Is there a baseball team in New York? With so many popular professional sporting teams in the state, many are curious whether there’s a baseball team in the Big Apple too. The answer is yes – there are many professional baseball teams in New York. In this article, we’ll look at who plays in New York City and the surrounding areas, and answer some common questions about New York baseball.
Major League Teams
One of the most popular, and well-known, baseball teams in New York is the New York Yankees. The Yankees are a professional Major League Baseball (MLB) team in the American League East Division. Established in 1903, the Yankees have a long history of success and are considered one of the best teams in the history of the MLB.
For almost their entire existence, the Yankees have been based out of the Bronx in New York City. The Yankees play their home games at Yankee Stadium.
The other MLB team in New York is the New York Mets. The Mets were founded in 1962 and are a member of the National League East Division. The Mets originally played in the historic Shea Stadium in Queens, New York but in 2009 the team moved to Citi Field in Queens.
Minor League Teams
Although the MLB teams get most of the limelight, there are also some great minor league teams in New York. These teams are usually located outside of the city and are used to give MLB-affiliated players some additional playing time.
The Triple-A (AAA) affiliate of the New York Yankees is the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. The RailRiders belong to the International League and play in Moosic, Pennsylvania, which is about a two-hour drive from New York. The team currently offers some of the lowest ticket prices for pro-baseball fans in the region, making them a great choice for budget-conscious fans.
The Triple-A affiliate of the Mets is the Syracuse Mets. The Syracuse Mets belong to the International League and play in Syracuse, New York, which is a two-and-a-half hour drive from New York City.
Additionally, there are two Double-A teams in New York:
• The Binghamton Rumble Ponies, the Eastern League affiliate of the New York Mets.
• The Trenton Thunder, the Eastern League affiliate of the Yankees which is located in Trenton, New Jersey, located about an hour-and-a-half away from New York City.
College Teams
Finally, there is no shortage of baseball teams in New York’s college athletic programs. Many of the major universities in New York have Division I baseball programs and are members of the NCAA.
Some of the college teams include:
• St. John’s Red Storm of the Big East Conference
• Seton Hall Pirates of the Big East Conference
• Hofstra Pride of the Colonial Athletic Association
• Iona Gaels of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
• Stony Brook Seawolves of the America East Conference
• Manhattan Jaspers of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
• Fordham Rams of the Atlantic 10 Conference
• Niagara Purple Eagles of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
• Canisius Golden Griffins of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
To sum up, baseball is alive and well in New York. There are two professional Major League teams, the Yankees and the Mets. There are also two Minor League teams in Triple-A, and two in Double-A. If all you’re looking for is an affordable game, you can also check out some of the college teams in New York. No matter what you’re looking for, you can find a great baseball game to watch in New York.
