History
2007 Northwest League East Division Champions
The Dust Devils took home the East Division title in 2007, despite going just 37-39 on the year. They were led at the plate by powerful third baseman Darin Holcomb as well as the hitting of fellow infielders Phillip Cuadrado and Everth Cabrera. Holcomb hammered a Dust Devil single-season record-tying 12 home runs and record-setting 55 runs batted in. The trio also all batted above .300 with Cuadrado leading the way with the single-season record-setting .355 average. On the mound Bruce Billings led the charge for Tri-City, leading the Northwest League in strikeouts with 89. He went 4-2 with a 2.97 earned run average in 15 starts. Taiwanese righty Sheng-An Kuo was also a key member of the team, leading the team in wins going 5-4 in 14 starts for Tri-City. Despite the record-setting performances of some of the roster, the team fell just short of the Northwest League crown, losing to the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes in the best-of-5 playoff series, 3-1.
2009 Northwest League East Division Champions
The 2009 Dust Devil team blew away the rest of the East Division, winning the title by 10 full games and going an impressive 47-29, the most single-season wins in Dust Devils' history, on the year. The Dust Devils led the league in pitching with a 3.43 earned run average, thanks in large part to a spectacular bullpen. Relievers Craig Bennigson, Rhett Ballard, Kyle Walker, Rod Scurry and Charles Ruiz all had over 20 appearances throughout the season with earned run averages under 3.00. With a quality bullpen and solid starting pitching, the Dust Devils offense had to do just enough and more often than not, they did. Led by Bo Bowman, the Dust Devils formed a well-rounded lineup that did enough to get the job done. Overall the Dust Devils had seven players end with 20 or more runs batted in and another seven with at least 10. After an amazing regular season the Dust Devils faced off with familiar foe Salem-Keizer in the championship series for the second time in three seasons. Unfortunately, the series ended the same as in 2007, with Tri-City falling 3-games-to-1.
2011 Northwest League East Division Champions
In 2011 the Dust Devils used the top pitching staff in the Northwest League to pace themselves to their third division title in five seasons. Adding to the impressive feat is the fact that, with the newly introduced NWL playoff structure, the Dust Devils won the East Division in not only the first, but also the second half of the season. Tri-City finished the season with a 44-32 record, eight games ahead of the second place Boise Hawks thanks in large part to the best pitching staff in the league. The Dust Devils led the NWL with a 3.03 earned run average, and had two pitchers, Christian Bergman and Nelson Gonzalez, tie for the team lead with 7 wins. The duo also had impressive earned run averages of 2.59 and 1.71 respectively. At the plate outfielder Tyler Massey and rookie infielder Tim Smalling led the offensive charge, with each player getting at least 70 hits in under 70 games and batting .284 and .294 respectively. When the playoffs began the Dust Devils continued their success, sweeping the Hawks 2-0 in the best-of-3 first round, outscoring Boise 15-1. But, once again, Tri-City came up just short in the NWL Championship Series, dropping two out of three to the Vancouver Canadians.
See video of former Dust Devils in action
Juan Morillo records a strikeout in the Futures Game
Ryan Spilborghs singles in the Texas League All-Star Game
Don't sleep on these prospects at Spring Breakout -- 1 from each team
The second edition of Spring Breakout is bursting with high-profile prospects. Seventy members of MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 are slated to participate, including Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony (No. 2), Tigers outfielder Max Clark (No. 6), Red Sox infielder Kristian Campbell (No. 7), Rays shortstop Carson Williams (No. 9) and
Meet the 14 women who run MiLB teams
From California to Massachusetts, from Arkansas to Iowa, leadership in professional baseball is evolving. Coming into the 2025 season, there are 14 women in general manager positions across Minor League Baseball. When most fans think of the GMs in baseball, they likely assume the job is all about building a
2024 Draft class gets early chance to take center stage at Spring Breakout
When players are taken in the early rounds of the MLB Draft, it’s easy to dream about seeing them under the bright lights of the big leagues, but a common refrain has been that fans don't get to see those players for years after they're selected. Thanks to Spring Breakout,
From Spring Breakout to MLB? Here are nine players who could soon be in The Show
The inaugural Spring Breakout in 2024 provided a platform for fans to meet many of baseball's top prospects before they began standing out in the Majors shortly thereafter. Paul Skenes striking out Jackson Holliday. Jackson Chourio reaching twice and scoring a run. Jace Jung hitting a pair of homers.
Brewers' 17-year-old international signee draws comparisons to Chourio
PHOENIX – A farm system loses an elite-level prospect like Jackson Chourio, who was the No. 2 overall prospect in baseball at the start of the 2024 season, to the big leagues, it’s easy to understand that it would take a hit in this year’s farm system rankings. So don’t
Cubs have MLB stars AND loaded farm system
MESA, Ariz. – It’s a testament to where a farm system is when a Top 100-caliber hitter gets traded away and there’s still a desire to tout the bats. The Cubs traded Cam Smith to the Astros in the Kyle Tucker deal, but they still have seven players on the
Griffin boosts Pirates system, known for producing arms, with some pop
BRADENTON, Fla. – The Pirates’ strength in pitching is obvious. This is the organization that drafted Paul Skenes after all and saw him become the National League All-Star starter one year later. Jared Jones and Mitch Keller serve as more developmental success stories on the bump, and Top 100 prospects
New Rays prospect additions fitting right into the organizational mold
PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. -- Thirteen members of the Rays’ Top 30 prospect list weren’t in the organization at this time last year. Two arrived in the 2024 Draft, one was a 2025 international signee and a whopping 10 have come over in trades since last March. Normally with that level
Headlined by big-name bats, Mariners' system strong on pitching depth, too
PEORIA, Ariz. -- The Mariners placed fifth in MLB Pipeline's new farm system rankings, thanks in large part to their seven Top 100 Prospects. That total ties them with the Cubs for the most in baseball, and all seven of them are hitters. Don't get the impression that the organization
All eyes turn to hurlers Sykora, Susana in Nats camp
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Last year in Spring Training, Nationals manager Dave Martinez named the section of young hitting prospects in big league camp led by James Wood and Dylan Crews "Hope Row." While Robert Hassell III and Brady House are still prospects, Wood has graduated and Crews will
Here are the prospects with the best tools in Spring Breakout
The inaugural edition of Spring Breakout was a rousing success last year. Sixteen games showcased not only many of baseball's best prospects but also some of the most jaw-dropping tools in the Minors. Of the 10 best individual attributes we highlighted a year ago, nine belonged to players who reached
Boston's 'Core Four' hitting principles breeding prospect success
FORT MYERS, Fla. – Boston was built to be a shining city on a hill, according to John Winthrop. Four centuries later, the Hub’s top three baseball prospects are meant to be a shining example atop the Red Sox farm system. Roman Anthony, Kristian Campbell and Marcelo Mayer – the
Phils' teen catching prospect using ABS challenge experience to his advantage
CLEARWATER, Fla. – One of the storylines of Spring Training has been the implementation of the ABS challenge system in select ballparks across Arizona and Florida. But those in the Sunshine State might be a little more familiar with the tech than their southwestern counterparts. The Florida State League first
Texas' exciting crop of pitching prospects looks to spin the narrative
SURPRISE, Ariz. -- The Rangers haven't signed a fully homegrown pitching All-Star since Martín Pérez in 2007 and have ranked better than the Major League average in run prevention just once in the last 11 seasons. Not coincidentally, they won 90 games and the World Series when that happened in
The 10 best 2025 Spring Breakout rosters, ranked
Ding, ding, who’s ready for Round 2? Last year’s inaugural edition of Spring Breakout gave fans early looks at Paul Skenes, Jackson Chourio, Pete Crow-Armstrong, James Wood, Jackson Holliday, Ceddanne Rafaela and many other young stars who graduated off prospect lists in 2024. Not only does it serve as a
Yankees' prospect gains coming up long at short
TAMPA, Fla. -- The Yankees have a fascinating shortstop decision on their hands. You could say it’s the most interesting one since you-know-who retired in 2014. New York is battling going with a veteran presence in Isiah Kiner-Falefa or a prospect in Anthony Volpe or Oswald Peraza. It’s still too
Mets looking for top prospects to complement veteran stars
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- The last time Juan Soto played in a Minor League game was back in 2018, when in the span of 39 games at age 19 he went from A ball to High-A to Double-A and then to the big leagues with the Nationals and never
'Eephus' director Lund talks movie on podcast
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Minors radio legend exits the booth in Birmingham
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from his newsletter is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
MLB's 2025 farm system rankings -- with a new No. 1
It’s time to crown a new king. After a three-year run for the Orioles atop our preseason farm system rankings, they’ve stepped off the throne, making way for the Tigers. The O’s had slipped from the top spot in our 2024 midseason rankings as they’d graduated a number of prospects