Peoria Chiefs

Last updated
Peoria Chiefs
Peoria Chiefs.png Peoria Chiefs cap.PNG
Team logoCap insignia
Minor league affiliations
Class High-A (2021–present)
Previous classes Class A (1983–2020)
League Midwest League (2022–present)
DivisionWest Division
Previous leagues
Major league affiliations
Team St. Louis Cardinals (2013–present)
Previous teams
Minor league titles
League titles (1)2002
Division titles (4)
  • 1985
  • 1986
  • 2002
  • 2018
First-half titles (3)
  • 2002
  • 2006
  • 2016
Second-half titles (2)
  • 1996
  • 2009
Wild card berths (8)
  • 1985
  • 1986
  • 1998
  • 2004
  • 2015
  • 2017
  • 2018
  • 2023
Team data
NamePeoria Chiefs (1984–present)
Previous names
Peoria Suns (1983)
ColorsRed, navy, white
   
MascotHomer
Ballpark Dozer Park (2002–present)
Previous parks
 Vonachen Stadium (1983–2001)
Owner(s)/
Operator(s)
Peoria Chiefs Baseball LLC
General managerJason Mott
ManagerPatrick Anderson

The Peoria Chiefs are a Minor League Baseball team of the Midwest League and the High-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. The team was established in 1983 as the Peoria Suns. They are located in Peoria, Illinois, and are named for the Peoria Indian tribe for which the city was named. In 2005, the team replaced the indigenous imagery associated with the Chiefs name and moved to a logo of a dalmatian depicted as a fire chief. [1] The Chiefs play their home games at Dozer Park, which opened in 2002. They previously played at Vonachen Stadium near Bradley University from 1983 through 2001. The Chiefs have made the playoffs a total of 13 times, through eight wild-card berths, three first-half titles, and two second-half titles.

Contents

History

Earlier professional baseball in Peoria

The history of professional baseball in Peoria dates to the late 19th century. The Peoria Reds, Peoria Canaries, and Peoria Blackbirds played in several early leagues during parts of 1878 to 1895. The first ballpark used by these teams was reportedly called Sylvan Park and was located at the corner of Northeast Glendale Avenue and Spring Street on the location of the present-day St. Augustine Manor. [2] In 1883, the club moved a few blocks toward Peoria Lake, to a facility called Lake View Park, on the southeast corner of Northeast Adams Street and Grant Street, which would remain the home of various Peoria clubs for the next four decades.

The 1895, club was dubbed the Peoria Distillers, referencing the Hiram Walker plant. From 1891 to 1911, Frank E. Murphy from Green Bay, Wisconsin, became involved with baseball, beginning with the purchase of the Peoria team of the Midwest League, which he later renamed the Peoria Hoosiers. That nickname would stick with the various Peoria clubs for the next couple of decades, including their first stretch with the Three-I League from 1905 to 1917. After the resumption of following the peak of American involvement in World War I, the Peoria Tractors name gained favor in 1919, with the growth of the nearby branch of the company later called Caterpillar Inc.

In 1923, the team opened a new ballpark called Woodruff Field in honor of a long-time mayor of Peoria. The new park was just across Grant Street from Lake View Park. The Tractors continued to play in several leagues before folding after the 1937 season. The city was then without professional baseball for the next 15 years. The name Peoria Chiefs first appeared with a new franchise in the Three-I League in 1953. This club disbanded after 1957, and Peoria was again without professional ball, for the next 25 years until the current Chiefs set up shop. The Woodruff Field site is now a softball facility called Woodruff Park.

Current franchise

The Chiefs in action in 1990 PeoriaChiefs1990.jpg
The Chiefs in action in 1990

The Peoria Suns were established in 1983. They played their home games at Meinen Field, built in 1968, near the Bradley University campus. The team's name was changed to the Chiefs in 1984. The 1984 team was managed by future Major League Baseball manager Joe Maddon.

The 1988 team, managed by future major league manager Jim Tracy, was the subject of Joseph Bosco's book The Boys Who Would Be Cubs. [3]

Meinen Field was renovated before the 1992 season and renamed Vonachen Stadium in honor of Chiefs owner Pete Vonachen. The team moved to Dozer Park in downtown Peoria on May 24, 2002. During the new park's first year, the team set a franchise attendance record of 254,407 and won the Midwest League championship.

Former Cubs catcher Jody Davis managed the 2006 team.

Baseball Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg was hired to manage the 2007 Chiefs, which went 71–68 and finished the second half 40–30 in a tie for the division title, but missed the playoff on a tiebreaker. The team set a new season attendance record of 259,794, an average of 3,800 per game. Sandberg returned to manage the Chiefs in 2008. The team set a Midwest League single-game attendance record on July 29, 2008, when the Chiefs drew a crowd of 32,103 to Wrigley Field in Chicago for a game against the Kane County Cougars.

The Chiefs' affiliation with the Cubs ended after the 2012 season, [4] and they entered into a player-development contract with the St. Louis Cardinals. [5]

Under Major League Baseball's restructuring of Minor League Baseball in 2021, the Chiefs were organized into the High-A Central. [6] In 2022, the High-A Central became known as the Midwest League, the name used by the regional circuit before the 2021 reorganization. [7]

2008 brawl

During a game on July 23, 2008, Dayton Dragons hit three Chiefs batters. The teams played again the following day, and in the first inning, Chiefs pitcher Julio Castillo hit Dragons batter Zack Cozart in the head. Two batters later, Castillo hit Angel Cabrera in the arm, and nearly hit another Dragon player in the head after that. Cabrera then spiked the Chiefs shortstop at second base on a slide. At that point, Chiefs fill-in manager Carmelo Martinez began arguing with the umpire. This brought out the Dragons manager, Donnie Scott, and the two argued for a few minutes before the umpires broke it up.

During the coaches' argument, pitcher Castillo fired a ball at the Dragons' dugout. The ball struck a fan, who was taken to the hospital. Brandon Menchaca proceeded to tackle Castillo from behind as both benches cleared, delaying the game for 69 minutes. After the game, Castillo was arrested for felonious assault. [8] The injured fan, Chris McCarthy, suffered a concussion but recovered.

On August 8, 2009, Castillo was convicted of felonious assault causing serious physical injury and was sentenced to 30 days in jail. [9] In April 2010, a judge released Castillo from probation "on the condition that he leave the United States and not return for a minimum of three years." [10] [11]

Season-by-season records

SeasonLeagueDivisionFinish [d] Wins [d] Losses [d] Win%GB [e] PostseasonMLB affiliate
Peoria Suns
1983 Midwest League South4th5485.38826— California Angels
Peoria Chiefs
1984 Midwest League South2nd6673.4754— California Angels
1985 Midwest League South1st7565.536—Wild Card Berth
Won South Division title vs. Beloit, 2–1
Lost MWL championship vs. Kenosha, 1–3		 Chicago Cubs
1986 Midwest League South2nd7763.55010Wild Card Berth
Won South Division title vs. Springfield, 2–0
Lost MWL championship vs. Waterloo, 0–2		 Chicago Cubs
1987 Midwest League South2nd7169.50723— Chicago Cubs
1988 Midwest League South5th7070.50017— Chicago Cubs
1989 Midwest League South2nd8059.5761— Chicago Cubs
1990 Midwest League South7th5582.40134.5— Chicago Cubs
1991 Midwest League South6th6276.44918.5— Chicago Cubs
1992 Midwest League South4th6274.45628.5— Chicago Cubs
1993 Midwest League South5th5979.42823— Chicago Cubs
1994 Midwest League South2nd6870.4938.5— Chicago Cubs
1995 Midwest League West4th6272.46312.5— St. Louis Cardinals
1996 Midwest League Central1st7957.581—Won Second Half Central Division title
Lost quarterfinals vs. Wisconsin, 1–2		 St. Louis Cardinals
1997 Midwest League Central3rd7069.5046— St. Louis Cardinals
1998 Midwest League Central2nd7268.5141.5Wild Card Berth
Lost quarterfinals vs. Fort Wayne, 1–2		 St. Louis Cardinals
1999 Midwest League Central4th6376.45316— St. Louis Cardinals
2000 Midwest League West5th6374.46014.5— St. Louis Cardinals
2001 Midwest League West6th5781.41331— St. Louis Cardinals
2002 Midwest League West1st8553.616—Won First Half West Division title
Won quarterfinals vs. Burlington, 2–0
Won West Division title vs. Cedar Rapids, 2–0
Won MWL championship vs. Lansing, 3–1		 St. Louis Cardinals
2003 Midwest League West6th6573.47114.5— St. Louis Cardinals
2004 Midwest League West2nd7564.5408Wild Card Berth
Lost quarterfinals vs. Kane County, 1–2		 St. Louis Cardinals
2005 Midwest League West5th6872.4868.5— Chicago Cubs
2006 Midwest League West3rd7564.5404Won First Half West Division title
Lost quarterfinals vs. Beloit, 1–2		 Chicago Cubs
2007 Midwest League West4th7168.5117.5— Chicago Cubs
2008 Midwest League West7th6078.43518.5— Chicago Cubs
2009 Midwest League West1st8157.587—Won Second Half Central Division title
Lost quarterfinals vs. Cedar Rapids, 2–0		 Chicago Cubs
2010 Midwest League West5th7166.51811.5— Chicago Cubs
2011 Midwest League West8th6079.43222— Chicago Cubs
2012 Midwest League West7th6375.45714.5— Chicago Cubs
2013 Midwest League West4th6869.49619.5— St. Louis Cardinals
2014 Midwest League West3rd7267.51818.5— St. Louis Cardinals
2015 Midwest League West4th7563.54313Wild Card Berth
Won quarterfinals vs. Kane County, 2–0
Lost West Division title vs. Cedar Rapids, 0–2		 St. Louis Cardinals
2016 Midwest League West3rd7366.52512.5Won First Half West Division title
Lost quarterfinals vs. Clinton, 0–2		 St. Louis Cardinals
2017 Midwest League West4th6970.49610.5Wild Card Berth
Lost quarterfinals vs. Quad Cities, 1–2		 St. Louis Cardinals
2018 Midwest League West3rd7663.5474.5Wild Card Berth
Won quarterfinals vs. Quad Cities, 2–0
Won West Division title vs. Cedar Rapids, 2–0
Lost MWL championship vs. Bowling Green, 1–3		 St. Louis Cardinals
2019 Midwest League West8th5485.38827— St. Louis Cardinals
2020 Midwest League Season cancelled (COVID-19 pandemic) St. Louis Cardinals
2021 High-A Central West6th4575.37533— St. Louis Cardinals
2022 Midwest League West5th5676.42417.5— St. Louis Cardinals
2023 Midwest League West2nd6963.52313Wild Card Berth
Lost West Division Title vs. Cedar Rapids, 1–2		 St. Louis Cardinals
Totals———2,6962,808.490———

Roster

Peoria Chiefs roster
PlayersCoaches/Other

Pitchers

  • 53 Tyler Bradt
  • 52 Benito Garcia
  • 32 Roy Garcia
  • 29 Pete Hansen
  • 44 Nathanael Heredia
  • 50 Cooper Hjerpe
  • 30 Tanner Jacobson
  • 51 Joseph King
  • 25 Brycen Mautz
  • 39 Zane Mills
  • 35 Inohan Paniagua
  • 26 Wilfredo Pereira
  • 19 Hancel Rincon
  • 36 Dionys Rodriguez
  • 33 Gustavo Rodriguez Injury icon 2.svg
  • 37 Cade Winquest

Catchers

  • 15 Leonardo Bernal
  • 54 Carlos Linarez
  •  7 Luis Rodriguez
  • 28 Graysen Tarlow

Infielders

  • 21 Michael Curialle
  • 49 Anyelo Encarnacion
  • 11 Dakota Harris
  •  3 Brody Moore
  • 18 William Sullivan
  • 16 Osvaldo Tovalin

Outfielders


Manager

  • 22 Patrick Anderson

Coaches

  • 34 Edwin Moreno (pitching)
  • 55 Will Peterson
  • 27 Elvis Rodriguez (hitting)

60-day injured list

  • 70 Austin Love

Injury icon 2.svg 7-day injured list
* On St. Louis Cardinals 40-man roster
~ Development list
# Rehab assignment
∞ Reserve list
‡ Restricted list
§ Suspended list
† Temporarily inactive list
Roster updated April 5, 2024
 Transactions
→ More rosters: MiLB  •  Midwest League
→ St. Louis Cardinals minor league players

Notable alumni

Baseball Hall of Fame alumni

Notable award winning alumni

Notable alumni

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References

  1. ↑ "How the Peoria Chiefs long ago moved away from Native American imagery".
  2. ↑ Benson 1989, p. 293.
  3. ↑ Crying `Foul!` Over The Inside Story Of Would-be Cubs - tribunedigital-chicagotribune
  4. ↑ Report: Chiefs losing Cubs affiliation to Kane County
  5. ↑ Baliva, Nathan (September 18, 2012). "Chiefs Sign Affiliation Agreement with St. Louis Cardinals". Peoria Chiefs. Retrieved September 19, 2012.
  6. ↑ Mayo, Jonathan (February 12, 2021). "MLB Announces New Minors Teams, Leagues". Major League Baseball. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
  7. ↑ "Historical League Names to Return in 2022". Minor League Baseball. March 16, 2022. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
  8. ↑ "Arrest made after Minor League fracas" MLB.com July 25, 2008
  9. ↑ Associated Press, "Castillo gets jail, probation", ESPN , August 6, 2009.
  10. ↑ "No jail time for minor league pitcher in brawl" USA Today Retrieved May 7, 2010
  11. ↑ "Peoria's Castillo arrested in brawl game".

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