MiLB sets sales record, announces top 25 teams

The 160 affiliated Minor League Baseball teams sold a record $70.8 million worth of merchandise in 2017, a 3.6 percent increase over 2016’s sales numbers, which were also a record. The increased sales can be attributed in part to a growing number of rebrands, promotional uniforms, and temporary identity changes.

The increase in sales was spearheaded by 25 teams, enumerated in the annual list MiLB releases. Some notable aspects of this year’s list include:

• Eight teams made the 2017 list after not being in the top 25 the previous year: Albuquerque Isotopes, Buffalo Bisons, Fort Wayne TinCaps, Hartford Yard Goats, Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, New Orleans Baby Cakes, Reading Fightin Phils, and Rochester Red Wings.

• Six teams have been on the list every year of their existence, or since MiLB began tracking sales in 1993: Durham Bulls (25 years), Trenton Thunder (24 years), Sacramento River Cats (18 years), Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs (11 years), El Paso Chihuahuas (four years), and Columbia Fireflies (two years).

• The list includes 16 Triple-A teams, six Double-A teams, and three Single-A teams.

• Four Major League clubs had two affiliates on the list: Colorado Rockies, Miami Marlins, Philadelphia Phillies, and San Diego Padres. Seventeen other MLB clubs had one team on the list, and nine were not represented.

• The only team on the list to use its parent club’s nickname was the South Bend Cubs.

Here’s the complete list in alphabetical order (MiLB does not provide a rank order):

Albuquerque Isotopes (Rockies, Triple-A)
Buffalo Bisons (Blue Jays, Triple-A)
Charlotte Knights (White Sox, Triple-A)
Columbia Fireflies (Mets, Single-A)
Columbus Clippers (Indians, Triple-A)
Durham Bulls (Rays, Triple-A)
El Paso Chihuahuas (Padres, Triple-A)
Fort Wayne TinCaps (Padres, Single-A)
Frisco RoughRiders (Rangers, Double-A)
Hartford Yard Goats (Rockies, Double-A)
Indianapolis Indians (Pirates, Triple-A)
Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (Marlins, Double-A)
Lehigh Valley IronPigs (Phillies, Triple-A)
Nashville Sounds (Athletics, Triple-A)
New Orleans Baby Cakes (Marlins, Triple-A)
Omaha Storm Chasers (Royals, Triple-A)
Portland Sea Dogs (Red Sox, Double-A)
Reading Fightin Phils (Phillies, Double-A)
Rochester Red Wings (Twins, Triple-A)
Sacramento River Cats (Giants, Triple-A)
Salt Lake Bees (Angels, Triple-A)
South Bend Cubs (Single-A)
Tacoma Rainiers (Mariners, Triple-A)
Toledo Mud Hens (Tigers, Triple-A)
Trenton Thunder (Yankees, Double-A)