Coastal Plain (Summer Collegiate) League

From BR Bullpen

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Founded in 1997, and comprised of the some of the top college players from across the country, the Coastal Plain League is one of the nation's premier Summer Collegiate Baseball leagues. Sanctioned by Major League Baseball and the Summer Collegiate Baseball Association, all players are NCAA eligible and are unpaid in order to maintain their eligibility. The league also has an agreement with MLB to assist in the development of young umpires; at the end of 2020 a total of 8 Major League umpires were graduates of the program.

Each team is operated in a similar manner to a professional minor league team, providing players an opportunity to play under the same conditions using wooden bats, minor league specification baseballs, experiencing overnight road trips and playing nightly before fans in a stadium.

The league takes it's name from the Coastal Plain League which operated as a class D level minor league throughout the 1930's and 1940's. Many of the Coastal Plain League teams play in the same towns as the historic league's teams, modern CPL teams take the names of the Wilson Tobs and the Peninsula Pilots, two of the more well known class D teams from the early Coastal Plain League and Carolina League.

Current Teams[edit]

West Division East Division
Team Location Team Location
Asheboro Copperheads Asheboro, NC Florence Flamingos Florence, SC
Forest City Owls Forest City, NC Holly Springs Salamanders Holly Springs, NC
Spartanburgers Spartanburg, SC Morehead City Marlins Morehead City, NC
Thomasville HiToms Thomasville, NC Peninsula Pilots Hampton, VA
Lexington County Blowfish Lexington, SC Tri-City Chili Peppers Colonial Heights, VA
Macon Bacon Macon, GA Wilmington Sharks Wilmington, NC
Martinsville Mustangs Martinsville, VA Wilson Tobs Wilson, NC

Former Teams[edit]

Coastal Plain League Alumni in Major League Baseball[edit]

Coastal Plain League Alumni
Player CPL Team MLB Team
David Aardsma Fayetteville Chicago Cubs
Russ Adams Durham Toronto Blue Jays
Tagg Bozied Wilmington San Diego Padres
Jason Dubois Rocky Mount Chicago Cubs
Brad Eldred Wilson Pittsburgh Pirates
Adam Greenberg Wilson Chicago Cubs
Dallas McPherson Asheboro Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Don Kelly Petersburg Pittsburgh Pirates
Sam Narron Outer Banks Milwaukee Brewers
Josh Rupe Peninsula Texas Rangers
Kyle Snyder Raleigh Kansas City Royals
Ryan Speier Florence Colorado Rockies
Justin Verlander Wilson Detroit Tigers
Todd Wellemeyer Thomasville Chicago Cubs
Ty Wigginton Rocky Mount Pittsburgh Pirates
Kevin Youkilis Florence Boston Red Sox


Coastal Plain League Finals[edit]

Year Winner Series Loser
1997 Raleigh Redwolves 2-0 Wilson Tobs
1998 Wilmington Sharks 2-1 Rocky Mount Rockfish
1999 Wilmington Sharks 2-1 Outer Banks Daredevils
2000 Petersburg Generals 2-0 Asheboro Copperheads
2001 Durham Braves 2-0 Wilson Tobs
2002 Outer Banks Daredevils 10-6 Petersburg Generals
2003 Outer Banks Daredevils 7-2 Florence Redwolves
2004 Edenton Steamers 13-2 Outer Banks Daredevils
2005 Edenton Steamers 9-1 Florence Redwolves
2006 Thomasville HiToms 6-1 Peninsula Pilots
2007 Thomasville HiToms 4-3 Peninsula Pilots
2008 Thomasville HiToms 7-4 Florence Redwolves
2009 Forest City Owls 2-0 Peninsula Pilots
2010 Forest City Owls 2-1 Edenton Steamers
2011 Gastonia Grizzlies 2-1 Edenton Steamers
2012 Columbia Blowfish 2-1 Fayetteville Swampdogs
2013 Peninsula Pilots 2-0 Columbia Blowfish
2014 Peninsula Pilots 2-1 Florence Redwolves
2015 Edenton Steamers 2-0 Gastonia Grizzlies
2016 Savannah Bananas 2-1 Peninsula Pilots
2017 Gastonia Grizzlies 2-1 Wilmington Sharks
2018 Morehead City Marlins 2-0 Thomasville HiToms
2019 Morehead City Marlins 2-1 Macon Bacon
2021 Savannah Bananas 2-1 Morehead City Marlins

Related Links[edit]