The 3 Largest and 3 Smallest MLB Stadiums by Capacity (2024)

Visiting one of MLB’s 30 ballparks is an unforgettable part of America’s pastime. Two stadiums still stand from the 1910s (Fenway Park and Wrigley Field), while construction gives fans updated experiences at new arenas like the Texas Rangers’ Globe Life Stadium, built in 2020.

Ballpark designs vary based on which team you root for — grass vs. turf, open vs. retractable roof — but MLB owners always prioritize an arena’s seating. So which MLB stadiums are the largest and smallest based on capacity? Here are the top three in each category:

The 3rd-smallest MLB stadium: LoanDepot Park

Daniel Vogelbach hitting tanks to the upper deck at loanDepot Park 💣 pic.twitter.com/JBapQVZ7mF

— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) March 30, 2023
  • Capacity: 36,742
  • Location: Miami, Florida
  • Team: Miami Marlins
  • Built: 2012
  • Roof type: Retractable
  • Surface: Artificial turf (Shaw Sports B1K)
  • Distance to center field: 407 feet

Sharing Joe Robbie Stadium with the Miami Dolphins for 18 years created problems for Marlins fans. So the move to Marlins Park (now LoanDepot Park) in 2012 was a refreshing respite from the tropical weather, Dolphins’ colors, and poor visibility way up in the football bleachers.

Once the site of the Miami Hurricanes Orange Bowl, Marlins Park became the first LEED Gold Certified MLB stadium, reports MLB.com. (Target Field, Oracle Park, and Nationals Park have this designation as well.) Maxing out at 36,742 baseball fans, Marlins Park was acquired by a group of investors, including Derek Jeter and Bruce Sherman, in 2017.

Then, in 2021, LoanDepot Park received its naming rights from the mortgage lender. In the five years before its name change, the stadium replaced its grass with turf — the sod kept turning brown from lack of sunlight — and moved in its center- and right-center field fences.

The 2nd-smallest MLB stadium: Progressive Field

The sights and sounds of Progressive Field as the Guardians walked off the Yankees 👏

(via @PeteMarek) pic.twitter.com/SCoFoUsofv

— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) October 16, 2022
  • Capacity: 34,830
  • Location: Cleveland, Ohio
  • Team: Cleveland Guardians
  • Built: 1994
  • Roof type: Open
  • Surface: Kentucky Bluegrass
  • Distance to center field: 410 feet

Progressive Field’s capacity peaked in 2010 at 45,569 people. However, subsequent renovations and reconfigurements have knocked that number down to 34,830, making the Guardians’ residence the second-smallest MLB stadium. “The Jake” was built in 1994 to give the then-Cleveland Indians a home of their own. They’d shared Cleveland Stadium with the Browns since 1993.

In 1995, Jacobs Field (now Progressive) set an MLB record by selling out 455 consecutive games — that’s five seasons and 81 home games at max capacity. Although the Red Sox’s Fenway Park broke the record in 2008, reports Bleacher Report, the Guardians retired jersey No. 455 to celebrate Progressive Field’s accomplishment.

The smallest MLB stadium: Tropicana Field

The St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce has endorsed the Rays' $4 billion ballpark district plans.

▪️ 30,000 seats
▪️ Glass roof that can open/close
▪️ Housing, retail, offices, concert venue

The Rays' lease at Tropicana Field runs through 2028. pic.twitter.com/OD3AkuS9JY

— Front Office Sports (@FOS) January 13, 2023
  • Capacity: 25,000
  • Location: St. Petersburg, Florida
  • Team: Tampa Bay Rays
  • Built: 1990
  • Roof type: fixed
  • Surface: Artificialturf (Shaw Sports)
  • Distance to center field: 404 feet

Since 2019, Tropicana Field has had the ability to host around 25,000 MLB fans due to the closing of its upper decks for a remodel. Since the team’s average attendance pre-renovations were 14,000, this isn’t too worrying. However, Tampa Bay Rays fans hope for a fresh look once the team’s lease runs through 2027.

Orlando Magic cofounder Pat Williams tried to lure the franchise to Orlando with little luck. According to WFLA, St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch plans to develop Tropicana Field’s Historic Gas Plant District into a more amenable region for baseball fans, who have criticized the stadium’s location, 20 miles from downtown Tampa and even farther from larger populations north and east of Tampa.

In the meantime, Tropicana Field is one of the 21 MLB ballparks with corporate naming rights. In 1996, nearby juice company Tropicana Products agreed to a 30-year deal, which ends around the same time as its lease.

Regardless of this small stadium’s future, we hope the franchise keeps its 10,000-gallon “Touch Tank” filled with three species of rays and located right over the right-center field. Sponsored by the Florida Aquarium, MLB fans can visit the aquarium for free during Rays games.

The 3rd-largest MLB stadium: Chase Field

  • Capacity: 48,405
  • Location: Phoenix, Arizona
  • Team: Arizona Diamondbacks
  • Built: 1998
  • Roof type: Retractable
  • Surface: Artificial turf (ShawTurf)
  • Distance to center field: 407 feet

Finished for Opening Day of 1998, Chase Field, home to the D-Backs, is the third-largest MLB stadium with a capacity for 48,405 fans. The retro-modern architecture reminds some of an airport hangar, highly magnified, according to Ballparks of Baseball. The natural grass field was replaced with synthetic turf following the 2018 season. Centerfield measures 407 feet, and the entire stadium is air-conditioned.

Chase Field sports All-You-Can-Eat seats, located on the Diamond Level starting as the gates open, where fans enjoy unlimited ballpark food, including Ball Park hot dogs, popcorn, and peanuts, with soda and bottled water. The food and drink stop flowing in the 7th inning.

The 2nd-largest MLB stadium: Coors Field

Sunset over the Rocky Mountains from the "Mile High" Purple Row seats at Coors Field. #HomeRunOnWheels #MLB #Rockies pic.twitter.com/DPpbr9zbQC

— Ron Clements (@Ron_Clements) July 12, 2018
  • Capacity: 50,144
  • Location: Denver, Colorado
  • Team: Colorado Rockies
  • Built: 1995
  • Roof type: Open
  • Surface: Grass (Kentucky bluegrass)
  • Distance to center field: 415 feet

As an expansion team, the Colorado Rockies spent their first two seasons, 1993-94, at the Denver Broncos’ Mile High Stadium. Denver’s first MLB franchise quickly moved to their own place in 1995, becoming the first baseball-only park in the National League since Dodger Stadium was built 33 years prior.

Take a seat at Coors Field, and you’ll notice Row 20, the purple row of seats encircling the entire stadium and marking exactly one mile above sea level. The ballpark is also known for being home-run-friendly, with baseballs traveling 5%-10% farther due to Denver’s elevation and semi-arid conditions, as Denver 7 reports. While constructing Coors Field, the outfield fences were set farther back from home plate.

The largest MLB stadium: Dodger Stadium

Friday nights at Dodger Stadium. pic.twitter.com/YdpJQZECXE

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) May 13, 2023
  • Capacity: 56,000
  • Location: Los Angeles, California
  • Team: Los Angeles Dodgers
  • Built: 1962
  • Roof type: Open
  • Surface: Grass (Santa Ana Bermuda)
  • Distance to center field: 395 feet

In 1962, the Los Angeles Dodgers received their stadium, built in Chavez Ravine near downtown and with access to many LA freeways. Now, Dodger Stadium is the third-oldest ballpark in MLB (after Fenway Park and Wrigley Field) and the oldest West of the Mississippi. With a capacity of 56,000, it can accommodate more than double the number of fans at Tampa’s Tropicana Stadium.

Modern in its heyday, and through continual upkeep, Dodger Stadium often sees sellout or near-sellout crowds. The field is made of natural grass; a full-time gardening crew cares for the plant life. Designed to resist earthquakes, the stadium has several unique design features including terraced parking lots that minimizes the use of ramps and symmetrical outfield proportions — only three MLB ballparks still have the latter.

The 3 Largest and 3 Smallest MLB Stadiums by Capacity (2024)

FAQs

What is the smallest and largest MLB stadium? ›

Dodger Stadium has the largest capacity of all MLB stadiums. Tampa Bay's Tropicana Field is the smallest current MLB stadium.

Is Fenway Park the smallest stadium? ›

It is the fifth-smallest among MLB ballparks by seating capacity, second-smallest by total capacity, and one of nine that cannot accommodate at least 40,000 spectators.

What is the biggest single a baseball stadium? ›

The highest seating capacity is 11,026 at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Florida, where the FSL's Tampa Tarpons play. The lowest capacity is 2,468 at Valley Strong Ballpark in Visalia, California, where the California League's Visalia Rawhide play.

Which stadium is the smallest? ›

What is the smallest cricket stadium in the world? Across the world, Eden Park (New Zealand) has the smallest boundary length, while The Grange Club (Scotland) has the least sitting capacity.

What is the oldest MLB stadium? ›

Fenway Park

Boston's professional baseball stadium is home to the infamous Green Monster. That's the nickname for the nearly 40-foot-high left-field wall in Fenway Park, the oldest major league ballpark still in use by a professional team. The Boston Red Sox have called Fenway home since it opened in 1912.

What is the hardest stadium to hit a home run? ›

Fenway Park's short dimensions ultimately help batters, but it's not the most home-run-heavy stadium in the league. That honor goes to Coors Field. Even though it is the league's largest ballpark, the altitude in Denver helps sluggers get extra distance on their fly balls.

Which MLB stadium has the most fans? ›

The Los Angeles Dodgers have the highest attendance in baseball with more than 47,000 fans per game. Dodger Stadium is the second-biggest MLB stadium by capacity (56,000), only behind the Oakland Athletics' Oakland Coliseum (56,782).

What is the largest stadium in the US? ›

Michigan Stadium, affectionately known as "The Big House" by University of Michigan students, alumni, and fans across the world, is one of the largest and most iconic athletic venues. It is the largest stadium in the United States and the third largest stadium in the world.

What is the deepest center field in MLB? ›

Comerica Park in Detroit has the deepest centerfield fence in the MLB at 420ft/128m and Fenway Park in Boston has the shallowest centerfield fence at 390ft/118.9m.

Why is there one red seat in Fenway Park? ›

In 1984, the late owner of the Red Sox, Haywood Sullivan, had a red seat put in at the same spot Williams' home run landed to remember Williams' stunning blast, thus marking that spot for the last 40 years as the 'Red Seat'.

What is the oldest baseball team? ›

The Cincinnati Red Stockings made their mark as the first openly professional baseball club in 1869. Members of the team would go on to form a club that still plays ball today, the Atlanta Braves.

Which is older, Wrigley or Fenway? ›

Ranking MLB stadiums from oldest to newest: Fenway Park, Wrigley Field to Globe Life Field.

What MLB stadium has the largest dimensions? ›

There are several reasons why Coors Field is the most hitter-friendly in baseball. For starters, the stadium has the largest outfield in the league, as the field has an estimated area of 121,486 square feet in fair play.

Are MLB stadiums different sizes? ›

Major league ballparks are not standardized in size mainly for historical or local reasons, and remain non-standardized for practical and historical reasons. It isn't that there are no rules for making fields; just that outfield fence distances and other minor features vary significantly.

What is the best baseball stadium in the US? ›

Throughout PNC Park's history, everyone in the Pirates organization has consistently referred to it as “the best ballpark in America” -- and they're not shy about it.

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