The Texas League is a Minor League Baseball league which has operated in the South Central United States since 1902. It is classified as a Double-A league. Despite the league's name, only its five South Division teams are actually based in the state of Texas; the five North Division teams are located in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. The league temporarily operated for the 2021 season as Double-A Central before reassuming its original moniker in 2022.
The Corpus Christi Hooks are a Minor League Baseball team of the Texas League and the Double-A affiliate of the Houston Astros. They are located in Corpus Christi, Texas, and are named for the city's association with fishing. The team is owned by the Houston Astros. The Hooks play their home games at Whataburger Field, which opened in 2005 and is located on Corpus Christi's waterfront.
The Springfield Cardinals are a Minor League Baseball team based in Springfield, Missouri. They compete as a member of the Texas League's North Division. The Cardinals began play in 2005. The team is owned by the 11-time Major League Baseball (MLB) World Champion St. Louis Cardinals, for which it has been the Double-A affiliate since its founding in 2005. Since its inception, the team's home venue has been Hammons Field.
The Midland RockHounds are a Minor League Baseball team based in Midland, Texas. The team, which plays in the Texas League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics major league club. The RockHounds play in Momentum Bank Ballpark, which opened in 2002 and seats 4,709 fans. They have won seven Texas League championships: in 1975, 2005, 2009, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017.
Ronald David Johnson was an American baseball player, coach and minor league manager. From 2012 through 2018, he managed the Norfolk Tides of the International League, Triple-A farm system affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. His 2018 season with Norfolk was his 14th season as a Triple-A manager; Johnson formerly helmed the Pawtucket Red Sox of the International League (2005–09), and the Omaha Royals (1998) and Omaha Golden Spikes (1999) of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League.
John Joseph Mizerock is an American former Major League Baseball backup catcher for the Houston Astros and the Atlanta Braves. He was the eighth overall pick in the 1979 Major League Baseball Draft. He later served as a coach for the Kansas City Royals and Philadelphia Phillies. He is currently the hitting coach for the Clearwater Threshers.
Alexander Jonathan Gordon is an American former professional baseball left fielder who played his entire career for the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2007 to 2020. Prior to playing professionally, Gordon attended the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, where he played college baseball for the Nebraska Cornhuskers.
Billy Ray Butler is an American former professional baseball designated hitter and first baseman and current hitting coach for the Idaho Falls Chukars of the Pioneer League. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Kansas City Royals from 2007 to 2014, the Oakland Athletics from 2015 to 2016 and the New York Yankees in 2016. Butler was an MLB All-Star in 2012, and won the Silver Slugger Award and Edgar Martínez Award that season.
The Wichita Aeros were an American minor league baseball franchise based in Wichita, Kansas, that played in the Triple-A American Association from 1970 through 1984.
The Northwest Arkansas Naturals are a Minor League Baseball team based in Springdale, Arkansas. The team is a member of the Texas League, and serves as the Double-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. The Naturals play at Arvest Ballpark, which opened in 2008 and is located at the intersection of Gene George Boulevard and Watkins Avenue. The team relocated from Wichita, Kansas, in 2008, where it was known as the Wichita Wranglers.
Dermal Bram "Dee" Brown is an American former professional baseball outfielder. Brown played for the Kansas City Royals and Oakland Athletics of Major League Baseball and the Saitama Seibu Lions of Nippon Professional Baseball.
Anthony Michael Cogan is a retired American professional baseball pitcher. He played part of one season in Major League Baseball in 2001 for the Kansas City Royals. Cogan, who has been listed as 6' 2", bats and throws left-handed.
Craig Walter Brazell is an American former professional baseball player, where he played as a first baseman.
Mitchell William Maier is an American former professional baseball outfielder, coach, and current front office executive. He is the director of baseball operations for the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played and coached in MLB for the Royals.
The Beaumont Golden Gators were a minor league baseball team in the double A Texas League from 1983 to 1986. Owned by insurance man Ted Moor, the team was an affiliate of the San Diego Padres for their entire tenure. Future Major League Baseball players John Kruk, Roberto Alomar, Joey Cora, Ozzie Guillén, Sandy Alomar Jr., Shane Mack, and Benito Santiago all played at one time for the Golden Gators. The team played its home games at Vincent-Beck Stadium on the campus of Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas and won the 1983 Texas League championship. Their uniforms were a gaudy gold, white, and green and the hats were of the historic pillbox variety with a white B surrounded by a golden triangle. The cities of Beaumont, Port Arthur, and Orange are known in local parlance as the "Golden Triangle." The oil bust in 1986 caused the local economy to falter and Moor sold the team to a group that moved them to Wichita, Kansas before the 1987 season, becoming the Wichita Pilots. The team spent 21 seasons in Wichita, being renamed the Wichita Wranglers in 1989, before moving to Springdale, Arkansas and becoming the Northwest Arkansas Naturals. Prior to their time in Beaumont the team had been the Amarillo Gold Sox.
Micah Kilakila Kaʻaihue is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Kansas City Royals and Oakland Athletics and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp. Kaʻaihue went to Iolani School in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Daniel R. Garcia is a former professional baseball player, coach, scout, and executive. He played for the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball (MLB) during the 1981 season.
Michael John Jirschele is an American professional baseball coach who is the current manager of the Omaha Storm Chasers, the Triple-A minor league affiliate of Major League Baseball’s Kansas City Royals. He previously served as manager of the Storm Chasers from 1995 to 1997 and from 2003 to 2013. He also played minor league baseball for 13 seasons, and is also a former third base coach for the Royals.
Larry Gene Carter is an American professional baseball pitcher and coach. He is formerly the bullpen coach for the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played in the San Francisco Giants organization for six years and made his major league debut in 1992.
The Wichita Wind Surge are a Minor League Baseball team of the Texas League and the Double-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. They are located in Wichita, Kansas, and began play in 2021 at Riverfront Stadium.
