Desert League

{{Infobox sports league

| title = Desert League

| logo = Desert_League_logo.jpg

| caption =

| upcoming_season = 2023

| sport = Baseball

| founded = 2016

| inaugural = 2016

| folded =

| teams = 4

| country = United States

| champion = Yuma Maple Leafs

| champ_season = 2016

| website = [http://desertleague.com/ DesertLeague.com]

}}

The Desert League of Professional Baseball is an independent baseball league that began in 2016.{{Cite web|date=March 6, 2016|title=Desert League news|url=https://indyballisland.com/2016/03/06/desert-league-news/|website=Indy Ball Island|accessdate=}} Unlike other independent leagues, it features a winter schedule also, playing games from September through end of November.{{Cite web|date=August 9, 2015|title=Imperial Valley Desert fall baseball league to begin in September|url=https://www.ivpressonline.com/sports/local/imperial-valley-desert-fall-baseball-league-to-begin-in-september/article_b8115f1a-2bc9-53d9-a671-b19e1583fff6.html|website=Imperial Valley Press}}{{Cite web|date=July 20, 2016|title=Desert pro league wants to make history|url=https://devonteeple.medium.com/desert-pro-league-wants-to-make-history-f77509a44998|website=The GM's Perspective on Medium}}

History

Formed with a focus for rookie or first year professional players, the Desert League signed over 100 players to their first professional contracts and completed its inaugural season in 2016.{{Cite web|date=September 21, 2016|title=Akins Keeps Big League Dreams Alive, Signs With Desert League Team|url=https://uafortsmithlions.com/news/2016/9/21/baseball-akins-keeps-big-league-dreams-alive-signs-with-desert-league-team.aspx|website=University of Arkansas - Fort Smith Athletics}} The Desert League was designed as an independent professional league for rookies, and required each team carry a minimum of 12 rookies on their roster. The league had four teams based in California and Arizona. Somerton Cañeros were an affiliate of the Mexican Pacific League club Cañeros de Los Mochis.{{Cite web|date=June 20, 2016|title=Weekly Sports League and Franchise Report|url=https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/weekly-sports-league-and-franchise-report/n-5166322|website=OurSports Central}} Some games were played in San Luis, Mexico.

Yuma Maple Leafs were crowned the first league champion on October 28, 2016 sweeping the best-of three championship series with the Imperial County Ghost Riders. After winning Game 1 the previous night in walk-off fashion 4-3 the Maple Leafs took the second game 8-2.

Before the start of the second season the league announced that an agreement had been reached with the California Winter League and the league would suspend operations.{{Cite web|date=December 11, 2017|title=The Desert League and CWL reach an agreement|url=https://indyballisland.com/2017/12/11/the-desert-league-and-cwl-reach-an-agreement/|website=Indy Ball Island}} Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

On December 20, 2019, league president Luke Powell announced the Desert League would resume play in September of 2021. However operations were suspended again in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

On May 2, 2021, the Desert League announced it would resume operations and play in Fall 2023.{{cn|date=June 2021}}

Teams

class="wikitable"
Team !City !Stadium
Imperial County Ghost Riders \| Holtville, California & Calexico, California \| Ralph Samaha Park & Rodriguez Park
Somerton Cañeros \| Somerton, Arizona \| Joe Munoz Field
Yuma Hammers \| Yuma, Arizona \| Ray Kroc Sports Complex
Yuma Maple Leafs \| Yuma, Arizona \| Ray Kroc Sports Complex

class="wikitable"

Team

!City

!Stadium

Imperial County Ghost Riders

| Holtville, California & Calexico, California

| Ralph Samaha Park & Rodriguez Park

Somerton Cañeros

| Somerton, Arizona

| Joe Munoz Field

Yuma Hammers

| Yuma, Arizona