The Florida Complex League Red Sox are a professional baseball team competing in the rookie-level Florida Complex League (FCL) of Minor League Baseball. The team is owned and operated by the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). Prior to 2021, the team was known as the Gulf Coast League Red Sox. The team is located in Fort Myers, Florida, and plays its home games at JetBlue Park in the Fenway South 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, the Dominican Republic and Venezuela, among other countries. Injured players from the major-league Red Sox and their minor-league system occasionally play rookie-level games as their first step on a rehabilitation assignment.

History

In 1988, the Boston Red Sox and Seattle Mariners fielded a cooperative rookie-level team in the Arizona League (AZL), known as the AZL Mariners/Red Sox. The cooperative was not renewed beyond that single season.

In 1989, the Red Sox began fielding their own rookie-level team in the Gulf Coast League (GCL). The team first played in Winter Haven, Florida, moved to City of Palms Park in Fort Myers in 1993, then moved to its current facility in 2012. Prior to the 2021 season, the Gulf Coast League was renamed as the Florida Complex League (FCL).

Notable players

At least one National Baseball Hall of Fame inductee has played for the team, Jeff Bagwell in 1989. Various players who have been MLB All-Stars have played for the team; those who were selected as All-Stars multiple times in their careers include: Carl Crawford, Carl Everett, Nomar Garciaparra, Jon Lester, Hanley Ramírez, Anthony Rizzo, and Chris Sale.

Yearly team records

The team has finished first in its division 12 times, most recently in 2018. The team has won the league championship three times: 2006, 2014, and 2015. The team's best record came in 2015 when the club was 41–17, a .707 winning percentage.

SeasonDivisionWLPct.Division finishLeague rankManagerPlayoffs
1989Northern2736.4295th10th (t)Sam Mejías
1990North3429.5243rd5thFélix Maldonado
1991Northern3327.5501st2ndFélix MaldonadoLost in first round vs. GCL Expos (1 game to 0)
1992Central1841.3055th15thFrank White
1993Western3228.5333rd6th (t)Félix Maldonado
1994Western4020.6672nd3rdFélix Maldonado
1995Southwest2136.3683rd13thFélix Maldonado
1996Southwest2436.4004th14thBob Geren
1997Northwest3128.5253rd5th (t)Luis Aguayo
1998Western2737.4505th10thLuis Aguayo
1999Western3029.5084th7thJohn Sanders
2000Western2926.5273rd7thJohn Sanders
2001Western3722.6271st2ndJohn SandersLost in first round vs. GCL Yankees (1 game to 0)
2002Southern2634.4335th11thJohn Sanders
2003Southern3326.5591st3rdRalph TreuelLost in first round vs. GCL Braves (1 game to 0)
2004Southern3424.5861st4thRalph TreuelLost League Finals vs. GCL Yankees (2 game to 0) Won in first round vs. GCL Mets (1 game to 0)
2005Southern3024.5561st3rdRalph TreuelLost in final round vs. GCL Yankees (1 game to 0)
2006South3519.6481st1stDave TomlinLeague Champions vs. GCL Dodgers (2 games to 1)
2007Southern3026.5363rd7thDave Tomlin
2008South2827.5093rd8thDave Tomlin
2009South2627.4914th10thDave Tomlin
2010South3128.5252nd5th (t)Dave Tomlin
2011South2733.4503rd11thGeorge Lombard
2012South3426.5671st4thGeorge LombardLost League Finals vs. GCL Pirates (2 games to 0) Won in first round vs. GCL Tigers (1 game to 0)
2013South3525.5831st3rdDarren FensterLost League Finals vs. GCL Nationals (2 games to 0) Won in first round vs. GCL Yankees 2 (1 game to 0)
2014South3624.6001st4thTom KotchmanLeague Champions vs. GCL Yankees 1 (2 games to 1) Won in first round vs. GCL Cardinals (1 game to 0)
2015South4117.7071st1stTom KotchmanLeague Champions vs. GCL Blue Jays (2 games to 0) Won in first round vs. GCL Cardinals (1 game to 0)
2016South3328.5411st5thTom KotchmanLost in first round vs. GCL Cardinals (1 game to 0)
2017South2731.4664th14thTom Kotchman
2018South3322.6001st3rdTom KotchmanLost in first round vs. GCL Tigers West (1 game to 0)
2019South2725.5193rd9thTom KotchmanPlayoffs cancelled due to Hurricane Dorian
2020Southseason cancelled, COVID-19 pandemicTom Kotchman
2021South3720.6492nd5thTom Kotchman
2022South3520.6362nd3rdJimmy Gonzalez Tom Kotchman

Roster

Florida Complex League Red Sox rostervte
PlayersCoaches/Other
Pitchers 12 Merlin Bido 92 Yoelvin Chirino -- Jason Gilman 99 Jeison Payano 55 Yermain Ruiz 84 Denison Sanchez 22 Yoandys Veraza 63 Tejahari WilsonCatchers 61 Liosward Marin 5 Jorge Rodriguez InfieldersOutfielders 15 Tavano Baker 30 Justin Barry 32 Jhoan PegueroManager -- Chase Illig Coaches -- Oscar Lira (pitching) -- Michael McCormick (pitching) -- Jack Simonetty (hitting) -- Steven Su (defensive) 36 Junior Zamora (hitting) 60-day injured list -- Fabian Bonilla 7-day injured list* On Boston Red Sox 40-man roster~ Development list# Rehab assignment∞ Reserve list‡ Restricted list§ Suspended list† Temporarily inactive listupdated April 17, 2026→ More rosters: MiLBFlorida Complex LeagueBoston Red Sox minor league players

External links