The American Association of Professional Baseball will add a team in Blaine, Minn., likely in the 2028 season.
Minnesota previously hosted an AAPB club in St. Paul from the league's founding in 2006 through 2020, when the St. Paul Saints moved to the Triple-A International League as part of the reorganization of minor league baseball.
“The addition of Blaine, Minnesota, is the latest step in our strategic growth as a league,” said Josh Schaub, Commissioner of the American Association of Professional Baseball. “We welcome Robb Bader, TWAN, Corey Burstad and their team, and most importantly, the fans of Minnesota, to the American Association in a community and business partnership that, like many of our other franchises, goes well beyond the baseball diamond.”
Located in the Minneapolis/St. Paul region, Blaine is where Bader Companies and Elevage are planning a sports and entertainment development that will be called The Farm, which will have a ballpark that will host the club and is expected to open in early 2028.
"The Farm was inspired by a vision to build on Blaine's strong sports legacy and create a destination that delivers lasting value for the community," said Co-Developers Bader Companies and Elevage in a press release. "We see The Farm as more than a development, it's an opportunity to create a landmark destination that attracts visitors, drives investment, supports local businesses, and contributes to Blaine's continued growth and vitality for years to come."
Envisioned as a shopping and entertainment destination, The Farm will be a year-round destination with shopping, dining, community events, live concerts, and baseball games on a 70-acre site that is currently undeveloped.
“The Farm represents one of the most significant private investments in Blaine's history and reflects the confidence developers have in our community's future,” said Mayor Tim Sanders in the press release announcing the project. “This transformative project will create jobs, attract new businesses and visitors, expand entertainment and dining options, and build on Blaine's reputation as a premier destination for sports and recreation. We are excited to see this vision take shape and the lasting impact it will have on our community for generations to come.”
Sporting goods megastore Scheels will anchor the development, which will also include upscale restaurants, retail stores, a hotel, residential housing, a medical office, public gathering spaces, and a state-of-the-art baseball and event stadium that will host the American Association Professional Baseball club.
Image: Rendering of the ballpark in Blaine, Minnesota that will be home to an American Association of Professional Baseball Club in 2028. (Image courtesy of the AAPB)
