Milestones
Formed: 1938 (Re-branded from New York-Pennsylvania League)
Status: Active
First Game:
Seasons:
States & Provinces: 15
(CT, MA, MD, ME, NH, NJ, NY, OH, ONT, PA, QUE, RI, VA, VT, WV)
Leadership
Trophy Case
Eastern League Most Valuable Player Award
[etable]
Year, Player, Position, Team
1962, Jim Ray Hart, Third Baseman, Springfield Giants
1963, Bob Chance, First Baseman, Charleston Indians
1964, Frank Bertaina, Pitcher, Elmira Pioneers
1965, Owen Johnson, Catcher, Pittsfield Red Sox
1966, Tom Fisher, Pitcher, Elmira Pioneers
1967, Bernie Smith, Outfielder, Williamsport Mets
1968, Carmen Fanzone, Third Baseman, Pittsfield Red Sox
1969, Angel Mangual, Outfielder, York Pirates
1970, Greg Luzinski, First Baseman, Reading Phillies
1971, Gene Locklear, Outfielder, Trois-Rivieres Aigles
1972, Fernando Gonzalez, Third Baseman, Sherbrooke Pirates
1973, Tom Robson, First Baseman, Pittsfield Rangers
1974, Ken Macha, Catcher, Thetford Mines Pirates
1975, Dave Bergman, First Baseman, West Haven Yankees
1976, Danny Thomas, Outfielder, Berkshire Brewers
1977, Harry Spilman, First Baseman, Trois-Rivieres Aigles
1978, Jeff Yurak, Outfielder, Holyoke Millers
1979, Rick Lancellotti, Outfielder, Buffalo Bisons
1980, Mark Davis, Pitcher, Reading Phillies
1981, Ron Kittle, Outfielder, Glens Falls White Sox
1982, Jim Bennett, Outfielder, West Haven A’s
1983, Jeff Stone, Outfielder, Reading Phillies
1984, Pat Adams, First Baseman, Glens Falls White Sox
1985, Cory Snyder, Third Baseman, Waterbury Indians
1986, Rafael Palmeiro, Outfielder, Pittsfield Cubs
1987, Mark Grace, First Baseman, Pittsfield Cubs
1988, Rob Richie, Outfielder, Glens Falls Tigers
1989, Wes Chamberlain, Outfielder, Harrisburg Senators
1990, Jeff Bagwell, Third Baseman, New Britain Red Sox
1991, Matt Stairs, Infielder, Harrisburg Senators
1992, Russ Davis, Third Baseman, Albany-Colonie Yankees
1993, Cliff Floyd, First Baseman, Harrisburg Senators
1994, Mark Grudzielanek, Shortstop, Harrisburg Senators
1995, Jay Payton, Outfielder, Binghamton Mets
1996, Vladimir Guerrero, Outfielder, Harrisburg Senators
1997, Kevin Millar, First Baseman, Portland Sea Dogs
1998, Calvin Pickering, First Baseman, Bowie Baysox
1999, Andy Tracy, Third Baseman, Harrisburg Senators
2000, Adam Hyzdu, Outfielder, Altoona Curve
2001, Marlon Byrd, Outfielder, Reading Phillies
2002, Victor Martinez, Catcher, Akron Aeros
2003, Alex Rios, Outfielder, New Haven Ravens
2004, Ryan Howard, First Baseman, Reading Phillies
2005, Mike Jacobs, First Baseman, Binghamton Mets
2006, Adam Lind, Outfielder, New Hampshire Fisher Cats
2007, Jordan Brown, First Baseman, Akron Aeros
2008, Lou Montanez, Outfielder, Bowie Baysox
2009, Carlos Santana, Catcher, Akron Aeros
2010, Brandon Laird, Third Baseman, Trenton Thunder
2011, Travis d’Arnaud, Catcher, New Hampshire Fisher Cats
2012, Darin Ruf, First Baseman, Reading Phillies
2013, Allan Dykstra, First Baseman, Binghamton Mets
2014, Steven Moya, Outfielder, Erie SeaWolves
2015, Brock Stassi, First Baseman, Reading Fightin’ Phils
2016, Dylan Cozens, Outfielder, Reading Fightin’ Phils
2017, Garabez Rosa, Outfielder, Bowie Baysox
2018, Cavan Biggio, Second Baseman, New Hampshire Fisher Cats
2019, Chris Gittens, First Baseman, Trenton Thunder
2020, Season Cancelled, COVID-19 Pandemic,
2021, Oswaldo Cabrera, Second Baseman, Somerset Patriots
2022, Quincy Nieporte, First Baseman, Erie SeaWolves
[/etable]
Background
The Eastern League was part of the Class AA level of Minor League Baseball. The league officially traced its history to the formation of the New York-Pennsylvania League in 1923. It took the name Eastern League in 1938. Because FWiL primarily categorizes leagues by name, this page only contemplates Eastern League history since 1938, which we should note was a departure from the league’s own official record-keeping.
In its final alignment in the earl 21st century, the EL was clustered in its traditional home base of the Northeastern U.S., plus Ohio and parts of the mid-Atlantic. From early 1970’s to early 1990’s the EL sporadically included teams in the Eastern Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. But the circuit has not had a Canadian team in the 21st century.
2020 Shakeup
What would have been the Eastern League’s final season of play was cancelled by the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020. On February 12, 2021, Major League Baseball summarily disbanded all of the historic league entities of the Minor League system, including the Eastern League.
11 of the 12 Eastern League franchises from the 2019 season were offered Professional Development League (PDL) licenses to continue on in the downsized and re-organized Minor League Baseball ecosystem. These eleven clubs joined the generically named “Double-A Northeast” league, along with the Somerset (NJ) Patriots, a former independent team offered a PDL by the New York Yankees at the expense of their former Eastern League affiliate, the Trenton Thunder.
The Thunder, champions of the Eastern League’s final season in 2019, were summarily exiled to the MLB Draft League, an amateur/collegiate league.
Eastern League Franchise List
[etable]
Franchise, Years Active, Eastern League Champions
Akron Aeros, 1997-2013, 2003-2005-2009-2012
Akron RubberDucks, 2014-Present, 2016
Albany Senators, 1938-1959, 1945-1954
Albany-Colonie A’s, 1983-1984, None
Albany-Colonie Yankees, 1985-1994, 1988-1989-1991
Allentown Cardinals, 1954-1956, 1955
Allentown Red Sox, 1958-1960, None
Altoona Curve, 1999-Present, 2010-2017
Berkshire Brewers, 1976, None
Binghamton Mets, 1992-2016, 1992-1994-2014
Binghamton Rumble Ponies, 2017-Present, None
Binghamton Triplets, 1938-1963 & 1967-1968, 1940-1944-1949-1952-1953-1958-1967
Bowie Baysox, 1993-Present, 2015
Bristol Red Sox, 1973-1982, 1975-1978-1981
Canton-Akron Indians, 1989-1996, None
Connecticut Defenders, 2006-2009, None
Elmira Royals, 1971, 1971
Erie SeaWolves, 1999-Present, None
Glens Falls Tigers, 1986-1988, None
Glens Falls White Sox, 1980-1985, None
Hagerstown Suns, 1989-1992, None
Hardware City Rock Cats, 1995-1996, 2001 (Co-Champions; as New Britain Rock Cats)
Harrisburg Senators, 1987-Present, 1987-1993-1996-1997-1998-1999
Hartford Chiefs, 1946-1952, None
Hartford Yard Goats, 2016-Present, None
Holyoke Millers, 1977-1982, 1980
Jersey City A’s, 1978, None
Jersey City Indians, 1977, None
Johnstown Red Sox, 1961, None
Lancaster Red Roses, 1958-1961, None
London Tigers, 1989-1993, 1990
Lynn Pirates, 1983, None
Lynn Sailors, 1980-1982, None
Manchester Yankees, 1969-1971, None
Nashua Angels, 1983, None
Nashua Pirates, 1984-1986, None
New Britain Red Sox, 1983-1994, 1983
New Britain Rock Cats, 1996-2015, 2001 (Co-Champions)
New Hampshire Fisher Cats, 2004-Present, 2004-2011-2018
New Haven Ravens, 1994-2003, 2000
Norwich Navigators, 1995-2005, 2002
Pawtucket Indians, 1966-1967, None
Pawtucket Red Sox, 1970-1972, None
Pittsfield Cubs, 1985-1988, None
Pittsfield Rangers, 1972-1975, None
Pittsfield Red Sox, 1965-1969, 1965
Pittsfield Senators, 1970-1971, None
Portland Sea Dogs, 1994-Present, 2006
Quebec Carnavals, 1971-1975, None
Quebec Metros, 1976-1977, None
Reading Fightin’ Phils, 2013-Present, None
Reading Phillies, 1967-2012, 1968-1973-1995-2001 (co-champions)
Reading Red Sox, 1963-1964, None
Richmond Flying Squirrels, 2010-Present, None
Sherbrooke Pirates, 1972-1973, None
Somerset Patriots, 2021-Present, 2022
Thetford Mines Miners, 1975, None
Thetford Mines Pirates, 1974, 1974
Trenton Thunder, 1994-2019, 2007-2008-2013
Trois-Rivieres Aigles, 1971-1977, None
Vermont Mariners, 1988, None
Vermont Reds, 1984-1987, 1984-1985-1986
Waterbury A’s, 1979, None
Waterbury Angels, 1984, None
Waterbury Dodgers, 1973-1976, None
Waterbury Giants, 1966-1967, None
Waterbury Giants, 1977-1978, None
Waterbury Indians, 1968-1969, None
Waterbury Indians, 1985-1986, None
Waterbury Pirates, 1970-1971, 1970
Waterbury Reds, 1980-1983, None
West Haven A’s, 1981-1982, 1982
West Haven Whitecaps, 1980, None
West Haven Yankees, 1972-1979, 1972-1976-1977-1979
Williamsport Bills, 1987-1991, None
Williamsport Tigers, 1947-1949 & 1950-1951, None
York Pirates, 1968-1969, 1969
[/etable]
2 Responses
Missed Elmira Pioneers, UticA Blue Sox, Hartford Chiefs. Scenedicaty Blue Jays. Eastern League was A ball in the 40 ‘s and 50’s others :Williamsport,Scranton
Also missed the Springfield Giants, 1957-1965.