New York–Penn League

"PONY League" redirects here. For the youth baseball and softball organization, see PONY Baseball and Softball.
For the original New York–Penn League, see New York–Pennsylvania League (1923–37).
New York–Penn League
Sport Baseball
Founded 1939
No. of teams 14
Country USA
Most recent
champion(s)
State College Spikes
Most titles Oneonta Yankees (10)
Classification Class A Short Season
Official website Official Website

The New York–Penn League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the northeastern United States. It is classified as a Class A Short Season league; its season starts in June, after major league teams have signed their amateur draft picks to professional contracts, and ends in early September.

As of the 2015 season, the league includes teams in eight different states. In addition to New York and Pennsylvania, from which the league draws its name, the NYPL also has clubs in Maryland, Massachusetts, Ohio, Vermont, West Virginia, and Connecticut.

The State College Spikes are the most recent league champions, defeating the Hudson Valley Renegades on September 12, 2016, by a score of 2-1 to win the series 2-0. It is their second title since moving to State College in 2006.

History

Former logo

The league was founded in 1939 with the name Pennsylvania – Ontario – New York League in a hotel in Batavia, New York. This was generally shortened to PONY League. The original teams included the Batavia Clippers, Bradford Bees, Hamilton Red Wings, Jamestown Jaguars, Niagara Falls Rainbows, and Olean Oilers; all were based in or near Western New York. The Oilers, a Brooklyn Dodgers affiliate, won both the regular-season and playoff championships. As of 2016, only Batavia remains in the league; their team, now known as the Muckdogs, is also seeking an exit from their home market.

The Hamilton Red Wings folded early in the 1956 season, and with no more teams in Ontario, the league adopted its current name in 1957. The league crossed back into Canada with the formation of the St. Catharines Blue Jays in 1986. They were joined by the Hamilton Redbirds in 1987 and the Welland Pirates in 1989, but all three clubs had moved back to the United States by 2000.

Player limits and requirements

New York–Penn League teams may have no more than 3 players on their active lists that have 4 or more years of prior combined Major League / Minor League service, with the exception of position players changing roles to become a pitcher or a pitcher changing into a position player. Teams may get to eliminate up to one year of time of Minor League service for players who have spent time on the disabled list.

By July 1 of each year, all clubs must have at least 10 pitchers.

Maximum number of players under team control is 35, 30 of those may be active, but only 25 may be in uniform and eligible to play in any given game.[1]

Current teams

Division Team MLB Affiliation City Stadium Capacity
McNamara Aberdeen IronBirds Baltimore Orioles Aberdeen, Maryland Leidos Field at Ripken Stadium 6,300
Brooklyn Cyclones New York Mets Brooklyn, NYC, New York MCU Park 7,000
Hudson Valley Renegades Tampa Bay Rays Fishkill, New York Dutchess Stadium 4,494
Staten Island Yankees New York Yankees Staten Island, NYC, New York Richmond County Bank Ballpark 7,171
Pinckney Auburn Doubledays Washington Nationals Auburn, New York Falcon Park 2,800
Batavia Muckdogs Miami Marlins Batavia, New York Dwyer Stadium 2,600
Mahoning Valley Scrappers Cleveland Indians Niles, Ohio Eastwood Field 6,000
State College Spikes St. Louis Cardinals State College, Pennsylvania Medlar Field at Lubrano Park 5,570
West Virginia Black Bears Pittsburgh Pirates Morgantown, West Virginia Monongalia County Ballpark 3,500
Williamsport Crosscutters Philadelphia Phillies Williamsport, Pennsylvania BB&T Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field 4,200
Stedler Connecticut Tigers Detroit Tigers Norwich, Connecticut Senator Thomas J. Dodd Memorial Stadium 6,270
Lowell Spinners Boston Red Sox Lowell, Massachusetts Edward A. LeLacheur Park 4,767
Tri-City ValleyCats Houston Astros Troy, New York Joseph L. Bruno Stadium 4,500
Vermont Lake Monsters Oakland Athletics Burlington, Vermont Centennial Field 4,400

Current team rosters

League champions by year

Year Winning Team
2016 State College Spikes
2015 West Virginia Black Bears
2014 State College Spikes
2013 Tri-City ValleyCats
2012 Hudson Valley Renegades
2011 Staten Island Yankees
2010 Tri-City ValleyCats
2009 Staten Island Yankees
2008 Batavia Muckdogs
2007 Auburn Doubledays
2006 Staten Island Yankees
2005 Staten Island Yankees
2004 Mahoning Valley Scrappers
2003 Williamsport Crosscutters
2002 Staten Island Yankees
2001 Brooklyn Cyclones and Williamsport Crosscutters2
2000 Staten Island Yankees
1999 Hudson Valley Renegades
1998 Oneonta Yankees and Auburn Doubledays1
1997 Pittsfield Mets
1996 Vermont Expos
1995 Watertown Indians
1994 New Jersey Cardinals
1993 Niagara Falls Rapids
1992 Geneva Cubs
1991 Jamestown Expos
1990 Oneonta Yankees
1989 Jamestown Expos
1988 Oneonta Yankees
1987 Geneva Cubs
1986 St. Catharines Blue Jays
1985 Oneonta Yankees
1984 Little Falls Mets
1983 Utica Blue Sox
1982 Niagara Falls Sox
1981 Oneonta Yankees
1980 Oneonta Yankees
1979 Oneonta Yankees
1978 Geneva Cubs
1977 Oneonta Yankees
1976 Elmira Pioneers
1975 Newark Co-Pilots
1974 Oneonta Yankees
1973 Auburn Phillies
1972 Niagara Falls Pirates
1971 Oneonta Yankees
1970 Auburn Twins
1969 Oneonta Yankees
1968 Oneonta Yankees
1967 Auburn Twins
1966 Auburn Mets
1965 Binghamton Triplets
1964 Auburn Mets
1963 Batavia Pirates
1962 Auburn Mets
1961 Olean Red Sox
1960 Wellsville Braves
1959 Wellsville Braves
1958 Geneva Redlegs
1957 Erie Sailors
1956 Wellsville Braves
1955 Hamilton Cardinals
1954 Corning Red Sox
1953 Jamestown Falcons
1952 Jamestown Falcons
1951 Hornell Dodgers
1950 Olean Oilers
1949 Bradford Blue Wings
1948 Lockport Reds
1947 Jamestown Falcons
1946 Jamestown Falcons and Batavia Clippers
1945 Batavia Clippers
1944 Jamestown Falcons
1943 Wellsville Yankees
1942 Jamestown Falcons
1941 Bradford Bees
1940 Olean Oilers
1939 Olean Oilers
1co-champions were named in 1998, as torrential rains in Central New York made both Auburn's and Oneonta's fields unplayable
2co-champions were named in 2001, as the championship series was cancelled due to the September 11th attacks with Brooklyn leading one game to none

PONY/NY–Penn League teams (1939–present)

Cities represented

(Current teams in bold)

Connecticut

Maryland

Massachusetts

New Jersey

New York

Ohio

Pennsylvania

Vermont

West Virginia

Ontario

New York–Penn League Hall of Fame

References

  1. "General Information". Lowell Spinners. Retrieved 2008-06-21.
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