The Missoula PaddleHeads are an independent baseball team of the Pioneer League, which is not affiliated with
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (A ...
(MLB) but is an MLB Partner League. They are located in
Missoula, Montana
Missoula ( ; fla, label= Séliš, Nłʔay, lit=Place of the Small Bull Trout, script=Latn; kut, Tuhuⱡnana, script=Latn) is a city in the U.S. state of Montana; it is the county seat of Missoula County. It is located along the Clark Fork ...
, and play their home games at Ogren Park at Allegiance Field.
In conjunction with a contraction of Minor League Baseball in 2021, the Pioneer League, of which the PaddleHeads have been members since 1999, was converted from an MLB-affiliated Rookie Advanced league to an
independent baseball league
An independent baseball league is a professional baseball organization in the United States or Canada that is not overseen by Major League Baseball and is outside the Minor League Baseball clubs affiliated to it.
The Northern League (baseball, 19 ...
and granted status as an MLB Partner League, with Missoula continuing as members. Prior to this, the PaddleHeads had been affiliated with the
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks (colloquially known as the D-backs) are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The ...
(1996–2020).
The team has won the Pioneer League championship five times; in 1999, 2006, 2012, 2015, and 2021.
The club was known as the Missoula Osprey from 1999 through the 2019 season. Previously, the franchise played in
Lethbridge
Lethbridge ( ) is a city in the province of Alberta, Canada. With a population of 101,482 in its 2019 municipal census, Lethbridge became the fourth Alberta city to surpass 100,000 people. The nearby Canadian Rocky Mountains contribute to t ...
,
Alberta
Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest T ...
, as the
Lethbridge Black Diamonds
The Lethbridge Black Diamonds were a minor league baseball team located in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada.
Missoula alumni with MLB experience
Sixty-nine Missoula players have also played in Major League Baseball. They are:
;1999: JD Closser,
Jorge de la Rosa
Jorge Alberto de la Rosa Gonzalez (born April 5, 1981) is a Mexican former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Milwaukee Brewers, Kansas City Royals, Colorado Rockies, Arizona Diamondbacks and Chicago ...
,
Doug DeVore
Douglas Rinehart DeVore (born December 14, 1977) is a former Major League Baseball outfielder who played in 50 games for the Arizona Diamondbacks in .
Early life and college career
DeVore was born on December 14, 1977, in Columbus, Ohio. He playe ...
,
Lyle Overbay
Lyle Stefan Overbay (born January 28, 1977) is an American former professional baseball first baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Toronto Blue Jays, Pittsburgh Pirates, Atlanta Braves, New York Yan ...
Casey Daigle
Sean Casey Daigle (born April 4, 1981) is a former Major League Baseball pitcher.
Professional career
Arizona Diamondbacks
Daigle made his major league debut in 2004, giving up five home runs in less than three innings. , he is the only pitche ...
Phil Stockman
Phillip Matthew Stockman (born 25 January 1980) is an English born Australian former pitcher in Major League Baseball.
Amateur career
Although Stockman was born in England, he grew up in Australia and is a graduate of Beenleigh State High ...
Dustin Nippert
Dustin David Nippert (born May 6, 1981) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played for the Arizona Diamondbacks and Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball, and the Doosan Bears and KT Wiz of the KBO League. Nippert won the K ...
Steven Jackson
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Pedro Ciriaco
Pedro Joel Ciriaco Leguisamon (born September 27, 1985) is a Dominican former professional baseball infielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) primarily for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Boston Red Sox, San Diego Padres, Kansas City Royals, ...
,
Rusty Ryal
Rusty Allen Ryal (born March 16, 1983) is an American former professional baseball utility man. He was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 14th round of the 2005 MLB Draft, out of Oklahoma State University. He is the son of the former m ...
John Hester
John Graves Hester (born September 14, 1983) is a former professional baseball catcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. On August 28, 2009, on his major league debut, he ...
,
Jordan Norberto
Jordan Norberto Vallenilla (born December 8, 1986) is a Dominican former professional baseball pitcher. He previously played in Major League Baseball for the Arizona Diamondbacks and Oakland Athletics, and in the Nippon Professional Baseba ...
,
Gerardo Parra
Gerardo Enrique Parra (born May 6, 1987) is a Venezuelan former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Milwaukee Brewers, Baltimore Orioles, Colorado Rockies, San Francisco Giants ...
,
Daniel Stange
Daniel Adam Stange (born December 22, 1985) is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
Career
Stange attended Elsinore High School in ...
,
Clay Zavada
Clay Pflibson Zavada (born June 28, 1984) is a former professional baseball pitcher who pitched in Major League Baseball for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2009. He is noted for his Rollie Fingers moustache.
Early career
Zavada attended Illinois Va ...
,
Tony Barnette
Anthony Lee Barnette (born November 9, 1983) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Texas Rangers and Chicago Cubs and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Tokyo Yakult Swal ...
Evan Scribner
Evan Lee Scribner (born July 19, 1985) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Diego Padres, Oakland Athletics, and Seattle Mariners.
Professional career Arizona Diamondbacks
Scr ...
Daniel Schlereth
Daniel Robert Schlereth (born May 9, 1986) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Arizona Diamondbacks and Detroit Tigers. He is currently the manager for the Joliet Slammers of the Fr ...
Chase Anderson
Robert Chase Anderson (born November 30, 1987) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent. He has previously played in MLB for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Milwaukee Brewers, Toronto Blue Jays, Philadelphia Phillies ...
,
Mike Belfiore
Michael John Belfiore (born October 3, 1988) is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Baltimore Orioles in 2013.
Belfiore attended Boston College where he was a first baseman and a pitcher. After being drafted by t ...
Keon Broxton
Keon Darell Broxton (born May 7, 1990) is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Acereros de Monclova of the Mexican League. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Milwaukee Brewers, New ...
Bradin Hagens
Bradin Carl Hagens (born May 12, 1989) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Rakuten Monkeys of the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL). He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Arizona Diamondbacks and for th ...
,
Ender Inciarte
Ender David Inciarte Montiel (born October 29, 1990) is a Venezuelan professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Atlanta Braves and New York Mets. He made his MLB ...
Archie Bradley Archie Bradley may refer to:
*Archie Bradley (baseball) (born 1992), American baseball pitcher
*Archie Bradley (boxer)
Archie Bradley (4 January 1897 – 27 March 1969) was an Australian professional boxer of the 1920s. Also known as the " ...
Andrew Velazquez
Andrew Velazquez (born July 14, 1994), nicknamed "Squid", is an American professional baseball infielder for the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played in MLB for the Tampa Bay Rays, Cleveland Indians, Baltimore ...
;2013:
Silvino Bracho
Silvino Bracho (born July 17, 1992) is a Venezuelan professional baseball pitcher in the Cincinnati Reds organization. Bracho was signed by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2011 as an amateur free agent. He has previously played in MLB for the Diamond ...
Touki Toussaint
Dany Gilbert Kiti "Touki" Toussaint (; born June 20, 1996) is a Haitian-American professional baseball pitcher in the Cleveland Guardians organization. He was drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the first round of the 2014 Major League Basebal ...