Lakeland Flying Tigers

Last updated
Lakeland Flying Tigers
Lakeland Flying Tigers.PNG Flying Tigers cap.PNG
Team logoCap insignia
Minor league affiliations
Class Single-A (2022–present)
Previous classes
League Florida State League (2022–present)
DivisionWest Division
Previous leagues
Major league affiliations
Team Detroit Tigers (1963–present)
Previous teams
Minor league titles
League titles (4)
  • 1976
  • 1977
  • 1992
  • 2012
Second-half titles (1)
  • 2023
Team data
NameLakeland Flying Tigers (2007–present)
Previous names
  • Lakeland Tigers (1963–2006)
  • Lakeland Giants (1962)
  • Lakeland Indians (1960)
Ballpark Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium (1966–2001, 2003–2015, 2017–present)
Previous parks
Henley Field (1960, 1962–1965, 2002, 2016)
Owner(s)/
Operator(s)
Detroit Tigers
General managerZach Burek
Manager Andrew Graham

The Lakeland Flying Tigers are a Minor League Baseball team of the Florida State League and the Single-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. They are located in Lakeland, Florida, and play their home games at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium.

Contents

History

The team was established in 1960 as the Lakeland Indians, an affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. After a one-year hiatus, the team was restarted in 1962 as the Lakeland Giants, an affiliate of the San Francisco Giants.

The franchise affiliated with the Detroit Tigers' farm system in 1963 and became known as the Lakeland Tigers before becoming the Flying Tigers in 2007. The relationship with Detroit is one of the two longest unbroken affiliate relationships currently existing. [1]

1996 Lakeland Tigers #47 game worn road jersey LAKELAND1996RGameWorn.jpg
1996 Lakeland Tigers #47 game worn road jersey

In 1997, playing with the Tigers, Gabe Kapler led the Florida State League in doubles and total bases, and tied for first in extra base hits. [2]

In 2012, the Flying Tigers won their first FSL title in 20 years by defeating the Jupiter Hammerheads, three games to two. It was the fourth league title in club history. [3]

In 2006, the team introduced a new name and colors to pay homage to the Lakeland School of Aeronautics, later the Lodwick School of Aeronautics. The school trained over 8,000 pilots between 1940 and 1945, some of whom later flew with the Flying Tigers in China during World War II, [4] and was actually located at the current site of Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium. [5]

Roster

PlayersCoaches/Other

Pitchers

  • 20 Max Alba
  • 30 Garrett Apker
  • 41 Ulices Campos
  • 35 Jesus Cruz
  • 25 Jose Diaz
  • 21 Colin Fields
  • 12 Max Green Injury icon 2.svg
  • 34 Quinn Gudaitis
  • 14 Eiker Huizi
  • 33 Edgardo Ibarra
  • 30 Marco Jimenez
  • 31 Tanner Kohlhepp
  • 29 Carlos Marcano
  • 36 Chris Mauloni
  • 38 Eric Mendez
  •  1 Joe Miller
  •  9 Jake Miller
  • 38 Hendry Nunez Injury icon 2.svg
  • 49 Cole Patten
  • 44 Franklin Perez
  • 28 Cleiverth Perez
  • 87 Erick Rodriguez Injury icon 2.svg
  • -- Robbie Welhaf ‡
  • -- Chris Williams Jr. Injury icon 2.svg

Catchers

  • 32 Archer Brookman
  • 9 Mike Rothenberg
  • 18 Sergio Tapia
  • 40 Moises Valero

Infielders

Outfielders

  • 27 Jose De La Cruz
  • 22 J.D. McLaughlin
  •  7 Dom Johnson
  •  4 Seth Stephenson


Manager

Coaches

  • 99 Nick Bredeson (hitting)
  • 58 Rafael Gil (developmental)
  • 37 Nick Green (pitching)

60-day injured list

  • -- Joe Adametz
  • -- Wilmer A. Fenelon
  • -- Patrick Pridgen
  • -- Gabriel Reyes
  • -- Austin Schultz

Injury icon 2.svg 7-day injured list
* On Detroit Tigers 40-man roster
~ Development list
# Rehab assignment
∞ Reserve list
‡ Restricted list
§ Suspended list
† Temporarily inactive list
Roster updated July 17, 2023
Transactions
→ More rosters: MiLB    Florida State League
Detroit Tigers minor league players

Notable alumni

Baseball Hall of Fame alumni

Notable former ballplayers


Playoffs

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Florida State League</span> Baseball league in Florida, US

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 following Major League Baseball's 2021 reorganization of the minor leagues. The league temporarily operated for the 2021 season as the Low-A Southeast before reassuming its original moniker in 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bluefield Blue Jays</span> Minor league baseball team

The Bluefield Blue Jays were a minor league baseball team of the Rookie Appalachian League representing the twin cities of Bluefield, West Virginia, and Bluefield, Virginia. The team played their home games at Bowen Field at Peters Park, a historic stadium in Bluefield's city park. The park, which straddles the West Virginia–Virginia state line, was operated by the West Virginia city; however, Bowen Field lies entirely within Virginia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clinton LumberKings</span> American Minor League baseball team

The Clinton LumberKings are a collegiate summer baseball team of the Prospect League. They are located in Clinton, Iowa, and play their home games at NelsonCorp Field. From 1956 to 2020, they were members of Minor League Baseball's Midwest League. With Major League Baseball's reorganization of the minor leagues after the 2020 season, Clinton was not selected to continue in affiliated baseball.

Several different minor league baseball teams have called the city of Orlando, Florida home from 1919–2003. Most have played in the Florida State League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jupiter Hammerheads</span> Minor league baseball team

The Jupiter Hammerheads are a Minor League Baseball team of the Florida State League and the Single-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins. They are located in the town of Jupiter in Palm Beach County, Florida, and play their home games at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. Opened in 1998, the park seats 6,871 people. They share the facility with the Palm Beach Cardinals, also of the Florida State League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Lucie Mets</span> Minor league baseball team

The St. Lucie Mets are a Minor League Baseball team of the Florida State League and the Single-A affiliate of the New York Mets. They are located in Port St. Lucie, Florida, and play their home games at Clover Park. The Mets have been members of the Florida State League since their founding in 1988. They originally competed at the Class A level before being elevated to Class A-Advanced in 1990. Since the 2021 season, the Mets have been a Low Single-A affiliate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clearwater Threshers</span> Minor league baseball team

The Clearwater Threshers are a Minor League Baseball team of the Florida State League and the Single-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. They are located in Clearwater, Florida, and have played their home games at BayCare Ballpark since 2004. They previously played at Jack Russell Memorial Stadium from 1985 to 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fort Myers Mighty Mussels</span> Minor league baseball team

The Fort Myers Mighty Mussels are a Minor League Baseball team of the Florida State League and the Single-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. They are located in Fort Myers, Florida, and play their home games at the Lee County Sports Complex at Hammond Stadium, which has a capacity of 7,500 and opened in 1991. The park is also used as the Minnesota Twins' spring training facility.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tampa Tarpons</span> Minor league baseball team

The Tampa Tarpons are a Minor League Baseball team of the Florida State League and the Single-A affiliate of the New York Yankees. They are located in Tampa, Florida. The Tarpons play their home games at George M. Steinbrenner Field, which is also the spring training home of the New York Yankees and incorporates design elements from old Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, including identical field dimensions. They competed at the Class A-Advanced 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gabe Kapler</span> American baseball player and manager (born 1975)

Gabriel Stefan Kapler, nicknamed "Kap", is an American assistant general manager of the Miami Marlins of Major League Baseball (MLB). He is also a former professional baseball MLB outfielder, and former manager of the San Francisco Giants and Philadelphia Phillies of MLB.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kingsport Mets</span> Minor league baseball team

The Kingsport Mets were a Minor League Baseball team of the Appalachian League from 1921 to 2020. They were located in Kingsport, Tennessee, and were last named for the team's major league affiliate, the New York Mets. The team played its home games at Hunter Wright Stadium which opened in 1995. The Mets previously played at Dobyns-Bennett High School. In 1983, while Dobyns-Bennett's field was being renovated, the team temporarily moved to Sarasota, Florida, and played in the Gulf Coast League as the Gulf Coast League Mets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Myrtle Beach Pelicans</span> Minor League Baseball team in South Carolina

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans are a Minor League Baseball team in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and the Single-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. The Pelicans compete in the Carolina League. Home games are played at Pelicans Ballpark, which opened in 1999 and seats up to 6,599 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greensboro Grasshoppers</span> Minor league baseball team

The Greensboro Grasshoppers are a Minor League Baseball team based in Greensboro, North Carolina. They are members of the South Atlantic League and are the High-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. They play their home games at First National Bank Field, which opened in 2005 and seats 7,499 fans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bristol Pirates</span> Minor league baseball team

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 St. Petersburg Saints were a minor league baseball team that operated out of St. Petersburg, Florida. The team began as a semi-pro team and as early as October 1908, the semi-pro Saints played the Cincinnati Reds in a post-season exhibition game. By 1914, the Saints were receiving regular coverage in the local press. They played in the Florida State League from 1920–1928 and then folded operations. A second team, also called the St.Petersburg Saints played in the Florida International League from 1947–1954 and the Florida State League from 1955–1965. The team won four championships and were owned by R. Vernon and Irene C. Eckert from 1951–1954.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Johnson City Cardinals</span> Minor league baseball team

The Johnson City Cardinals were a Minor League Baseball team based in Johnson City, Tennessee. The team was affiliated with the St. Louis Cardinals organization from 1975 through 2020 and played in the Rookie-level Appalachian League. The team won 10 league championships, most recently in 2019. They played their home games at TVA Credit Union Ballpark. Before 1975, the team operated under several other names and affiliations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vero Beach Devil Rays</span> Minor league baseball team

The Vero Beach Devil Rays, originally the Vero Beach Dodgers, were a minor league baseball team based in Vero Beach, Florida. They played in the Class A-Advanced Florida State League from 1980–2008, at which point they relocated to Port Charlotte, Florida as the Charlotte Stone Crabs. They played their home games at Holman Stadium.

The West Palm Beach Expos were a Florida State League minor league baseball team which existed from 1969 through the 1997 season in West Palm Beach, Florida.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charlotte Rangers</span> Minor league baseball team

The Charlotte Rangers, based in Port Charlotte, Florida, were an American minor league baseball team that existed from 1987 through 2002. The team played at Charlotte County Stadium as a Class A Florida State League affiliate of the Texas Rangers, who at the time made their spring training base in Port Charlotte.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lodwick Field</span> Airport

Lodwick Field is a former airport located 2.1 miles (3.4 km) north-northeast of Lakeland, Florida. It was closed about 1960, with all flight operations being moved to the larger Lakeland Linder International Airport.

References

  1. Hill, Benjamin. "PDC's make everything old new again, www.milb.com". Web.minorleaguebaseball.com. Retrieved February 17, 2011.
  2. "1997 Florida State League - Season Review". www.thebaseballcube.com. Retrieved November 2, 2017.
  3. "Flying Tigers Scrape Two Runs Across in The Eight to Win FSL Championship Series | TheLedger.com". Archived from the original on 2012-10-14.
  4. Benjamin Hill (November 13, 2006). "Article | Lakeland Flying Tigers News". Minorleaguebaseball.com. Retrieved February 17, 2011.
  5. "The Lodwick School of Aeronautics: A Photo Exhibit". City of Lakeland. Archived from the original on February 25, 2007.