Lakeland Flying Tigers

Lakeland Flying Tigers
Founded in 1960
Lakeland, Florida
Team logoCap insignia
Class-level
Current Advanced-A (1990–present)
Previous

Class A (1962–1989)

Class D (1960)
Minor league affiliations
League Florida State League (1960–present)
Division North Division
Major league affiliations
Current Detroit Tigers (1963–present)
Previous

San Francisco Giants (1962)

Cleveland Indians (1960)
Minor league titles
League titles (4)
  • 1976
  • 1977
  • 1992
  • 2012
Team data
Nickname Lakeland 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–)
Previous parks
 Henley Field (1960, 1962–1965, 2002, 2016)
Owner(s)/
Operator(s)
 Detroit Tigers, Inc.
Manager Mike Rabelo
General Manager Zach Burek

The Lakeland Flying Tigers are a minor league baseball team based in Lakeland, Florida.

Home games are played at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium; opened in 1966 and most recently renovated in 2017. The park, which also doubles as the Detroit Tigers spring training home, seats 8,500 fans. It plays in the Florida State League and has been the High-A affiliate of the Tigers since 1963, one of the two longest unbroken affiliate relationships currently existing.[1] Until November 2006, the team was known as the Lakeland Tigers, with branding similar to the parent club. However the team originated 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, and an affiliate of the San Francisco Giants.

In 1997, playing with the Flying 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]

Team name

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]


Current roster

Lakeland Flying Tigers roster
Players Coaches/Other

Pitchers

  • 43 Liarvis Breto
  • 46 Drew Carlton
  • 15 Anthony Castro
  • 31 Ethan DeCaster
  • -- Jason Foley
  • 21 Alfred Gutierrez
  • 26 Eudis Idrogo
  • 32 Casey Mize
  • 28 Fernando Perez
  • -- Franklin Pérez
  • 40 Wladimir Pinto
  • 45 Clate Schmidt
  • 13 Brandyn Sittinger
  • 45 Austin Sodders
  • 17 Burris Warner

Catchers

  • 19 Austin Athmann
  • 37 Andres Sthromes

Infielders

Outfielders

  • 52 Jose Azocar
  • 20 Luke Burch
  • 38 Brock Deatherage
  • 18 Derek Hill

Manager

Coaches

  • 10 Francisco Contreras (coach)
  • 24 Tim Garland (hitting)
  • 55 Mark Johnson (pitching)


7-day disabled list
* On Detroit Tigers 40-man roster
# Rehab assignment
∞ Reserve list
‡ Restricted list
§ Suspended list
† Temporary inactive list
Roster updated October 3, 2018
 Transactions
→ More rosters: MiLB • Florida State League
 → Detroit Tigers minor league players

Notable alumni

Baseball Hall of Fame alumni

Notable former ballplayers

  • Ron Leflore (1974) MLB All-Star; 2 x AL Stolen Base Leader
  • Jim Leyland (1964, 1969, 1976-1978-MGR) 3 x MLB Manager of the Year; Manager: 1997 World Series Champion - Florida Marlins
  • Ugueth Urbina (2004) 2 x MLB All-Star
  • Justin Verlander (2005) 6 x MLB All-Star; 2006 AL Rookie of the Year; 2011 AL Cy Young Award; 2011 AL Most Valuable Player; etc.
  • David Wells (1994) 3 x MLB All-Star; 1998-Pitched Perfect Game
  • Lou Whitaker (1976) 5 x MLB All-Star; 1978 AL Rookie of the Year

Playoffs


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. ↑ http://www.theledger.com/article/20120912/NEWS/120919715/1002/sports?Title=Flying-Tigers-Scrape-Two-Runs-Across-in-The-Eight-to-Win-FSL-Championship-Series
  4. ↑ Benjamin Hill / Special to MLB.com (November 13, 2006). "Article | Lakeland Flying Tigers News". Minorleaguebaseball.com. Retrieved February 17, 2011.
  5. ↑ Archived February 25, 2007, at the Wayback Machine.
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