Florida Baseball Teams: The Exciting World of Baseball in the Sunshine State

By James | Last updated December 7, 2023

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There are a significant number of professional baseball teams based in Florida but they play in several different baseball leagues.

Florida is a state that boasts a rich baseball history, with a wide range of professional teams that cater to baseball aficionados. From the well-known Major League Baseball teams like the Miami Marlins and the Tampa Bay Rays to the lesser-known Minor League teams, there is something for every baseball fan in Florida.

In this guide, we will take you on a journey through all the professional baseball teams in Florida. Whether youโ€™re a die-hard fan or just curious about the stateโ€™s baseball scene, this article provides a complete list of Floridaโ€™s pro baseball teams and gives you a deeper appreciation for the sport in the Sunshine State.

Florida Major League (MLB) Teams

Florida has two baseball teams who play in the highest league, namely the Major League (MLB). The MLB is subdivided into two leagues, the National League and the American League each of which is further sub-divided into East, West and Central:

  • Miami Marlins play in the Eastern Division of the National League at the Sun Life Stadium in Miami
  • Tampa Bay Rays play in the Eastern Division of the American League at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg

Florida Minor League (MiLB) Teams

Around a dozen other Florida baseball teams play Minor League Baseball (MiLB). The MLB reorganised the minor leagues in 2021. Each team is affiliated with an MLB team (shown in brackets below) and mostly plays at the affiliateโ€™s spring training ground.

Southern League

One Florida team plays in the Southern League which is sub-divided into North and South with four teams in each division:

  • Pensacola Blue Wahoos (Miami Marlins) plays in the South Division at the Admiral Fetterman Field in Pensacola

Florida State League Teams

The rest of the Minor League teams play in the Florida State League which is also sub-divided into East and West.

The East Division consists of:

  • Daytona Tortugas (Cincinnati Reds) play at Jackie Robinson Ballpark in Daytona Beach
  • Jupiter Hammerheads (Miami Marlins) play at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter
  • Palm Beach Cardinals (St. Louis Cardinals) play at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter
  • St. Lucie Mets (New York Mets) play at Clover Park in Port St. Lucie

The remaining teams play in the West Division:

  • Bradenton Marauders (Pittsburgh Pirates) play at LECOM Park in Bradenton
  • Clearwater Threshers (Philadelphia Phillies) play at BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater
  • Dunedin Blue Jays (Toronto Blue Jays) play at TD Ballpark in Dunedin
  • Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (Minnesota Twins) play at Hammond Stadium in Fort Myers
  • Lakeland Flying Tigers (Detroit Tigers) play at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland
  • Tampa Tarpons (New York Yankees) play at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa

Florida Complex League (FCL)

Also part of the Minor League is the Rookie League; in Florida, this is the Florida Complex League which prior to 2021 was known as the Gulf Coast League (GCL).

Each team is affiliated with a Major League team and takes its name from its parent. The league is split into East, North and South.

The East Division consists of:

  • FCL Astros (Houston Astros) play at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches at West Palm Beach
  • FCL Cardinals (St. Louis Cardinals) play at the Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter
  • FCL Marlins (Miami Marlins) play at the Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter
  • FCL Mets (New York Mets) play at Clover Park in Port St. Lucie
  • FCL Nationals (Washington Nationals) play at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches at West Palm Beach

The North Division consists of:

  • FCL Blue Jays (Toronto Blue Jays) play at the Bobby Mattick Training Center at the Englebert Complex in Dunedin
  • FCL Phillies (Philadelphia Phillies) play at Carpenter Complex in Clearwater
  • FCL Tigers (Detroit Tigers) play at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland
  • FCL Yankees (New York Yankees) play at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa

The South Division consists of:

  • FCL Braves (Atlanta Braves) play at CoolToday Park in North Port
  • FCL Orioles (Baltimore Orioles) play at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota
  • FCL Pirates (Pittsburgh Pirates) play at Pirate City Stadium in Bradenton
  • FCL Rays (Tampa Bay Rays) play at Charlotte Sports Park in Port Charlotte
  • FCL Red Sox (Boston Red Sox) play at JetBlue Park in Fort Myers
  • FCL Twins (Minnesota Twins) play at Lee County Sports Complex in Fort Myers

Florida Baseball Season

The normal baseball season runs from early April to early October with teams typically playing six days a week. The Rookie League have a shorter season which doesnโ€™t start until June. There are also play-offs which take place at the end of the normal season for the top-ranking teams.

The main season is preceded by Spring Training which typically starts around the middle of February and runs until the start of the main season. This is where many of Floridaโ€™s baseball parks play host to other Major League teams every Spring as part of the Grapefruit League Spring Training season. This is a great time to see some of the top North American baseball teams playing in Florida at lower-than-normal ticket prices.

The Florida State League and Florida Complex League teams are all affiliated with a Major League Team and the affiliated Major League teams usually play at their affiliateโ€™s Florida baseball park during Spring Training.

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