Baseball Champions League Americas

Last updated
BCL Americas
WBCCLA.jpg
Sport Baseball
Founded 2023
Organising body WBSC Americas
Region North America and the Caribbean
Most recent
champion(s)
Flag of the United States.svg Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks
(1st title)
Related
competitions
Caribbean Series

The Baseball Champions League Americas, or BCL Americas, is an annual international baseball tournament organized by the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC). It is contested by the champion teams of various leagues in North America and the Caribbean, similar to the Caribbean Series (which is not WBSC-sanctioned).

Contents

It is played as a single round-robin tournament, with the first and second-place teams playing against each other in a final championship game. [1] The tournament began as a four-team invitational, but is expected to expand to an eight-team league format by 2028. [2]

The inaugural tournament was held in 2023 in Mérida, Mexico. [3] It was won by the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks of the American Association. [4]

Participants

While the Caribbean Series is generally limited to Latin American winter league teams, BCL Americas includes the champions of the top-level independent (i.e. not affiliated with Major League Baseball) summer leagues in Mexico and the United States. [lower-alpha 1]

CountryLeagueFirst edition
Flag of Cuba.svg  Cuba Cuban National Series 2023
Flag of Colombia.svg  Colombia Colombian Professional Baseball League 2023
Flag of Mexico.svg  Mexico Mexican League 2023
Flag of the United States.svg  United States American Association of Professional Baseball 2023

Cuba and Colombia had previously participated in the Caribbean Series, but both were dropped after the 2023 edition of the tournament. [5] [6]

Winners

YearVenueChampionResultRunner-upWinning manager
2023 Flag of Mexico.svg Mérida Flag of the United States.svg Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks 8–0 Flag of Colombia.svg Caimanes de Barranquilla Flag of the United States.svg Chris Coste

See also

Notes

  1. The Mexican League was previously part of MLB-affiliated "organized baseball", but lost this designation in 2021.

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References

  1. "2023 Baseball Champions League Info". American Association of Professional Baseball. 25 September 2023. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
  2. "Inaugural Baseball Champions League Americas Tournament To Kick Off In September". Baseball America. August 24, 2023.
  3. Clair, Michael. "Baseball Champions League beginning in Mexico". milb.com. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  4. Peterson, Eric (October 2, 2023). "F-M RedHawks earn 'redeem team' championship at 1st Baseball Champions League event". In Forum. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
  5. "¡Nuevo torneo! Anuncian la creación de la Baseball Champions League" (in Spanish). Mediotiempo. June 10, 2023.
  6. Enrique Rojas (July 24, 2023). "¿Por qué Colombia se quedó fuera de Serie Caribe 2024?". ESPN Deportes (in Spanish).