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Louisiana Loses Last Minor League Baseball Team
The New Orleans Baby Cakes, the state's final affiliated minor league franchise, relocated to Wichita, Kansas in 2019 after years of declining attendance.
Apr. 1, 2026 at 2:33am
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After the New Orleans Baby Cakes, the last affiliated minor league baseball team in Louisiana, played their final game in 2019 and relocated to Wichita, Kansas, the state has been left without any professional minor league teams. This marks the end of over 80 years of minor league baseball history in Louisiana, which once hosted teams in leagues like the Evangeline League and Texas League across cities like Shreveport, Lafayette, and New Orleans.
Why it matters
The departure of the Baby Cakes leaves Louisiana without any direct developmental pipeline to Major League Baseball, as minor league teams historically served as crucial stepping stones for players to reach the highest levels of the sport. The state's smaller media market size has also prevented it from attracting a Major League Baseball franchise of its own.
The details
The New Orleans Baby Cakes, formerly known as the Zephyrs, were the last affiliated minor league team in Louisiana. After 27 years of Triple-A baseball in New Orleans, the franchise permanently relocated to Wichita, Kansas following the 2019 season due to steadily declining stadium attendance. The team's home stadium in Metairie immediately ceased hosting professional baseball events after the Baby Cakes' departure, and no affiliated teams have returned to the state since.
- The last affiliated professional baseball game played in Louisiana was the New Orleans Baby Cakes' final home game on August 31, 2019.
- The Baby Cakes played their official final game on September 2, 2019 against the Oklahoma City Dodgers.
The players
New Orleans Baby Cakes
The last affiliated minor league baseball franchise in Louisiana, which operated in New Orleans from 1993 to 2019 before relocating to Wichita, Kansas.
Zephyrs
The previous name of the New Orleans Baby Cakes franchise, which arrived in the city in 1993.
Evangeline League
A minor league baseball circuit that served as the foundation of local baseball in Louisiana for over two decades starting in 1934, with teams in smaller communities across the state.
Texas League
A Double-A minor league that hosted teams in Shreveport and Lafayette, Louisiana for decades, including the Shreveport Captains and Lafayette Drillers.
The takeaway
The departure of the New Orleans Baby Cakes marks the end of over 80 years of minor league baseball history in Louisiana, leaving the state without any direct developmental pipeline to Major League Baseball. This highlights the challenges smaller media markets face in attracting and sustaining professional sports franchises in the modern era.
