Minor League Baseball in Florida Returns to the Field in 11 Locations Statewide

After missing out on the 2020 Minor League Baseball season, Florida’s minor league affiliates return to the field this week in 11 Florida locations.

While the Low-A Southeast League, formerly the Florida State League, has the most teams with 10, Florida also boasts a Double-A and Triple-A team. Florida’s 12 teams give the state’s baseball fans a look to the future of Major League Baseball.

The 021 season started on Tuesday, May 4 and runs through September 19. Nine of the Low A Southeast teams compete in the Spring Training home of their parent club; the only team that does not, the Daytona Tortugas, play at historic Jackie Robinson Ballpark.

Keeping the talent close by, Florida’s Double- and Triple-A Minor League teams are affiliates of the Miami Marlins.

Here’s a preview of each of Florida’s 12 Minor League Baseball Teams.

Low A Southeast League
East Division

Daytona Tortugas – Cincinnati Reds affiliate since 2015
Jackie Robinson Ballpark
Manager: Travis “Gookie” Dawkins
Website: www.milb.com/daytona

Jackie Robinson Ballpark is the oldest of all Minor League Ballparks.  It opened in 1914 as City Island Ballpark and its first Minor League tenant was the Daytona Islanders (Florida State League, 1920). When City Island Ballpark opened during the Woodrow Wilson administration, it was little more than a playing field and wooden bleachers. Of course, many improvements have occurred since, the most recent being an HD videoboard to complement the vintage hand-operated scoreboard in left field.

Jupiter Hammerheads – Miami Marlins affiliate since 2002
Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium
Jorge Hernandez, Manager
Website: www.milb.com/jupiter

Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium is the only facility in the country to house two affiliated Minor League teams with the Jupiter Hammerheads, Low-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins, and Palm Beach Cardinals, Low-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals, both playing their Low-A Southeast games at the Jupiter complex.

Palm Beach Cardinals – St. Louis Cardinals affiliate since 2003
Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium, Jupiter
Jose Leon, Manager
Website: www.milb.com/palm-beach

Baptist Health has been named as the Presenting Partner of the 2021 Low-A Southeast season at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. With this continued partnership, Baptist Health will have a strong presence at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium through marquee signage and in-game features, social/digital media, and print marketing materials for the Low-A Southeast season, which runs May through September. The league has an enriched history in Palm Beach County with a presence dating back to 1928

St. Lucie Mets – New York Mets affiliate since 1988
Clover Park, Port St. Lucie
Reid Brignac, Manager
Website: www.milb.com/st-lucie

St. Lucie Mets have launched the St. Lucie Mets Community Market. The mission of the Market is to promote and support regional artists, crafters and food vendors by providing a viable and productive market place where local producers can create mutually beneficial interactions with area residents and visitors. There are over 30 vendors ranging from food, crafts, artists and vegan/all-natural products that will be involved. The Community Market will take place two Sundays per month. Parking and entry to the market is free Future Community Market dates are May 9th, May 23rd, June 6th and June 20th.

West Division
Bradenton Marauders – Pittsburgh Pirates affiliate since 2010
LECOM Field
Jonathan Johnston, Manager
Website: BradentonMarauders.com

The Marauders plan to feature local area non-profit organizations and small businesses for Friday and Saturday games at LECOM Park in 2021. The Marauders will partner with the Manatee Chamber of Commerce, the Manasota Black Chamber of Commerce, and the Gulf Coast Latin Chamber of Commerce to promote the program.

Clearwater Threshers – Philadelphia Phillies affiliate since 1985
BayCare Ballpark
Milver Reyes, Manager
Website: www.ThreshersBaseball.com

The Opening Weekend at BayCare Ballpark features a Pint Glass Giveaway on Friday night, May 7, and a post-game fireworks show on Saturday, May 8.  Both games, against the Lakeland Flying Tigers begin at 6:30 p. m.

Dunedin Blue Jays – Toronto Blue Jays affiliate since 1987
TD Ballpark
Luis Hurtado, Manager
Website: www.milb.com/duinedin

While the parent club, the Toronto Blue Jays, playing regular season home games at TD Ballpark, the Dunedin Blue Jays, or D-Jays, will play games away from their Dunedin home.  The D-Jays first home game at TD Ballpark is currently scheduled for June 1 against the Bradenton Marauders.

Fort Myers Mighty Mussels – Minnesota Twins affiliate since 1992
Hammond Stadium at CenturyLink Complex
Brian Meyer, Manager
Website: www.milb.com/fort-myers

The Mussels franchise has been affiliated with the Twins since the team moved to Ft. Myers for spring training in 1992. Since that time, many Twins greats have passed through the system in Fort Myers, including Torii Hunter, Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, Miguel Sano, Max Kepler, Jose Berrios and Byron Buxton.

Lakeland Flying Tigers – Detroit Tigers affiliate since 1967
Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium
Brayan Pena, Manager
Website: www.milb.com/lakeland

The Lakeland Flying Tigers have been a Detroit affiliate since 1967 at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium, tied with the Reading Fightin Phils for the longest affiliation in all of Minor League Baseball. But the city’s Minor League history dates back far longer than that, as Lakeland was a charter member of the Florida State League. The Lakeland Highlanders operated from 1919-26, spending a portion of that time at a ballpark now known as Henley Stadium, which is still in operation, south of their current location.

Tampa Tarpons – New York Yankees affiliate since 1994
George M. Steinbrenner Field
David Adams, Manager
Website: www.milb.com/tampa

Prior to the 2018 season, Tampa’s FSL team changed its name from the Yankees to the Tarpons. This moniker hearkened back to a previous era of the city’s league history, as a previous iteration of the Tampa Tarpons existed from 1957-88. This team was a Cincinnati Reds affiliate for most of its existence, and notable alumni included the likes of Johnny Bench and Pete Rose.

Triple – A East
Southeast Division

Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp – Miami Marlins affiliate since 2009
121 Financial Ballpark
Manager: Al Pedrique
Website: www.jaxshrimp.com

The Jumbo Shrimp embraces the heart of Jacksonville’s identity and baseball heritage that dates back to 1904. As Florida’s largest city, yet in many ways a richly connected and close-knit community, Jacksonville is truly a Big Small Town. It has unique water geography as the River City on the First Coast. The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp represents those themes and expresses the affordable family fun of Minor League Baseball.

Other Triple A East Southeast Division teams: Charlotte Knights (White Sox); Durham Bulls (Rays); Gwinnett Stripers (Braves); Memphis Redbirds (Cardinals); Nashville Sounds (Brewers); Norfolk Tides (Orioles)

Double – A South
South Division

Pensacola Blue Wahoos – Miami Marlins affiliate since 2021
Blue Wahoos Stadium, recently named “Best View in Double-A Baseball.”
Manager: Kevin Randel

Website: www.bluewahoos.com

Only one roster can claim two different Top 25 overall prospects, and that one belongs to the Marlins affiliate in Pensacola. Miami bet on tools with each of its last two first-round picks. J.J. Bleday led NCAA Division I in homers as a junior at Vanderbilt before the Fish took him fourth overall in 2019. Max Meyer sported a plus-plus fastball and similar 70-grade slider at Minnesota before he went third overall last year.

Other Double A South, South Division Teams: Biloxi Shuckers (Brewers); Mississippi Braves (Braves); Montgomery Biscuits (Rays)