The Mexican Central League was a

Minor League Baseball Minor League Baseball (MiLB) is a professional baseball organization below Major League Baseball (MLB), constituted of teams affiliated with MLB clubs. It was founded on September 5, 1901, in response to the growing dominance of the National Le ...

circuit that operated for 19 seasons, from 1960 through 1978, with several clubs based across

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

History

The Mexican Central League was formed in 1960 at the Class D level. It was placed in Class C in 1961, where it remained through the 1962 season. Upon the

reorganization A corporate action is an event initiated by a public company that brings or could bring an actual change to the debt securities— equity or debt—issued by the company. Corporate actions are typically agreed upon by a company's board of dire ...

of Minor League Baseball in 1963, it was reclassified as Class A. In 1979, the circuit was absorbed into the expanded

Mexican Baseball League The Mexican Baseball League (, or LMB, ) is a professional baseball league in Mexico. It is the oldest running professional sports league in the country. The league has 20 teams organized in two divisions, North and South. Teams play 114 games ...

(''Liga Mexicana de Beisbol''). This expansion elevated the Mexican Central League teams to Triple-A, with the newly expanded Mexican Baseball League featuring a 20-team circuit with four divisions.

Cities represented/Teams

* Acámbaro, Guanajuato *: Acámbaro (1975–1976) *

Aguascalientes, Aguascalientes Aguascalientes (, lit. "hot waters" in Spanish language, Spanish) is the capital of the Mexico, Mexican state of Aguascalientes, the same name and its most populous city, as well as the head of the Aguascalientes Municipality; with a population ...

*: Tigres de Aguascalientes (1960–1963; 1965; 1969–1974) *: Broncos de Aguascalientes (1966–1967) *

Arandas, Jalisco Arandas is a Municipalities of Mexico, municipality of the Los Altos (Jalisco), Altos Sur region of the States of Mexico, state of Jalisco in Mexico. Arandas is also the name of the municipality's main township and the center of the municipal gov ...

*: Arandas (1977) *:

Jalisco Jalisco, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Jalisco, is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Political divisions of Mexico, Federal Entities of Mexico. It is located in western Mexico and is bordered by s ...

(1977) *

Celaya, Guanajuato Celaya (; Otomi: ) is a city and its surrounding municipality in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico, located in the southeast quadrant of the state. It is the third most populous city in the state, with a 2005 census population of 310,413. The munic ...

*: Cajeteros de Celaya (1960–1961; 1975) *

Cerro Azul, Veracruz Cerro Azul is a city in the Mexican state of Veracruz. Located in the state's Huasteca Baja region, it serves as the municipal seat for the surrounding municipality of the same name. In the 2005 INEGI Census, the city reported a total popula ...

*: Cerro Azul (1978) * Ciudad Madero, Tamaulipas *: Bravos de Ciudad Madero (1968–1970) * Ciudad Mante, Tamaulipas *: Broncos de Ciudad Mante (1969–1970) *: Cañeros de Ciudad Mante (1971) *: Azucareros de Ciudad Mante (1973–1974) *: Ciudad Mante (1977) *

Ciudad Miguel Alemán, Tamaulipas Ciudad () is the Spanish word for "city". Ciudad or La Ciudad may also refer to: * La Ciudad (archaeological site), Hohokam ruins in Phoenix, Arizona * La Ciudad, district of Durango City, Mexico * ''La ciudad'', a novel by Mario Levrero published ...

*: Miguel Alemán (1978) *

Ciudad Valles, San Luis Potosí Ciudad Valles is the second-largest city in the Mexico, Mexican States of Mexico, state of San Luis Potosí. It is located in the eastern part of the state (), in the cultural region of Huasteca. The city is also the municipal seat of the surround ...

Ciudad Valles Ciudad Valles is the second-largest city in the Mexican state of San Luis Potosí. It is located in the eastern part of the state (), in the cultural region of Huasteca. The city is also the municipal seat of the surrounding municipality of the s ...

(1974, 1978) *

Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas Ciudad Victoria () (English: ''Victoria City'') is the seat of the Municipality of Victoria, and the capital of the Mexican state of Tamaulipas. It is located in the northeast of Mexico at the foot of the Sierra Madre Oriental. It borders the ...

*: Henequeneros de Ciudad Victoria (1971; 1973-1974) *:

Ciudad Victoria Ciudad Victoria () (English: ''Victoria City'') is the seat of the Victoria Municipality, Tamaulipas, Municipality of Victoria, and the capital of the Mexican List of states of Mexico, state of Tamaulipas. It is located in the Northern Mexico, n ...

(1976 –1978) * Cortazar, Guanajuato *: Cortazar (1975) *

Durango, Durango Durango (, ) is the capital and largest city of the northern List of states of Mexico, Mexican state of Durango and the seat of the Durango Municipality, municipality of Durango. It has a population of 616,068 as of the 2020 census with 688,697 ...

Alacranes de Durango Club de Fútbol Alacranes de Durango, is a Mexican football club based in the city of Durango, Durango, Mexico and currently play in the third level of the professional Mexican football league system. Their colors are green, white with black trim ...

(1965–1967; 1973–1974) *: Algodoneros de Durango (1972) * Ebano, San Luis Potosí *: Rojos de Ebano (1971–1974) *: Ebano (1977) * Fresnillo, Zacatecas *: Rojos de Fresnillo (1962) *: Charros de Fresnillo (1964) *: Mineros de Fresnillo (1965–1968; 1976–1978) *

Guadalajara, Jalisco Guadalajara ( ; ) is the capital and the most populous city in the western Mexican List of states of Mexico, state of Jalisco, as well as the most densely populated municipality in Jalisco. According to the 2020 census, the city has a population ...

*: Charros de Guadalajara (1977–1978) *

Guanajuato, Guanajuato Guanajuato (, Otomi language, Otomi: ) is a municipalities of Mexico, municipality in central Mexico and the capital of the Guanajuato, State of Guanajuato. It is part of the macroregion of the Bajío. It is located in a narrow valley, which makes i ...

*: Tuzos de Guanajuato (1960–1967; 1975–1976; 1978) *

Gustavo Díaz Ordaz, Tamaulipas Gustavo Díaz Ordaz is a municipality located in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas. Towns and villages The largest localities (cities, towns, and villages) are:

*: Díaz Ordaz (1978) *

La Barca, Jalisco La Barca is a city and municipality in the Mexican state of Jalisco. It is one of twenty five municipalities that make up the state of Jalisco. It's located in the Ciénega region, and encompasses 37,948 kilometers squared. The 2020 Census counte ...

*: La Barca (1978) *

Lagos de Moreno, Jalisco Lagos de Moreno () is a city and municipality in the State of Jalisco, Mexico. Lagos is located in the region of Los Altos de Jalisco, within the macroregion of the Bajío, one of the most highly developed areas in Latin America. Lagos de Moreno ...

*: Lagos de Moreno Caporales (1975–1977) *

León, Guanajuato León (), officially León de Los Aldama, is the most populous city and municipal seat of the municipality of León in the Mexican state of Guanajuato. In the 2020 census, INEGI reported 1,579,803 people living in the city of León and 1,721,21 ...

*: Diablos Rojos de León (1960) *: Aguilas de León (1961) *: Diablos Verdes de León (1962–1963; 1965-1966) *:

Broncos de León The Mexican Central League was a Minor League Baseball circuit that operated for 19 seasons, from 1960 through 1978, with several clubs based across Mexico. History The Mexican Central League was formed in 1960 at the Class D (baseball), Class D ...

(1964) *:

Bravos de León The Bravos de León (English: León Braves) are a professional baseball team in the Mexican League based in León, Guanajuato, Mexico. History Cachorros de León (1979–80) Mexican League baseball in León began in 1979 when the Alijadore ...

(1967; 1971; 1975) *: Aguiluchos de León (1968–1970) *

Matamoros, Tamaulipas Matamoros, officially known as Heroica Matamoros, is a city in the northeastern Mexican state of Tamaulipas, and the municipal seat of the homonymous municipality. It is on the southern bank of the Rio Grande, directly across the border from Bro ...

*: Matamoros (1978) *

Monterrey, Nuevo León Monterrey (, , abbreviated as MtY) is the capital and largest city of the northeastern Mexican state of Nuevo León. It is the ninth-largest city and the second largest metropolitan area, after Greater Mexico City. Located at the foothills of th ...

*: Indios de Monterrey (1970–1971) *:

Sultanes de Monterrey The Sultanes de Monterrey (English: Monterrey Sultans) are a professional baseball club in the Mexican League (LMB) based in Monterrey, Mexico. Established in 1939 as Carta Blanca, the Sultanes have won ten LMB titles, most recently in 2018. Fro ...

(1972) *

Morelia, Michoacán Morelia (; from 1545 to 1828 known as Valladolid; Otomi: ) is a city and municipal seat of the municipality of Morelia in the north-central part of the state of Michoacán in central Mexico. It is both the most populous and most densely populated ...

*: Tigres de Morelia (1966) * Naranjos, Veracruz *: Naranjos (1972–1973) *

Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas Nuevo Laredo () is a city in the Municipality of Nuevo Laredo in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas. The city lies on the banks of the Rio Grande, across from Laredo, United States. The 2010 census population of the city was 373,725. Nuevo La ...

Tecolotes de Nuevo Laredo The Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos (English: Two Laredos Owls), formerly known as the Tecolotes de Nuevo Laredo (English: Nuevo Laredo Owls), are a professional baseball team in the Mexican League. The Tecolotes are a binational baseball team, spli ...

(1968) * Parras de la Fuente, Coahuila *: Saraperos de Parras (1974) *

Salamanca, Guanajuato Salamanca ( Otomi: ''Xidoo'' "Place of Tepetate") is a city and municipality in the Mexican state of Guanajuato. The city was founded on January 1, 1603, as 'Villa de Salamanca' by the Viceroy Gaspar de Zúñiga, fifth Count of Monterrey, who w ...

*: Petroleros de Salamanca (1960–1962; 1975) *: Tigres de Salamanca (1964–1965) *

Saltillo, Coahuila Saltillo () is the capital and largest city of the northeastern Mexican State, Mexican state of Coahuila and is also the municipal seat of the Saltillo Municipality, municipality of the same name. Mexico City, Monterrey, and Saltillo are all con ...

*: Sultanes de Saltillo (1964) *: Saraperos de Saltillo (1967–1969) * San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí *:

Tuneros de San Luis Potosí The Tuneros de San Luis Potosí (English: San Luis Potosí Prickly Pear Pickers) were a professional baseball team in the Mexican League based in San Luis Potosí, Mexico. The club played during 16 seasons spanning 1946–2006. The first Tuneros t ...

(1960–1962) *: Indios de San Luis Potosí (1963) *: Rojos de San Luis Potosí (1963–1966) *:

Charros de San Luis Potosí ''Charro'', in Mexico, is historically the horseman from the countryside, the Ranchero, who lived and worked in the haciendas and performed all his tasks on horseback, working mainly as vaqueros and caporales, among other jobs. He was ren ...

(1969–1970) *:

(1971) *

San Pedro, Coahuila San Pedro (formally: San Pedro de las Colonias) is a city located in the southwestern part of the state of Coahuila in Mexico. San Pedro lies east-northeast of the city of Torreón and serves as the seat of the surrounding municipality of the ...

*: Algodoneros de San Pedro (1974) * Silao, Guanajuato *: Catarinos de Silao (1978) *

Tampico, Tamaulipas Tampico is a city and port in the southeastern part of the Mexican state of Tamaulipas. It is located on the north bank of the Pánuco River, about inland from the Gulf of Mexico, and directly north of the state of Veracruz. Tampico is the fifth ...

*: Piratas de Tampico (1967–1969) *: Algodoneros de Tampico (1970) * Tamuín, San Luis Potosí *: Tamuin Cafeteritos (1973) * Teocaltiche, Jalisco *:

Teocaltiche Teocaltiche ( "place near the temple") is a town and municipality in the central-western Mexican state of Jalisco. It is located in the northeastern highlands region of Jalisco, commonly referred to in Spanish as "Los Altos de Jalisco". The grassh ...

(1977–1978) * Torreón, Coahuila *: Algodoneros de Torreón (1968) * Uriangato, Guanajuato *: Uriangato (1975) *

Zacatecas, Zacatecas Zacatecas () is the principal city within the municipality in Mexico of the same name, and the capital of the state of Zacatecas. Located in north-central Mexico, the city had its start as a Spanish mining camp in the mid-16th century. Native ...

*: Pericos de Zacatecas (1965–1967) *: Petroleros de Zacatecas (1968–1970) *: Tuzos de Zacatecas (1971–1973; 1976–1978)

Notable players

*21 Héctor Espino – Began his career in 1960 with the Tuneros de San Luis Potosí *34

Fernando Valenzuela Fernando Valenzuela Anguamea (; November 1, 1960 – October 22, 2024), nicknamed "El Toro", was a Mexican professional baseball pitcher. Valenzuela played 17 Major League Baseball (MLB) seasons, from 1980 to 1997 (except for a one-year sabba ...

– Began his career in 1978 with the Tuzos de Guanajuato

References

{{reflist 1960 establishments in Mexico 1978 disestablishments in Mexico Defunct baseball leagues in Mexico Winter baseball leagues

History

Cities represented/Teams

Notable players

See also

References