Florida Collegiate Summer League
Encyclopedia
The Florida Collegiate Summer League (FCSL) is a six-team wood bat collegiate summer baseball league located in the central Florida
region of the southeastern United States
. The league was founded in the fall of 2003 and began play in the summer of 2004. It is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to "advance college players toward their futures in professional baseball." The league has experienced success in having players appear in Minor League Baseball
. 165 players have been drafted in the first seven seasons including the 2011 MLB Draft. Milwaukee Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy
is the only current Major League player, though a handful of others have been called up in the past. The FCSL is one of ten leagues in the National Alliance of College Summer Baseball.
In an effort to reach out to baseball players of all levels, the FCSL also hosts multiple spring break tournaments during the month of March. All games are held at Historic Sanford Memorial Stadium in Sanford, FL. These tournaments, known as the Florida High School Invitational, bring in teams from all over the United States. The 2011 tournament featured two teams from California, one from Colorado and two from Arkansas, as well as a number of local Florida squads. Notable prospects who participated in the FHSI include Dante Bichette Jr. (1st round pick, 2011, New York Yankees), Francisco Lindor (#8 overall pick, 2011, Cleveland Indians), Javier Baez (#9 overall pick, 2011, Chicago Cubs), and Greg Bird (5th round, 2011, New York Yankees).
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
region of the southeastern United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The league was founded in the fall of 2003 and began play in the summer of 2004. It is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to "advance college players toward their futures in professional baseball." The league has experienced success in having players appear in Minor League Baseball
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
. 165 players have been drafted in the first seven seasons including the 2011 MLB Draft. Milwaukee Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy
Jonathan Lucroy
Jonathan Charles Lucroy is a Major League Baseball catcher for the Milwaukee Brewers.-High school and college:...
is the only current Major League player, though a handful of others have been called up in the past. The FCSL is one of ten leagues in the National Alliance of College Summer Baseball.
FCSL Teams
| Team | City | Stadium |
|---|---|---|
| DeLand Suns | DeLand, Florida DeLand, Florida DeLand is the county seat of Volusia County, Florida. In 2006, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's population to be 24,375. It is part of the Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had an estimated population of 436,575 in 2006... |
Melching Field at Conrad Park Melching Field at Conrad Park Melching Field at Conrad Park is a baseball stadium located in DeLand, Florida. The primary tenant of Melching Field is the Stetson University Hatters college baseball team, a Division I program playing in the Atlantic Sun Conference.... (Stetson University) |
| Leesburg Lightning Leesburg Lightning The Leesburg Lightning are a wood bat collegiate summer baseball league team located in Leesburg, Florida. The team is a member of the Florida Collegiate Summer League and plays its home games at Pat Thomas Stadium. The team joined the FCSL in the 2007 season.-History:The Lightning joined the... |
Leesburg, Florida Leesburg, Florida Leesburg is a city in Lake County, Florida, United States. The population was 15,956 at the 2000 census. As of 2005, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 19,086.. Leesburg is located in central Florida, between Lake Harris and Lake Griffin, at the head of the Oklawaha River system.... |
Pat Thomas Stadium Pat Thomas Stadium Pat Thomas Stadium is a baseball stadium located in Leesburg, Florida. The Stadium has a capacity of about 2,000 people and was a former minor league baseball stadium and current amateur baseball stadium.- Stadium History :... |
| Orlando Freedom | Orlando, Florida Orlando, Florida Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States... |
Orel Hershiser Field at The First Academy |
| Sanford River Rats Sanford River Rats The Sanford River Rats are a wood bat collegiate summer baseball league team located in Sanford, Florida. The team is a member of the Florida Collegiate Summer League and plays its home games at Historic Sanford Memorial Stadium. The team is an inaugural member of the FCSL.-History:The River... |
Sanford, Florida Sanford, Florida Sanford is a city in, and the county seat of, Seminole County, Florida, United States. The population was 38,291 at the 2000 census. As of 2009, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 50,998... |
Historic Sanford Memorial Stadium Historic Sanford Memorial Stadium Historic Sanford Memorial Stadium is a baseball stadium located in Sanford, Florida. The ballpark is located just south of Lake Monroe on Mellonville Avenue, less than a mile from Historic Downtown Sanford. The stadium stands at the site of the old Sanford Field, which was originally built in 1926... |
| Winter Park Diamond Dawgs Winter Park Diamond Dawgs The Winter Park Diamond Dawgs are a wood bat collegiate summer baseball league team located in Winter Park, Florida. The team is a member of the Florida Collegiate Summer League and plays its home games at Alfond Stadium... |
Winter Park, Florida Winter Park, Florida Winter Park is a suburban city in Orange County, Florida, United States. The population was 24,090 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2006 estimates, the city had a population of 28,083. It is part of the Orlando–Kissimmee Metropolitan Statistical Area... |
Alfond Stadium at Harper-Shepherd Field (Rollins College) |
| Winter Haven Loggerheads | Winter Haven, Florida Winter Haven, Florida Winter Haven is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States. The population was 26,487 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2007 estimates, the city had a population of 32,577, making it the second most populated city in Polk County... |
Chain of Lakes Park Chain of Lakes Park Chain of Lakes Park is a baseball field located in Winter Haven, Florida. The stadium was built in 1966 and holds 7,000 people. It was the spring training home of the Boston Red Sox from 1966 to 1992, after which the Red Sox relocated operations to City of Palms Park in Fort Myers, Florida.In... |
FCSL Alumni
| Player | FCSL Team - Years Played | Year Drafted - Round - MLB Team |
|---|---|---|
| Mike McClendon Mike McClendon (baseball) Michael Melton McClendon is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers.McClendon was drafted by the Brewers in the 10th round of the 2006 amateur entry draft out of Seminole State College of Florida in Sanford, FL after two seasons under head coach Mike Nicholson... |
Winter Park - 2006 | 2006 - 10th - Milwaukee Brewers |
| Corey Brown Corey Brown Corey Allen Brown is a Major League Baseball center fielder for the Washington Nationals. He is 6'1" tall and he weighs 205 pounds.... |
Orlando - 2006 | 2007 - 1st - Oakland Athletics |
| Jonathan Lucroy Jonathan Lucroy Jonathan Charles Lucroy is a Major League Baseball catcher for the Milwaukee Brewers.-High school and college:... |
Sanford - 2005-06 | 2007 - 3rd - Milwaukee Brewers |
| Dee Gordon Dee Gordon Devaris "Dee" Strange-Gordon is an American professional baseball shortstop for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball.-Prep and college:... |
Belleview - 2008 | 2008 - 4th - Los Angeles Dodgers |
| Kent Matthes | Winter Pines - 2008 | 2009 - 4th - Colorado Rockies |
| Jimmy Nelson | Deland - 2009 | 2010 - 2nd - Milwaukee Brewers |
| Dante Bichette Jr. | Winter Park - 2011 | 2011 - 1st - New York Yankees |
| Peter O'Brien | Deland Suns - 2010 | 2011 - 3rd - Colorado Rockies |
League Champions
| Year | Winning Team | Runs | Losing Team | Runs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 2004 FCSL season The 2004 FCSL season was the inaugural season of the Florida Collegiate Summer League, a collegiate summer baseball league operating in the southeastern United States region of central Florida... |
Sanford River Rats Sanford River Rats The Sanford River Rats are a wood bat collegiate summer baseball league team located in Sanford, Florida. The team is a member of the Florida Collegiate Summer League and plays its home games at Historic Sanford Memorial Stadium. The team is an inaugural member of the FCSL.-History:The River... |
10 | Daytona Beach Barracudas | 0 |
| 2005 2005 FCSL season The 2005 FCSL season was the second season in the history of the Florida Collegiate Summer League, a wood bat collegiate summer baseball league operating in the southeastern United States region of central Florida... |
Zephyrhills Snappers | 2 | Sanford River Rats Sanford River Rats The Sanford River Rats are a wood bat collegiate summer baseball league team located in Sanford, Florida. The team is a member of the Florida Collegiate Summer League and plays its home games at Historic Sanford Memorial Stadium. The team is an inaugural member of the FCSL.-History:The River... |
1 |
| 2006 2006 FCSL season The 2006 FCSL season was the third season in the history of the Florida Collegiate Summer League, a wood bat collegiate summer baseball league operating in the southeastern United States region of central Florida. The league's Winter Haven, Florida franchise, the Winter Haven Warthogs, moved to... |
Winter Park Diamond Dawgs Winter Park Diamond Dawgs The Winter Park Diamond Dawgs are a wood bat collegiate summer baseball league team located in Winter Park, Florida. The team is a member of the Florida Collegiate Summer League and plays its home games at Alfond Stadium... |
4 | Altamonte Springs Snappers | 3 |
| 2007 2007 FCSL season The 2007 FCSL season was the fourth season in the history of the Florida Collegiate Summer League, a wood bat collegiate summer baseball league operating in the southeastern United States region of central Florida. The league's Winter Pines franchise, the Winter Pines Warthogs, folded after two... |
Leesburg Lightning Leesburg Lightning The Leesburg Lightning are a wood bat collegiate summer baseball league team located in Leesburg, Florida. The team is a member of the Florida Collegiate Summer League and plays its home games at Pat Thomas Stadium. The team joined the FCSL in the 2007 season.-History:The Lightning joined the... |
6 | Altamonte Springs Snappers | 0 |
| 2008 | Clermont Mavericks Clermont Mavericks The Orlando Mavericks are a wood bat collegiate summer baseball league team located in Orlando, Florida. The team is a member of the Florida Collegiate Summer League and plays its home games at The First Academy... |
9 | Belleview Bulldogs Belleview Bulldogs The Belleview Bulldogs were a wood bat collegiate summer baseball league team located in Ocala, Florida. The team was a member of the Florida Collegiate Summer League and played its home games at the Ocala Rotary Sportsplex. The team joined the FCSL in the 2008 season... |
1 |
| 2009 | Leesburg Lightning Leesburg Lightning The Leesburg Lightning are a wood bat collegiate summer baseball league team located in Leesburg, Florida. The team is a member of the Florida Collegiate Summer League and plays its home games at Pat Thomas Stadium. The team joined the FCSL in the 2007 season.-History:The Lightning joined the... |
5 | Clermont Mavericks Clermont Mavericks The Orlando Mavericks are a wood bat collegiate summer baseball league team located in Orlando, Florida. The team is a member of the Florida Collegiate Summer League and plays its home games at The First Academy... |
1 |
| 2010 | Winter Park Diamond Dawgs Winter Park Diamond Dawgs The Winter Park Diamond Dawgs are a wood bat collegiate summer baseball league team located in Winter Park, Florida. The team is a member of the Florida Collegiate Summer League and plays its home games at Alfond Stadium... |
1 | Leesburg Lightning Leesburg Lightning The Leesburg Lightning are a wood bat collegiate summer baseball league team located in Leesburg, Florida. The team is a member of the Florida Collegiate Summer League and plays its home games at Pat Thomas Stadium. The team joined the FCSL in the 2007 season.-History:The Lightning joined the... |
0 |
| 2011 | Sanford River Rats Sanford River Rats The Sanford River Rats are a wood bat collegiate summer baseball league team located in Sanford, Florida. The team is a member of the Florida Collegiate Summer League and plays its home games at Historic Sanford Memorial Stadium. The team is an inaugural member of the FCSL.-History:The River... |
7 | Winter Park Diamond Dawgs Winter Park Diamond Dawgs The Winter Park Diamond Dawgs are a wood bat collegiate summer baseball league team located in Winter Park, Florida. The team is a member of the Florida Collegiate Summer League and plays its home games at Alfond Stadium... |
5 |
Offseason Activities
Though the summer season only runs for a few months, the Florida League stays active throughout the entire year. In the fall, the FCSL hosts a celebrity golf tournament to raise funds for the upcoming season. Past celebrity appearances have been made by: Davey Johnson, Frank Viola, Hunter Pence, Ray Lankford, Gary Carter, Tim Wakefield, Zack Greinke, Andrew McCutchen, Tim Raines, Vince Coleman, and many more current and former major league baseball players. The weekend-long event includes a pairings dinner, a meet-and-greet with the celebrities, a silent auction and of course the round of golf. The 2011 Celebrity Golf Tournament will be held at Interlachen Country Club located in Winter Park, FL on November 14th.In an effort to reach out to baseball players of all levels, the FCSL also hosts multiple spring break tournaments during the month of March. All games are held at Historic Sanford Memorial Stadium in Sanford, FL. These tournaments, known as the Florida High School Invitational, bring in teams from all over the United States. The 2011 tournament featured two teams from California, one from Colorado and two from Arkansas, as well as a number of local Florida squads. Notable prospects who participated in the FHSI include Dante Bichette Jr. (1st round pick, 2011, New York Yankees), Francisco Lindor (#8 overall pick, 2011, Cleveland Indians), Javier Baez (#9 overall pick, 2011, Chicago Cubs), and Greg Bird (5th round, 2011, New York Yankees).