The Salt Lake Trappers were one of the most successful minor league baseball teams of all time, both on the field and at the gate. Playing in the independent Pioneer League, the team was so successful that it was ultimately displaced by a team from the higher level AAA Pacific Coast League.
The Butte Copper Kings were a Montana-based minor league baseball entry in the Rookie-level Pioneer League. Founded in 1978, the Copper Kings endured for nearly a quarter of a century despite a revolving door of owners and Major League working agreements. Notable Copper Kings included Cecil Fielder, Julio Franco, Francisco Rodriguez & Omar Vizquel.
The Missoula Timberjacks were a mid-20th century Pioneer League franchise that served as a farm club of the Washington Senators and Cincinnati Reds between 1956 and 1960. The club was brought to town by veteran Montana baseball executive and UFO enthusiast Nick Mariana and helped to develop the careers of Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Kaat and long-time Major League manager and executive Jack McKeon.
The Pioneers were a Pocatello, Idaho entry in the Rookie-level Pioneer League in 1990 and 1991. Owing to the lack of a Major League Player Development Contract, the Pioneers were dreadful last-place finishers in both of their Pioneer League campaigns. Their .214 winning percentage in 1990 was the worst in all of Organized Baseball that summer.
Idaho Falls joined Minor League Baseball’s historic Class C Pioneer League for the circuit’s second season in the spring of 1940. Incredibly, Idaho Falls has fielded a Pioneer League club every year since, with the exception of the years 1943-1945, when the loop ceased operations during World War II, and 2020 when all of Minor League Baseball shut down due to the COVID-19 epidemic. The Russets began play as a New York Yankees farm club in 1940 and 1941. The Yankees cycled back to Idaho Falls as parent club in 1962. The return of the Yankees marked the end of the Russets era as the team became the Idaho Falls Yankees for the 1962 season.
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