The 2024 Triple-A National Championship Game will take place on Saturday, September 28 at 10:09 p.m. EDT at Las Vegas Ballpark in Las Vegas, Nev., with the Sugar Land Space Cowboys, the Houston Astros top affiliate playing the Omaha Storm Chasers, the Kansas City Royals Triple-A affiliate.
The Triple-A National Championship Game will be televised on MiLB.TV, MLB.TV, MLB Network, and Bally Sports Live.
This will be the third consecutive year that the Las Vegas Ballpark will host the Triple-A National Championship Game.
The Las Vegas Ballpark is home to the Oakland Athletics Triple-A affiliate, the Las Vegas Aviators.
Grammy-nominated platinum recording artist and activist Aloe Blacc will perform the National Anthem prior to the start of the Triple-A National Championship Game.
After the game, there will be a special drone show beyond the outfield walls at Las Vegas Ballpark for fans to stay after and enjoy the post-game festivities.
Last year, the Norfolk Tides, the Triple-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles, beat the Oklahoma City Dodgers, the Los Angeles Dodgers Triple-A affiliate 7-6.
This will be the first time in the history of the Triple-A National Championship Game since its first year in 2006 that a former independent organization, the Sugar Land Space Cowboys, play in the NCG. Before playing in the Pacific Coast League, the club was an independent league team in the Atlantic League known as the Sugar Land Skeeters and were not affiliated with an MLB organization. The Skeeters were part of the MLB Partnership Independent League system in 2021 before becoming the Astros Triple-A affiliate in 2022 and changing the franchise name to the Space Cowboys.
The Astros farm system is ranked 30th in MLB by MLBpipeline.com, and has only one player ranked in the Top 100 Prospects: Space Cowboys outfielder Jacob Melton is ranked No. 92.
The Space Cowboys are aiming for their first Triple-A championship on Saturday in their first appearance, while the Omaha Storm Chasers are looking for their third title in their fourth appearance.
The Sugar Land Space Cowboys won the first half of the 2024 Pacific Coast League regular season, going 49-26 and finishing the year at 93-56 under manager Mickey Storey in the Pacific Coast League East division.
The Sugar Land Space Cowboys swept the Reno Aces, the Triple-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks in the best-of-three Pacific Coast League championship series on September 25.
Sugar Land Space Cowboys second baseman Jesus Bastidas and third baseman Shay Whitcomb are tied with the team with home runs at 25.
Bastidas leads the team in doubles with 31.
Whitcomb led the franchise with 91 RBI during 2024.
Space Cowboys center fielder Pedro Leon leads the franchise this season with 140 hits, while playing in 118 games.
Sugar Land catcher Miguel Palma leads the team in batting average, hitting .412.
Sugar Land relief pitcher Wander Suero appeared in 67 games out of the bullpen and posted a 7-1 record with a 2.66 ERA, throwing 67.2 innings, allowing 48 hits, 20 earned runs, eight home runs, 33 walks, 71 strikeouts, and a 1.20 WHIP.
Suero had 37 saves out of 39 saves opportunities during the 2024 regular season.
The Omaha Storm Chasers won the best-of-three International League Championship Series against the Columbus Clippers, the Triple-A affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians, with a 7-3 win in Game Three on September 25.
The Omaha Storm Chasers won the second half of the regular season with a 40-35 record in the International League West and went 89-59, finishing in first place for the 2024 season under manager Mike Jirschele.
Omaha won back-to-back national championships in 2013 and 2014.
The Storm Chasers lost to the Columbus Clippers in the NCG in their first appearance in the 2011 NCG at Isotopes Park in Albuquerque, N.M.
The Kansas City Royals farm system is ranked No. 25 on MLBpipeline.com, and the Royals have two players that are currently in the Top 100 Prospect Rankings from MLBpipeline.com but are not at the Triple-A level.
Storm Chasers left fielder John Rave led the team, hitting .290 with 65 walks, 21 home runs and 129 hits during the 2024 season. Omaha center fielder Drew Waters led the franchise with 33 doubles. Storm Chasers right fielder Tyler Gentry and first baseman Nick Pratto are tied with the most strikeouts at 149. Omaha third baseman Nate Eaton leads the team with 27 stolen bases.
Storm Chasers relief pitcher Evan Sisk posted a 6-2 record with a 1.57 ERA in 58 appearances out of the bullpen, 15 saves out of 17 opportunities, throwing 57.1 innings, allowing 33 hits, 10 earned runs, 26 walks, 81 strikeouts, and a 1.83 WHIP.
MiLB Triple-A National Champions
Year – National Champions (Affiliate) – Venue – City
2006 – Tucson Sidewinders (ARI) – AT&T Bricktown Ballpark – Oklahoma City
2007 – Sacramento River Cats (OAK) – AT&T Bricktown Ballpark – Oklahoma City
2008 – Sacramento River Cats (OAK) – AT&T Bricktown Ballpark – Oklahoma City
2009 – Durham Bulls (TB) – AT&T Bricktown Ballpark – Oklahoma City
2010 – Columbus Clippers (CLE) – AT&T Bricktown Ballpark – Oklahoma City
2011 – Columbus Clippers (CLE) – Isotopes Park – Albuquerque, N.M.
2012 – Reno Aces (ARI) – Durham Bulls Athletic Park – Durham, N.C.
2013 – Omaha Storm Chasers (KC) – Coca-Cola Park – Allentown, Pa.
2014 – Omaha Storm Chasers (KC) – BB&T Ballpark – Charlotte, N.C.
2015 – Fresno Grizzlies (HOU) – Southwest University Park – El Paso, Texas
2016 – Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (NYY) – Memphis, Tenn.
2017 – Durham Bulls (TB) – PNC Field – Moosic, Pa.
2018 – Memphis Redbirds (STL) – Huntington Park – Columbus, Ohio
2019 – Sacramento River Cats (SFG) – AutoZone Park – Memphis, Tenn.
2020 – Canceled due to the COVID-19 Pandemic
2021 – Game Not Held
2022 – Durham Bulls (TBR) – Las Vegas Ballpark – Las Vegas
2023 – Norfolk Tides (BAL) – Las Vegas Ballpark – Las Vegas
Triple-A National Championship Most Valuable Player Award
Year – Player – Team (MLB affiliation) – Position
2006 – Scott Hairston – Tucson Sidewinders (ARI) – LF
2007 – Lou Merloni – Sacramento River Cats (OAK) – 3B
2008 – Chris Gissell – Sacramento River Cats (OAK) – P
2009 - Jeremy Hellickson – Durham Bulls (TB) – P
2010 – Jerad Head – Columbus Clippers (CLE) – LF
2011 – Joe Martinez – Columbus Clippers (CLE) – SP
2012 – A. J. Pollock – Reno Aces (ARI) – CF
2013 – Chris Dwyer – Omaha Storm Chasers (KC) – P
2014 – Brett Hayes – Omaha Storm Chasers (KC) – C
2015 – Chris Devenski – Fresno Grizzlies (HOU) – P
2016 – Chris Parmelee – Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (NYY) – 1B
2017 – Kean Wong – Durham Bulls (TB) – 2B
2018 – Alex Mejia – Memphis Redbirds (STL) – 1B
2019 – Caleb Baragar – Sacramento River Cats (SF) - P
2020 – Game canceled due to the COVID-19 Pandemic
2021 – Game not held
2022 – Bligh Madris – Durham Bulls (TB) – LF
2023 – Colton Cowser – Norfolk Tides (BAL) – CF
Photo: Las Vegas Ballpark in Downtown Summerlin. It is the home field for the Las Vegas Aviators a Minor League Baseball team in the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics. (Getty Images)
