# Northwest 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. 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. 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. The league switched to the short season schedule in 1966; 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. 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. 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.

## Current teams

| 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 |

## Champions

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.
The Spokane Indians have won 9 championships, the most in the league.

## Northwest League teams (1955–present)
### Cities that have hosted NWL teams

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).

## Hall of Fame alumni

Eight alumni of the Northwest League are enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame:
* Bobby Cox - Salem Dodgers, 1961–62; inducted in 2014
* Ken Griffey Jr. – Bellingham Mariners, 1987; inducted in 2016
* Tony Gwynn – Walla Walla Padres, 1981; inducted in 2007
* Rickey Henderson – Boise A's, 1976; inducted in 2009
* Reggie Jackson – Lewiston Broncs, 1966; inducted in 1993
* Edgar Martínez – Bellingham Mariners, 1983; inducted in 2019
* Mike Piazza – Salem Dodgers, 1989; inducted in 2016
* Ozzie Smith – Walla Walla Padres, 1977; inducted in 2002

## Notable alumni

    Sandy Alomar Jr. – Spokane Indians, 1984
    Garret Anderson – Boise Hawks, 1990
    Kevin Appier – Eugene Emeralds, 1987
    Pedro Astacio – Yakima Bears, 1990
    Garrett Atkins – Portland Rockies, 2000
    Jim Bouton – Portland Mavericks, 1973 & 1977
    Jason Bartlett – Eugene Emeralds, 2001
    Glenn Beckert - Wenatchee Chiefs, 1963
    Dante Bichette – Salem Angels, 1984
    Carlos Beltrán – Spokane Indians, 1996
    Dallas Braden – Vancouver Canadians, 2004
    Kris Bryant - Boise Hawks, 2013
    Bert Campaneris - Lewiston Broncs, 1963
    Tom Candiotti - Victoria Mussels, 1979
    José Canseco – Medford A's, 1983
    Rico Carty - Yakima Valley Braves, 1962
    Ron Cey - Tri-City Atoms, 1968
    Aaron Cook – Portland Rockies, 1998
    Ron Coomer - Medford A's, 1987
    Chris Davis - Spokane Indians, 2006
    Eric Davis – Eugene Emeralds, 1980–81
    Mark DeRosa – Eugene Emeralds, 1996
    Dick Dietz – Eugene Emeralds, 1962
    Josh Donaldson - Boise Hawks, 2007
    Dave Duncan - Lewiston Broncs, 1965
    Andre Ethier – Vancouver Canadians, 2003
    Todd Field – Portland Mavericks batboy, 1976–77
    Chone Figgins – Portland Rockies, 1998
    Chuck Finley – Salem Angels, 1985
    George Foster – Medford Giants, 1968
    Matt Franco – Portland Mavericks batboy, 1977
    Julio Franco – Central Oregon Phillies, 1979
    Tom Gordon – Eugene Emeralds, 1987
    Jason Giambi – Southern Oregon A's, 1992
    Carlos González – Yakima Bears, 2004
    Khalil Greene – Eugene Emeralds, 2002
    Pedro Guerrero – Bellingham Dodgers, 1974
    Bob Hamelin – Eugene Emeralds, 1988
    Dave Henderson - Bellingham Mariners, 1977
    Félix Hernández – Everett AquaSox, 2003
    Ken Hubbs- Wenatchee Chiefs, 1961
    Ender Inciarte - Yakima Bears, 2010
    Ian Kinsler -- Spokane Indians, 2003
    John Kruk – Walla Walla Padres, 1981
    Paul Konerko – Yakima Bears, 1994
    Adam Jones – Everett AquaSox, 2003
    John Lackey – Boise Hawks, 1999
    Mark Langston - Bellingham Mariners, 1981
    Ted Lilly - Yakima Bears, 1996
    Tim Lincecum – Salem-Keizer Volcanoes, 2006
    Kirk McCaskill – Salem Angels, 1982
    Denis Menke - Yakima Valley Braves, 1960
    Wade Miley - Yakima Bears, 2008
    Rick Monday – Lewiston Broncos, 1965
    Bill Murray – Grays Harbor Loggers, 1978
    Joe Nathan – Bellingham Giants, 1995; Salem-Keizer Volcanoes, 1997
    Claude Osteen - Wenatchee Chiefs, 1958
    Troy Percival – Boise Hawks, 1991
    Eduardo Pérez – Boise Hawks, 1991
    Juan Pierre – Portland Rockies, 1998
    Kevin Pillar - Vancouver Canadians, 2011
    Buster Posey – Salem-Keizer Volcanoes, 2008
    Mark Reynolds - Yakima Bears, 2004
    Francisco Rodríguez – Boise Hawks, 1999
    Kurt Russell – Bend Rainbows, Walla Walla Islanders, Portland Mavericks, 1971–73, 1977
    Tim Salmon – Bend Bucks, 1989
    Jeff Samardzija – Boise Hawks, 2006
    Casey Sander – Seattle Rainiers, 1975
    Pablo Sandoval – Salem-Keizer Volcanoes, 2005
    Kyle Schwarber - Boise Hawks, 2014
    Mike Scioscia – Bellingham Dodgers, 1976
    Braden Shipley - Hillsboro Hops, 2014
    Ted Sizemore - Tri-City Atoms, 1966
    Marcus Stroman - Vancouver Canadians, 2012
    Kurt Suzuki – Vancouver Canadians, 2004
    Noah Syndergaard - Vancouver Canadians, 2011
    Dansby Swanson - Hillsboro Hops, 2015
    Mike Sweeney – Eugene Emeralds, 1992–93
    Nick Swisher – Vancouver Canadians, 2002
    Kevin Tapani - Medford A's, 1986
    Miguel Tejada – Southern Oregon A's, 1995
    Tom Treblehorn - Bend Rainbows, 1970
    Trea Turner - Eugene Emeralds, 2014
    Dan Uggla – Yakima Bears, 2001
    Max Venable - Bellingham Dodgers, 1976
    Shane Victorino – Yakima Bears, 2000
    Omar Vizquel - Bellingham Mariners, 1985
    Matt Williams - Everett Giants, 1986
    Mitch Williams - Walla Walla Padres, 1982
    Russell Wilson – Tri-City Dust Devils, 2010
    Mike Zunino – Everett AquaSox, 2012