Papago Sports Complex - ACL Giants
- Meg Minard
- 4 hours ago
- 4 min read
Photos by Meg Minard, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.71
Papago Sports Complex 1802 N 64th St
Phoenix, AZ 85008
Year Opened: 2022 (Complete Rebuild) Capacity: 300 (Approx)
Rookie Giants
The ACL Giants (Arizona Complex League) play their home baseball games at beautiful Papago Sports Complex, an attraction within Papago Park, an outdoor recreation park in Phoenix.
The Arizona Complex League (formerly known as the Arizona League) is one of two rookie-level baseball leagues of MLB, the lowest level of the organization. The games are nine innings and use only two umpires. If you look at the rosters, most players were born after 9/11. For many players and umpires, the ACL is their first professional engagement. The ACL season runs from early May to the end of July. We recommend attending a game or two here in May as the weather tends to be cooler than later on in the spring/summer.
The ACL Giants began playing at the recently renovated Papago Sports Complex in 2022. The San Francisco Giants, along with the city of Phoenix, completely rebuilt the player development center at the park, making it one of the nicer training complexes in the league. Prior to moving to Papago Park, the ACL Giants played at Scottsdale Stadium’s back fields.
Food & Beverage 0
The complex does not sell any concessions; fans are welcome to bring their own food and beverages in when watching a game. We recommend bringing in at least two bottles of water, as the weather can still be quite warm in Phoenix even during evening games.
Atmosphere 3
Papago Sports Complex offers a comfortable, tranquil few hours for any fan who enjoys baseball for the game, and not all the other entertainment that bombards fans at various minor and major league games.
The venue has two rows of comfortably wide green fold-down stadium seats with most under the shade; one row extends 30 feet or so along the inner baselines. The stadium offers plenty of legroom and areas to place your own lawn chair or sit on cement steps.
A thick black chain link fence protects fans watching the game, while a net in right field protects vehicles in the parking lot from any home runs. Both dugouts are caged; fortunately for the players, the dugouts have overhead fans.
A dot matrix scoreboard sits in right center field and displays the basic line score: balls, strikes, outs, and runs per inning. The field is natural grass. The Giants' home dugout is on the third base side.
The Giants do not play music, and there is no announcer; it’s perfect and tranquil for those who just want to watch the game.
Visitors to the ballgame have a view of a small mountain range (McDowell Mountains) to the northeast beyond the left field wall.
Neighborhood 3
The sports complex’s neighborhood is the park itself, home to the Phoenix Zoo, Desert Botanical Gardens, golf courses, museums, lakes, and hiking trails.
While no places to eat or drink are within walking distance, a short drive (about 5 miles) down Mill Ave will bring fans to downtown Tempe, which has plenty of places to imbibe and dine. Pedal Haus Brewery (brewery with a full menu), Zipps Sports Grill, Daily Jam - Breakfast & Brunch Restaurant, and Postino Annex (wine café and light fare) are just a few recommended places. My favorite, Hundred Mile Brewing, is four miles away. Hotels are just two or so miles from the complex, with even more near the airport, like a Residence Inn, Radisson, Marriott, and Holiday Inn.
For other sports to watch when in town, check out some of the other ACL teams, like the Angels, the Cubs, or the Athletics. Chase Field, where the Diamondbacks play, is about ten miles west, as is Matchup Mortgage Center, where the Phoenix Mercury play.
Fans 2
The Arizona Complex League does not draw many fans. In fact, most of the seating at Papago is players not in the lineup and scouts. You may see some baseball fans or girlfriends.
The official scorer sets up a table on the concourse behind home.
Access 3
Getting to Papago Park is not convenient using public transportation. A vehicle is the best method for getting there. Uber and Lyft are readily available in Phoenix. The hardest part is not knowing which field to go into. If coming from Loop 202, go north on Priest Dr (turns into Galvin Parkway). Cross over McDowell Rd, then make your first left into the park (no light). Immediately turn left into the small parking lot.
The paths are paved, easy for strollers and wheelchairs, and are attractively landscaped.
The complex has clean, air-conditioned restrooms behind the home plate concourse.
There’s no bag check, but signs indicate fans should bring backpacks or bags larger than 16” x 16” x 6”.
Return on Investment 5
All Arizona Complex League games are no-charge. It’s essentially a free outing: your only costs are getting to the complex and whatever snacks or drinks you bring. The city doesn’t charge for parking, and the team doesn’t charge admission. For a few hours of baseball, that’s hard to beat.
Extras 3
The players run the scoreboard themselves, and it’s fun to watch them coach one another through it and see the little spark of satisfaction when the novice figures it out.
Papago Park has served many purposes throughout Phoenix’s history, from its early use as tribal land to a Depression‑era fish hatchery, a World War II POW camp, and shortly after a VA hospital site.
The city of Phoenix and the SJ Giants not only rebuilt the sports complex, but they also transformed the entire site. Six MLB-standard fields and a climate-controlled indoor facility with eight batting cages were added. A 50,000 sq clubhouse with hydrotherapy, a weight room, classrooms, and dining was built, and paved pathways and a public plaza were installed. Thus, making it a true “campus” feel rather than the old scattered fields for fans and players.
Final Thoughts
If you enjoy baseball for its own sake and can handle the heat, an ACL Giants game makes for a worthwhile few hours out.
The Papago Sports Complex provides a relaxed, intimate backdrop for taking in the game.
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