Power Ranking the 25 Coolest Minor League Stadiums

For many baseball fans across America, attending a Major League Baseball game is just not feasible for various reasons; distance, ticket prices and other factors prevent them from attending.

However, with minor league teams situated in less densely populated areas throughout the country, fans can still enjoy a great baseball experience.

Often, minor league teams will use a wide variety of promotions to entice fans to attend; free giveaways, concerts after games, fireworks and other ideas are often used to increase attendance at many stadiums.

However, there are some minor league teams that can simply draw fans just because of the ballpark they play in that is a draw all unto itself.

With more and more fans being turned off by outrageous ticket prices, overpriced concessions and paying premium rates for a parking spot, they are increasingly being drawn to their local minor league team, whose owners are fast catching on by building ballparks that are fun, scenic and provide great amenities at not so inflated prices.

Here is a list of 25 of the coolest minor league baseball stadiums across the country.

Richmond County Bank Ballpark: Staten Island, NY

Richmond County Bank Ballpark at St. George (RCB Ballpark) is home to the Staten Island Yankees, a Single-A affiliate in the New York-Penn League. Opened in June 2001 at a cost of $29 million, the ballpark is located right on the New York Harbor, and the Staten Island Ferry can often be seen going right by the park.

The park also features 18 regular-sized luxury suites along with a 60-person Skyline Suite, giving fans an absolutely gorgeous view of the harbor. A children’s play area is located along the left-field line during games as well.

Metro Bank Park: Harrisburg, PA

There have been several ballparks that have been built directly on waterfronts in recent years. Metro Bank Ballpark in Harrisburg, PA not only built it on the waterfront back in 1987, but they built it on an island as well!

Home to the Harrisburg Senators, a Double-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals, Metro Bank Park is located on City Island and is part of a 62-acre area that combines sports with a waterfront park. The park was also used as the spring training facility for the Cleveland Indians in the movie Major League II.

Recent renovations added a boardwalk that surrounds the outfield and a brand-new building that houses the executive offices for the Senators.

AT&T Field: Chattanooga, TN

The Chattanooga Lookouts, a Double-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers, play their home games at AT&T Field in Chattanooga, TN.

Built in 1999, AT&T Field is very unique in that the vast majority of the 6,340 seats are located along the first-base line because of the proximity of a highway along the third base side of the field.

Another unique feature of the park is the Chattanooga Choo-Choo, which choo-choos its way along the outfield fence whenever a Lookout player hits a home run.

Photo courtesy bargainez.com

Canal Park: Akron, OH

Opened in 1997, Canal Park in Akron, OH is the home of the Akron Aeros, a Double-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. The architects that designed Progressive Field in Cleveland for the Indians also designed and built Canal Park.

One of the unique features of Canal Park is that just about every game ticket is the same price no matter where in the park you sit. The right field bleacher section is the only exception, being one dollar less.

With a gorgeous view of downtown Akron in the outfield, the park features seating from one foul pole to the other, a feature not often found in minor league parks.

Photo courtesy Wikimedia.org

Whitaker Bank Ballpark: Lexington, KY

Whitaker Bank Ballpark is home to the Lexington Legends, the Single-A affiliate of the Houston Astros in the South Atlantic League, better known as the Sally.

Named Applebee’s Park for the first 10 years of its existence, Whitaker Bank Ballpark is quite large for a Single-A park with 6,500 seats. It is somewhat patterned after major-league parks, as it comes complete with a Budweiser Pavilion, a Pepsi Party Deck along the right field wall and the Maker’s Mark Club restaurant, located behind home plate.

Photo courtesy Wikimedia.org

Fieldcrest Cannon Stadium: Kannapolis, NC

The Kannapolis Intimidators, a Single-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox, were named in honor of Dale Earnhardt, the seven-time Winston Cup Series winner who is the favorite son of Kannapolis, NC.

Fieldcrest Cannon Stadium opened in 1995, named after the textiles company that built the city of Kannapolis. With its unique connection to Earnhardt and auto racing, the ballpark features the “Intimidation Station” and the “Pit Stop Playground.”

Photo courtesy visitcabarrus.com

Whataburger Field: Corpus Christi, TX

This ballpark makes our list just because of its cool name.

Well, no, not really—there are other reasons too.

The Corpus Christi Hooks, Double-A affiliate of the Houston Astros, call Whataburger Field home. Another waterfront park, Whataburger Field sits on land that used to be occupied by cotton warehouses.

With a 5,400-seat capacity, the ballpark features a wide variety of kids amenities, including Driscoll Children’s Hospital Fun Zone (a complete playground area), a basketball court, a 27-foot-high rock wall, a separate youth baseball field and a trampoline jump.

Photo courtesy baseballparks.com

Isotopes Park: Albuquerque, NM

Routinely voted one of the top minor league ballparks in the country, Isotopes Park is home to the Albuquerque Isotopes, the Triple-A affiliate for the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Pacific Coast League.

With a seating capacity of 12,379, Isotopes Park routinely breaks attendance records and was the home of the 2007 Triple-A All-Star Game.

The ballpark features a hill in center field very similar to that of Minute Maid Park in Houston and also an open breezeway above the seating area, where fans can access most of the concessions and amenities will still getting a complete view of the game.

Photo courtesy baseballparks.com

Victory Field: Indianapolis, IN

Much like Isotopes Park in Albuquerque, NM, Victory Field is considered one of the finest minor league ballparks in America and has been called such by both Baseball America and Sports Illustrated.

Located not too far away from Lucas Oil Field, the home of the NFL's Indianapolis Colts, Victory Field is the home field for the Indianapolis Indians, the Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Victory Field can seat 12,496 fans, and with a huge lawn area in right field, it’s not uncommon to see over 15,000 fans on special occasions.

With plenty of concourses, picnic areas and entertainment areas, Victory Park can keep the interest of all fans in attendance, and its close proximity to downtown Indianapolis makes it easily accessible.

Photo courtesy Wikimedia.org

Bright House Field: Clearwater, FL

Bright House Field is the home of the Clearwater Phillies, the Single-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. Clearwater has been the home of spring training for the Phillies since 1947, so there is a long and historic partnership between the two.

Opened just in time for the 2004 spring training season, Bright House Field is also the field for the Phillies’ Grapefruit League games during spring training, which explains the extra seating capacity of 8,500, normally a much larger seating capacity than most Single-A facilities.

Normally, I wouldn’t give much stock to a Single-A ballpark in Florida—typically, they just don’t draw well. However, Bright House Field, with its luxury boxes, great amenities and spacious surroundings, generally attracts much better than average crowds for a Florida State League game.

Photo courtesy awesomeclearwater.com

NewBridge Bank Park: Greensboro, NC

Opened in 2005, NewBridge Bank Park is the home of the Greensboro Grasshoppers, a Single-A affiliate for the Florida Marlins.

The original owners thought ahead with this park, giving it a seating capacity of 7,499 just in case the opportunity to take on a Double-A team arose in the future. Nonetheless, the ballpark is clearly one of the nicest parks in the South Atlantic League (Sally).

Dr. Pepper Ballpark: Frisco, TX

Down in the Texas League, they take their baseball VERY seriously—and they value their ballparks just as much.

Former Texas Rangers owner Tom Hicks, in conjunction with Mandalay Sports Entertainment, brought baseball back to Frisco when the Shreveport Swamp Dragons moved in time for the 2003 season. Dr. Pepper Ballpark was built in time for the new Frisco RoughRiders and their debut.

The stadium, which seats 10,600, was almost immediately considered one of the best new minor league parks in the country. The RoughRiders routinely draw 8,000 fans per game, one of the highest average attendances for any minor league stadium in the country.

Photo courtesy Wikimedia.org

First Energy Stadium: Reading, PA

Built way back in 1951, First Energy Stadium, home of the Philadelphia Phillies Double-A affiliate Reading Phillies, will rival any minor league ballpark built recently.

Voted the No. 2 minor league ballpark by Minor League News in 2006, First Energy Stadium is the only stadium in the history of minor league baseball to surpass 10 million in attendance without ever hosting a team higher than the Double-A level.

Hall of Fame third baseman Mike Schmidt made his professional debut at First Energy Stadium back in 1971, and it has served as the home of the Reading Phillies since 1967.

Photo courtesy ballparkreviews.com

RedHawks Field at Bricktown: Oklahoma City, OK

Home of the Oklahoma City RedHawks, the Triple-A affiliate of the Houston Astros, RedHawks Field at Bricktown opened back in 1998 to rave reviews and continues to draw a terrific crowd for RedHawks games.

With a seating capacity of 13,066, the park sits in the middle of the city’s Bricktown district, which went through a complete revitalization two decades ago.

In keeping with the theme of its surroundings, the entire exterior of the stadium itself is brick.

Louisville Slugger Field: Louisville, KY

Located just down the street from the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory, Louisville Slugger is the home of the Louisville Bats, the Triple-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds.

Opened in 2000 with a seating capacity of 13,131, Louisville Slugger Field incorporated a former train shed into the design of the ballpark. Many players have routinely said that the playing field conditions are pristine, primarily because of the Kentucky bluegrass used on the playing surface.

Photo courtesy Wikimedia.org

Coca-Cola Field: Buffalo, NY

The Buffalo Bisons have had a long and storied history in Buffalo, dating all the way back to 1879. The current version of the Bisons dates back to 1979.

Originally, Coca-Cola Field was designed with the thought of bringing a major league team to the city; at one time, the Montreal Expos and Pittsburgh Pirates were contenders to move, and Buffalo was in the top five in contention for expansion teams back in the early 1990s. However, those teams were awarded to Colorado and Florida.

Nonetheless, Coca-Cola Field was built, and it was constructed by the same firm that later built Camden Yards in Baltimore. In fact, Coca-Cola Field is considered the precursor to Camden Yards and helped lead to the retro-style baseball-only stadiums built in downtown locations.

Thus, if you want to see the inspiration behind Camden Yards, Coca-Cola Field is the place to go.

Modern Woodmen Park: Davenport, IA

The Quad Cities River Bandits, a Single-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals, call Modern Woodmen Park home. One of the older minor league stadiums still in use, it underwent a major renovation in 2004 to modernize the ballpark and bring it up to current accepted standards.

The architect (Populous) did such a good job with the renovations that Ballparkdigest.com, one of the leading websites for the ballpark industry, gave Modern Woodmen Park the Best Ballpark Improvement Award in both 2008 and 2009.

For an older venue, this park features many newer amenities along with original features of the park that give it a beautiful retro feel.

Photo courtesy minorleaguebaseball.com

MCU Park: Brooklyn, NY

When the beloved Brooklyn Dodgers left for Los Angeles in 1958, fans in the New York borough were stunned, suddenly left without a team in their area of the city that they had supported for over 70 years.

Now, even though it’s just a short-season Single-A franchise, Brooklyn has a team once again, the Brooklyn Cyclones, a New York Mets affiliate in the New York-Penn League.

MCU Park, originally named KeySpan Park, was built back in 2001, right in the heart of Coney Island. With seating for 7,500, the park can hold up to 10,000 fans with a standing-room-only crowd.

The park incorporates elements of Coney Island and actually overlooks the Coney Island Cyclone outside right field.

AutoZone Park: Memphis, TN

The Memphis Redbirds, the Triple-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals, play their home games at AutoZone Park. Opened in 2000, the construction costs for AutoZone Park topped $80 million, the most money ever spent for the construction of a minor league facility.

The unique part about the Memphis Redbirds and their stadium is the fact that they are owned and operated by the Memphis Redbirds Foundation, a non-profit organization set up in almost the exact same way as the NFL's Green Bay Packers.

With a seating capacity of 14,320, AutoZone Park also features the largest video scoreboard in the minor leagues; with its location 127 feet above the playing field, it can actually be seen in many areas of downtown Memphis.

Raley Field: Sacramento, CA

The Sacramento River Cats, the Triple-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics in the Pacific Coast League, play their home games at Raley Field, opened in May of 2000.

With 11,093 fixed seats and berms in right and left field that can hold an additional 3,000 fans, Raley Field is located on the banks of the Sacramento River, directly across from the California State Capitol complex.

The field offers gorgeous views of the city in the background, and it was the home field for current and former MLB players Eric Byrnes, Barry Zito, Nick Swisher, Eric Hinske and Carlos Pena.

Fifth Third Field: Dayton, OH

Fifth Third Field in Dayton, OH, not to be confused with Fifth Third Field in Toledo, was built for the Dayton Dragons, the Single-A affiliate for the Cincinnati Reds.

Opened in 2000, the ballpark has a capacity of 7,230 with additional seating in the lawn area for another 1,000 fans.

On July 11, 2010, the Dragons sold out Fifth Third Field for the 815th consecutive game, setting a North American record for consecutive sellouts by any professional sports team, besting the mark set by the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers from 1977-95.

With team mascots Heater and Gem and various promotions, Fifth Third Field works hard to entertain its fans on a nightly basis, and they have obviously shown their appreciation by continually showing up.

Dell Diamond: Round Rock, TX

Another of the diamonds in the rough in Texas, the Dell Diamond is a thing of beauty.

Originally built for the Double-A Round Rock Express in 2000, the Dell Diamond is now the home to the Triple-A Round Rock Express, affiliated with the Texas Rangers. With 8,688 fixed seats with room for almost 3,000 additional fans on an outfield grass berm area, Dell Diamond also boasts a private swimming pool, a hot tub and 30 private suites, along with a full basketball court.

In 2006, Minor League News voted Dell Diamond the No. 1 minor league park in the country.

Photo courtesy austintxrealestateagent.com

Ripken Stadium: Aberdeen, MD

If you want to get a ticket to a minor league game at Ripken Stadium in Aberdeen, MD, you may have to wait a while.

The Aberdeen IronBirds, the short-season Single-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles in the New York-Penn League, have sold out every single home game they have played at Ripken Stadium since the opening in 2002.

LeLacheur Park: Lowell, MA

The Lowell Spinners, the short-season Single-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox in the New York-Penn League, play their home games at the gorgeous LeLacheur Park, built in 1998. A joint venture along with the University of Massachusetts Lowell, LeLacheur Park is also the home for the UMass Lowell River Hawks college baseball team.

The design of the stadium is unique in that the entire seating bowl is raised above the playing field and is surrounded by a concourse that houses all concessions and amenities.

The Spinners have sold out LeLacheur Park several consecutive seasons as well. In addition, all of the numbers retired by the Boston Red Sox are on display at LeLacheur Park.

McCoy Stadium: Pawtucket, RI

McCoy Stadium has been home to the Pawtucket Red Sox, the Triple-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, since 1970. Originally opened in 1946, McCoy Stadium became known as one of the most fan-friendly minor league ballparks under the ownership of Ben Mondor, who owned the team from 1977 until his death last October.

One of the most unique features of McCoy Stadium is its incredibly expansive foul territory. Built in a semi-circle, the area behind home plate at McCoy features the largest foul territory area of any park in minor league baseball.

Another unique feature is that because the dugouts are actually embedded underneath the grandstands, fan seeking autographs will actually do so by using a fishing rod, hooking their programs, hats or whatever else they want signed on the fishing hook and dangling their line in front of the dugout. The players will then grab the line, sign whatever is on the hook and give the line a tug, indicating that they have signed the merchandise and the line can be pulled back.

Doug Mead is a featured columnist with Bleacher Report. His work has been featured on the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, SF Gate, CBS Sports, the Los Angeles Times and the Houston Chronicle. Follow Doug on Twitter @Sports_A_Holic.