The Cincinnati Reds farm system consists of seven Minor League Baseball affiliates across the United States and in the Dominican Republic. Four teams are independently owned, while the Arizona Complex League Reds, Dominican Summer League Reds, and Dominican Summer League Rojos are owned by the major league club.
The Reds have been affiliated with the Triple-A Louisville Bats of the International League since 2000, making it the longest-running active affiliation in the organization among teams not owned by the Reds. The longest affiliation in franchise history was with the Billings Mustangs, who were the team's Rookie affiliate in the Pioneer League for 47 seasons from 1974 to 2020. Their newest affiliate is the Chattanooga Lookouts of the Southern League, which became the Reds' Double-A club in 2019; they were previously affiliated with Chattanooga from 1988 to 2008.
Geographically, Cincinnati's closest domestic affiliate is the High-A Dayton Dragons of the Midwest League, which are approximately away. Cincinnati's furthest domestic affiliate is the Arizona Complex League Reds of the Rookie Arizona Complex League, which are some away.
Current affiliates
The Cincinnati Reds farm system consists of seven minor league affiliates.
ClassTeamLeagueLocationBallparkAffiliated Triple-A Louisville Bats International League Louisville, Kentucky Louisville Slugger Field 2000 Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts Southern League Chattanooga, Tennessee Erlanger Park 2019 High-A Dayton Dragons Midwest League Dayton, Ohio Day Air Ballpark 2000 Single-A Daytona Tortugas Florida State League Daytona Beach, Florida Jackie Robinson Ballpark 2015 Rookie ACL Reds Arizona Complex League Goodyear, Arizona Goodyear Ballpark 1999 DSL Reds Dominican Summer League Boca Chica, Santo Domingo Baseball City Complex 1998 DSL Rojos 2024
Past affiliates
Key SeasonEach year is linked to an article about that particular Reds season.
1932–1962 Minor League Baseball operated with five classes (Double-A, Class A, Class B, Class C, and Class D) from 1932 to 1935. Class A1, between Double-A and Class A, was added in 1936. The minors continued to operate with these six levels through 1945. Triple-A was established as the highest classification in 1946, and Class A1 became Double-A, with Class A through D remaining. These six levels continued through 1962. The Pacific Coast League (PCL) was reclassified from Triple-A to Open in 1952 due to the possibility of becoming a third major league. This arrangement ended following the 1957 season when the relocation of the National League's Dodgers and Giants to the West Coast ended any chance of the PCL being promoted.
SeasonTriple-ADouble-AClass AClass BClass CClass D 1932 — — — — — Cedar Rapids Bunnies 1933 — — Topeka Senators Rock Island Islanders — — 1934 — Toronto Maple Leafs Topeka Senators Wilmington Pirates Bartlesville RedsBeckley Black Knights Jeannette Reds 1935 — Toronto Maple Leafs — Wilmington Pirates Bartlesville Reds Lake Charles SkippersMonessen Reds 1936 — Toronto Maple Leafs Nashville Volunteers (A1) Durham BullsMacon Peaches El Dorado Lions Cordele RedsDeLand RedsFremont RedsLincoln Red LinksPaducah Indians 1937 — Syracuse Chiefs Nashville Volunteers (A1) Durham BullsPeoria Reds El Dorado LionsMuskogee Reds Cordele RedsDeLand RedsFremont Reds 1938 — Syracuse Chiefs Albany Senators Columbia RedsDurham BullsWaterloo Red Hawks El Dorado LionsMuskogee Reds Rogers RedsUnion City Greyhounds 1939 — Indianapolis Indians Albany Senators Columbia RedsDurham BullsWaterloo Red Hawks El Dorado LionsErie SailorsHelena SeaportersMuskogee RedsOgden Reds Bassett FurnituremakersGrand Forks Chiefs 1940 — Indianapolis Indians Birmingham Barons (A1) Columbia Reds Ogden RedsTucson Cowboys Lenoir RedsTroy Trojans 1941 — Indianapolis Indians Birmingham Barons (A1) Columbia Reds Ogden RedsRiverside RedsTucson Cowboys Cordele RedsWichita Falls Spudders 1942 — Syracuse Chiefs Birmingham Barons (A1) Columbia Reds Ogden Reds Cordele Reds 1943 — Syracuse Chiefs Birmingham Barons (A1) — — — 1944 — Syracuse Chiefs Birmingham Barons (A1) — — — 1945 — Syracuse Chiefs — — Raleigh Capitals Lima Reds 1946 Syracuse Chiefs — Columbia Reds — Ogden Reds Middletown Rockets 1947 Syracuse Chiefs — Columbia Reds Providence Chiefs Ogden RedsRockford RoxTyler Trojans Lockport RedsMuncie Reds 1948 Syracuse Chiefs Tulsa Oilers Columbia Reds Sunbury Reds Ogden RedsRockford RoxTyler Trojans Ballinger CatsLockport RedsMuncie Reds 1949 Syracuse Chiefs Tulsa Oilers Charleston SenatorsColumbia Reds Sunbury Reds Ogden RedsRockford RoxTyler Trojans Lockport RedsMuncie Reds 1950 Syracuse Chiefs Tulsa Oilers Charleston SenatorsColumbia Reds Decatur Commodores Ogden Reds Lockport RedsMuncie RedsWilmington Pirates 1951 — Tulsa Oilers Charleston SenatorsColumbia Reds — Ogden Reds Welch Miners 1952 — Tulsa Oilers Columbia Reds Burlington FlintsSalisbury Reds Ogden Reds Dublin Green SoxLawton RedsMattoon Indians 1953 — Tulsa Oilers Columbia Reds Burlington Flints Ogden Reds Fitzgerald PioneersJackson GeneralsLawton Reds 1954 — Tulsa Oilers Columbia Reds Colonial Heights-Petersburg ColtsHigh Point-Thomasville Hi-Toms Duluth DukesMaryville-Alcoa Twins/Morristown RedsOgden Reds Douglas TrojansFitzgerald RedlegsFort Walton Beach Jets 1955 Havana Sugar Kings Nashville Volunteers Columbia Reds High Point-Thomasville Hi-TomsSunbury Redlegs Duluth DukesOgden Reds Douglas TrojansMoultrie RedsFort Walton Beach Jets 1956 Havana Sugar KingsSeattle Rainiers (Open) Nashville Volunteers Savannah Redlegs Clovis PioneersHigh Point-Thomasville Hi-Toms Wausau LumberjacksYuma Sun Sox Douglas RedsMoultrie RedsWest Palm Beach Sun Chiefs 1957 Havana Sugar KingsSeattle Rainiers (Open) Nashville Volunteers Savannah Redlegs Clovis RedlegsPort Arthur Redlegs / Temple RedlegsWenatchee Chiefs Visalia RedlegsWausau Lumberjacks Bradford Beagles / Hornell RedlegsGraceville OilersPalatka Redlegs 1958 Havana Sugar KingsSeattle Rainiers Nashville Volunteers Albuquerque DukesSavannah Redlegs Wenatchee Chiefs Visalia Redlegs Geneva RedlegsGraceville OilersPalatka Redlegs 1959 Havana Sugar KingsSeattle Rainiers Nashville Volunteers Savannah Reds Topeka Hawks Visalia Redlegs Geneva RedlegsPalatka Redlegs 1960 Havana Sugar Kings / Jersey City JerseysSeattle Rainiers Nashville Volunteers Columbia Reds Topeka Reds Missoula Timberjacks Geneva RedlegsPalatka Redlegs 1961 Indianapolis IndiansJersey City Jerseys — Columbia Reds Topeka Reds — Geneva RedlegsTampa Tarpons 1962 San Diego Padres — Macon Peaches Rocky Mount Leafs — Geneva RedlegsTampa Tarpons
1963–1989 Prior to the 1963 season, Major League Baseball (MLB) initiated a reorganization of Minor League Baseball that resulted in a reduction from six classes to four (Triple-A, Double-A, Class A, and Rookie) in response to the general decline of the minors throughout the 1950s and early-1960s when leagues and teams folded due to shrinking attendance caused by baseball fans' preference for staying at home to watch MLB games on television. The only change made within the next 27 years was Class A being subdivided for the first time to form Class A Short Season in 1966.
SeasonTriple-ADouble-AClass AClass A Short SeasonRookie 1963 San Diego Padres Macon Peaches Cedar Rapids Red RaidersRocky Mount LeafsTampa Tarpons — — 1964 San Diego Padres Macon Peaches Cedar Rapids Red RaidersPeninsula GraysTampa Tarpons — — 1965 San Diego Padres Knoxville Smokies Peninsula GraysTampa Tarpons — — 1966 Buffalo Bisons Knoxville Smokies Peninsula GraysTampa Tarpons Sioux Falls Packers — 1967 Buffalo Bisons Knoxville Smokies Tampa Tarpons Sioux Falls Packers Wytheville Reds 1968 Indianapolis Indians Asheville Tourists Tampa Tarpons Sioux Falls Packers GCL Reds 1969 Indianapolis Indians Asheville Tourists Tampa Tarpons Sioux Falls Packers GCL Reds 1970 Indianapolis Indians Asheville Tourists Tampa Tarpons Sioux Falls Packers GCL Reds 1971 Indianapolis Indians Trois-Rivières Aigles Tampa Tarpons Sioux Falls Packers GCL Reds 1972 Indianapolis Indians Trois-Rivières Aigles Tampa Tarpons — Melbourne RedsGCL Reds 1973 Indianapolis Indians Trois-Rivières Aigles Tampa Tarpons Seattle Rainiers GCL Reds 1974 Indianapolis Indians Trois-Rivières Aigles Tampa Tarpons Seattle Rainiers Billings Mustangs 1975 Indianapolis Indians Trois-Rivières Aigles Tampa Tarpons Eugene Emeralds Billings Mustangs 1976 Indianapolis Indians Trois-Rivières Aigles Tampa Tarpons Eugene Emeralds Billings Mustangs 1977 Indianapolis Indians Trois-Rivières Aigles Shelby RedsTampa Tarpons Eugene Emeralds Billings Mustangs 1978 Indianapolis Indians Nashville Sounds Shelby RedsTampa Tarpons Eugene Emeralds Billings Mustangs 1979 Indianapolis Indians Nashville Sounds Greensboro HornetsTampa Tarpons Eugene Emeralds Billings Mustangs 1980 Indianapolis Indians Waterbury Reds Cedar Rapids RedsTampa Tarpons Eugene Emeralds Billings Mustangs 1981 Indianapolis Indians Waterbury Reds Cedar Rapids RedsTampa Tarpons Eugene Emeralds Billings Mustangs 1982 Indianapolis Indians Waterbury Reds Cedar Rapids RedsTampa Tarpons Eugene Emeralds Billings Mustangs 1983 Indianapolis Indians Waterbury Reds Cedar Rapids RedsTampa Tarpons Eugene Emeralds Billings Mustangs 1984 Wichita Aeros Vermont Reds Cedar Rapids RedsTampa Tarpons — Billings MustangsGCL Reds 1985 Denver Zephyrs Vermont Reds Cedar Rapids RedsTampa Tarpons — Billings MustangsGCL Reds 1986 Denver Zephyrs Vermont Reds Cedar Rapids RedsTampa Tarpons — Billings MustangsGCL Reds 1987 Nashville Sounds Vermont Reds Cedar Rapids RedsTampa Tarpons — Billings MustangsGCL Reds 1988 Nashville Sounds Chattanooga Lookouts Cedar Rapids RedsGreensboro Hornets — Billings MustangsGCL Reds 1989 Nashville Sounds Chattanooga Lookouts Cedar Rapids RedsGreensboro Hornets — Billings MustangsGCL Reds
1990–2020 Minor League Baseball operated with six classes from 1990 to 2020. In 1990, the Class A level was subdivided for a second time with the creation of Class A-Advanced. The Rookie level consisted of domestic and foreign circuits.