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Dunedin Blue Jays

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Dunedin Blue Jays
Team logo Cap insignia
Minor league affiliations
ClassSingle-A (2021–present)
Previous classes
LeagueFlorida State League (1987–present)
DivisionWest Division
Major league affiliations
TeamToronto Blue Jays (1978–1979; 1987–present)
Minor league titles
League titles (1)
  • 2017
Division titles (6)
  • 1999
  • 2000
  • 2003
  • 2006
  • 2017
  • 2022
First-half titles (9)
  • 1990
  • 2000
  • 2004
  • 2006
  • 2010
  • 2012
  • 2013
  • 2014
  • 2019
Second-half titles (8)
  • 1992
  • 1999
  • 2003
  • 2008
  • 2011
  • 2016
  • 2019
  • 2022
Team data
NameDunedin Blue Jays (1978–1979; 1987–present)
ColorsBlue, white, navy, red
       
MascotDJay
BallparkTD Ballpark (2020–present)
Previous parks
Owner(s)/
Operator(s)
Toronto Blue Jays
ManagerJose Mayorga
Websitemilb.com/dunedin

The Dunedin Blue Jays are a Minor League Baseball team of the Florida State League and are the Single-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays Major League Baseball club. They are located in Dunedin, Florida, and play their home games at TD Ballpark, which opened in 1990 and seats 8,500 people.[1]

Two teams named the Blue Jays, both affiliates of Toronto, have played in Dunedin: the original incarnation, from 1978 to 1979, and the current team, established in 1987. Since their inception they have won six division championships, in 1999, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2017, and 2022. In 2017 they were named co-champions of the FSL.

History

[edit]

The original incarnation of the Dunedin Blue Jays was founded in 1978. They were established as the Class A affiliate of the new Toronto Blue Jays franchise. They played for two seasons in the Florida State League and were one of four Class A teams in Toronto's farm system. After the 1979 season the team was disbanded as Toronto expanded its farm system into higher classifications.[2]

Local interests were unable to sign a deal with other major league teams to keep minor league baseball in Dunedin; however Toronto continued to hold its spring training in the city. In 1987, Toronto decided to establish a new Florida State League franchise in Dunedin. They originally played at Grant Field until 1990, when Dunedin Stadium was completed.

When Major League Baseball owners considered locking out the regular players and using "scabs" instead for the 1995 season, Dunedin would have been used as the Toronto Blue Jays' home field due to Ontario laws concerning replacement workers.[3] The MLB labor dispute was resolved before the plan was implemented, however.

In 2006, the Blue Jays made it to the Florida State League Championship Series, losing to the St. Lucie Mets 3 games to 0.

In 2007, the Dunedin Blue Jays were nominated for the 2007 Corporate Support Award, which is awarded annually by the Florida Recreation & Park Association, to an organization that goes above and beyond to support and fund recreational programming.

On September 6, 2017, Dunedin won their first Florida State League championship by defeating the Tampa Yankees two games to one. Dunedin shared the FSL championship with the Palm Beach Cardinals, as the impending threat from Hurricane Irma forced the cancellation of the championship series.[4]

For the 2019 season, the team played at Jack Russell Memorial Stadium while TD Ballpark underwent renovations.[5]

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Minor League Baseball season was initially postponed before being cancelled on June 30 of that year.[6] Due to the pandemic causing restrictions on travel between the United States and Canada, there were plans of the Toronto Blue Jays relocating to Dunedin for the 2020 MLB season.[7] Ultimately the team decided to play the majority of their home games at the stadium of their Triple-A affiliate in Buffalo, New York.[8]

In December 2020, as part of Major League Baseball's reorganization of Minor League Baseball, the Dunedin Blue Jays were chosen to remain an affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. However, along with the other remaining teams of the Florida State League, the team changed classes from A-Advanced to Low-A and were placed in a league called the Low-A Southeast.[9][10] In 2022, the Low-A Southeast became known as the Florida State League, the name historically used by the regional circuit prior to the 2021 reorganization, and was reclassified as a Single-A circuit.[11]

Season-by-season

[edit]

These statistics are current through the 2023 season.[12]

Full season (1978–1979, 1987)

[edit]
Year League Division Regular season Post-season
Finish Wins Losses Win% GB
1978 FSL West 5th 59 83 .415 26
1979 FSL West 3rd 68 69 .496 11
1987 FSL West 2nd 76 64 .543 8

Split season (1988–present)

[edit]
League champions † Finals appearance * Division winner ^ Wild card berth ¤
Year Class League Division Regular season Post-season
1st half 2nd half
Finish Wins Losses Win% GB Finish Wins Losses Win% GB
1988 A FSL West 5th 32 38 .457 3 4th 33 37 .471 8
1989 A FSL West 5th 33 37 .471 7 3rd 36 34 .514 6.5
1990 High-A FSL West 1st ^ 53 14 .791 — 3rd 31 38 .449 9.5 Lost quarterfinals (Charlotte) 0–2
1991 High-A FSL West 5th 29 36 .446 13 3rd 30 36 .455 9.5
1992 High-A FSL West 4th 36 34 .514 14.5 1st ^ 42 25 .627 — Lost quarterfinals (Clearwater) 0–2
1993 High-A FSL West 5th 34 33 .507 9.5 4th 34 31 .523 9.5
1994 High-A FSL West 6th 33 35 .485 11.5 5th 32 33 .492 9.5
1995 High-A FSL West 4th 35 33 .515 5 8th 28 41 .406 16.5
1996 High-A FSL West 3rd 40 29 .580 3.5 8th 27 41 .397 16
1997 High-A FSL West 6th 32 38 .457 11 8th 25 44 .362 18.5
1998 High-A FSL West 2nd 43 27 .614 3.5 4th 39 31 .557 7.5
1999 High-A FSL West 2nd 45 24 .652 1 1st ^ 41 27 .603 — Won semifinals (Clearwater) 2–1
Lost finals (Kissimmee) 1–3 *
2000 High-A FSL West 1st ^ 40 29 .580 — 2nd 44 25 .638 0.5 Won semifinals (Fort Myers) 2–0
Lost finals (Daytona) 0–3 *
2001 High-A FSL West 2nd 33 34 .493 1.5 2nd 38 30 .559 8
2002 High-A FSL West 5th 33 38 .465 9.5 4th 30 34 .469 13
2003 High-A FSL West 4th 38 32 .543 6 1st ^ 40 30 .571 — Won semifinals (Tampa) 2–1
Lost finals (St. Lucie) 1–3 *
2004 High-A FSL West 1st ^ 41 29 .586 — 2nd 35 28 .556 2 Lost semifinals (Tampa) 0–2
2005 High-A FSL West 2nd 41 29 .586 5.5 2nd ¤ 41 29 .586 1 Lost semifinals (Lakeland) 0–2
2006 High-A FSL West 1st ^ 38 32 .543 — 6th 30 37 .448 10.5 Won semifinals (Fort Myers) 2–1
Lost finals (St. Lucie) 0–3 *
2007 High-A FSL West 4th 31 39 .443 12 3rd 41 29 .586 3
2008 High-A FSL West 2nd 37 33 .529 8.5 1st ^ 48 20 .706 — Lost semifinals (Fort Myers) 0–2
2009 High-A FSL North 3rd 33 34 .493 8.5 3rd 34 33 .507 13.5
2010 High-A FSL North 1st ^ 41 29 .586 — 5th 31 38 .449 12 Lost semifinals (Tampa) 0–2
2011 High-A FSL North 3rd 39 31 .557 8 1st ^ 40 30 .571 — Lost semifinals (Daytona) 1–2
2012 High-A FSL North 1st ^ 42 25 .627 — 3rd 36 30 .545 1 Lost semifinals (Lakeland) 0–2
2013 High-A FSL North 1st ^ 37 29 .561 — 6th 26 39 .400 16.5 Lost semifinals (Daytona) 0–2
2014 High-A FSL North 1st ^ 46 23 .667 — 5th 31 38 .449 10.5 Lost semifinals (Daytona) 0–2
2015 High-A FSL North 5th 32 38 .457 5 4th 29 38 .433 13
2016 High-A FSL North 5th 33 36 .478 9 1st ^ 43 23 .652 — Lost semifinals (Tampa) 1–2
2017 High-A FSL North 4th 34 35 .493 4.5 2nd ¤ 38 31 .551 10 Won semifinals (Tampa) 2–1 †
Co-champions with Palm Beach Cardinals[a]
2018 High-A FSL North 5th 31 37 .456 7 3rd 38 31 .551 7
2019 High-A FSL North 1st ^ 41 24 .631 — 1st ^ 39 31 .557 — No playoffs held[b]
2020 High-A FSL North Season canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic[6]
2021 Low-A SE West 4th 57 63 .475 18 No split season
2022 A FSL West 5th 28 38 .424 14 1st ^ 38 25 .603 — Won semifinals (Fort Myers) 2–1
Lost finals (St. Lucie) 0–2
2023 A FSL West 4th 32 34 .485 12.5 6th 30 36 .455 14

All-time records

[edit]
Statistic Wins Losses Win %
Regular season record (1978–2023) 2,704 2,468 .523
Postseason record (1978–2023) 16 41 .281
All-time regular and postseason record 2,720 2,509 .520

Roster

[edit]
Dunedin Blue Jays roster
Players Coaches/Other

Pitchers

  • 37 Eliander Alcalde
  • 34 Gilberto Batista
  • 21 Cristopher Castro
  •  4 Samuel Colmenares
  • 27 Eminen Flores
  • 28 Bennett Flynn
  • 39 Nate Garkow
  • 20 Daniel Guerra †
  • 26 Colby Holcombe
  • 13 Adam Macko #*
  • 10 Colby Martin
  • 11 Christian Mracna
  •  3 Julio Ortiz
  • 25 Fernando Perez ~
  • 44 Yondrei Rojas
  •  5 Jay Schueler
  • 35 Gage Stanifer
  •  7 Jonathan Todd
  • 29 Luis Torres

Catchers

  • 12 Edward Duran
  • 36 Jose Ferrer
  • 47 Aaron Parker
  • 31 Brock Tibbitts

Infielders

Outfielders

  • 45 Yhoangel Aponte
  •  2 Braden Barry
  • 24 Carter Cunningham
  • 40 Eddie Micheletti Jr.
  • 43 Nick Mitchell
  • 30 Jaden Rudd

Manager

  • 17 Jose Mayorga

Coaches

  • 51 Yoel Hernández (bullpen)
  • 23 Nash Knight (hitting)
  • 22 Cory Riordan (pitching)
  • 19 Petr Stříbrcký (coach)
  • 15 Matt von Roemer (bench)

60-day injured list

  •  8 Brandon Barriera (full season)
  • 94 Sebastian Espino
  • -- Cristian Feliz
  • 63 Alexis Hernandez
  • -- Landen Maroudis (full season)
  • 33 Nolan Perry
  • -- Kelena Sauer (full season)
  • -- Stephen Vargas

7-day injured list
* On Toronto Blue Jays 40-man roster
~ Development list
# Rehab assignment
∞ Reserve list
‡ Restricted list
§ Suspended list
† Temporarily inactive list
Roster updated September 3, 2024
 Transactions
→ More rosters: MiLB • Florida State League
 → Toronto Blue Jays minor league players

Players

[edit]

Dunedin Blue Jays players who have made it to Toronto:

Shawn Green
Aaron Hill
Kevin Pillar

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Horrobin, Jordan (February 17, 2021). "Toronto Blue Jays Using TD Ballpark In Dunedin To Open 2021 Season". Forbes. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
  2. ^ The Evening Independent – Google News Archive Search
  3. ^ "Los Angeles Times: Archives - BASEBALL Here They Come, the Dunedin Blue Jays". Archived from the original on 2012-11-06.
  4. ^ a b "Dunedin Blue Jays named High-A co-champs". TSN.ca. September 6, 2017. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
  5. ^ "Dunedin Blue Jays to Play 2019 Home Games at Jack Russell Stadium". MILB.com. February 28, 2019. Retrieved February 28, 2019.
  6. ^ a b "2020 Minor League Baseball season shelved". milb.com. Minor League Baseball. June 30, 2020. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
  7. ^ Laura Armstrong (July 18, 2020). "The Blue Jays will call Buffalo or Dunedin home after Rogers Centre pitch strikes out". thestar.com. Toronto Star. Retrieved December 9, 2020.
  8. ^ "Blue Jays to play majority of home games in Buffalo amid coronavirus pandemic". espn.com. ESPN. July 24, 2020. Retrieved December 9, 2020.
  9. ^ "Dunedin Blue Jays switch to Low-A Affiliate of Toronto Blue Jays". milb.com. Dunedin Blue Jays. December 9, 2020. Retrieved December 9, 2020.
  10. ^ Mayo, Jonathan (February 12, 2021). "MLB Announces New Minors Teams, Leagues". Major League Baseball. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
  11. ^ "Historical League Names to Return in 2022". Minor League Baseball. March 16, 2022. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
  12. ^ Florida State League 2016 Media Guide & Record Book. Florida State League. 2016. pp. 67–81.
  13. ^ "FSL cancels weekend series, 2019 playoffs". milb.com. Florida State League. August 29, 2019. Retrieved August 30, 2019.
[edit]
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