| Atlantic League of Professional Baseball | |
| Pixels: | 150px |
| Current Season: | 2024 Atlantic League season |
| Sport: | Baseball |
| Founded: | 1998 |
| Teams: | 10 |
| Country: | United States |
| Champion: | Lancaster Barnstormers (2023) |
| Most Champs: | Somerset Patriots (6) |
| President: | Rick White[1] |
The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB) is a professional independent baseball league based in the United States. It is an official MLB Partner League[2] [3] based in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern United States. The Atlantic League's corporate headquarters is located at Clipper Magazine Stadium in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
The Atlantic League operates in cities not served by Major League Baseball (MLB) or Minor League Baseball (MiLB) teams; most of its teams are within suburbs and exurbs too close to other teams in the organized baseball system to have minor league franchises of their own. The Atlantic League requires cities to have the market for a 4,000 to 7,500-seat ballpark and for the facility to be maintained at or above Triple-A standards.[4] When Atlantic League professionals are signed by MLB clubs, they usually start in their Double-A or Triple-A affiliates.[5]
The league uses a pitch clock and limits the time between innings in an effort to speed up the game.[6] In 2019, the Atlantic League began a three-year partnership with Major League Baseball allowing MLB to implement changes to Atlantic League playing rules, in order to observe the effects of potential future rule changes and equipment.[7] In 2020, the Atlantic League, together with the American Association, the Frontier League, and the Pioneer League, expanded this agreement to become an official MLB Partner League.
The Atlantic League is generally regarded as the most successful and highest level of baseball among independent leagues.[8] [9] The Atlantic League has had more marquee players than any other independent league, including Jose Canseco, Mat Latos, Steve Lombardozzi Jr., Francisco Rodríguez, Chien-Ming Wang, Roger Clemens, Rich Hill, Scott Kazmir, Juan González, and Dontrelle Willis. Two former Atlantic League players are in the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, Tim Raines and Rickey Henderson. Gary Carter, another Hall of Famer, managed in the league. The Atlantic League has had many notable managers and coaches, including Wally Backman, Frank Viola, Tommy John, Sparky Lyle, and Bud Harrelson. The Atlantic League has consistently posted higher per game and per season attendance numbers than other independent circuits including the American Association and Frontier League.[10] [11] [12] [13]
In 1998, the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball played its inaugural season, with teams in Bridgewater, Newark, and Atlantic City, New Jersey; Nashua, New Hampshire; Newburgh, New York; and Bridgeport, Connecticut. The creation of the league was the result of the New York Mets' objection to Frank Boulton's proposal to move the former Albany-Colonie Yankees because of its territorial rights to the region. Boulton, a Long Island, New York native, decided to create a new league that would have a higher salary cap for its players and a longer season than most of the other independent baseball organizations. He modeled the Atlantic League after the older Pacific Coast League, with facilities that exceed AAA-level standards. Boulton also emphasized signing players of Major League Baseball experience for all Atlantic League teams, raising the level of play above other independent leagues.
In 2010, the league announced that it would be expanding to Sugar Land, Texas and adding its first franchise not located in an Atlantic coast state.[14] The Sugar Land Skeeters began play in 2012. In 2010, amid financial struggles, the Newark Bears moved from the Atlantic League to the Can-Am League, leaving the Bridgeport Bluefish and Somerset Patriots as the only teams remaining from the league's inaugural season.[15] In the summer of 2013, then-ALPB President Frank Boulton announced that he would be resigning so that he could devote more time to operating the Long Island Ducks. He was replaced by longtime high-ranking Major League Baseball executive Rick White.[16] On July 8, 2015, the Atlantic League began using Rawlings baseballs with red and blue seams, virtually unused in the sport since the American League swapped the blue in their seams for red in 1934.[17]
On September 1, 2015, the Atlantic League announced conditional approval for an expansion team or a relocated team to play in New Britain, Connecticut for the 2016 season.[18] [19] [20] [21] On October 21, 2015, the Camden Riversharks announced they would cease operations immediately due to the inability to reach an agreement on lease terms with the owner of Campbell's Field, the Camden County Improvement Authority.[22] The team was replaced by the New Britain Bees for the 2016 season.[23] On May 29, 2016, Jennie Finch was the guest manager for the league's Bridgeport Bluefish, thus becoming the first woman to manage a professional baseball team.[24]
Shortly before the conclusion of the 2017 season, the city of Bridgeport, Connecticut voted to not continue with professional baseball in the city and announced plans to convert The Ballpark at Harbor Yard into a music amphitheater; the Bridgeport Bluefish announced plans to relocate to High Point, North Carolina in 2019 when the construction of a new multipurpose facility in High Point is completed.[25] League officials announced the return of the Pennsylvania Road Warriors, an all road game team, to keep the league at an even eight teams while the Bluefish go inactive for the 2018 season.[26]
In 2015, the Atlantic League experienced a watershed moment for independent baseball when it signed a formal agreement with Major League Baseball which put into writing the rules which the ALPB would follow in selling its players' contracts to MLB clubs and their affiliates. This marked the first time that MLB, which has enjoyed a U.S. Supreme Court-granted antitrust exemption since 1922, had made any formal agreement with or acknowledgment of an independent baseball league.[27]
In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the league announced that it would be unable to operate for the 2020 season with the current 8 member ballclubs, thereby canceling its season.[28] Several teams (Somerset, York, and Lancaster) did not gain necessary approval from governmental and health officials to open their ballparks to the capacity level necessary for competition.[29] They used their stadiums to host recreational and community-based events, as well as local baseball activities where allowed. Meanwhile, the Long Island Ducks, High Point Rockers, and Southern Maryland Blue Crabs initially attempted to partner with teams from other leagues in order to play a 70-game season from mid-July through the end of September. However, due to ongoing restrictions and capacity limitations, they ultimately decided to suspend all baseball activities for the 2020 season. The only teams that played in 2020 was the Sugar Land Skeeters, who would create a new 4-team independent league in Texas, with all 60 games played at Constellation Field, and the Somerset Patriots, who played weekend games with a second squad called the New Jersey Blasters.[30] [31]
In July 2020, the league announced the addition of a new franchise in Gastonia, North Carolina beginning in 2021; it is the league's second team based in North Carolina.[32]
In November 2020, the Atlantic League lost its last charter franchise and its westernmost franchise when both teams became official minor league affiliates. On November 7, the Somerset Patriots announced that they were leaving the league to join the MLB-affiliated Eastern League, where they will replace the Trenton Thunder as the Double-A affiliate of the New York Yankees.[33] Approximately two weeks later, the Houston Astros announced that they had purchased a controlling stake in the Sugar Land Skeeters and, as a result, the Skeeters would become the Astros' Triple-A affiliate and join the Pacific Coast League.[34]
On February 18, 2021, the league announced the addition of the Lexington Legends, previously the Class A South Atlantic League affiliate of the Kansas City Royals, for the 2021 season.[35] The Charleston Dirty Birds, formerly the West Virginia Power of the South Atlantic League, announced their move to the league on February 24, 2021.[36]
On September 1, 2021, the league announced the addition of a new Hagerstown, Maryland franchise with the intent to begin play in 2023 pending ballpark construction.[37] In 2022 it was announced that the team wouldn't begin play until 2024 due to construction delays.[38]
In 2022, Kelsie Whitmore signed with the Staten Island FerryHawks of the Atlantic League, and started a game for them in left field; this made her the first woman to start an Atlantic League game.[39] [40] Later that year she became the first woman to pitch in an Atlantic League game when she made her first pitching appearance for Staten Island; entering the game with the bases loaded and two outs, she retired Ryan Jackson, a former major leaguer, on a fly out to end the inning.[41]
On July 20, 2023, the Hagerstown team announced that they would be named the Hagerstown Flying Boxcars.[42] In September, 2023 it was announced that Spire City Ghost Hounds would be on hiatus during the 2024 season due to the league now having an odd number of teams with the addition of the Hagerstown franchise. The team is set to return for the 2025 season.[43]
On November 22, 2023, the Atlantic League terminated the membership of the Gastonia Honey Hunters, citing significant unpaid debts to the league. Rick White, president of the Atlantic League, confirmed that the Honey Hunters were terminated, but said that the Atlantic League intended to field a team in Gastonia in 2024.[44] In February 2024, the league named Zawyer Sports & Entertainment as the new owners for the 2024 season with a team name to be announced.[45] The Gastonia Baseball Club played their first game on April 25, 2024, a 3–2 loss to the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs.[46]
In March 2019, the Atlantic League and Major League Baseball reached agreement to test multiple rule changes during the 2019 Atlantic League season:[47]
In April 2019, implementation of two of the changes was delayed:[48]
The tracking system for calling balls and strikes was introduced at the league's all-star game on July 10.[49] In addition to rule changes noted above, additional changes being implemented for the second half of the league's 2019 season are:[50]
The Atlantic League and MLB jointly announced that the former would adopt several additional experimental rules for the 2021 season:[51]
In January 2022, the Atlantic League announced they would no longer be using the following rules for the 2022 season:[52]
In March 2022, the MLB announced modifications to the "double-hook" rule and reintroduced the "dropped pitch" rule for the 2023 season:[53]
In April 2023, it was announced that the Atlantic League would be testing three rules for the 2023 season:[54]
| Team | Founded | Joined | City | Stadium | Capacity | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Division | |||||||
| Hagerstown Flying Boxcars | 2021 | 2024 | Hagerstown, Maryland | Meritus Park | 3,500 | ||
| Lancaster Stormers | 2003 | 2005 | Lancaster, Pennsylvania | Clipper Magazine Stadium | align=center | 6,000 | |
| Long Island Ducks | 1998 | 2000 | Central Islip, New York | Fairfield Properties Ballpark | align=center | 6,002 | |
| Staten Island FerryHawks | 2021 | 2022 | Staten Island, New York | SIUH Community Park | 7,171 | ||
| York Revolution | 2006 | 2007 | York, Pennsylvania | WellSpan Park | align=center | 5,200 | |
| South Division | |||||||
| Charleston Dirty Birds | 1987 | 2021 | Charleston, West Virginia | GoMart Ballpark | 4,500 | ||
| Gastonia Baseball Club | 2024 | 2024 | Gastonia, North Carolina | CaroMont Health Park | 5,000 | ||
| High Point Rockers | 2018 | 2019 | High Point, North Carolina | Truist Point | 4,500 | ||
| Lexington Legends | 2001 | 2021 | Lexington, Kentucky | Legends Field | 6,994 | ||
| Southern Maryland Blue Crabs | 2006 | 2008 | Waldorf, Maryland | Regency Furniture Stadium | 4,200 | ||
| 2024 hiatus[55] | |||||||
| Spire City Ghost Hounds | 2022 | 2023 | Frederick, Maryland | Nymeo Field at Harry Grove Stadium | align=center | 5,400 | |
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bar:2 color:Full from:01/01/1998 till:01/01/2018 text:Bridgeport Bluefish (1998–2017)
bar:3 color:Full from:01/01/1998 till:12/31/2005 text:Nashua Pride (1998–2005) bar:3 color:Other from:01/01/2006 till:12/31/2011 bar:4 color:Full from:01/01/1998 till:12/31/2010 text:Newark Bears (1998–2010) bar:4 color:Other from:01/01/2011 till:12/31/2013
bar:5 color:Full from:01/01/1998 till:12/31/2001 text:Newburgh/Lehigh Valley Black Diamonds (1998–2001)
bar:6 color:Full from:01/01/2002 till:12/31/2004 text:Pennsylvania Road Warriors (2002–2004) bar:6 color:Full from:01/01/2006 till:12/31/2007 shift: 50 text:Road Warriors (2006–2007, 2011, 2018, 2020) bar:6 color:Full from:01/01/2011 till:12/31/2011 bar:6 color:Full from:01/01/2018 till:12/31/2018 bar:6 color:Full from:01/01/2020 till:12/31/2020
bar:7 color:Full from:01/01/1998 till:12/31/2020 text:Somerset Patriots (1998–2020) bar:7 color:Other from:01/01/2021 till:end
bar:8 color:Full from:01/01/2000 till:12/31/2000 text:Aberdeen Arsenal (2000)
bar:9 color:Full from:01/01/2000 till:end text:Long Island Ducks (2000–present)
bar:10 color:Full from:01/01/2001 till:10/21/2015 text:Camden Riversharks (2001–2015)
bar:11 color:Full from:01/01/2005 till:end text:Lancaster Barnstormers (2005–present)
bar:12 color:Full from:01/01/2007 till:end text:York Revolution (2007–present)
bar:13 color:Full from:01/01/2008 till:end text:Southern Maryland Blue Crabs (2008–present)
bar:14 color:Full from:01/01/2012 till:12/31/2020 text:Sugar Land Skeeters (2012–2020) bar:14 color:Other from:01/01/2021 till:end
bar:15 color:Full from:01/01/2016 till:10/28/2019 text:New Britain Bees (2016–2019) bar:15 color:Other from:10/29/2019 till:end
bar:16 color:Full from:01/01/2019 till:end text:High Point Rockers (2019–present)
bar:17 color:Full from:01/01/2021 till:11/22/2023 text:Gastonia Honey Hunters (2021–2023)
bar:18 color:Full from:01/01/2021 till:end text:Lexington Legends (2021–present)
bar:19 color:Full from:01/01/2021 till:end text:Charleston Dirty Birds (2021–present)
bar:20 color:Full from:01/01/2022 till:end text:Staten Island FerryHawks (2022–present)
bar:21 color:Full from:01/01/2022 till:12/31/2022 text:Wild Health Genomes (2022)
bar:22 color:Full from:01/01/2023 till:12/31/2023 text:Spire City Ghost Hounds (2023)
bar:23 color:Full from:01/01/2024 till:end text:Hagerstown Flying Boxcars (2024–present)
bar:24 color:Full from:01/01/2024 till:end text:Gastonia Baseball Club (2024–present)
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text:^"Atlantic League Timeline"
| Team | City | Stadium | Seasons | History | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aberdeen Arsenal | Bel Air, Maryland | Thomas Run Park | 2000 | Replaced by the Aberdeen IronBirds (Orioles Class-A affiliate) | |
| Atlantic City Surf | Atlantic City, New Jersey | The Sandcastle | 1998–2006 | Moved to Can-Am League, folded prior to the 2009 season | |
| Bridgeport Bluefish | Bridgeport, Connecticut | The Ballpark at Harbor Yard | 1998–2017 | Folded when they lost the lease on their ballpark; replaced by the High Point Rockers | |
| Camden Riversharks | Camden, New Jersey | Campbell's Field | 2001–2015 | Replaced by the New Britain Bees | |
| Gastonia Honey Hunters | Gastonia, North Carolina | CaroMont Health Park | 2021-2023 | ALPB terminated league membership over more than $1 million in unpaid debt | |
| Lehigh Valley Black Diamonds | Quakertown, Pennsylvania | Quakertown Memorial Stadium | 1999–2001 | Formerly the Newburgh Black Diamonds (1998), became the first Pennsylvania Road Warriors | |
| Nashua Pride | Nashua, New Hampshire | Holman Stadium | 1998–2005 | Moved to Can-Am League, later relocated to Pittsfield, Massachusetts, folded at the end of the 2011 season | |
| Newark Bears | Newark, New Jersey | Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium | 1998–2010 | Moved to Can-Am League, folded prior to the 2014 season | |
| Newburgh Black Diamonds | Newburgh, New York | Delano-Hitch Stadium | 1998 | Became the Lehigh Valley Black Diamonds (1999–2001), which became the first Pennsylvania Road Warriors (2002–2004) | |
| New Britain Bees | New Britain, Connecticut | New Britain Stadium | 2016–2019 | Moved to Futures Collegiate Baseball League; Replaced by the Road Warriors for the 2020 season[56] | |
| Somerset Patriots | Bridgewater Township, New Jersey | TD Bank Ballpark | 1998–2020 | Moved to Minor League Baseball as part of MiLB realignment; became New York Yankees Double-A affiliate. | |
| Sugar Land Skeeters | Sugar Land, Texas | Constellation Field | 2012–2020 | Moved to Minor League Baseball as part of MiLB realignment; became Houston Astros Triple-A affiliate.[57] [58] | |
| Wild Health Genomes | Lexington, Kentucky | Wild Health Field | 2022 | Replaced by the Spire City Ghost Hounds in Frederick, Maryland.[59] [60] |
| Team | City | Stadium | Planned start | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bergen Cliff Hawks | East Rutherford, New Jersey | Bergen Ballpark | 2000–2011 | |
| Loudoun Hounds | Ashburn, Virginia | Edelman Financial Field | 2012–2016 | |
| Virginia Beach Neptunes | Virginia Beach, Virginia | Wheeler Field | 2016–2017 |
The ALPB Championship Series is played as a best-of-five. Numbers in parentheses denote the number of championships won by a team to that point, when more than one.
See main article: Atlantic League records.
Some Atlantic League players have come from, or advanced to, the higher ranks of Major League Baseball. Some have resurrected their careers and returned to the majors, while others played in the independent league during the start or end of their careers.[63] The following is a list of some of those players: