiLB.com History - The Official Site of Minor League Baseball |date=2001 |website=[[MiLB.com]] |access-date=March 15, 2018}}</ref>

In 1976, the Midwest League contracted from ten teams to eight, as franchises in [[Danville, Illinois|Danville]] and Dubuque were eliminated. In 1982, the league expanded from 8 to 12 teams, adding the [[Beloit Brewers]], the [[Danville Suns]], the [[Madison Muskies]], and the [[Springfield Cardinals (Illinois)|Springfield Cardinals]]. The [[Peoria Chiefs|Peoria Suns]] relocated from Danville in 1983, and acquired their current name, Peoria Chiefs, the following year. In 1988, the league began splitting its season into two halves and expanded from 12 to 14 teams, with the addition of franchises in [[South Bend, Indiana]], and [[Rockford, Illinois]]. During the 1990s several teams changed cities as [[Major League Baseball]] placed higher standards on minor league baseball facilities; franchises in smaller cities were sold to new owners who moved those teams to new ballparks in larger cities. [[Kenosha, Wisconsin|Kenosha]], Madison, Rockford, Springfield, [[Waterloo, Iowa|Waterloo]], and [[Wausau, Wisconsin|Wausau]] lost teams during this decade while [[Battle Creek, Michigan|Battle Creek]], [[Dayton, Ohio|Dayton]], [[Fort Wayne, Indiana|Fort Wayne]], [[Grand Rapids, Michigan|Grand Rapids]] (West Michigan), [[Kane County, Illinois|Kane County]], and [[Lansing, Michigan|Lansing]] gained teams.<ref name="baseball-reference.com"/>

The 1978 [[Wisconsin Timber Rattlers|Appleton Foxes]] are ranked #93 on the Top-100 All Time teams by MiLB.com.<ref name="Minor League Baseball">{{cite web |first1=Bill |last1=Weiss |first2=Marshall |last2=Wright |url=http://www.milb.com/milb/history/top100.jsp?idx=93 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120406054532/http://www.milb.com/milb/history/top100.jsp?idx=93 |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 6, 2012 |title=Top 100 Teams - MiLB.com History - The Official Site of Minor League Baseball |date=2001 |website=[[Minor League Baseball]] |access-date=March 15, 2018}}</ref> Led by future [[Cy Young Award]] winner [[LaMarr Hoyt]], the team finished 97–40. [[Harry Chappas]], [[Ross Baumgarten]] and [[Britt Burns]] were all called up to the parent Chicago White Sox at the conclusion of the MWL season. The 97 wins by the Foxes remains a Midwest League record.<ref name="Minor League Baseball"/>

The [[Fort Wayne TinCaps]] are the oldest franchise in the league, having begun as the Mattoon Indians in 1947 and playing in [[Keokuk, Iowa]]; [[Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin]]; and [[Kenosha, Wisconsin]], before moving to [[Fort Wayne, Indiana]], in 1993. The [[Clinton LumberKings]] have been in one city longer than any Midwest League team, having called [[Clinton, Iowa]], home since 1954.

The [[Southwest Michigan Devil Rays]] moved to [[Midland, Michigan]], and became the [[Great Lakes Loons]] prior to the 2007 season.

On September 2, 2008, Minor League Baseball announced that two teams would transfer from the fellow Class A [[South Atlantic League]] to the Midwest League: the [[Lake County Captains]] (an affiliate of the [[Cleveland Indians]] playing in [[Eastlake, Ohio]]) and the [[Bowling Green Hot Rods]] (an affiliate of the [[Tampa Bay Rays]] playing in [[Bowling Green, Kentucky]]).<ref>{{cite web |first=Kevin T. |last=Czerwinski |url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-453433 |title=Lake County, Bowling Green shifting to MWL |date=September 2, 2008 |website=[[Minor League Baseball]] |access-date=March 15, 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714093139/http://lexington.legends.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080902&content_id=453433&vkey=news_milb&fext=.jsp |archive-date=July 14, 2011}}</ref>

The start of the 2020 season was postponed due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]] before ultimately being cancelled on June 30.<ref>{{cite news |title=A Message From Pat O'Conner|url=https://www.milb.com/milb/news/message-from-minor-league-baseball-president-ceo-pat-o-conner-313052288|website=Minor League Baseball|date=March 13, 2020|access-date=May 5, 2020}}</ref><ref name=2020can>{{cite news |title=2020 Minor League Baseball Season Shelved|url=https://www.milb.com/news/2020-minor-league-baseball-season-shelved|website=Minor League Baseball|date=June 30, 2020|access-date=July 1, 2020}}</ref>

As part of Major League Baseball's 2021 reorganization of the minor leagues, the Midwest League was promoted to High-A, reduced to 12 teams, and temporarily renamed the "High-A Central" for the 2021 season.<ref name=JMayo2-12-2021>{{cite web|last=Mayo|first=Jonathan|title=MLB Announces New Minors Teams, Leagues|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/new-minor-league-baseball-structure|website=Major League Baseball|date=February 12, 2021|access-date=February 12, 2021}}</ref>  Following MLB's acquisition of the rights to the names of the historical minor leagues, the High-A Central was renamed the Midwest League effective with the 2022 season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/news/minor-league-baseball-historical-league-names-to-return-in-2022|title=Historical League Names to Return in 2022|website=Minor League Baseball|date=March 16, 2022|access-date=March 16, 2022}}</ref>

==Current teams==
<div style="display:inline-grid; vertical-align:top;">
<onlyinclude><!--NOTE: this directive must span the table, and only the table, so it can be embedded elsewhere-->
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!scope="col"| Division
!scope="col"| Team
!scope="col"| MLB affiliation
!scope="col"| City
!scope="col"| Stadium
!scope="col" data-sort-type="number"|Capacity
|-
! scope="rowgroup" rowspan="6" |East
! scope="row" style="text-align:left"|[[Dayton Dragons]]
|[[Cincinnati Reds]]
|[[Dayton, Ohio]]
|[[Day Air Ballpark]]
| align="center" |7,230
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:left"|[[Fort Wayne TinCaps]]
|[[San Diego Padres]]
|[[Fort Wayne, Indiana]]
|[[Parkview Field]]
|align="center" |8,100
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:left"|[[Great Lakes Loons]]
|[[Los Angeles Dodgers]]
|[[Midland, Michigan]]
|[[Dow Diamond]]
|align="center" |5,200
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:left"|[[Lake County Captains]]
|[[Cleveland Guardians]]
|[[Eastlake, Ohio]]
|[[Classic Auto Group Park]]
|align="center" | 7,273     
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:left"|[[Lansing Lugnuts]]
|[[Athletics (baseball)|Athletics]]
|[[Lansing, Michigan]]
|[[Jackson Field (Lansing)|Jackson Field]]
|align="center" |9,500
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:left"|[[West Michigan Whitecaps]]
|[[Detroit Tigers]]
|[[Comstock Park, Michigan]]
|[[LMCU Ballpark]]
|align="center" |9,281
|-
! scope="rowgroup" rowspan="6" | West
! scope="row" style="text-align:left"|[[Beloit Sky Carp]]
|[[Miami Marlins]]
|[[Beloit, Wisconsin]]
|[[ABC Supply Stadium]]
|align="center" |3,850
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:left"|[[Cedar Rapids Kernels]]
|[[Minnesota Twins]]
|[[Cedar Rapids, Iowa]]
|[[Veterans Memorial Stadium (Cedar Rapids)|Veterans Memorial Stadium]]
|align="center" |5,300
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:left"|[[Peoria Chiefs]]
|[[St. Louis Cardinals]]
|[[Peoria, Illinois]]
|[[Dozer Park]]
|align="center" |8,500
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:left"|[[Quad Cities River Bandits]]
|[[Kansas City Royals]]
|[[Davenport, Iowa]]
|[[Modern Woodmen Park]]
|align="center" |7,140
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:left"|[[South Bend Cubs]]
|[[Chicago Cubs]]
|[[South Bend, Indiana]]
|[[Four Winds Field at Coveleski Stadium]]
|align="center" |5,000
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:left"|[[Wisconsin Timber Rattlers]]
|[[Milwaukee Brewers]]
|[[Appleton, Wisconsin]]
|[[Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium]]
|align="center" |5,900
|}</onlyinclude></div>
<div style="display:inline-grid; vertical-align:top;">
{{OSM Location map
| nolabels = 1  
| coord = {{coord|42.0047|-86.4838}}
| zoom = 6
| width = 575
| height = 375
| float = left
| caption = '''Current team locations:'''{{Legend|#AA1205|East Division}}{{Legend|#105396|West Division}}
| auto-caption=1
| shape1=n-circle
| mark1 = Red pog.svg| shape-color1 = hard red| mark-title1 = Dayton Dragons| label1 = Dragons| mark-coord1 = {{coord|39.7642|-84.1854}}| label-pos1 = bottom| label-color1 = black
| mark2 = Red pog.svg| shape-color2 = hard red| mark-title2 = Fort Wayne TinCaps| label2 = TinCaps| mark-coord2 = {{coord|41.0743|-85.1429}}| label-pos2 = bottom| label-color2 = black
| mark3 = Red pog.svg| shape-color3 = hard red| mark-title3 = Great Lakes Loons| label3 = Loons| mark-coord3 = {{coord|43.6090|-84.2369}}| label-pos3 = bottom| label-color3 = black
| mark4 = Red pog.svg| shape-color4 = hard red| mark-title4 = Lake County Captains| label4 = Captains| mark-coord4 = {{coord|41.6409|-81.4360}}| label-pos4 = bottom| label-color4 = black
| mark5 = Red pog.svg| shape-color5 = hard red| mark-title5 = Lansing Lugnuts| label5 = Lugnuts| mark-coord5 = {{coord|42.7348|-84.5457}}| label-pos5 = bottom| label-color5 = black
| mark6 = Red pog.svg| shape-color6 = hard red| mark-title6 = West Michigan Whitecaps| label6 = Whitecaps| mark-coord6 = {{coord|43.0404|-85.6595}}| label-pos6 = bottom| label-color6 = black
| mark7 = Blue pog.svg| shape-color7 = dark blue| mark-title7 = Beloit Sky Carp| label7 = Sky Carp| mark-coord7 = {{coord|42.4973|-89.0401}}| label-pos7 = bottom| label-color7 = black
| mark8 = Blue pog.svg| shape-color8 = dark blue| mark-title8 = Cedar Rapids Kernels| label8 = Kernels| mark-coord8 = {{coord|41.9679|-91.6867}}| label-pos8 = bottom| label-color8 = black
| mark9 = Blue pog.svg| shape-color9 = dark blue| mark-title9 = Peoria Chiefs| label9 = Chiefs| mark-coord9 = {{coord|40.6874|-89.5980}}| label-pos9 = bottom| label-color9 = black
| mark10 = Blue pog.svg| shape-color10 = dark blue| mark-title10 = Quad Cities River Bandits| label10 = River Bandits| mark-coord10 = {{coord|41.5187|-90.5821}}| label-pos10 = bottom| label-color10 = black
| mark11 = Blue pog.svg| shape-color11 = dark blue| mark-title11 = South Bend Cubs| label11 = Cubs| mark-coord11 = {{coord|41.6703|-86.2556}}| label-pos11 = bottom| label-color11 = black
| mark12 = Blue pog.svg| shape-color12 = dark blue| mark-title12 = Wisconsin Timber Rattlers| label12 = Timber Rattlers| mark-coord12 = {{coord|44.2833|-88.4689}}| label-pos12 = bottom| label-color12 = black
}}</div>

==League champions==
{{main|List of Midwest League champions}}

==Teams since 1956==
{{main|List of Midwest League teams}}
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
*[[Beloit Sky Carp]] (2022–present)
**[[Beloit Snappers]] (1995–2021)
**[[Beloit Brewers]] (1982–1994)
*[[Bowling Green Hot Rods]] (2010–2020)
*[[Burlington Bees]] (1962–1981, 1993–2020)
**[[Burlington Rangers]] (1982–1985)
**[[Burlington Expos]] (1986–1987)
**[[Burlington Bees|Burlington Braves]] (1988–1990)
**[[Burlington Astros]] (1991–1992)
*[[Cedar Rapids Kernels]] (1993–present)
**[[Cedar Rapids Red Raiders]] (1962–1964)
**[[Cedar Rapids Cardinals]] (1965–1972)
**[[Cedar Rapids Astros]] (1973–1974)
**[[Cedar Rapids Giants]] (1975–1979)
**[[Cedar Rapids Reds]] (1980–1992)
*[[Clinton LumberKings]] (1994–2020)
**[[Clinton Pirates]] (1956–1959)
**[[Clinton C-Sox]] (1960–1965)
**[[Clinton Pilots]] (1966–1976)
**[[Clinton Dodgers]] (1977–1979)
**[[Clinton Giants]] (1980–1993)
*[[Danville Warriors]] (1970–1976)
*[[Dayton Dragons]] (2000–present)
**[[Rockford Expos]] (1988–1992)
**[[Rockford Royals]] (1993–1994)
**[[Rockford Cubbies]] (1995–1998)
**[[Rockford Reds]] (1999)
*[[Decatur Commodores]] (1956–1974)
*[[Dubuque Packers]] (1956–1967, 1974–1976; second franchise relocated from [[Quincy, Illinois]])
**[[Dubuque Royals]] (1968)
*[[Fort Wayne TinCaps]] (2009–present)
**[[Mattoon Phillies]] (1956)
**[[Mattoon Athletics]] (1957)
**[[Keokuk Cardinals]] (1958–1961)
**[[Keokuk Dodgers]] (April–August 1962)
**[[Midwest Dodgers]] (August 1962), based in [[Dubuque, Iowa]]
**[[Wisconsin Rapids Senators]] (1963)
**[[Wisconsin Rapids Twins]] (1964–1983)
**[[Kenosha Twins]] (1984–1992)
**[[Fort Wayne Wizards]] (1993–2008)
*[[Great Lakes Loons]] (2007–present), based in [[Midland, Michigan]]
**[[Springfield (IL) Cardinals]] (1982–1993)
**[[Madison Hatters]] (1994)
**[[Michigan Battle Cats]] (1995–2002)
**[[Battle Creek Yankees]] (2003–2004)
**[[Southwest Michigan Devil Rays]] (2005–2006), based in [[Battle Creek, Michigan]]
*[[Kane County Cougars]] (1991–2020), based in [[Geneva, Illinois]]
**[[Decatur Commodores]] (1956–1974)
**[[Wausau Mets]] (1975–1978)
**[[Wausau Timbers]] (1979–1990)
*[[Kokomo Dodgers]] (1956–1961)
*[[Lake County Captains]] (2010–present)
*[[Lansing Lugnuts]] (1996–present)
**[[Lafayette Red Sox]] (1956–1957)
**[[Waterloo Hawks (baseball)|Waterloo Hawks]] (1958–1969)
**[[Waterloo Royals]] (1970–1976)
**[[Waterloo Indians]] (1977–1988)
**[[Waterloo Diamonds]] (1989–1993)
**[[Springfield Sultans]] (1994–1995)
*[[Michigan City White Caps]] (1956–1959)
*[[Paris Lakers]] (1956–1959)
*[[Peoria Chiefs]] (1984–present)
**[[Danville Suns]] (1982)
**[[Peoria Suns]] (1983)
*[[Quad Cities River Bandits]] (2008–present), based in [[Davenport, Iowa]]
**[[Davenport Braves]] (1960)
**[[Quad Cities Braves]] (1961)
**[[Quad Cities Angels]] (1962–1976)
**[[Quad City Angels]] (1976–1978, 1985–1991)
**[[Quad City Cubs]] (1979–1984)
**[[Quad City River Bandits]] (1992–2003)
**[[Swing of the Quad Cities]] (2004–2007)
*[[Quincy Cubs]] (1965–1973); franchise moved to [[Dubuque, Iowa]], after the 1973 season
**[[Quincy Giants]] (1960–1961)
**[[Quincy Jets]] (1962–1963)
**[[Quincy Gems (baseball)|Quincy Gems]] (1964)
*[[South Bend Cubs]] (2015–present)
**[[South Bend White Sox]] (1988–1993)
**[[South Bend Silver Hawks]] (1994–2014)
*[[West Michigan Whitecaps]] (1994–present)
**[[Madison Muskies]] (1982–1993)
*[[Wisconsin Timber Rattlers]] (1995–present), based in [[Grand Chute, Wisconsin]]
**[[Appleton Foxes]] (1962, 1967–1994)
**[[Fox Cities Foxes]] (1963–1966)
{{div col end}}

==See also==
*[[Baseball awards#U.S. minor leagues]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Official website}}
* [http://www.mwlguide.com A Fan's Guide to the Midwest League]

{{Midwest League}}
{{Professional Baseball}}

[[Category:Midwest League| ]]
[[Category:Illinois State League| ]]
[[Category:Mississippi-Ohio Valley League| ]]
[[Category:Sports leagues established in 1947]]
[[Category:1947 establishments in the United States]]
[[Category:Professional sports leagues in the United States]]
[[Category:Minor baseball leagues in the United States]]