While Major League Baseball tends to get a lot of attention, Minor League Baseball is actually an exciting world in and of itself. Its highest level, Triple-A, is split into two leagues – Triple-A East and Triple-A West. The latter consists of 10 teams who have some of the coolest names in the minors.
Here are a few of our favorites.
Albuquerque Isotopes
We have to start with our home team, the Isotopes. You might be surprised by how it got its name – unless you’re a Simpsons fan. That’s right, this team was named after a fictional baseball team featured in this long-running show, the Springfield Isotopes, which temporarily hired Homer to become the team mascot. Later, it’s referenced that the team is moving to Albuquerque and Homer goes on a hunger strike in protest. When the Calgary Cannons team was moved to Albuquerque and sought input for a new name, 67% of the public votes were for “Isotopes.” This happened to be a fitting name thanks to New Mexico’s nuclear technology facilities.
Reno Aces
What more fitting name could there be for Reno’s MiLB team? The Aces came in from Tucson, at the time known as the Sidewinders, and began their journey in the “Biggest Little City in the World” in 2009. When coming up with the new name and branding for the team, they had a lot of fun playing with the double meaning of the words and symbolism. “Ace” is, of course, a reference to Nevada’s robust gambling scene as well as being baseball slang for a top pitcher. Their logo is a diamond, alluding to both one of the four suits in a deck of cards and a baseball diamond.
El Paso Chihuahuas
This team has a long history, originating in 1903 as the Los Angeles Angels (not the same Angels you know today, but their namesake). The Chihuahuas were established in 2014. They got their name from a “name the team” contest. It’s actually a reference to the Chihuahuan Desert, but they use the well-known dog breed as their logo.
Salt Lake Bees
This team went through a lot of names, including Buzz and Stingers, before landing on Bees. It’s a nod to both a former owner, Joe Buzas and the state of Utah, whose nickname is The Beehive State.
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