| Current Season: | 2024 Pecos League season |
| Last Season: | 2023 Pecos League season |
| Upcoming Season: | 2024 Pecos League season |
| Sport: | Baseball |
| Founded: | 2010 |
| Founder: | Bob Ward, Andrew Dunn |
| Inaugural: | 2011 |
| Owner: | Andrew Dunn |
| Ceo: | Andrew Dunn |
| Commissioner: | Andrew Dunn |
| Divisions: | 2 |
| Teams: | 16 |
| Champion: | Alpine Cowboys |
| Champ Season: | 2024 |
| Most Successful Club: | Roswell Invaders (4) |
| Streaming: | Meridix |
| Headquarters: | Houston, Texas |
| Country: | United States |
| Continent: | North America |
The Pecos League of Professional Baseball Clubs is an independent professional baseball league headquartered in Houston, which operates in cities in desert mountain regions throughout California, New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. The league plays in cities that do not have Major League Baseball or Minor League Baseball teams and is not affiliated with either.
The Pecos League season is a highly condensed one. Schedules vary, but teams have played as many as 70 games in 72 days, or 80 games in three months.[1] [2]
The Pecos League operated six teams in the 2011[3] and 2012 seasons and expanded to eight teams for 2013. Continued growth saw the league reach a high of 10 teams for 2014.
The Pecos League also operates a spring developmental league, which is a one-month showcase beginning in March for recent college graduates and free agents looking to catch on to a full season league.
In May 2014, Fox Sports 1 aired a six-part documentary about life in the Pecos League, mostly based on the Trinidad Triggers.
In August 2014, Jon Edwards made his major league debut with the Texas Rangers becoming the first player in Pecos League history to play in Major League Baseball.
In September 2016, Chris Smith was called up to the Toronto Blue Jays becoming the second player from the Pecos League to make a major league roster, though he did not appear in a game that season. Smith would eventually make his debut for the Blue Jays on June 27, 2017, against the Baltimore Orioles.
For 2016, the Las Vegas Train Robbers moved to Topeka, Kansas. Expansion teams were added in Great Bend, Kansas[4] and Tucson, Arizona.[5] [6] [7]
On February 25, 2016 it was announced that the Las Cruces Vaqueros would sit out the 2016 season due to severe damage to their home stadium.[8] Expansion team Salina Stockade[9] was added to the league and played a limited 11-game home schedule in 2016.
Following the 2016 season, a drastic shift in the Pecos League landscape occurred as two Kansas teams, the Salina Stockade and Great Bend Boom, both folded, while a third, the Topeka Train Robbers, moved to Bakersfield, California, taking the place of the former Bakersfield Blaze, who folded following the 2016 California League season.
The Train Robbers were joined in California for 2017 by three expansion teams: the High Desert Yardbirds (replacing the California League's High Desert Mavericks), the Monterey Amberjacks, and California City Whiptails. The league also announced a travel team, the Hollywood Stars, who played a handful of home games in Los Angeles.
For 2019, the Ruidoso Osos were replaced by the Wasco Reserves, and the league reduced the number of divisions from three to two.
For 2020, the Martinez Sturgeon and Santa Cruz Seaweed were announced as expansion teams, and the San Rafael Pacifics were added from the Pacific Association. They joined the all-California Pacific Division, and replaced the California City Whiptails and High Desert Yardbirds in the circuit. The Tucson Saguaros moved to the Mountain Division, taking the place of the White Sands Pupfish. Interdivisional games would not be played to cut down on travel and other expenses.[10] Later, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the league announced that the Mountain Division teams would not play at their home stadiums, and that 4 of the 6 teams would play a condensed 36-game season beginning on July 1, 2020.[11] All games were played at Coastal Baseball Park in Houston, Texas. The Pacific Division originally planned on enacting a similar format, but due to the ongoing pandemic, were unable to compete in 2020.
For the 2021 season, the Salina Stockade returned and the league announced the addition of the Colorado Springs Snow Sox as an expansion team. On April 4, the league announced its final division alignment for the season, which did not include California City and High Desert after previously indicating each would return.[12] On August 3, the league announced the Bay Series between the San Rafael Pacifics, Monterey Amberjacks, Martinez Sturgeon, and Santa Cruz Seaweed after the Bakersfield Train Robbers tested positive for COVID-19 and had to cancel their final home series.[13] The Pecos League operated the Houston Apollos in the American Association as a travel team.
In April 2021, Yermín Mercedes was called up to the Chicago White Sox where he set a major league record as the first baseball player in modern MLB history to begin a season with eight consecutive hits.
For the 2022 season, the league announced three expansion franchises: the Santa Rosa Scuba Divers, Austin Weirdos, and Weimar Hormigas.[14] After competing in 2021, Salina was not included as a member club in 2022.
Before 2023, the league introduced 4 new teams; the Lancaster Sound Breakers, Marysville Drakes, Blackwell Fly Catchers, and Dublin Leprechauns. The Weimar Hormigas, Colorado Springs Snow Sox, Wasco Reserve, and Santa Rosa Scuba Divers folded. Tucson moved back to the Mountain Division, while the Santa Cruz Seaweed moved to Vallejo, California.
For the 2024 season, the Lancaster Sound Breakers and Monterey Amberjacks did not return. The Sound Breakers folded due to the city of Lancaster entering into a lease with a soccer organization to use The Hangar, leaving the Sound Breakers without a stadium. The City of Monterey reportedly did not renew its contract with the league, but the Amberjacks plan to return in 2025.
To replace the Sound Breakers and Amberjacks, the league brought in two new teams for the season, the North Platte 80's and the Pecos Bills. Both of which are the first time that each city has had a team in the league
| Division | Team | Founded | City | Stadium | Capacity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mountain | Alpine Cowboys | 2009 | Alpine, Texas | Kokernot Field | align=center | 1,400[15] |
| Austin Weirdos | 2022 | Austin, Texas | Travel team | align=center | N/A | |
| Blackwell FlyCatchers | 2023 | Blackwell, Oklahoma | Morgan Field | align=center | 1,500 | |
| Garden City Wind | 2015 | Garden City, Kansas | Clint Lightner Field | align=center | 1,000[16] | |
| North Platte 80s | 2023 | North Platte, Nebraska | Bill Wood Field | 1,500 | ||
| Pecos Bills | 2023 | Pecos, Texas | Cyclone Ballpark | Unknown | ||
| Roswell Invaders | 2011 | Roswell, New Mexico | Joe Bauman Stadium | 500 | ||
| Santa Fe Fuego | 2012 | Santa Fe, New Mexico | Fort Marcy Ballfield | align=center | 1,100[17] | |
| Trinidad Triggers | 2012 | Trinidad, Colorado | Central Park | align=center | 887 | |
| Tucson Saguaros | 2016 | Tucson, Arizona | Kino Sports Complex | align=center | 11,000 | |
| Pacific | Bakersfield Train Robbers | 2013 | Bakersfield, California | Sam Lynn Ballpark | align=center | 2,700 |
| Dublin Leprechauns | 2023 | Dublin, California | Fallon Sports Park | 250 | ||
| Martinez Sturgeon | 2020 | Martinez, California | Waterfront Park | 200 | ||
| Marysville Drakes | 2023 | Marysville, California | Bryant Field | 4,000 | ||
| San Rafael Pacifics | 2020 | San Rafael, California | Albert Park | align=center | 1,200 | |
| Vallejo Seaweed | 2020 | Vallejo, California | Wilson Park | align=center | 500[18] |
A high number of Pecos League teams postponed their premiere seasons before they were slated to play, like the Pueblo Diablos (Bighorns) in Colorado, and Douglas Diablos, Maricopa Monsoon in Arizona and Nogales Sonorans or Skeletons.[19]
| Team | Season Proposed | Location | Homefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsburg Anchors[20] [21] | 2020 | Pittsburg, California | Central Park Field |
| Pecos Bills[22] [23] [24] | 2013 | Reeves County, Texas | Martinez Field |
| Atascadero 101s[25] [26] | 2020 | Atascadero, California | Alvord Field (Proposed) |
| Clovis Pioneers[27] [28] | 2012 | Clovis, New Mexico | Mike Harris Park |
| Del Rio Aviators/Gunslingers[29] [30] | 2011 | Del Rio, Texas | Bank and Trust Rams Field at Roosevelt Park |
| Lubbock Hubbers[31] | 2011 | Lubbock, Texas | Lubbock City Park |
| Amarillo Lone Stars[32] | 2016 | Amarillo, Texas | Potter County Memorial Stadium |
PlotData= width:15 textcolor:black shift:(5,-5) anchor:from fontsize:s bar:1 color:Full from:01/01/2011 till:end text:Alpine Cowboys (2011–present) bar:2 color:Past from:01/01/2011 till:12/31/2011 text:Carlsbad Bats (2011) bar:3 color:Past from:01/01/2011 till:12/31/2012 text:Las Cruces Vaqueros (2011–2012) bar:3 color:Past from:01/01/2015 till:12/31/2015 text:Las Cruces Vaqueros (2015) bar:4 color:Full from:01/01/2011 till:end text:Roswell Invaders (2011–present) bar:5 color:Past from:01/01/2011 till:12/31/2011 text:Ruidoso Osos (2011) bar:5 color:Past from:01/01/2013 till:12/31/2014 text:Raton Osos (2013–2014) bar:5 color:Past from:01/01/2018 till:12/31/2018 text:Ruidoso Osos (2018) bar:6 color:Past from:01/01/2011 till:01/01/2020 text:White Sands Pupfish (2011–2019) bar:7 color:Full from:01/01/2012 till:end text:Santa Fe Fuego (2012–present) bar:8 color:Full from:01/01/2012 till:end text:Trinidad Triggers (2012–present) bar:9 color:Past from:01/01/2013 till:12/31/2015 text:Las Vegas Train Robbers (2013–2015) bar:9 color:Past from:01/01/2016 till:01/01/2017 text:Topeka Train Robbers (2016) bar:9 color:Full from:01/01/2017 till:end text:Bakersfield Train Robbers (2017–) bar:10 color:Past from:01/01/2013 till:12/31/2014 text:Taos Blizzard (2013–2014) bar:11 color:Past from:01/01/2014 till:12/31/2014 text:Bisbee Blue (2014) bar:12 color:Past from:01/01/2014 till:12/31/2014 text:Douglas Diablos (2014) bar:13 color:Full from:01/01/2015 till:end text:Garden City Wind (2015–present) bar:14 color:Past from:01/01/2016 till:01/01/2017 text:Great Bend Boom (2016) bar:15 color:Past from:01/01/2016 till:01/01/2017 text:Salina Stockade (2016) bar:15 color:Past from:01/01/2020 till:12/31/2021 text:Salina Stockade (2020–2021) bar:16 color:Full from:01/01/2016 till:end text:Tucson Saguaros (2016–present) bar:17 color:Past from:01/01/2017 till:01/01/2020 text:California City Whiptails (2017–2019) bar:18 color:Past from:01/01/2017 till:01/01/2020 text:High Desert Yardbirds (2017–2019) bar:19 color:Past from:01/01/2017 till:01/01/2018 text:Hollywood Stars (2017) bar:20 color:Full from:01/01/2017 till:end text:Monterey Amberjacks (2017–present) bar:21 color:Past from:01/01/2019 till:12/31/2022 text:Wasco Reserve (2019–2022) bar:22 color:Full from:01/01/2020 till:end text:Martinez Sturgeon (2020–) bar:23 color:Full from:01/01/2020 till:end text:San Rafael Pacifics (2020–) bar:24 color:Past from:01/01/2020 till:11/17/2022 text:Santa Cruz Seaweed (2020–2022) bar:24 color:Full from:11/17/2022 till:end text:Vallejo Seaweed (2023–) bar:25 color:Past from:01/01/2021 till:12/31/2022 text:Colorado Springs Snow Sox (2021–2022) bar:26 color:Full from:01/01/2022 till:end text:Austin Weirdos (2022–) bar:27 color:Full from:01/01/2022 till:end text:Santa Rosa Scuba Divers (2022) bar:28 color:Past from:01/01/2022 till:12/31/2022 text:Weimar Hormigas (2022–2022) bar:29 color:Full from:01/01/2023 till:end text:Blackwell FlyCatchers (2023–) bar:30 color:Full from:01/01/2023 till:end text:Lancaster Sound Breakers (2023–) bar:31 color:Full from:01/01/2023 till:end text:Marrysville Drakes (2023–)
ScaleMajor = gridcolor:line unit:year increment:1 start:01/01/2011TextData = fontsize:L
textcolor:black
pos:(0,30) tabs:(400-center)
text:^"Pecos League Timeline"
| Season | Winner | Runner-up | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Roswell Invaders | Ruidoso Osos | 2–1 (best-of-3) | |
| 2012 | Alpine Cowboys | Las Cruces Vaqueros | 2–1 (best-of-3) | |
| 2013 | Roswell Invaders | Las Vegas Train Robbers | 2–0 (best-of-3) | |
| 2014 | Santa Fe Fuego | Alpine Cowboys | 2–1 (best-of-3) | |
| 2015 | Roswell Invaders[33] | Santa Fe Fuego | 2–0 (best-of-3) | |
| 2016 | Tucson Saguaros | Trinidad Triggers | 2–0 (best-of-3) | |
| 2017 | High Desert Yardbirds | Roswell Invaders | 2–0 (best-of-3) | |
| 2018 | Bakersfield Train Robbers[34] | Alpine Cowboys | 2–1 (best-of-3) | |
| 2019 | Alpine Cowboys | Bakersfield Train Robbers | 2–0 (best-of-3) | |
| 2020 | Tucson Saguaros | Salina Stockade | 2–0 (best-of-3) | |
| 2021 | Tucson Saguaros | Roswell Invaders | 2–1 (best-of-3) | |
| Roswell Invaders | Tucson Saguaros | 2–1 (best-of-3) | ||
| 2023 | San Rafael Pacifics | Tucson Saguaros | 2-1 (best-of-3) | |
| 2024 | Alpine Cowboys | San Rafael Pacifics | 2-0 (best-of-3) |
