The Appalachian League is a collegiate summer baseball league that operates in the

Appalachia Appalachia () is a cultural region in the Eastern United States that stretches from the Southern Tier of New York State to northern Alabama and Georgia. While the Appalachian Mountains stretch from Belle Isle in Newfoundland and Labrador, C ...

n regions of

Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 36th-largest by ...

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth are ...

West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the ...

, and

North Carolina North Carolina () is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 28th largest and List of states and territories of the United ...

. Designed for rising freshmen and sophomores using wood

bats Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera.''cheir'', "hand" and πτερόν''pteron'', "wing". With their forelimbs adapted as wings, they are the only mammals capable of true and sustained flight. Bats are more agile in flight than most bir ...

, its season runs from June to August. The league is part of

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (A ...

and

USA Baseball USA Baseball is the national governing body for organized baseball in the United States, and is a member of the United States Olympic Committee and the World Baseball Softball Confederation. The organization selects and trains the World Basebal ...

's Prospect Development Pipeline. Between 1911 and 2020, the Appalachian League operated as part of Minor League Baseball and various of its teams were affiliated with

franchises. It operated as a Class D league during four stints through 1962, then was classified as a Rookie league from 1963 to 2020.

History

The original Appalachian League existed only for four seasons from 1911 to 1914 and was classified as a Class D circuit. All teams were independent with no

(MLB) affiliation. It consisted of the Asheville Moonshiners, Bristol Boosters, Cleveland Counts,

Johnson City Soldiers Johnson is a surname of Anglo-Norman origin meaning "Son of John". It is the second most common in the United States and 154th most common in the world. As a common family name in Scotland, Johnson is occasionally a variation of ''Johnston'', a ...

Knoxville Appalachians Knoxville is a city in and the county seat of Knox County in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 United States census, Knoxville's population was 190,740, making it the largest city in the East Tennessee Grand Division and the state ...

, and

Morristown Jobbers Morristown may refer to: Places Canada * Morristown, Nova Scotia (disambiguation) United States *Morristown, Arizona *Morristown, Indiana ** Morristown station (Indiana) * Morristown, Minnesota ** Morristown Township, Rice County, Minnesota *Morri ...

in its inaugural season. After a six-year absence, the league reorganized for five seasons from 1921 to 1925, and, as before, it consisted entirely of independent teams at the Class D level. Following an 11-year period of inactivity, the third iteration of the Class D Appalachian League ran from 1937 to 1955. The league went dormant in 1956, but was revived in 1957. Along with a reorganization of Minor League Baseball in 1963, the Appalachian League was classified as a

Rookie A rookie is a person new to an occupation, profession, or hobby. In sports, a ''rookie'' is a professional athlete in their first season (or year). In contrast with a veteran who has experience and expertise, a rookie is usually inexperienced ...

-level league. In its final years as an MLB-affiliated league, the Appalachian League was one of two "Rookie Advanced" minor leagues along with the Pioneer League. As such, it occupied the second-lowest rung in the minor league ladder. Although classified as a Rookie league, the level of play was slightly higher than that of the two "complex" Rookie leagues, the Gulf Coast League and Arizona League. Unlike the complex leagues, Appalachian League teams charged admission and sold concessions. It was almost exclusively the first fully professional league in which many players competed; most of the players had just been signed out of high school. It was a short-season league that competed from late June (when major league teams signed players whom they selected in the amateur draft) to early September. It continued to operate as a Rookie Advanced league through 2020, with the start of the 2020 season postponed due to the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...

before ultimately being cancelled. Thus, 2019 was the Appalachian League's last season of operation within Minor League Baseball, with the Johnson City Cardinals winning the league championship. Entering the 2021 Major League Baseball season, MLB stated that 29 of its 30 teams had players who had played in the Appalachian League when it was part of Minor League Baseball, with a total of 139 such players on

Opening Day Opening Day is the day on which professional baseball leagues begin their regular season. For Major League Baseball (MLB) and most of the American minor leagues, this day typically falls during the first week of April, although in recent years ...

rosters. In conjunction with a contraction of Minor League Baseball in 2021, the Appalachian League was converted to a collegiate summer baseball league designed for rising freshmen and sophomores. The reconfigured league become a part of Major League Baseball's Prospect Development Pipeline, a collaboration between MLB and

. It is scheduled to play a 54-game regular season and continue to host an annual All-Star Game. Each of the league's 10 cities will continue to host teams in the new configuration of the Appalachian League.

Current teams

Teams timeline

1911–1914

* Asheville Moonshiners (1911–1912) → Middlesboro Colonels (1913–1914) * Bristol Boosters (1911–1913) → Harriman Boosters (1914) * Cleveland Counts (1911–1913) →

(1913–1914) *

(1911–1913) *

(1911) →

Knoxville Reds The Knoxville Reds were a minor league baseball team that played in Knoxville, Tennessee, from 1909 to 1914. The team was known as the Knoxville Appalachians from 1909 to 1911 before adopting the Reds moniker. They were members of the Class B (base ...

(1912–1914) *

(1911–1912) → Rome Romans (1913)

1921–1925

* Bristol State Liners (1921–1925) * Cleveland Manufacturers (1921–1922) → Morristown Roosters (1923–1925) * Greeneville Burley Cubs (1921–1925) *

(1921–1924) * Kingsport Indians (1921–1925) * Knoxville Pioneers (1921–1924)

1937–1955

Bluefield Blue-Grays Bluefield may refer to: *Bluefield, Virginia, US *Bluefield, West Virginia, US * Nvidia BlueField, a line of computer hardware See also *Bluefields, Nicaragua *Bluefields, Jamaica Bluefields is a settlement in Westmoreland Parish on the Cari ...

(1946–1955) * Bristol Twins (1940–1955) * Elizabethton Betsy Red Sox (1937–1942) → Erwin Aces (1943) → Erwin Cubs (1944) →

Elizabethton Betsy Cubs Elizabethton is a city in, and the county seat of Carter County, Tennessee, United States. Elizabethton is the historical site of the first independent American government (known as the Watauga Association, created in 1772) located west of both t ...

(1945–1948) → Elizabethton Betsy Local (1949–1950) →

Elizabethton Phils The Elizabethton Phils were a Minor League Baseball team that played in the Class D (baseball), Class D Appalachian League from 1937 to 1942 and 1945 to 1951. They were located in Elizabethton, Tennessee, and played their home games at Cherokee Pa ...

(1951) → Pulaski Phillies (1952–1955) * Erwin Mountaineers (1940) * Greeneville Burley Cubs (1938–1942) *

(1937–1938) → Johnson City Cardinals (1939–1955) *

Kingsport Cherokees Kingsport is a city in Sullivan and Hawkins counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, its population was 55,442. Lying along the Holston River, Kingsport is commonly included in what is known as the Mountain Empire, ...

(1938–1941) → Kingsport Dodgers (1942) →

(1943–1952) → Wytheville Statesmen (1953–1955) *

New River Rebels The New River Rebels were a minor league baseball team representing Narrows, Virginia and Pearisburg, Virginia. From 1946 to 1950, the New River Rebels were a member of the Class D level Appalachian League, winning league championships in 1946 an ...

(1946–1950) * Newport Canners (1937–1942) * Pennington Gap Lee Bears (1937–1938) → Pennington Gap Bears (1939) → Pennington Gap Miners (1940) * Pulaski Counts (1946–1950) *

Salem Rebels Salem may refer to: Places Canada Ontario * Bruce County ** Salem, Arran–Elderslie, Ontario, in the municipality of Arran–Elderslie ** Salem, South Bruce, Ontario, in the municipality of South Bruce * Salem, Dufferin County, Ontario, part ...

(1955) * Welch Miners (1946–1955) → Marion A's (1955)

1957–2020

* Bluefield Dodgers (1957) →

Bluefield Orioles Bluefield may refer to: *Bluefield, Virginia, US *Bluefield, West Virginia, US *Nvidia BlueField, a line of computer hardware See also *Bluefields, Nicaragua *Bluefields, Jamaica Bluefields is a settlement in Westmoreland Parish on the Carib ...

(1958–2010) → Bluefield Blue Jays (2011–2020) * Bristol Tigers (1969–1994) → Bristol White Sox (1995–2013) →

Bristol Pirates The Bristol Pirates were a Minor League Baseball team in Bristol, Virginia, United States. They were a Rookie-level team in the Appalachian League. The team played home games at DeVault Memorial Stadium. Opened in 1969, Devault Memorial Stadium h ...

(2014–2020) * Harlan Red Sox (1965) → Covington Red Sox (1966) → Covington Astros (1967–1976) *

Harlan Smokies Harlan Smokies was the primary name of a minor league baseball team based in Harlan, Kentucky. The team complete for a total of 11 seasons during 1948–1965, first in the Mountain States League and later in the Appalachian League. The team was ...

(1961–1962) → Harlan Yankees (1963) → Johnson City Yankees (1964–1974) → Johnson City Cardinals (1975–2020) * Johnson City Phillies (1957–1960) → Johnson City Cardinals (1961) *

(1955) → Kingsport Orioles (1957) → Kingsport Senators (1959) → Kingsport Pirates (1960–1963) * Kingsport Royals (1969–1973) → Kingsport Braves (1974–1979) → Kingsport Mets (1980–1982, 1984–2020) * Lynchburg Senators (1959) * Marion Mets (1965–1976) * Martinsville Phillies (1988–1998) → Martinsville Astros (1999–2003) →

Greeneville Astros The Greeneville Astros were a Minor League Baseball team that played in the Rookie-level Appalachian League from 2004 to 2017. They represented the town of Greeneville, Tennessee, though Pioneer Park, their home stadium, was located in nearby Tu ...

(2004–2017) →

Greeneville Reds The Greeneville Reds were a Minor League Baseball team of the Rookie-level Appalachian League. They represented the town of Greeneville, Tennessee, though Pioneer Park, their home stadium, was located in the nearby city of Tusculum on the campu ...

(2018–2020) * Middlesboro Senators (1961–1962) → Middlesboro Cubsox (1963) * Pikeville Brewers (1982) → Pikeville Cubs (1983–1984) →

Wytheville Cubs The Wytheville Cubs was the final name of the minor league baseball teams located in Wytheville, Virginia between 1948 and 1989. An affiliate of the Chicago Cubs from 1985 to 1989, the Wytheville Cubs were a member of the Rookie level Appalachian ...

(1985–1989) → Huntington Cubs (1990–1994) → River City Rumblers (1995) → Pulaski Rangers (1997–2002) → Pulaski Blue Jays (2003–2006) → Pulaski Mariners (2008–2014) → Pulaski Yankees (2015–2020) * Princeton Pirates (1988–1989) →

Princeton Patriots Princeton University is a private research university in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and one of the nin ...

(1990) → Princeton Reds (1991–1996) →

Princeton Devil Rays Princeton University is a private research university in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and one of the nin ...

(1997–2008) → Princeton Rays (2009–2020) * Pulaski Braves (1982–1992) → Danville Braves (1993–2020) * Pulaski Cubs (1957–1958) → Morristown Cubs (1959–1961) * Pulaski Phillies (1969–1977) → Paintsville Highlanders (1978) → Paintsville Yankees (1979–1982) → Paintsville Brewers (1983–1984) → Burlington Indians (1986–2006) → Burlington Royals (2007–2020) *

(1957–1967) * Wytheville Cardinals (1957–1959) → Wytheville Senators (1960) → Wytheville Twins (1961–1963) → Wytheville A's (1964) → Wytheville Senators (1965) → Wytheville Reds (1967) * Wytheville Senators (1969) → Wytheville Braves (1971–1973) →

Elizabethton Twins The Elizabethton Twins were a Minor League Baseball team of the Appalachian League and a Rookie-level affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. They were located in Elizabethton, Tennessee, and were named for their major league affiliate. The team pla ...

(1974–2020)

From 2021

* Bluefield Ridge Runners (2021–present) * Bristol State Liners (2021–present) * Burlington Sock Puppets (2021–present) * Danville Otterbots (2021–present) *

Elizabethton River Riders The Elizabethton River Riders are a summer collegiate baseball team of the Appalachian League. They are located in Elizabethton, Tennessee, and play their home games at Northeast Community Credit Union Ballpark. History Previous Elizabethton ...

(2021–present) * Greeneville Flyboys (2021–present) * Johnson City Doughboys (2021–present) *

Kingsport Axmen The Kingsport Axmen are a summer collegiate baseball team of the Appalachian League. They are located in Kingsport, Tennessee, and play their home games at Hunter Wright Stadium. The team was known as the Kingsport Road Warriors for a brief perio ...

(2021) → Kingsport Road Warriors (2021) →

(2021–present) * Princeton WhistlePigs (2021–present) * Pulaski River Turtles (2021–present)

Champions

League champions have been determined by different means since the Appalachian League's formation in 1911. Before 1984, the champions were usually the league pennant winners. With only a few early exceptions, champions since 1984 have been the winner of postseason playoffs.

Hall of Fame

The league established a hall of fame in 2019; through 2020 elections, 38 people have been inducted.

Notes

References

External links

* {{College Summer Baseball Former minor baseball leagues in the United States Former professional sports leagues in the United States Summer baseball leagues College baseball leagues in the United States Defunct minor baseball leagues in the United States