The Tampa Tarpons are a Minor League Baseball team of the

Florida State League The Florida State League (FSL) is a Minor League Baseball league based in the state of Florida. Having been classified at various levels throughout its existence, it operated at Class A-Advanced from 1990 until its demotion to Single-A followi ...

and the

Single-A Class A, also known as Single-A and sometimes as Low-A, is the fourth-highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States, below Triple-A, Double-A, and High-A. There are 30 teams classified at the Single-A level, one for each ...

affiliate of the

New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one ...

. They are located in

Tampa, Florida Tampa () is a city on the Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The city's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and the seat of Hillsborough ...

. The Tarpons play their home games at George M. Steinbrenner Field, which is also the

spring training Spring training is the preseason in Major League Baseball (MLB), a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives estab ...

home of the New York Yankees and incorporates design elements from

old Yankee Stadium The original Yankee Stadium was a stadium located in the Bronx in New York City. It was the home ballpark of the New York Yankees, one of the city's Major League Baseball franchises, from 1923 to 2008, except for 1974–1975 when the stadium wa ...

the Bronx The Bronx () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the state of New York. It is south of Westchester County; north and east of the New York City borough of Manhattan, across the Harlem River; and north of the New ...

, including identical field dimensions. They competed at the

Class A-Advanced High-A (officially Class High-A, formerly known as Class A-Advanced, and sometimes abbreviated "A+" in writing) is the third-highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States and Canada, below Triple-A and Double-A, and abov ...

level from 1994 to 2020 before being reclassified Low Single-A in 2021. Since their inception, the club has won five league championships, in 1994, 2001, 2004, 2009, and 2010. The club was established in 1994 as the Tampa Yankees and played for 24 seasons under that name. Before the 2018 season, the team was rebranded as the "Tampa Tarpons", reviving a name that had been used by an earlier franchise in the FSL for over 30 years.

History

Tampa Tampa () is a city on the Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The city's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and the seat of Hillsborough C ...

has a long history of amateur and organized baseball, with the first

held in the city in 1913 and the Tampa Smokers founded as charter members of the FSL in 1919. In anticipation of a potential Major League Baseball expansion team, the original Tampa Tarpons of the FSL relocated in 1988 and Al Lopez Field was demolished soon thereafter. However, the expected franchise was eventually awarded to nearby St. Petersburg, leaving Tampa without a professional baseball team or venue. In 1994, the

established a new

FSL team and placed them in Tampa, replacing their previous Class-A Advanced affiliate, the Prince William Cannons. After operating as the Tampa Yankees for 24 seasons, the club was rebranded as the Tarpons in 2018, reviving the name of Tampa's longest-lasting minor league ballclub. For the 2021 season, the FSL was reconfigured as a Low Single-A circuit and the Florida State League name was retired, with the circuit being called the Low-A Southeast. In 2022, the Low-A Southeast became known as the Florida State League, the name historically used by the regional circuit prior to the 2021 reorganization, and was reclassified as a Single-A circuit. On January 9, 2022, the Yankees announced that

Rachel Balkovec Rachel Balkovec (born July 5, 1987) is an American minor league baseball manager in the New York Yankees organization. In 2022, the Yankees named Balkovec manager of their Class A minor league team, the Tampa Tarpons, making her the first wo ...

has been hired to manage the Tarpons. She is the first woman to manage a minor league team affiliated with Major League Baseball. Notable major league players to once play for the Tampa Yankees / Tarpons include

Aaron Judge Aaron James Judge (born April 26, 1992) is an American professional baseball outfielder for the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball (MLB). Judge was unanimously selected as the American League (AL) Rookie of the Year in 2017, and fin ...

Derek Jeter Derek Sanderson Jeter ( ; born June 26, 1974) is an American former professional baseball shortstop, businessman, and baseball executive. As a player, Jeter spent his entire 20-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the New York Yankees ...

Rubén Rivera Rubén Rivera Moreno (born November 14, 1973) is a Panamanian former professional baseball player. He played Major League Baseball for five different teams, from to . His cousin, Mariano Rivera, was the former long-time closer for the New York ...

Mariano Rivera Mariano Rivera (born November 29, 1969) is a Panamanian-American former professional baseball pitcher who played 19 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees, from 1995 to 2013. Nicknamed "Mo" and "Sandman", he spent most ...

, David Robertson, Joba Chamberlain, Ian Kennedy, Phil Hughes,

Ramiro Mendoza Ramiro Mendoza (born June 15, 1972), nicknamed "El Brujo" (The Witch Doctor), is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. Mendoza played with the New York Yankees (1996–2002, 2005) and Boston Red Sox (2003–04). He batted and threw right-handed. ...

Tim Raines Timothy Raines Sr. (born September 16, 1959), nicknamed "Rock",Raines received this nickname at an Expo rookie camp when he was seventeen, based on his physique. is an American professional baseball coach and former player. He played as a left ...

, Eric Milton, and

Luis Sojo Luis Beltrán Sojo Sojo ( ; ; born January 3, 1965) is a Venezuelan former professional baseball infielder. Listed during his playing days at and , he batted and threw right-handed. During his Major League Baseball (MLB) career, Sojo filled a ...

Ballpark

As part of a deal with the city of Tampa, the Tampa Sports Authority agreed to publicly finance a new ballpark for the New York Yankees to use during spring training and the Tampa Yankees to use during the summer. Legends Field has the same dimensions as

Yankee Stadium Yankee Stadium is a baseball stadium located in the Bronx, New York City. It is the home field of the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball, and New York City FC of Major League Soccer. Opened in April 2009, the stadium replaced the orig ...

and includes some design elements of the previous ballpark in the Bronx. The Tampa Yankees played their first two seasons (1994 and 1995) at

Red McEwen Field Red McEwen Field (originally USF Baseball Field) was a baseball venue located on the campus of the University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida, United States. It opened in 1967 and had a capacity of 2,500 for most of its history. "The Red" was ...

on the campus of the

University of South Florida The University of South Florida (USF) is a public research university with its main campus located in Tampa, Florida, and other campuses in St. Petersburg and Sarasota. It is one of 12 members of the State University System of Florida. USF i ...

while their permanent home was under construction. In 1996, the New York Yankees held spring training at newly completed Legends Field, moving from their long-time spring facilities at

Fort Lauderdale A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facer ...

, and the Tampa Yankees played at the new ballpark that summer. In 2008, Legends Field was renamed in honor of ailing long-time Yankees owner

George Steinbrenner George Michael Steinbrenner III (July 4, 1930July 13, 2010) was an American businessman who was the principal owner and managing partner of Major League Baseball's New York Yankees from 1973 until his death in 2010. He was the longest-serving own ...

, who lived in Tampa. Steinbrenner Field has a baseball capacity of about 11,000 and is located across

Dale Mabry Highway Dale Mabry Highway is a north–south road in Tampa, Florida. The majority of its length consists of three lanes each direction plus a central turn-lane and often includes a right-turn lane. It begins at the MacDill Air Force Base entrance in ...

from the

Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The cl ...

' home of Raymond James Stadium. The facility has an adjacent parking lot that is sufficient for most minor league crowds, and a

pedestrian bridge A footbridge (also a pedestrian bridge, pedestrian overpass, or pedestrian overcrossing) is a bridge designed solely for pedestrians.''Oxford English Dictionary'' While the primary meaning for a bridge is a structure which links "two points at a ...

allows for spring training attendees to park at the football stadium's much larger parking area and safely cross the busy highway to Steinbrenner Field.

Playoffs

*2017: Lost to

Dunedin Dunedin ( ; mi, Ōtepoti) is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand (after Christchurch), and the principal city of the Otago region. Its name comes from , the Scottish Gaelic name for Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Th ...

2–1 in semifinals. *2016: Lost to

Bradenton Bradenton ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Manatee County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city's population is 55,698. History Late 18th and early 19th centuries A settlement established by Maroons or escaped sl ...

3–1 in the FSL finals. *2010: Defeated

2–0 in semifinals; defeated

Charlotte Charlotte ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 16th-most populo ...

3–1 to win championship. *2009: Defeated

Brevard County Brevard County ( ) is a county located in the east central portion of the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, the population was 606,612, making it the 10th-most populated county in Florida. The official county seat is located in ...

2–0 in semifinals; defeated

3–2 to win championship. *2004: Defeated

2–0 in semifinals; declared co-champions with Daytona. *2002: Lost to

2–0 in semifinals. *2001: Defeated

2–0 in semifinals; declared co-champions with

. *1998: Defeated

2–0 in semifinals; lost to St. Lucie 3–2 in finals. *1996: Lost to Clearwater 2–0 in semifinals. *1995: Lost to

Fort Myers Fort Myers (or Ft. Myers) is a city in southwestern Florida and the county seat and commercial center of Lee County, Florida, United States. The Census Bureau's Population Estimates Program calculated that the city's population was 92,245 in 20 ...

2–1 in semifinals. *1994: Defeated

Sarasota Sarasota () is a city in Sarasota County on the Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The area is renowned for its cultural and environmental amenities, beaches, resorts, and the Sarasota School of Architecture. The city is located in the sou ...

2–1 in semifinals; defeated

3–1 to win championship.

Roster

Notable people

Note: ''Years indicate service time with the Tampa Yankees / Tarpons, either as a minor leaguer or on an injury rehabilitation assignment'' Hall of Fame alumni *

(1996-1997) Inducted, 2017 *

(1994) 13 x MLB All-Star; 1999 World Series Most Valuable Player; All-Time MLB Saves Leader, Inducted 2019 With 100% of votes *

(1994, 2000) 14 x MLB All-Star; 1996 AL Rookie of the Year; 2000 World Series Most Valuable Player, Inducted 2020 Notable alumni *

John Axford John Berton Axford (born April 1, 1983), nicknamed "Ax Man", is a Canadian professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Milwaukee Brewers, St. Louis Cardinals, Cleveland Indians, Pittsbu ...

(2007) 2011 NL Saves Leader * Andrew Bailey (2015) 2 x MLB All-Star; 2009 AL Rookie of the Year *

Carlos Beltrán Carlos Iván Beltrán (; born April 24, 1977) is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as an outfielder from 1998 to 2017 for the Kansas City Royals, Houston Astros, New York Mets, San Fran ...

(2015) 9 x MLB All-Star; 1999 AL Rookie of the Year * Dellin Betances (2010) 4 x MLB All-Star *

Melky Cabrera Melky Cabrera Astacio (born August 11, 1984), nicknamed The Melkman, is a Dominican former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees, Atlanta Braves, San Francisco Giants, Toronto Blue ...

(2004) MLB All-Star *

Robinson Cano Robinson may refer to: People and names * Robinson (name) Fictional characters * Robinson Crusoe, the main character, and title of a novel by Daniel Defoe, published in 1719 Geography * Robinson projection, a map projection used since the 1960s ...

(2003) 8 x MLB All-Star *

Francisco Cervelli Francisco Cervelli (born March 6, 1986) is a Venezuelan former professional baseball catcher and former catching coach for the San Diego Padres. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees, Pittsburgh Pirates, Atlanta B ...

(2007-2008, 2011, 2014) * Joba Chamberlain (2007, 2012) *

Tyler Clippard Tyler Lee Clippard (born February 14, 1985) is an American professional baseball free agent pitcher. He has previously played in MLB for the New York Yankees, Nationals, Oakland Athletics, New York Mets, Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago White ...

(2005) 2 x MLB All-Star * Mike DeJean (1994) * Jacoby Ellsbury (2015) MLB All-Star *

Didi Gregorius Mariekson Julius "Didi" Gregorius (born February 18, 1990) is a Dutch professional baseball shortstop who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cincinnati Reds, Arizona Diamondbacks, New York Yankees and Philadel ...

(2017, 2019) *

Matt Holliday Matthew Thomas Holliday (born January 15, 1980) is an American professional baseball coach and former left fielder who is the bench coach for the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played in MLB from 2004 to 2018 for t ...

(2017) 7 x MLB All-Star; 2007 NLCS Most Valuable Player * Phil Hughes (2005-2006) MLB All-Star * Nick Johnson (1998) *

(2014) 2 x MLB All-Star; 2017 AL Rookie of the Year * Ian Kennedy (2007-2008) 2011 NL Wins Leader * Ted Lilly (2000) 2 x MLB All-Star *

Adam Lind Adam Alan Lind (born July 17, 1983) is an American former professional baseball first baseman. He previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Toronto Blue Jays, Milwaukee Brewers, Seattle Mariners and Washington Nationals. Lind has a ...

(2018) *

Mike Lowell Michael Averett Lowell (born February 24, 1974) is an American former Major League Baseball third baseman. During a 13-year career, Lowell played for the New York Yankees (1998), Florida Marlins (1999–2005), and the Boston Red Sox (2006&nda ...

(1996) 4 x MLB All-Star; 2007 World Series Most Valuable Player * Lee Mazzilli (1997-1998, MGR) MLB All-Star * Eric Milton (1997) MLB All-Star *

Dioner Navarro Dioner Favian Navarro Vivas (born February 9, 1984) is a Venezuelan former professional baseball catcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, Tampa Bay Rays, Cincinnati Reds, Chicago Cubs, Chic ...

(2002) MLB All-Star * Ivan Nova (2008, 2015) *

Carl Pavano Carl Anthony Pavano (born January 8, 1976) is an American former professional baseball player. A right-handed pitcher, Pavano played in Major League Baseball from 1998 to 2012 for the Montreal Expos, Florida Marlins, New York Yankees, Clevel ...

(2005-2006) MLB All-Star *

Mark Prior Mark William Prior (born September 7, 1980) is an American former professional baseball pitcher and current coach. A onetime top prospect of the Chicago Cubs, he pitched for the team from 2002 to 2006 in a career that was marred by injuries. In ...

(2011) MLB All-Star * Juan Rivera (1999-2000, 2005) * David Robertson (2007) MLB All-Star * Brendan Ryan (2014-2015) *

CC Sabathia Carsten Charles Sabathia Jr. (born July 21, 1980) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 19 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), primarily with the New York Yankees. He also played for the Cleveland Indians and Milw ...

(2014, 2019) 6 x MLB All-Star; 2007 AL Cy Young *

Gary Sanchez Gary may refer to: *Gary (given name), a common masculine given name, including a list of people and fictional characters with the name *Gary, Indiana, the largest city named Gary Places ;Iran * Gary, Iran, Sistan and Baluchestan Province ;Uni ...

(2012-2013) 2 x MLB All-Star * Luis Severino (2014, 2016, 2021) 2 x MLB All-Star *

(2006-2008, 2009, 2011–2013, MGR) *

Giancarlo Stanton Giancarlo Cruz-Michael Stanton (born November 8, 1989), formerly known as Mike Stanton, is an American professional baseball designated hitter and outfielder for the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2010 a ...

(2019) 4 x MLB All-Star; 2017 NL Most Valuable Player *

Marcus Thames Marcus Markley Thames ( ; born March 6, 1977) is an American former baseball left fielder, designated hitter, and current coach. He played for the New York Yankees, Texas Rangers, Detroit Tigers and Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball ...

(1999) * Gleyber Torres (2016, 2018) 2 x MLB All-Star * Troy Tulowitzki (2019) 5 x MLB All-Star

References

External links

Official website
{{Florida Sports Sports teams in Tampa, Florida Professional baseball teams in Florida Baseball teams established in 1994 New York Yankees minor league affiliates 1994 establishments in Florida Florida State League teams