Venezuelan Summer League

Venezuelan Summer League
Venezuelan Summer League logo
Sport Baseball
Founded 1997
No. of teams Four (final season)
Country Venezuela
Most recent
champion(s)		 2015 VSL Tigers
Official website Official site

The Venezuelan Summer League (VSL) was a Minor League Baseball rookie-level circuit which operated in the Major League Baseball's academies in the Venezuelan state of Carabobo. The VSL was created in 1997 as an alternative to the Dominican Summer League to improve the development of young prospects from Venezuela in their early years in organized baseball. Besides Carabobo, the states of Aragua, Lara and Yaracuy were represented in the league.

Political instability in the region led to all the MLB teams pulling their affiliates out of the country and the league shutting down before the 2016 season.[1][2]

Playoffs

The regular season champion and the league runner-up played a best-of-three-games playoff series for the league championship. The league was closed to all MLB Draft eligible players, e.g., players from the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, with the exception of two players from Puerto Rico.

Over the years there have been players from Argentina, Colombia, Curaçao, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Sint Maarten and Venezuela.

Roster restrictions

Each team had a roster limit of 35 active players, at least 10 of which had to be pitchers. No player on the active list could have more than four years of minor league service. There were no age limits.

Teams

Team MLB Affiliation City Year(s)
VSL Aguirre Colorado Rockies
Seattle Mariners		 Aguirre, Carabobo 2001–2004
VSL Astros Houston Astros Guacara, Carabobo 2005–2008
VSL Cabudare Baltimore Orioles
St. Louis Cardinals
Texas Rangers		 Cabudare, Lara 1999–2002
VSL Cagua Boston Red Sox
Chicago Cubs
Cincinnati Reds
Milwaukee Brewers
Minnesota Twins
Montreal Expos		 Cagua, Aragua 1999–2004
VSL Cardinals St. Louis Cardinals San Joaquín, Carabobo 2006–2010
VSL Carora St. Louis Cardinals
Toronto Blue Jays		 Carora, Lara 2001–2002
VSL Chino Canónico Atlanta Braves
Cleveland Indians
St. Louis Cardinals
Toronto Blue Jays		 Barquisimeto, Lara 1999–2000
VSL Chivacoa Atlanta Braves
Pittsburgh Pirates
San Diego Padres		 Chivacoa, Yaracuy 1999–2003
VSL Ciudad Alianza Boston Red Sox
Chicago Cubs
Florida Marlins
Houston Astros
Milwaukee Brewers
Minnesota Twins		 Ciudad Alianza, Carabobo    1999;
2001–2002;
2004
VSL Cocorote Florida Marlins
Toronto Blue Jays		 Cocorote, Yaracuy 2003
VSL Cubs/Twins Chicago Cubs
Minnesota Twins		 Maracay, Aragua 2007
VSL Cubs Chicago Cubs Los Guayos, Carabobo[3] 2013[4]
VSL Devil Rays/Reds Tampa Bay Rays
Cincinnati Reds		 Guacara, Carabobo 2007
VSL Guacara 1/2 Milwaukee Brewers
San Francisco Giants
Florida Marlins		 Guacara, Carabobo 1997–1998
VSL La Pradera Anaheim Angels
Chicago Cubs
Houston Astros
Los Angeles Dodgers
New York Yankees
Philadelphia Phillies
Seattle Mariners		 La Pradera, Mérida 1998–2001
VSL La Victoria Detroit Tigers
Milwaukee Brewers
Philadelphia Phillies
San Francisco Giants		 La Victoria, Aragua 1999–2000
VSL Maracay 1/2 n/a Maracay, Aragua 1997
VSL Marlins/Nationals Florida Marlins
Washington Nationals   		 Maracay, Aragua 2005
VSL Marlins/Tigers Florida Marlins
Detroit Tigers		 Maracay, Aragua 2007
VSL Mariners Seattle Mariners Aguirre, Carabobo 2005–2014
VSL Mariara Philadelphia Phillies Mariara, Carabobo 2002–2003
VSL Mets New York Mets Tronconero, Carabobo 2005–2009
VSL Miranda n/a Miranda, Carabobo 1998–
VSL Montalbán n/a Montalbán, Carabobo 1998
VSL Orioles Baltimore Orioles Guacara, Carabobo 2005
VSL Orioles/White Sox Baltimore Orioles
Chicago White Sox		 Guacara, Carabobo 2006
VSL Phillies Philadelphia Phillies Tronconero, Carabobo[5] 2004[6][7]
VSL Pirates Pittsburgh Pirates San Joaquín, Carabobo 2005–2011
VSL Puerto Cabello Chicago Cubs
Colorado Rockies		 Puerto Cabello, Carabobo 2002
VSL Red Sox/Padres Boston Red Sox
San Diego Padres		 Ciudad Alianza, Carabobo 2005–2007
VSL Reds Cincinnati Reds Cagua, Aragua 2005–2006
VSL San Felipe Cleveland Indians San Felipe, Yaracuy 1999–2003
VSL San Joaquín 1/2 n/a San Joaquín, Carabobo 1997–2001
VSL San Joaquín Florida Marlins
Los Angeles Dodgers  		 San Joaquín, Carabobo 2002
VSL Tigers Detroit Tigers Los Guayos, Carabobo[8] 2006[9][10]
VSL Tigers/Marlins Detroit Tigers
Florida Marlins		 Ciudad Alianza, Carabobo    2006
VSL Tronconero 1/2 Minnesota Twins
New York Mets
Philadelphia Phillies
San Diego Padres		 Tronconero, Carabobo 2003–2004
VSL Venoco Houston Astros Guacara, Carabobo 2000–2003
VSL Venoco 1/2 Houston Astros
Baltimore Orioles		 Guacara, Carabobo 2004
VSL Universidad de Carabobo New York Mets Maracay, Aragua 1998–2002;
2004
VSL Yaritagua Baltimore Orioles Yaritagua, Yaracuy 2003

Champion teams

  • 1997 – VSL Maracay 2
  • 1998 – VSL Guacara 1
  • 1999 – VSL Chino Canónico
  • 2000 – VSL San Felipe
  • 2001 – VSL Venoco
  • 2002 – VSL Aguirre
  • 2003 – VSL San Felipe
  • 2004 – VSL Tronconero 2
  • 2005 – VSL Astros
  • 2006 – VSL Phillies
  • 2007 – VSL Astros
  • 2008 – VSL Pirates
  • 2009 – VSL Rays
  • 2010 – VSL Pirates
  • 2011 – VSL Rays
  • 2012 – VSL Phillies
  • 2013 – VSL Mariners
  • 2014 – VSL Tigers
  • 2015 – VSL Tigers
[11][12]

MLB alumni

References

  1. ↑ Badler, Ben (December 21, 2015). "Venezuelan Summer League Shuts Down". Baseball America.
  2. ↑ Tigers bow out of Venezuelan Summer League. Detroit News. Retrieved on January 24, 2016.
  3. ↑ "Cities Represented". Baseball Reference. Retrieved July 5, 2013.
  4. ↑ "VSL Cubs". Baseball Reference. Retrieved May 4, 2013.
  5. ↑ "Tronconero". Baseball Reference. Retrieved May 4, 2013.
  6. ↑ "Tronconero(1) Phillies". Baseball Reference. Retrieved May 4, 2013.
  7. ↑ "VSL Phillies". Baseball Reference. Retrieved May 4, 2013.
  8. ↑ "Los Guayos". Baseball Reference. Retrieved May 4, 2013.
  9. ↑ "VSL Tigers/Marlins". Baseball Reference. Retrieved May 4, 2013.
  10. ↑ "VSL Tigers". Baseball Reference. Retrieved May 4, 2013.
  11. ↑ VSL Encyclopedia and History. Baseball Reference. Retrieved on November 9, 2015.
  12. ↑ 2015 VSL regular season and playoffs. MiLB. Retrieved on November 9, 2015.
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