Editing Arizona Complex League

{{Short description|Rookie league in Minor League Baseball}}
{{About|the summer rookie league|the fall league|Arizona Fall League}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2020}}
{{Infobox sports league
| title           = 
| logo            = Arizona Complex League logo.svg
| pixels          = 125px
| caption         = 
| sport           = [[Baseball]]
| classification  = [[Rookie league|Rookie]]
| founded         = {{start date and age|1988|p=yes}}
| formerly        = Arizona League (1988–2020)<!--these are seasons of play-->
| motto           = 
| teams           = 15
| country         = [[United States]]
| champion        = [[Arizona Complex League Dodgers|ACL Dodgers]] (2024)
| most_champs     = [[Arizona Complex League Athletics|ACL Athletics]] (6)
| folded          = 
| website         = {{URL|https://www.milb.com/arizona-complex}}
}}
The '''Arizona Complex League''' ('''ACL''') is a rookie-level [[Minor League Baseball]] league that operates in and around [[Phoenix, Arizona]], since 1988. Prior to 2021, it was known as the '''Arizona League''' ('''AZL'''). Along with the [[Florida Complex League]] (FCL), it forms the lowest rung on the North American minor-league ladder.

ACL teams play at the minor league spring training complexes of their parent [[Major League Baseball]] (MLB) clubs and are owned by those parent clubs. Admission is not charged and no concessions are operated at the teams' games. Every [[Cactus League]] team fields at least one team in the league. Night games are commonly played in the spring training stadium, although games may also be played at the team's practice fields.

As of the 2021 season, there is no league limit to how many players can be on an active roster, but no team can have more than three players with four or more years of minor-league experience.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://registration.mlbpa.org/pdf/MajorLeagueRules.pdf |title=The Official Professional Baseball Rules Book |publisher=Office of the Commissioner of Baseball |location=[[New York City]] |date=2021 |via=mlbpa.org |pages=10–11, 100 |accessdate=June 26, 2021}}</ref> Major-league players on rehabilitation assignments may also appear in the league.

==History==
===Arizona League===
The league began play in 1988 as the Arizona League (AZL) on an experimental basis with four teams playing a 60-game schedule—the teams were affiliated with the [[Milwaukee Brewers]], [[Oakland Athletics]], [[San Diego Padres]], and a cooperative between the [[Boston Red Sox]] and [[Seattle Mariners]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/league.cgi?id=ca133c0f |title=1988 Arizona League |website=[[Baseball-Reference.com]] |accessdate=June 26, 2021}}</ref> Games were scheduled in the morning in order to make sure the league did not compete with the [[Phoenix Firebirds]] of the [[Triple-A (baseball)|Triple-A]] [[Pacific Coast League]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Rookie baseball league to begin play in Valley |date=February 19, 1988 |page=53 |work=Arizona Republic}}</ref>

The [[Arizona League Diamondbacks|Phoenix Diamondbacks]] debuted in 1996, the first affiliate of the [[Arizona Diamondbacks]] to start playing professional baseball, two years before their parent club joined [[Major League Baseball]]. A crowd of 6,124 attended the Diamondbacks' first game on June 25, 1996, a 15–7 loss to the [[Arizona League Athletics|Phoenix Athletics]]. A number of local dignitaries were at the game, including [[Buck Showalter]] and [[Jerry Colangelo]].<ref>{{cite news |title=D’back rookies show potential to festive fans |last=Brazzle |first=Ken |date=July 26, 1996 |work=Tucson Citizen |url=http://tucsoncitizen.com/morgue2/1996/06/26/212989-d-back-rookies-show-potential-to-festive-fans/}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Sherman |first1=Len |title=Big League, Big Time |pages=125–132}}</ref>

The [[Colorado Rockies]] started their rookie league team a year before starting major league play as well in 1992, sharing a team with the Cubs. The team, composed of the Rockies' first-ever draft picks, received a different level of notoriety than the Diamondbacks for their first rookie league game: as the players wore either Rockies jerseys or Cubs jerseys, the team did not have their uniform pants ready at the start of the season, and had to borrow pants from the Cubs.<ref>{{cite news |title=Rockies' team has rocky road in early going |date=June 24, 1992 |work=Arizona Republic}}</ref>

Between 1998 and 2000 an unaffiliated team composed of young players from the [[Mexican League]] played out of the [[Tucson Electric Park]] spring training complex, in part to add a fourth team to a southern division. Three [[Tucson]]-based teams (the Mexican All-Stars, the Diamondbacks, and the Rockies) would leave the league after the 2000 season, largely due to travel concerns, followed by the White Sox two years later. All three teams later relocated their spring training complexes to the Phoenix metropolitan area, and the Diamondbacks and White Sox reinstated their rookie league teams.

The start of the 2020 season was postponed due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]] before ultimately being cancelled on June 30.<ref>{{cite news |title=A Message From Pat O'Conner|url=https://www.milb.com/milb/news/message-from-minor-league-baseball-president-ceo-pat-o-conner-313052288|website=Minor League Baseball|date=March 13, 2020|access-date=May 5, 2020}}</ref><ref name=2020can>{{cite news |title=2020 Minor League Baseball Season Shelved|url=https://www.milb.com/news/2020-minor-league-baseball-season-shelved|website=Minor League Baseball|date=June 30, 2020|access-date=July 1, 2020}}</ref>

===Arizona Complex League===
Prior to the 2021 season, in continuation of MLB's reorganization of the minor leagues, the two US-based complex leagues were renamed, with the Arizona League becoming the Arizona Complex League (ACL).

For 2025, the league consists of 17 teams.<ref>{{cite web|title=Arizona League Divisions|url=https://www.milb.com/arizona|website=Arizona League|publisher=Minor League Baseball|access-date=April 22, 2025}}</ref> Beginning in 2024, the schedule was changed from a season which ran from late-June through late-August to a season which runs from early-May through late-July. This change also made it so the league would no longer feature players drafted in the current year's [[Major_League_Baseball_draft|draft]], which in 2021 was changed to take place during the [[Major_League_Baseball_All-Star_Game#Other_All-Star_Game_events|All-Star Weekend]] in mid-July.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/arizona-florida-complex-league-schedules-changing-for-2024/|title=Arizona, Florida Complex League Schedules Changing For 2024|first=J. J.|last=Cooper|date=February 13, 2024}}</ref>

==Playoff procedure==
Prior to 1998, the league champion was the team with best record over the course of the season. Since 1998, the season has been split into two half-seasons. From 1998 to 2008, the teams with the best records in each half faced off to decide the league champion. If the same team won both halves, they were automatically crowned champions (only one team accomplished this, the 2005 [[Arizona League Giants]]).

In 2009, the league split into two divisions, an alignment that was used through the 2012 season. The two teams in each division with the best record in each half-season played off for the division championship, and the winners advanced to the final. If the same team won their division in both halves, they advanced directly to the final.

From 2013 to 2019, the six teams who won their division in the first and second half of the season qualified for the playoffs. If a team won both halves, the next best team in that division by overall record qualified for the playoffs. The top two teams by overall record received a bye to the semifinals. All playoff games were single elimination, with the exception of a best-of-3 final.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.milb.com/milb/standings/playoff_procedures.jsp?lid=121&sid=milb|title=Playoff Procedures - MiLB.com Standings - The Official Site of Minor League Baseball|website=MiLB.com|access-date=May 3, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170726094526/http://www.milb.com/milb/standings/playoff_procedures.jsp?lid=121&sid=milb|archive-date=July 26, 2017}}</ref>

As of 2022, four teams—three division winners and one wild card team—qualify for the playoffs seeded by winning percentage regardless of division standing, with seeds 1 vs. 4 and 2 vs. 3 playing in a single-game semi-final. A best-of-three series between the two semi-final winners follows to determine the league champion.<ref>{{cite web |title=MiLB Playoff Procedures |url=https://www.milb.com/events/playoffs/procedures |website=MiLB.com |access-date=28 September 2022}}</ref>

==Current teams==
Teams in the league are not referred to by their home city, but simply by their parent club's name. A prefix of ACL (previously AZL or Arizona League) is typically used to differentiate the team from its parent club and other farm teams with the same nickname. City names have been used previously instead of a prefix, such as with the [[Peoria Padres]] and [[Peoria Mariners]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Padres' minor league teams at a glance |work=San Diego Union Tribune |last=Sanders |first=Jeff |date=March 31, 2015 |url=http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/padres/sdut-padres-minor-league-teams-at-a-glance-2015mar31-story.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180204124037/http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/padres/sdut-padres-minor-league-teams-at-a-glance-2015mar31-story.html |archive-date=February 4, 2018 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/mariners/mariners-minor-league-teams/|title=Mariners’ minor-league teams|date=March 30, 2011|website=seattletimes.com|access-date=May 3, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180204182651/https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/mariners/mariners-minor-league-teams/|archive-date=February 4, 2018}}</ref> Franchises that field more than one team use differentiating suffixes, typically based on team colors (e.g. Blue and Gold). As of the 2024 season, no major league club fields more than one ACL team.
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{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Division
!Team
!MLB affiliation
!City
!Stadium
!Capacity
|-
!rowspan=5| East
|'''[[Arizona Complex League Athletics|ACL Athletics]]'''
|[[Athletics (baseball)|Athletics]]
|[[Mesa, Arizona|Mesa]]
|[[Fitch Park]]
|align="center" |10,000
|-
|'''[[Arizona Complex League Cubs|ACL Cubs]]'''
|[[Chicago Cubs]]
|[[Mesa, Arizona|Mesa]]
|[[Sloan Park]]
|align="center"|15,000
|-
|'''[[Arizona Complex League Diamondbacks|ACL D-backs]]'''
|[[Arizona Diamondbacks]]
|[[Scottsdale, Arizona|Scottsdale]]
|[[Salt River Fields at Talking Stick]]
|align="center" |11,000
|-
|'''[[Arizona Complex League Giants|ACL Giants]]'''
|[[San Francisco Giants]]
|[[Scottsdale, Arizona|Scottsdale]]
|[[Scottsdale Stadium]]
|align="center"|12,000
|-
|'''[[Arizona Complex League Rockies|ACL Rockies]]'''
|[[Colorado Rockies]]
|[[Scottsdale, Arizona|Scottsdale]]
|[[Salt River Fields at Talking Stick]]
|align="center" |11,000
|-
!rowspan=5| Central
|'''[[Arizona Complex League Angels|ACL Angels]]'''
|[[Los Angeles Angels]]
|[[Tempe, Arizona|Tempe]]
|[[Tempe Diablo Stadium]]
|align="center" |9,785
|-
|'''[[Arizona Complex League Brewers|ACL Brewers]]'''
|[[Milwaukee Brewers]]
|[[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix]]
|[[American Family Fields of Phoenix]]
|align="center" |8,000
|-
|'''[[Arizona Complex League Dodgers|ACL Dodgers]]'''
|[[Los Angeles Dodgers]]
|[[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix]]
|[[Camelback Ranch]]
|align="center" |12,000 
|-
|'''[[Arizona Complex League Guardians|ACL Guardians]]'''
|[[Cleveland Guardians]]
|[[Goodyear, Arizona|Goodyear]]
|[[Goodyear Ballpark]]
|align="center"|10,000
|-
|'''[[Arizona Complex League Reds|ACL Reds]]'''
|[[Cincinnati Reds]]
|[[Goodyear, Arizona|Goodyear]]
|[[Goodyear Ballpark]]
|align="center"|10,000
|-
!rowspan=5| West
|'''[[Arizona Complex League Mariners|ACL Mariners]]'''
|[[Seattle Mariners]]
|[[Peoria, Arizona|Peoria]]
|[[Peoria Sports Complex]]
|align="center"|12,882
|-
|'''[[Arizona Complex League Padres|ACL Padres]]'''
|[[San Diego Padres]]
|[[Peoria, Arizona|Peoria]]
|[[Peoria Sports Complex]]
|align="center"|12,882
|-
|'''[[Arizona Complex League Rangers|ACL Rangers]]'''
|[[Texas Rangers (baseball)|Texas Rangers]]
|[[Surprise, Arizona|Surprise]]
|[[Surprise Stadium]]
|align="center"|10,500
|-
|'''[[Arizona Complex League Royals|ACL Royals]]'''
|[[Kansas City Royals]]
|[[Surprise, Arizona|Surprise]]
|[[Surprise Stadium]]
|align="center"|10,500
|-
|'''[[Arizona Complex League White Sox|ACL White Sox]]'''
|[[Chicago White Sox]]
|[[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix]]
|[[Camelback Ranch]]
|align="center" |12,000 
|}

==Past teams==
*[[Arizona League Cardinals]] (1989–1994)
** Became the [[Gulf Coast League Cardinals]] in 1995
*[[Arizona League Mariners]]/[[Gulf Coast League Red Sox|Red Sox]] (1988)
** Split into two teams in 1989, the [[Arizona League Mariners]] and the [[Gulf Coast League Red Sox]]
*[[Tucson Mexican All-Stars]] (1998–2000)
*[[Arizona League Rockies]] (1993–2000)
*[[Arizona League Rockies]]/[[Arizona League Cubs|Cubs]] (1992)
** Split into two teams in 1993, the [[Arizona League Rockies]] and [[Gulf Coast League Cubs]]
*Arizona League Royals 1 and Arizona League Royals 2 (2003)
** The [[Arizona League Royals]] operated as two teams for one season

==League champions==
''Finals opponent in parentheses, if applicable.''

{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* 1988: [[Arizona League Brewers|AZL Brewers]]
* 1989: [[Arizona League Brewers|AZL Brewers]]
* 1990: [[Arizona League Brewers|AZL Brewers]]
* 1991: [[Arizona League Athletics|AZL Athletics]]
* 1992: [[Arizona League Athletics|AZL Athletics]]
* 1993: [[Arizona League Athletics|AZL Athletics]]
* 1994: [[Arizona League Cardinals|AZL Cardinals]]
* 1995: [[Arizona League Athletics|AZL Athletics]]
* 1996: [[Arizona League Padres|AZL Padres]]
* 1997: [[Arizona League Cubs|AZL Cubs]]
* 1998: [[Arizona League Rockies|AZL Rockies]]
* 1999: [[Arizona League Athletics|AZL Athletics]] (def. [[Arizona League Mexico|AZL Mexico]])
* 2000: [[Arizona League Mariners|AZL Mariners]] (def. [[Arizona League Rockies|AZL Rockies]])
* 2001: [[Arizona League Athletics|AZL Athletics]] (def. [[Arizona League Mariners|AZL Mariners]])
* 2002: [[Arizona League Cubs|AZL Cubs]] (def. [[Arizona League Giants|AZL Giants]])
* 2003: [[Arizona League Royals|AZL Royals 1]] (def. [[Arizona League Rangers|AZL Rangers]])
* 2004: [[Arizona League Giants|AZL Giants]] (def. [[Arizona League Athletics|AZL Athletics]])
* 2005: [[Arizona League Giants|AZL Giants]] (won both halves)
* 2006: [[Arizona League Padres|AZL Padres]] (def. [[Arizona League Angels|AZL Angels]])
* 2007: [[Arizona League Mariners|AZL Mariners]] (def. [[Arizona League Angels|AZL Angels]])
* 2008: [[Arizona League Giants|AZL Giants]] (def. [[Arizona League Angels|AZL Angels]])
* 2009: [[Arizona League Mariners|AZL Mariners]] (def. [[Arizona League Giants|AZL Giants]])
* 2010: [[Arizona League Brewers|AZL Brewers]] (def. [[Arizona League Reds|AZL Reds]])
* 2011: [[Arizona League Dodgers|AZL Dodgers]] (def. [[Arizona League Giants|AZL Giants]])
* 2012: [[Arizona League Rangers|AZL Rangers]] (def. [[Arizona League Athletics|AZL Athletics]])
* 2013: [[Arizona League Giants|AZL Giants]] (def. [[Arizona League Dodgers|AZL Dodgers]])
* 2014: [[Arizona League Indians|AZL Indians]] (def. [[Arizona League Giants|AZL Giants]])
* 2015: [[Arizona League White Sox|AZL White Sox]] (def. [[Arizona League Mariners|AZL Mariners]])
* 2016: [[Arizona League Mariners|AZL Mariners]] (def. [[Arizona League Angels|AZL Angels]])
* 2017: [[Arizona League Cubs|AZL Cubs]] (def. [[Arizona League Giants|AZL Giants]])
* 2018: [[Arizona League Dodgers|AZL Dodgers]] (def. [[Arizona League Cubs|AZL Cubs 1]])
* 2019: [[Arizona League Rangers|AZL Rangers]] (def. [[Arizona League Indians|AZL Indians Blue]])
* 2020: ''No season''{{dagger}}
* 2021: [[Arizona Complex League Rockies|ACL Rockies]]{{efn|In 2021, the league did not have a postseason; ACL Rockies had the best winning percentage for the season, 44–15 (.746).}}
* 2022: [[Arizona Complex League Giants|ACL Giants Black]] (def. [[Arizona Complex League Rockies|ACL Rockies]])
* 2023: [[Arizona Complex League Brewers|ACL Brewers]] (def. [[Arizona Complex League Diamondbacks|ACL Diamondbacks Red]])
* 2024: [[Arizona Complex League Dodgers|ACL Dodgers]] (def. [[Arizona Complex League Diamondbacks|ACL Diamondbacks]])
{{div col end}}
{{dagger}} 2020 season canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic<ref name=2020can/>
<br />
Source:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thebaseballcube.com/seasons/|title=Baseball Leagues by Season|publisher=TheBaseballCube.com}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[List of Arizona Complex League team rosters]]
*{{section link|Baseball awards|U.S. minor leagues}}

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*{{official website}}

{{Arizona League}}
{{Phoenix Sports}}
{{Professional Baseball}}

[[Category:Arizona Complex League| ]]
[[Category:Baseball leagues in Arizona|A]]
[[Category:Sports in Phoenix, Arizona]]
[[Category:Minor baseball leagues in the United States]]