List of Houston Astros minor league affiliates

1990–present

The current structure of minor league baseball has been in effect since the 1990 season when the Class A level was subdivided for a second time with the creation of Advanced A. The Rookie level consists of domestic and foreign circuits, the latter based in the Dominican Republic and Venezuela.^[1]

Year	AAA	AA	Advanced A	A	Short Season A	Rookie	Foreign Rookie
2016	Fresno Grizzlies	Corpus Christi Hooks	Lancaster JetHawks	Quad Cities River Bandits	Tri-City ValleyCats	Greeneville Astros GCL Astros	DSL Astros Orange DSL Astros Blue
2015	Fresno Grizzlies	Corpus Christi Hooks	Lancaster JetHawks	Quad Cities River Bandits	Tri-City ValleyCats	Greeneville Astros GCL Astros	DSL Astros Orange DSL Astros Blue
2014	Oklahoma City RedHawks	Corpus Christi Hooks	Lancaster JetHawks	Quad Cities River Bandits	Tri-City ValleyCats	Greeneville Astros GCL Astros	DSL Astros Orange DSL Astros Blue
2013	Oklahoma City RedHawks	Corpus Christi Hooks	Lancaster JetHawks	Quad Cities River Bandits	Tri-City ValleyCats	Greeneville Astros GCL Astros	DSL Astros
2012	Oklahoma City RedHawks	Corpus Christi Hooks	Lancaster JetHawks	Lexington Legends	Tri-City ValleyCats	Greeneville Astros GCL Astros	DSL Astros
2011	Oklahoma City RedHawks	Corpus Christi Hooks	Lancaster JetHawks	Lexington Legends	Tri-City ValleyCats	Greeneville Astros GCL Astros	DSL Astros
2010	Round Rock Express	Corpus Christi Hooks	Lancaster JetHawks	Lexington Legends	Tri-City ValleyCats	Greeneville Astros GCL Astros	DSL Astros
2009	Round Rock Express	Corpus Christi Hooks	Lancaster JetHawks	Lexington Legends	Tri-City ValleyCats	Greeneville Astros GCL Astros	DSL Astros
2008	Round Rock Express	Corpus Christi Hooks	Salem Avalanche	Lexington Legends	Tri-City ValleyCats	Greeneville Astros	DSL Astros VSL Astros
2007	Round Rock Express	Corpus Christi Hooks	Salem Avalanche	Lexington Legends	Tri-City ValleyCats	Greeneville Astros	DSL Astros VSL Astros
2006	Round Rock Express	Corpus Christi Hooks	Salem Avalanche	Lexington Legends	Tri-City ValleyCats	Greeneville Astros	DSL Astros VSL Astros
2005	Round Rock Express	Corpus Christi Hooks	Salem Avalanche	Lexington Legends	Tri-City ValleyCats	Greeneville Astros	DSL Astros VSL Astros
2004	New Orleans Zephyrs	Round Rock Express	Salem Avalanche	Lexington Legends	Tri-City ValleyCats	Greeneville Astros	DSL Astros Venoco 1
2003	New Orleans Zephyrs	Round Rock Express	Salem Avalanche	Lexington Legends	Tri-City ValleyCats	Martinsville Astros	DSL Astros Venoco
2002	New Orleans Zephyrs	Round Rock Express		Lexington Legends Michigan Battle Cats	Tri-City ValleyCats	Martinsville Astros	DSL Astros Venoco
2001	New Orleans Zephyrs	Round Rock Express		Lexington Legends Michigan Battle Cats	Pittsfield Astros	Martinsville Astros	DSL Astros
2000	New Orleans Zephyrs	Round Rock Express	Kissimmee Cobras	Michigan Battle Cats	Auburn Doubledays	Martinsville Astros	DSL Astros
1999	New Orleans Zephyrs	Jackson Generals	Kissimmee Cobras	Michigan Battle Cats	Auburn Doubledays	Martinsville Astros	DSL Astros
1998	New Orleans Zephyrs	Jackson Generals	Kissimmee Cobras	Quad Cities River Bandits	Auburn Doubledays	GCL Astros	DSL Astros
1997	New Orleans Zephyrs	Jackson Generals	Kissimmee Cobras	Quad Cities River Bandits	Auburn Doubledays	GCL Astros	DSL Astros
1996	Tucson Toros	Jackson Generals	Kissimmee Cobras	Quad Cities River Bandits	Auburn Doubledays	GCL Astros
1995	Tucson Toros	Jackson Generals	Kissimmee Cobras	Quad Cities River Bandits	Auburn Astros	GCL Astros
1994	Tucson Toros	Jackson Generals	Osceola Astros	Quad Cities River Bandits	Auburn Astros	GCL Astros
1993	Tucson Toros	Jackson Generals	Osceola Astros	Asheville Tourists Quad Cities River Bandits	Auburn Astros	GCL Astros	DSL Astros
1992	Tucson Toros	Jackson Generals	Osceola Astros	Asheville Tourists	Auburn Astros	GCL Astros	DSL Astros
1991	Tucson Toros	Jackson Generals	Osceola Astros	Asheville Tourists	Auburn Astros	GCL Astros	DSL Astros
1990	Tucson Toros	Columbus Mudcats	Osceola Astros	Asheville Tourists	Auburn Astros	GCL Astros

1963–1989

The foundation of the minors' current structure was the result of a reorganization initiated by Major League Baseball (MLB) before the 1963 season. The reduction from six classes to four (AAA, AA, A and Rookie) was a 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 Short Season A in 1966.^[1]

Year	AAA	AA	A	Short Season A	Rookie
1989	Tucson Toros	Columbus Mudcats	Osceola Astros, Asheville Tourists	Auburn Astros	GCL Astros
1988	Tucson Toros	Columbus Astros	Osceola Astros, Asheville Tourists	Auburn Astros	GCL Astros
1987	Tucson Toros	Columbus Astros	Osceola Astros, Asheville Tourists	Auburn Astros	GCL Astros
1986	Tucson Toros	Columbus Astros	Osceola Astros, Asheville Tourists	Auburn Astros	GCL Astros
1985	Tucson Toros	Columbus Astros	Osceola Astros, Asheville Tourists	Auburn Astros	GCL Astros
1984	Tucson Toros	Columbus Astros	Daytona Beach Astros, Asheville Tourists	Auburn Astros	GCL Astros
1983	Tucson Toros	Columbus Astros	Daytona Beach Astros, Asheville Tourists	Auburn Astros	GCL Astros
1982	Tucson Toros	Columbus Astros	Daytona Beach Astros, Asheville Tourists	Auburn Astros	GCL Astros
1981	Tucson Toros	Columbus Astros	Daytona Beach Astros		GCL Astros Orange, GCL Astros Blue
1980	Tucson Toros	Columbus Astros	Daytona Beach Astros		GCL Astros Orange, GCL Astros Blue
1979[2]	Charleston Charlies	Columbus Astros	Daytona Beach Astros		GCL Astros
1978	Charleston Charlies	Columbus Astros	Daytona Beach Astros		GCL Astros
1977	Charleston Charlies	Columbus Astros	Cocoa Astros		GCL Astros
1976	Memphis Blues	Columbus Astros	Dubuque Packers		Covington Astros
1975	Iowa Oaks	Columbus Astros	Dubuque Packers		Covington Astros
1974[3]	Denver Bears	Columbus Astros	Cedar Rapids Astros		Covington Astros
1973	Denver Bears	Columbus Astros	Cedar Rapids Astros		Covington Astros
1972	Oklahoma City 89ers	Columbus Astros	Cocoa Astros		Covington Astros
1971	Oklahoma City 89ers	Columbus Astros	Cocoa Astros, Sumter Astros		Covington Astros
1970	Oklahoma City 89ers	Columbus Astros	Cocoa Astros	Williamsport Astros	Covington Astros
1969	Oklahoma City 89ers		Cocoa Astros, Peninsula Astros	Williamsport Astros	Covington Astros
1968	Oklahoma City 89ers	Dallas–Fort Worth Spurs	Cocoa Astros, Greensboro Patriots		Covington Astros
1967	Oklahoma City 89ers	Amarillo Sonics	Cocoa Astros, Asheville Tourists		Covington Astros
1966	Oklahoma City 89ers	Amarillo Sonics	Cocoa Astros, Durham Bulls, Salisbury Astros	Bismarck-Mandan Pards
1965[4]	Oklahoma City 89ers	Amarillo Sonics	Cocoa Astros, Durham Bulls, Salisbury Astros
1964	Oklahoma City 89ers	San Antonio Bullets	Durham Bulls, Modesto Colts
1963[5]	Oklahoma City 89ers	San Antonio Bullets	Durham Bulls, Modesto Colts, Moultrie Colt .22s

Pre-1963

The minors operated with six classes (AAA, AA, A, B, C, D) from 1946 to 1962. The Pacific Coast League (PCL) was reclassified from AAA 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 killed any chance of the PCL being promoted. The 1963 reorganization resulted in the Eastern and South Atlantic Leagues being elevated from A to AA, five of seven Class D circuits plus the ones in B and C upgraded to A and the Appalachian League reclassified from D to Rookie. The Alabama–Florida League folded following the 1962 campaign.^[1]

Year	AAA	AA	A	B	C	D
1962	Oklahoma City 89ers			Durham Bulls	Modesto Colts	Moultrie Colt .22s

References

1. Cronin, John "Truth in the Minor League Class Structure: The Case for the Reclassification of the Minors" The Baseball Research Journal (Society for American Baseball Research), Spring 2013
2. Official Baseball Dope Book. St. Louis, Missouri: The Sporting News, 1979.
3. Official Baseball Dope Book. St. Louis, Missouri: The Sporting News, 1974.
4. Official Baseball Dope Book. St. Louis, Missouri: The Sporting News, 1965.
5. Official Baseball Record Book. St. Louis, Missouri: The Sporting News, 1963.

External links

• Houston Astros Minor League Affiliates Baseball-Reference.com