Florida Complex League Yankees Explained

Florida Complex League Yankees
Allyears:1964–1966, 1980–present
City:Tampa, Florida
Uniformlogo:NewYorkYankees caplogo.svg
Class Level:Rookie
Current League:Florida Complex League
Division:North
Nickname:FCL Yankees
Ballpark:George M. Steinbrenner Field (2004–present)
Past League:
Pastnames:
  • GCL Yankees East & West (2016–2020)
  • GCL Yankees 1 & 2 (2013–2015)
  • GCL Yankees (1966, 1980–2012)
  • FRL Yankees (1965)
  • SRL Yankees (1964)
Leaguenum:13
Divnum:17
Divisionchamps:
  • GCL Yankees 1 title; **GCL Yankees 2 title
Owner:New York Yankees
Manager:Ryan Chipka

The Florida Complex League Yankees are a Rookie-level affiliate of the New York Yankees, competing in the Florida Complex League of Minor League Baseball. The team is composed mainly of players who are in their first year of professional baseball either as selections from the Major League Baseball draft or as non-drafted free agents. The team plays its home games at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Florida. Prior to 2021, the team was known as the Gulf Coast League Yankees, and fielded two squads in several seasons, differentiated by suffixes. The team (or one of its two squads) has won the league championship 13 times, most recently in 2022.

History

The Yankees originally fielded a team in the Sarasota Rookie League and the Florida Rookie League in 1964 and 1965, which were direct predecessors to the Gulf Coast League (GCL). The team competed in the GCL during 1966, then was absent from the league through 1979. Since 1980, the team has fielded at least one squad in the league each season.

In 2013, the Yankees began fielding two squads in the league, originally differentiated by "1" and "2" suffixes. The suffixes were changed to "East" and "West" in 2016, as the squads played in the Northeast and Northwest division, respectively. In 2019, both teams moved into the North Division.

Prior to the 2021 season, the Gulf Coast League was renamed as the Florida Complex League (FCL). The Yankees returned to fielding a single squad in 2021.

Season-by-season

YearRecordFinishManagerPlayoffs
align=center colspan=6SRL Yankees
1964 24–35 4th Bill Shantz
align=center colspan=6FRL Yankees
1965 17–42 6th Chuck Boone
align=center colspan=6GCL Yankees
1966 32–16 1st League Champs
No playoffs until 1983
1980 27–35 7th
1981 30–29 7th Carlos Tosca
1982 42–21 1st Carlos Tosca League Champs
1984 28–35 8th Jack Gillis
1985 43–18 1st Carlos Tosca League Champs
Playoff game vs. GCL Rangers rained out.
Yankees declared champions based on record
1986 33–29 4th (t) Fred Ferreira
1987 31–32 7th Fred Ferreira
1988 45–18 1st League Champs
vs. GCL Royals (1 game to 0)
1989 41–22 1st Jack Gillis League Champs
vs. GCL Dodgers (2 games to 1)
1990 32–30 8th (t)
1991 27–32 11th Ken Dominguez
1992 31–28 6th
1993 30–29 9th Glenn Sherlock
1994 26–32 8th Hector Lopez
1995 32–26 8th (t) Hector Lopez
1996 37–21 2nd Ken Dominguez League Champs
vs. GCL Rangers (2 games to 0)
Won in 1st round
vs. GCL Expos (1 game to 0)
1997 40–20 2nd Ken Dominguez Lost in 1st round
vs. GCL Mets (1 game to 0)
1998 34–26 3rd (t) Ken Dominguez
1999 32–28 5th Ken Dominguez
2000 38–22 3rd Lost League Finals
vs. GCL Rangers (2 games to 1)
Won in 1st round
vs. GCL Marlins (1 game to 0)
2001 35–25 4th Derek Shelton League Champs
vs. GCL Dodgers (2 games to 1)
Won in 1st round
vs. GCL Red Sox (1 game to 0)
2002 36–24 3rd Manny Crespo
2003 26–31 8th Dan Radison
2004 36–23 1st League Champs
vs. GCL Red Sox (2 games to 0)
2005 33–20 2nd Oscar Acosta League Champs
vs. GCL Mets (2 games to 0)
Won in 1st round
vs. GCL Red Sox (1 game to 0)
2006 33–20 3rd Matt Martin
2007 42–17 2nd League Champs
vs. GCL Dodgers (2 games to 1)
Won in 1st round
vs. GCL Twins (1 game to 0)
2008 31–27 7th Jody Reed
2009 33–27 4th Lost in 1st round
vs. GCL Marlins (1 game to 0)
2010 24–32 12th (t) Tom Slater
2011 37–23 3rd League Champs
vs. GCL Marlins
Won in 1st round
vs. GCL Orioles (1 game to 0)
2012 35–25 4th
align=center colspan=6GCL Yankees 1 (2013–2020)
2013 28–32 8th (t) Tom Nieto
2014 38–22 1st Lost League title
vs. GCL Red Sox (2 games to 1)
Won in 1st round
vs. GCL Yankees 2 (1 game to 0)
2015 26–32 12th
2016 19–36 17th Raúl Domínguez
2017 33–27 6th League Champs
vs. GCL Nationals (2 games to 1)
Won in 1st round
vs. GCL Phillies (1 game to 0)
2018 19-35 17th
2019 18-29 15th Dan Fiorito
2020 N/A N/A N/A Season Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
align=center colspan=6GCL Yankees 2 (2013–2020)
2013 36–24 2nd Mario Garza Lost in 1st round
vs. GCL Red Sox (1 game to 0)
2014 35–25 5th Lost in 1st round
vs. GCL Yankees 1 (1 game to 0)
2015 26–34 13th
2016 24–31 12th (t) Marc Bombard
2017 32–27 7th Marc Bombard
2018 25-27 11th
2019 22-27 12th Nick Ortiz
2020 N/A N/A N/A Season Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
align=center colspan=6FCL Yankees (2021–present)
2021 36–16 2nd Postseason canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic

Notable alumni

Hall of Famers:

External links