The Chicago White Sox farm system consists of six Minor League Baseball affiliates across the United States and in the Dominican Republic. Four teams are independently owned, while two—the Arizona Complex League White Sox and Dominican Summer League White Sox—are owned by the major league club.
The White Sox have been affiliated with the Double-A Birmingham Barons of the Southern League since 1986, making it the longest-running active affiliation in the organization among teams not owned by the White Sox. It is also the longest affiliation in the team's history. Their newest affiliate is the Single-A Kannapolis Cannon Ballers of the Carolina League, which became a White Sox' affiliate in 2001.
Geographically, Chicago's closest domestic affiliate is the High-A Winston-Salem Dash of the South Atlantic League, which are approximately 560miles away. Chicago's furthest domestic affiliate is the Arizona Complex League White Sox of the Rookie Arizona Complex League some 1459miles away.
The Chicago White Sox farm system consists of six minor league affiliates.[1]
Season | Each year is linked to an article about that particular White Sox season. | - | League champions --> |
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Minor League Baseball operated with five classes (Double-A, Class A, Class B, Class C, and Class D) from 1932 to 1935.[2] Class A1, between Double-A and Class A, was added in 1936.[3] The minors continued to operate with these six levels through 1945.[3] Triple-A was established as the highest classification in 1946, and Class A1 became Double-A, with Class A through D remaining.[3] These six levels continued through 1962.[2] The Pacific Coast League (PCL) was reclassified from Triple-A to Open in 1952 due to the possibility of becoming a third major league. This arrangement ended following the 1957 season when the relocation of the National League's Dodgers and Giants to the West Coast ended any chance of the PCL being promoted.[2]
Season | Double-A | Class A | Class B | Class C | Class D | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1932 | — | — | — | — | — | Waterloo Hawks | [4] | |
1933 | — | — | — | — | — | — | [5] | |
1934 | — | — | — | — | Longview Cannibals | — | [6] | |
1935 | — | St. Paul Saints | Dallas Steers | — | Longview Cannibals | Moultrie Steers | [7] | |
1936 | — | Kansas City Blues | Dallas Steers (A1) | — | Longview Cannibals | Crookston Pirates Moultrie Packers Rayne Rice Birds | [8] | |
1937 | — | St. Paul Saints | Dallas Steers (A1) | — | Dayton Ducks Longview Cannibals Marshall Tigers Vicksburg Hill Billies | Rayne Rice Birds | [9] | |
1938 | — | St. Paul Saints | Dallas Steers (A1) | Anniston Rams | Longview Cannibals | DeLand Reds Lubbock Hubbers Rayne Rice Birds | [10] | |
1939 | — | St. Paul Saints | Shreveport Sports (A1) | Anniston Rams | Longview Cannibals | Greenville Lions Lubbock Hubbers Jonesboro White Sox | [11] | |
1940 | — | — | — | Waterloo Hawks | — | Grand Forks Chiefs Lubbock Hubbers Jonesboro White Sox Wisconsin Rapids White Sox | [12] | |
1941 | — | — | — | Waterloo Hawks | Grand Forks Chiefs Saginaw White Sox | Lubbock Hubbers Jonesboro White Sox Wisconsin Rapids White Sox | [13] | |
1942 | — | — | Shreveport Sports (A1) | Waterloo Hawks | Grand Forks Chiefs Superior Blues | Lockport White Sox Wisconsin Rapids White Sox | [14] | |
1943 | — | — | — | — | — | — | [15] | |
1944 | — | — | Little Rock Travelers (A1) | — | — | — | [16] | |
1945 | — | — | Little Rock Travelers (A1) | — | — | — | [17] | |
1946 | Milwaukee Brewers | Little Rock Travelers Shreveport Sports | Greenville Spinners | Waterloo White Hawks | Superior Blues Texarkana Bears | Alexandria Aces Brewton Millers Cordele White Sox Lima Terriers Madisonville Miners New River Rebels Wisconsin Rapids White Sox | [18] | |
1947 | Hollywood Stars | — | — | Fall River Indians Waterloo White Hawks | Oil City Refiners Superior Blues | Lima Terriers Madisonville Miners Wisconsin Rapids White Sox | [19] | |
1948 | Hollywood Stars | Memphis Chickasaws | Muskegon Clippers | Fall River Indians Waterloo White Hawks | Hot Springs Bathers Oil City Refiners Superior Blues | Kingsport Cherokees Lima Terriers Madisonville Miners Seminole Oilers Wisconsin Rapids White Sox | [20] | |
1949 | — | Memphis Chickasaws | Charleston Rebels Muskegon Clippers | Fall River Indians Waterloo White Hawks | Hot Springs Bathers Oil City Refiners Stockton Ports Superior Blues | Madisonville Miners Seminole Oilers Wisconsin Rapids White Sox | [21] | |
1950 | Sacramento Solons | Memphis Chickasaws | Colorado Springs Sky Sox | Waterloo White Hawks | Hot Springs Bathers Superior Blues | Madisonville Miners Wisconsin Rapids White Sox | [22] | |
1951 | Sacramento Solons | Memphis Chickasaws | Colorado Springs Sky Sox | Waterloo White Hawks | Hot Springs Bathers Superior Blues | Madisonville Miners Wisconsin Rapids White Sox | [23] | |
1952 | Toledo Mud Hens / Charleston Senators | Memphis Chickasaws | Colorado Springs Sky Sox | Gastonia Rockets Waterloo White Hawks | Superior Blues | Madisonville Miners Wisconsin Rapids White Sox | [24] | |
1953 | Charleston Senators | Memphis Chickasaws | Colorado Springs Sky Sox | Waterloo White Hawks | Topeka Owls | Danville Dans Madisonville Miners Wisconsin Rapids White Sox | [25] | |
1954 | Charleston Senators | Memphis Chickasaws | Colorado Springs Sky Sox | Waterloo White Hawks | Topeka Owls | Dubuque Packers Madisonville Miners | [26] | |
1955 | — | Memphis Chickasaws | Colorado Springs Sky Sox | Waterloo White Hawks | Superior Blues | Dubuque Packers Madisonville Miners | [27] | |
1956 | — | Memphis Chickasaws | Colorado Springs Sky Sox | Waterloo White Hawks | Duluth-Superior White Sox | Dubuque Packers Holdrege White Sox | [28] | |
1957 | Indianapolis Indians | — | Colorado Springs Sky Sox | Davenport DavSox | Duluth-Superior White Sox | Dubuque Packers Holdrege White Sox | [29] | |
1958 | Indianapolis Indians | — | Colorado Springs Sky Sox | Davenport DavSox | Duluth-Superior White Sox | Dubuque Packers Holdrege White Sox | [30] | |
1959 | Indianapolis Indians | — | Charleston ChaSox | Lincoln Chiefs | Duluth-Superior Dukes | Clinton Pirates Holdrege White Sox | [31] | |
1960 | San Diego Padres | — | Charleston White Sox | Lincoln Chiefs | Idaho Falls Russets | Clinton C-Sox Pensacola Angels | [32] | |
1961 | San Diego Padres | — | Charleston White Sox | Lincoln Chiefs | Idaho Falls Russets | Clinton C-Sox Daytona Beach Islanders | [33] | |
1962 | Indianapolis Indians | — | Savannah/Lynchburg White Sox | — | Visalia White Sox | Clinton C-Sox Sarasota Sun Sox | [34] |
Prior to the 1963 season, Major League Baseball (MLB) initiated a reorganization of Minor League Baseball that resulted in a reduction from six classes to four (Triple-A, Double-A, Class A, and Rookie) in response to the general decline of the minors throughout the 1950s and early-1960s when leagues and teams folded due to shrinking attendance caused by baseball fans' preference for staying at home to watch MLB games on television. The only change made within the next 27 years was Class A being subdivided for the first time to form Class A Short Season in 1966.[2]
Season | Triple-A | Double-A | Class A | Class A Short Season | Rookie | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1963 | Indianapolis Indians | Lynchburg White Sox | Clinton C-Sox Eugene Emeralds Sarasota Sun Sox | — | — | [35] | |
1964 | Indianapolis Indians | Lynchburg White Sox | Clinton C-Sox Sarasota Sun Sox Tidewater Tides | — | SRL White Sox | [36] | |
1965 | Indianapolis Indians | Lynchburg White Sox | Clinton C-Sox Sarasota Sun Sox Tidewater Tides | — | FRL White Sox | [37] | |
1966 | Indianapolis Indians | Evansville White Sox | Fox Cities Foxes Lynchburg White Sox Deerfield Beach/Winter Haven Sun Sox | — | GCL White Sox | [38] | |
1967 | Indianapolis Indians | Evansville White Sox | Appleton Foxes Lynchburg White Sox | — | GCL White Sox | [39] | |
1968 | Hawaii Islanders | Evansville White Sox | Appleton Foxes Lynchburg White Sox | Duluth–Superior Dukes | GCL White Sox | [40] | |
1969 | Tucson Toros | Columbus White Sox | Appleton Foxes | Lynchburg White Sox | Duluth–Superior Dukes | GCL White Sox | [41] |
1970 | Tucson Toros | Mobile White Sox | Appleton Foxes | Duluth–Superior Dukes | GCL White Sox | [42] | |
1971 | Tucson Toros | Asheville Tourists | Appleton Foxes | — | GCL White Sox | [43] | |
1972 | Tucson Toros | Knoxville Sox | Appleton Foxes | — | GCL White Sox | [44] | |
1973 | Iowa Oaks | Knoxville Sox | Appleton Foxes | — | GCL White Sox | [45] | |
1974 | Iowa Oaks | Knoxville Sox | Appleton Foxes | — | GCL White Sox | [46] | |
1975 | Denver Bears | Knoxville Sox | Appleton Foxes | — | GCL White Sox | [47] | |
1976 | Iowa Oaks | Knoxville Sox | Appleton Foxes | — | GCL White Sox | [48] | |
1977 | Iowa Oaks | Knoxville Sox | Appleton Foxes | — | GCL White Sox | [49] | |
1978 | Iowa Oaks | Knoxville Sox | Appleton Foxes | — | — | [50] | |
1979 | Iowa Oaks | Knoxville Sox | Appleton Foxes | — | GCL White Sox | [51] | |
1980 | Iowa Oaks | Glens Falls White Sox | Appleton Foxes | — | GCL White Sox | [52] | |
1981 | Edmonton Trappers | Glens Falls White Sox | Appleton Foxes | — | GCL White Sox | [53] | |
1982 | Edmonton Trappers | Glens Falls White Sox | Appleton Foxes | Niagara Falls Sox | GCL White Sox | [54] | |
1983 | Denver Bears | Glens Falls White Sox | Appleton Foxes | Niagara Falls Sox | GCL White Sox | [55] | |
1984 | Denver Zephyrs | Glens Falls White Sox | Appleton Foxes | Niagara Falls Sox | GCL White Sox | [56] | |
1985 | Buffalo Bisons | Glens Falls White Sox | Appleton Foxes | Niagara Falls Sox | GCL White Sox | [57] | |
1986 | Buffalo Bisons | Birmingham Barons | Appleton Foxes Peninsula White Sox | — | GCL White Sox | [58] | |
1987 | Hawaii Islanders | Birmingham Barons | Daytona Beach Admirals Peninsula White Sox | — | GCL White Sox | [59] | |
1988 | Vancouver Canadians | Birmingham Barons | South Bend White Sox Tampa White Sox | Utica Blue Sox | GCL White Sox | [60] | |
1989 | Vancouver Canadians | Birmingham Barons | Sarasota White Sox South Bend White Sox | Utica Blue Sox | GCL White Sox DSL White Sox/Astros/Rangers | [61] [62] |
Minor League Baseball operated with six classes from 1990 to 2020. In 1990, the Class A level was subdivided for a second time with the creation of Class A-Advanced. The Rookie level consisted of domestic and foreign circuits.[2]
Season | Triple-A | Double-A | Class A-Advanced | Class A | Class A Short Season | Rookie | Foreign Rookie | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1990 | Vancouver Canadians | Birmingham Barons | Sarasota White Sox | South Bend White Sox | Utica Blue Sox | GCL White Sox | DSL White Sox/Orioles | [63] [64] | |
1991 | Vancouver Canadians | Birmingham Barons | Sarasota White Sox | South Bend White Sox | Utica Blue Sox | GCL White Sox | DSL White Sox/Orioles | [65] [66] | |
1992 | Vancouver Canadians | Birmingham Barons | Sarasota White Sox | South Bend White Sox | Utica Blue Sox | GCL White Sox | DSL White Sox/Orioles | [67] | |
1993 | Nashville Sounds | Birmingham Barons | Sarasota White Sox | Hickory Crawdads South Bend White Sox | — | GCL White Sox | DSL White Sox/Orioles | [68] | |
1994 | Nashville Sounds | Birmingham Barons | Prince William Cannons | Hickory Crawdads South Bend Silver Hawks | — | GCL White Sox | — | [69] | |
1995 | Nashville Sounds | Birmingham Barons | Prince William Cannons | Hickory Crawdads South Bend Silver Hawks | — | Bristol White Sox GCL White Sox | DSL White Sox/Orioles | [70] | |
1996 | Nashville Sounds | Birmingham Barons | Prince William Cannons | Hickory Crawdads South Bend Silver Hawks | — | Bristol White Sox GCL White Sox | DSL White Sox/Brewers | [71] | |
1997 | Nashville Sounds | Birmingham Barons | Winston-Salem Warthogs | Hickory Crawdads | — | Bristol White Sox GCL White Sox | — | [72] | |
1998 | Calgary Cannons | Birmingham Barons | Winston-Salem Warthogs | Hickory Crawdads | — | Bristol White Sox AZL White Sox | DSL White Sox/Angels | [73] | |
1999 | Charlotte Knights | Birmingham Barons | Winston-Salem Warthogs | Burlington Bees | — | Bristol White Sox AZL White Sox | DSL White Sox | [74] | |
2000 | Charlotte Knights | Birmingham Barons | Winston-Salem Warthogs | Burlington Bees | — | Bristol White Sox AZL White Sox | DSL White Sox | [75] | |
2001 | Charlotte Knights | Birmingham Barons | Winston-Salem Warthogs | Kannapolis Intimidators | — | Bristol White Sox AZL White Sox | DSL White Sox | [76] | |
2002 | Charlotte Knights | Birmingham Barons | Winston-Salem Warthogs | Kannapolis Intimidators | — | Bristol White Sox AZL White Sox | DSL White Sox | [77] | |
2003 | Charlotte Knights | Birmingham Barons | Winston-Salem Warthogs | Kannapolis Intimidators | — | Bristol White Sox Great Falls White Sox | DSL White Sox | [78] | |
2004 | Charlotte Knights | Birmingham Barons | Winston-Salem Warthogs | Kannapolis Intimidators | — | Bristol White Sox Great Falls White Sox | DSL White Sox | [79] | |
2005 | Charlotte Knights | Birmingham Barons | Winston-Salem Warthogs | Kannapolis Intimidators | — | Bristol White Sox Great Falls White Sox | DSL White Sox | [80] | |
2006 | Charlotte Knights | Birmingham Barons | Winston-Salem Warthogs | Kannapolis Intimidators | — | Bristol White Sox Great Falls White Sox | DSL White Sox VSL White Sox/Orioles | [81] | |
2007 | Charlotte Knights | Birmingham Barons | Winston-Salem Warthogs | Kannapolis Intimidators | — | Bristol White Sox Great Falls White Sox | DSL White Sox 1 DSL White Sox 2 | [82] | |
2008 | Charlotte Knights | Birmingham Barons | Winston-Salem Warthogs | Kannapolis Intimidators | — | Bristol White Sox Great Falls Voyagers | DSL White Sox 1 DSL White Sox 2 | [83] | |
2009 | Charlotte Knights | Birmingham Barons | Winston-Salem Dash | Kannapolis Intimidators | — | Bristol White Sox Great Falls Voyagers | DSL White Sox | [84] | |
2010 | Charlotte Knights | Birmingham Barons | Winston-Salem Dash | Kannapolis Intimidators | — | Bristol White Sox Great Falls Voyagers | DSL White Sox | [85] | |
2011 | Charlotte Knights | Birmingham Barons | Winston-Salem Dash | Kannapolis Intimidators | — | Bristol White Sox Great Falls Voyagers | DSL White Sox | [86] | |
2012 | Charlotte Knights | Birmingham Barons | Winston-Salem Dash | Kannapolis Intimidators | — | Bristol White Sox Great Falls Voyagers | DSL White Sox | [87] | |
2013 | Charlotte Knights | Birmingham Barons | Winston-Salem Dash | Kannapolis Intimidators | — | Bristol White Sox Great Falls Voyagers | DSL White Sox | [88] | |
2014 | Charlotte Knights | Birmingham Barons | Winston-Salem Dash | Kannapolis Intimidators | — | Great Falls Voyagers AZL White Sox | DSL White Sox | [89] | |
2015 | Charlotte Knights | Birmingham Barons | Winston-Salem Dash | Kannapolis Intimidators | — | Great Falls Voyagers AZL White Sox | DSL White Sox | [90] | |
2016 | Charlotte Knights | Birmingham Barons | Winston-Salem Dash | Kannapolis Intimidators | — | Great Falls Voyagers AZL White Sox | DSL White Sox | [91] | |
2017 | Charlotte Knights | Birmingham Barons | Winston-Salem Dash | Kannapolis Intimidators | — | Great Falls Voyagers AZL White Sox | DSL White Sox | [92] | |
2018 | Charlotte Knights | Birmingham Barons | Winston-Salem Dash | Kannapolis Intimidators | — | Great Falls Voyagers AZL White Sox | DSL White Sox | [93] | |
2019 | Charlotte Knights | Birmingham Barons | Winston-Salem Dash | Kannapolis Intimidators | — | Great Falls Voyagers AZL White Sox | DSL White Sox | [94] | |
2020 | Charlotte Knights | Birmingham Barons | Winston-Salem Dash | Kannapolis Cannon Ballers | — | Great Falls Voyagers AZL White Sox | DSL White Sox | [95] |
The current structure of Minor League Baseball is the result of an overall contraction of the system beginning with the 2021 season. Class A was reduced to two levels: High-A and Low-A.[96] Low-A was reclassified as Single-A in 2022.[97]
Season | Triple-A | Double-A | High-A | Single-A | Rookie | Foreign Rookie | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2021 | Charlotte Knights | Birmingham Barons | Winston-Salem Dash | Kannapolis Cannon Ballers | ACL White Sox | DSL White Sox | [98] | |
2022 | Charlotte Knights | Birmingham Barons | Winston-Salem Dash | Kannapolis Cannon Ballers | ACL White Sox | DSL White Sox | [99] | |
2023 | Charlotte Knights | Birmingham Barons | Winston-Salem Dash | Kannapolis Cannon Ballers | ACL White Sox | DSL White Sox | [100] |