List of California League champions explained

The California League of Minor League Baseball is a Single-A baseball league in the United States. The league was founded in 1941, but ceased operations from 1942 to 1945 during World War II. The circuit reorganized in 1946 and was in continual operation through 2020. The 2020 season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic,[1] and the league ceased operations before the 2021 season in conjunction with Major League Baseball's (MLB) reorganization of Minor League Baseball.[2] In place of the California League, MLB created 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.

YearChampionScoreFinalist
1941 align=left 4–1 align=left Fresno Cardinals
1942
1943
1944
1945
1946 align=left 4–0 align=left Modesto Reds
1947 align=left 4–0 align=left Santa Barbara Dodgers
1948 align=left 4–3 align=left Stockton Ports
1949 align=left 4–1 align=left Ventura Yankees
1950 align=left 4–1 align=left Stockton Ports
1951 align=left 4–1 align=left Visalia Cubs
1952 align=left 4–2 align=left San Jose Red Sox
1953 align=left 4–2 align=left Stockton Ports
1954 align=left 4–1 align=left San Jose Red Sox
1955 align=left 3–1 align=left Stockton Ports
1956 align=left 3–1 align=left Stockton Ports
1957 align=left 3–1 align=left Reno Silver Sox
1958 align=left 3–1 align=left Visalia Redlegs
1959 align=left 4–2 align=left Bakersfield Bears
1960 align=left — —
1961 align=left — —
1962 align=left 4–3 align=left Reno Silver Sox
1963 align=left 2–0 align=left Modesto Colts
1964 align=left — —
1965 align=left 2–0 align=left San Jose Bees
1966 align=left — —
1967 align=left 2–0 align=left Modesto Reds
1968 align=left 2–1 align=left San Jose Bees
1969 align=left 2–1 align=left Visalia Mets
1970 align=left — —
1971 align=left 2–0 align=left Fresno Giants
1972 align=left 2–0 align=left Bakersfield Dodgers
1973 align=left 2–0 align=left Bakersfield Dodgers
1974 align=left 3–2 align=left San Jose Bees
1975 align=left — —
1976 align=left 3–1 align=left Salinas Angels
1977 align=left 3–0 align=left Salinas Angels
1978 align=left 3–2 align=left Lodi Dodgers
1979 align=left 3–2 align=left Stockton Ports
1980 align=left 3–0 align=left Visalia Oaks
1981 align=left 3–2 align=left Visalia Oaks
1982 align=left 4–2 align=left Visalia Oaks
1983 align=left 3–1 align=left Visalia Oaks
1984 align=left 3–1 align=left Bakersfield Dodgers
1985 align=left 3–2 align=left Stockton Ports
1986 align=left 3–0 align=left Visalia Oaks
1987 align=left 4–3 align=left Reno Padres
1988 align=left 3–0 align=left Stockton Ports
1989 align=left 3–0 align=left Stockton Ports
1990 align=left 3–2 align=left Bakersfield Dodgers
1991 align=left 3–2 align=left Stockton Ports
1992 align=left 3–1 align=left Visalia Oaks
1993 align=left 3–2 align=left Modesto A's
1994 align=left 3–1 align=left Modesto A's
1995 align=left 3–0 align=left San Jose Giants
1996 align=left 3–2 align=left San Jose Giants
1997 align=left 3–0 align=left San Bernardino Stampede
1998 align=left 3–1 align=left Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
1999 align=left 3–2 align=left San Jose Giants
2000 align=left 3–0 align=left Visalia Oaks
2001
align=left — —
2002 align=left 3–1 align=left Lake Elsinore Storm
2003 align=left 3–0 align=left Stockton Ports
2004 align=left 3–2 align=left Lancaster JetHawks
2005 align=left 3–2 align=left Lake Elsinore Storm
2006 align=left 3–2 align=left Visalia Oaks
2007 align=left 3–2 align=left Lake Elsinore Storm
2008 align=left 3–1 align=left Lancaster JetHawks
2009 align=left 3–0 align=left High Desert Mavericks
2010 align=left 3–2 align=left Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
2011 align=left 3–1 align=left Stockton Ports
2012 align=left 3–0 align=left Modesto Nuts
2013 align=left 3–0 align=left San Jose Giants
2014 align=left 3–2 align=left Visalia Rawhide
2015 align=left 3–0 align=left San Jose Giants
2016 align=left 3–0 align=left Visalia Rawhide
2017 align=left 3–0 align=left Lancaster JetHawks
2018 align=left 3–0 align=left Visalia Rawhide
2019 align=left 3–1 align=left Lake Elsinore Storm
2020 align=center colspan="3"
2021 align=left San Jose Giants[8] 3–0 align=left Fresno Grizzlies
2022 align=left 2–0 align=left Fresno Grizzlies
2023 align=left 2–0 align=left Rancho Cucamonga Quakes

Championship wins by team

Active California League teams appear in bold.

WinsTeamChampionship years
12San Jose Red Sox / Bees / Missions / Giants1949, 1953, 1962, 1967, 1979, 1998, 2001, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2021
11Stockton Ports1946, 1947, 1963, 1965, 1969, 1980, 1986, 1990, 1992, 2002, 2008
10Modesto Reds / A's/ Nuts1950, 1954, 1959, 1966, 1972, 1982, 1984, 2004, 2017, 2023
9Fresno Cardinals / Giants1952, 1955, 1956, 1958, 1964, 1968, 1974, 1985, 1987
6San Bernardino Stampede / Spirit / Inland Empire 66ers1995, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2013
4High Desert Mavericks1991, 1993, 1997, 2016
4Lake Elsinore Storm1996, 2001, 2011, 2022
4Reno Silver Sox1960, 1961, 1975, 1976
3Santa Barbara Saints / Dodgers1941, 1948, 1951
3Lodi Lions / Dodgers1973, 1977, 1981
3Rancho Cucamonga Quakes1994, 2015, 2018
3Visalia Mets / Oaks / Rawhide1971, 1978, 2019
2Bakersfield Dodgers1970, 1989
2Lancaster JetHawks2012, 2014
1Redwood Pioneers1983
1Riverside Red Wave1988
1Salinas Packers1957

Notes

References

General
Specific

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2020 Minor League Baseball Season Shelved. Minor League Baseball. June 30, 2020. July 1, 2020.
  2. Web site: Reichard . Kevin . Minor League Baseball Overhaul Unveiled. Ballpark Digest. February 12, 2021. February 13, 2021.
  3. Web site: Mayo. Jonathan. MLB Announces New Minors Teams, Leagues. Major League Baseball. February 12, 2021. February 12, 2021.
  4. Web site: Historical League Names to Return in 2022. Minor League Baseball. March 16, 2022. March 16, 2022.
  5. News: Kelsie . Heneghan . Playoffs Return to the Minor Leagues . Minor League Baseball . July 1, 2021 . July 2, 2021.
  6. Web site: Playoff Procedures. California League. Minor League Baseball. February 26, 2016.
  7. Web site: MiLB Playoff Procedures . MiLB.com . 28 September 2022.
  8. News: Trujillo . Nick . San Jose Wins Low-A West Title . Minor League Baseball . September 25, 2021 . October 10, 2021.

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