Peoria Chiefs

• Location: Peoria, IL
• League: Three-I League 1953-1957; Midwest League 1984-2019; High-A Central 2021; Midwest League 2022-
• Affiliation: St. Louis Cardinals 1953-1956; New York Yankees 1957; California Angels 1984; Chicago Cubs 1985-1994; St. Louis Cardinals 1995-2004; Chicago Cubs 2005-2012; St. Louis Cardinals 2013-Present
• Ballpark: Meinen Field 1984-1992 Pete Vonachen Stadium 1993-May 2002; Dozer Park May 2002-present

Team History

historic logo

The Peoria Chiefs, of the Midwest League and briefly in High-A Central, followed the lead of both their city and county - whose name honors a local tribe that was pushed out of its ancestral lands in the 1860s. The St. Louis Cardinals farmhands play their home games at Dozer Park in Peoria, IL.

MLB's 2021 Minor League Reorganization raised the Chiefs, and most of the MwL, one level.

The Danville Suns moved to Peoria in 1983, playing at Meinen Field and retaining their nickname for one season as the Peoria Suns. Peoria businessman Pete Vonachen then bought the Suns, rebranding them "Chiefs" for a team nickname first used in the 1950s in honor of the Peoria Tribe. However, in 2005 the club changed logos from tribal- to firefighter-based.

Albert Pujols, Greg Maddux, Rafael Palmeiro, and Mark Grace are among the biggest stars to have played for the Chiefs. Other alumni include Coco Crisp, Wally Joyner, Joe Girardi, and Jack Wilson.

They play Copa de la Diversión Hispanic engagement campaign games as Peoria en el Rio (Peoria on the River, the river in question being the Illinois River).

Year-by-Year Record

Year	Record	Finish	Manager	Postseason	Team MVP	Hitting coach	Pitching coach	Coach
1953	63-65	5th	Whitey Kurowski
1954	73-63	3rd	Whitey Kurowski	Lost League Finals
1955	63-63	3rd	Whitey Kurowski	Lost in 1st round
1956	58-58	4th	George Kissell	none
1957	80-49	2nd	Vern Hoscheit	none
1984	66-73	8th	Joe Maddon		Bill Merrifield		Aurelio Monteagudo
1985	77-65	5th	Pete Mackanin	Lost League Finals	Bruce Crabbe		Jim Wright
1986	66-63	4th	Pete Mackanin	Lost League Finals	Mark Grace		Jim Wright
1987	71-69	6th (tie)	Jim Tracy		Jerome Walton		Joe Housey
1988	70-70	7th	Jim Tracy		Will Arrington; Greg Kallevig	Pookie Bernstine	Rick Kranitz
1989	80-59	3rd	Brad Mills		Alex Arias; Marcos Lopez	Pookie Bernstine	Rick Kranitz
1990	55-82	13th	Greg Mahlberg		Pedro Castellano	Mike Ramsey	Lester Strode
1991	62-76	12th	Bill Hayes		Phil Dauphin		Lester Strode
1992	62-74	9th	Steve Roadcap		Ed Larregui	Bill McGuire	Ray Sadecki
1993	59-79	12th	Steve Roadcap		Robin Jennings		Bo McLaughlin
1994	68-70	9th	Steve Roadcap		Bobby Morris	Joe Tanner	Alan Dunn
1995	62-72	11th	Roy Silver		Anton French	Keith Smith	Ray Searage
1996	79-57	1st	Roy Silver	Lost in 1st round	Shawn McNally		Ray Searage
1997	70-69	8th	Joe Cunningham		Brent Butler		Gary Buckels
1998	72-68	6th	Jeff Shireman		Pablo Ozuna	Tony Diggs	Gary Buckels
1999	63-76	11th	Brian Rupp		Troy Farnsworth	Tony Diggs	Mike Snyder
2000	63-74	11th	Tom Lawless		Albert Pujols	Todd Steverson	Sid Monge
2001	57-81	11th	Joe Hall		Chris Morris	Jeff Shireman	Mark Grater
2002	85-53	1st	Danny Sheaffer	League Champs	John Nelson	Tony Diggs	Gary Buckels
2003	65-73	11th	Joe Cunningham		Travis Hanson	Tony Diggs	Derek Lilliquist
2004	75-64	4th (tie)	Joe Cunningham		Daric Barton	Ron Warner	Bryan Eversgerd
2005	68-72	8th (tie)	Julio Garcia		Eric Patterson	Ricardo Medina	Tom Pratt
2006	75-64	5th	Jody Davis	Lost in 1st round		Barbaro Garbey	Rich Bombard
2007	71-68	7th	Ryne Sandberg			Julio Garcia	David Rosario
2008	60-78	12th	Ryne Sandberg			Desi Wilson	Rich Bombard
2009	81-57	2nd	Marty Pevey	Lost in 1st round		Barbaro Garbey	Rich Bombard
2010	71-66	8th	Casey Kopitzke			Barbaro Garbey	David Rosario
2011	60-79	15th	Casey Kopitzke			Ricardo Medina	Jeff Fassero
2012	63-75	14th	Casey Kopitzke			Barbaro Garbey	Tom Pratt / Ron Villone
2013	68-69	8th	Dann Bilardello			Erik Pappas	Jason Simontacchi
2014	72-67	5th (t)	Joe Kruzel			Jobel Jimenez	Jason Simontacchi	Steve Moritz
2015	75-63	6th	Joe Kruzel	Lost in 2nd round		Jobel Jimenez	Dernier Orozco	Brian Pruitt
2016	73-66	5th	Joe Kruzel			Jobel Jimenez	Dernier Orozco	Nathan Sopena
2017	69-70	8th (t)	Chris Swauger	Lost in 1st round		Donnie Ecker	Dernier Orozco	Josh Lopez
2018	76-63	5th	Chris Swauger	Lost League Finals		Russ Chambliss	Cale Johnson
2019	54-85	15th	Erick Almonte			Russ Chambliss	Cale Johnson
2020	Season cancelled
2021	45-75	12th	Chris Swauger			Joey Hawkins	Rick Harig
2022	56-76	9th	Patrick Anderson			Willi Martin	Edwin Moreno
2023	69-63	4th (t)	Patrick Anderson	Lost in 1st round		Casey Chenoweth	Edwin Moreno	Christina Whitlock
2024			Patrick Anderson			Elvis Rodriguez	Edwin Moreno	Will Peterson

External Link

• Official Site of the Peoria Chiefs