Here are the 2024 champions of MLB’s four professional Partner Leagues
Who will win this year’s World Series? We’ll find out in a few weeks.
But as for which teams reign supreme in each of Major League Baseball’s Partner Leagues? We know the answers.
MLB’s four professional Partner Leagues -- The American Association, Atlantic League, Frontier League and Pioneer League -- bring organized baseball to communities throughout the United States and Canada. The leagues provide development opportunities for young players, as well as a second chance to veterans seeking a return to the Major Leagues. Partner Leagues also offer formal MLB-sponsored programs to give people with diverse backgrounds additional playing and coaching opportunities.
Here are the 2024 champions:
American Association
The Kane County Cougars capped their 7-0 run through the playoffs with a victory over the Winnipeg Goldeyes on Sept. 17. The Cougars took home their first American Association title and their third league championship in club history -- their first since winning the Midwest League in 2014.
Kane County’s 3-6 hitters -- Cornelius Randolph, Todd Lott, Josh Allen and Alex McGarry -- combined to go 9-for-19 at the plate in the clinching game, which Kane County won, 5-3. Randolph was named Miles Wolff Cup Final MVP as he finished the series with a .500 average (6-for-12), three runs, two RBIs and a stolen base.
The Cougars became the third team in league history to go undefeated in the playoffs.
Atlantic League
Jacob Rhinesmith and the York Revolution completed an Atlantic League championship sweep in walk-off fashion on Sept. 27. Trailing by a run in the ninth inning against the Charleston Dirty Birds, the Revolution scored twice with Rhinesmith beating out a potential inning-ending double-play grounder on the game-winner. The fielder’s choice RBI gave the Revolution their fourth ALPB championship.
Rhinesmith received playoff MVP honors as he went 11-for-24 with seven RBIs in the postseason, including a 6-for-13 mark with six driven in during the Championship Series.
Frontier League
The Québec Capitales mounted an incredible comeback against the Washington Wild Things to win their third consecutive Frontier League championship on Sept. 14.
Trailing by four runs in the ninth, the Capitales got to Washington closer Gyeongju Kim (the league leader with 28 saves during the regular season) with two runs via a single, two walks, a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly.
Québec first baseman Anthony Quirion then stepped in against new pitcher Brendan Nail and drilled a two-out, three-run homer to walk it off for the Capitales in thrilling fashion, 7-6. The clutch dinger made Québec the first team to three-peat in league history.
Pioneer League
Even more walk-off dramatics played out in the Pioneer League championship as Bobby Lata’s three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth lifted the Yolo High Wheelers past the Glacier Range Riders on Sept. 21 by a score of 8-7.
The High Wheelers -- capping their inaugural season in the Pioneer League -- erased a 5-0 deficit with a five-run sixth inning, highlighted by a solo dinger from Lata and Tanner Smith’s game-tying grand slam. Glacier Range pushed two runs across in the seventh before Lata came through when it mattered most.