Florida Complex League Pirates

Last updated

Florida Complex League Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates Cap Insignia.svg
Minor league affiliations
ClassRookie
League Florida Complex League
DivisionNorthwest Division
Previous leagues
Gulf Coast League (1968–2020)
Major league affiliations
Team Pittsburgh Pirates
Minor league titles
League titles (1)2012
Division titles (6)
  • 2002
  • 2003
  • 2008
  • 2013
  • 2023
  • 2024
Team data
NameFCL Pirates Black & Gold
Previous names
GCL Pirates (1968–2020)
Ballpark Pirate City complex
Owner(s)/
Operator(s)
Pittsburgh Pirates
ManagerJose Mendez

The Florida Complex League Pirates are a Rookie-level affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates, competing in the Florida Complex League of Minor League Baseball. Prior to 2021, the team was known as the Gulf Coast League Pirates. The team plays its home games in Bradenton, Florida, at the Pirate City complex. The team is composed mainly of players who are in their first year of professional baseball either as draftees or non-drafted free agents from the United States, Canada, Dominican Republic, Venezuela, and other countries.

Contents

History

The team was first established in 1968, and has competed continuously since then. The team won division championships in 2002, 2003, 2008, and 2013. In 2012, the team won its first league championship. [1]

In 2009, the team had nine players each from the Dominican Republic and Venezuela, with the United States third at six players. They were the two highly publicized, pioneering Indian pitchers, Rinku Singh and Dinesh Patel, who became the first Indian-born players to sign professional baseball contracts in the United States, [2] a second baseman named Henry from Colombia, two players from Puerto Rico, and one each from Mexico, Panama, Australia, Canada and one of the first three players ever signed out of South Africa, Gift Ngoepe, while one of the Americans, Chris Aure, was from Alaska. "We eat together in the cafeteria, but sometimes we try each other's foods," Ngoepe says. "I listen to the Indians' music when I go past their rooms, and they listen to my music from Africa. We tell each other stories about our home countries. We do everything together." "Everybody's the same here, like family," Venezuelan infielder Elevys Gonzalez says. [3]

For the 2021 season, the team is fielding two squads in the league, differentiated as "Black" and "Gold" in reference to the team's colors.

Season-by-season

YearRecordWin–loss %ManagerRegular Season FinishPlayoffs
196827-33.450 Buddy Pritchard 6th GCLNo playoffs until 1983
196928-26.519Buddy Pritchard4th GCL
197023-40.365 Dick Cole 8th GCL
197120-32.385 Ed Napoleon 6th GCL
197221-39.350Ed Napoleon7th(t) GCL
197317-37.315 Woody Huyke 9th GCL
197411-42.208Woody Huyke9th GCL
197523-31.426Woody Huyke4th GCL
197611-41.212Woody Huyke7th GCL
197722–32.407Woody Huyke7th GCL
197821–32.396Woody Huyke6th GCL
197920–32.385Woody Huyke6th GCL
198024–39.381Woody Huyke8th GCL
198132–28.533Woody Huyke5th GCL
198227–35.435Woody Huyke3rd GCL
198328–32.467Woody Huyke3rd GCL NorthDid not qualify
198421–42.333Woody Huyke5th GCL NorthDid not qualify
198515–47.242Woody Huyke5th GCL NorthDid not qualify
198624–39.381Woody Huyke5th GCL NorthDid not qualify
198733–30.390Woody Huyke2nd GCL NorthDid not qualify
198826–37.413 Julio Garcia 5th GCL SouthDid not qualify
198921–42.333Woody Huyke8th GCL SouthDid not qualify
199130–29.508Woody Huyke3rd GCL CentralDid not qualify
199223–37.383Woody Huyke4th GCL CentralDid not qualify
199321–38.356Woody Huyke7th GCL WestDid not qualify
199425–35.417Woody Huyke4th GCL WestDid not qualify
199523–36.390Woody Huyke4th GCL NorthwestDid not qualify
199628–31.475Woody Huyke3rd GCL NorthwestDid not qualify
199727–32.458Woody Huyke6th GCL NorthwestDid not qualify
199825–35.407Woody Huyke6th GCL WestDid not qualify
199924–35.407Woody Huyke5th GCL NorthDid not qualify
200034–26.567Woody Huyke2nd GCL NorthDid not qualify
200122–34.393Woody Huyke6th GCL WestDid not qualify
200237–23.617Woody Huyke1st GCL NorthLost in 1st round
vs. GCL Dodgers (1 game to 0)
200336–20.643Woody Huyke1st GCL NorthLost in Finals
vs. GCL Braves (2 games to 0)
200430–28.517Woody Huyke3rd GCL SouthDid not qualify
200528–26.519 Jeff Livesey 2nd GCL SouthDid not qualify
200627–26.509 Turner Ward 4th GCL NorthDid not qualify
200726–30.464 Tom Prince 4th GCL SouthDid not qualify
200837–19.661Tom Prince1st GCL SouthLost in 1st round
vs. GCL Phillies (1 game to 0)
200929–31.483Tom Prince4th GCL NorthDid not qualify
201029–30.492Tom Prince4th GCL NorthDid not qualify
201134–26.567Tom Prince2nd GCL NorthLost in 1st round
201236–24.600Tom Prince2nd GCL NorthWon GCL Championship
vs. GCL Red Sox (2 games to 0)
Won in first round
vs. GCL Cardinals (1 game to 0)
201333-27.600 Milver Reyes 1st GCL NorthwestLost in 1st round
vs. GCL Nationals (1 game to 0)
201420-40.333Milver Reyes3rd GCL NorthwestDid not qualify
201528-31.475Milver Reyes3rd GCL NorthwestDid not qualify
201622-34.393 Edgar Varela 2nd GCL NorthwestDid not qualify
201726-34.433 Dave Turgeon 3rd GCL NortheastDid not qualify

Rosters

PlayersCoaches/Other

Pitchers

  • -- Gavin Adams
  • -- Matt Ager
  • 49 Victor Cabreja
  • 41 Carson Fulmer
  • -- Ronaldo Gallo
  • 70 Jose Garces
  • 45 Brennan Malone
  • 37 Dioris Martinez
  • 34 Carlos Mateo
  • 58 David Matoma
  • -- Reinold Navarro
  • 52 Jose Regalado
  • 36 Pitterson Rosa
  • -- Jake Shirk
  • -- Angel Soriano
  • -- Levi Sterling
  • 44 Joaquin Tejada
  • 57 Alexis Torres
  • 27 Jonawel Valdez

Catchers

  • -- Camden Janik
  • 35 Richard Ramirez
  • 41 Luke Scherrer
  • -- Miguel Sosa

Infielders

  • 13 Roinny Aguiar
  • -- Konnor Griffin
  • -- Eddie Rynders
  • -- Wyatt Sanford
  • 24 Carlos Tirado
  • -- Jeral Toledo
  • 18 John Zorrilla

Outfielders

  • -- Carl Calixte
  • -- Ian Farrow
  • -- Solomon Maguire
  • 19 Eduardo Oviedo
  •  6 Estuar Suero


Manager

  • -- Jose Mendez

Coaches

  • -- Brady Conlan (hitting)
  • 61 Mick Fieldbinder (pitching)
  • -- Fernando Nieve (pitching)

60-day injured list

  • 39 Tony Blanco Jr.
  • -- Jackson Grounds
  • -- Andres Silvera

Injury icon 2.svg 7-day injured list
* On Pittsburgh Pirates 40-man roster
~ Development list
# Rehab assignment
∞ Reserve list
‡ Restricted list
§ Suspended list
† Temporarily inactive list
Roster updated April 1, 2025
Transactions
→ More rosters: MiLB    Florida Complex League
Pittsburgh Pirates minor league players

References

  1. Williams, Tim (August 29, 2012). "GCL Pirates Win First Gulf Coast League Championship in Franchise History".
  2. "Dinesh Patel and Rinku Singh Make Pro Debuts". July 4, 2009.
  3. Kovacevic, Dejan (July 10, 2009). "The Bradenton Pirates: They are the world". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.