Florida Complex League Nationals

The Florida Complex League Nationals are a Rookie-level affiliate of the Washington Nationals, competing in the Florida Complex League of Minor League Baseball. Prior to the 2021 season, the team was known as the Gulf Coast League Nationals. The team plays its home games in West Palm Beach, Florida, at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches. The team previously played at Space Coast Stadium from their inaugural 2005 season through the end of the 2016 season. The team is composed mainly of players who are in their first year of professional baseball either as draftees or non-drafted free agents.

Florida Complex League Nationals
(1969–1970, 1974, 1977, 1986–present) West Palm Beach, Florida
Minor league affiliations
Class	Rookie
League	Florida Complex League
Division	East Division
Previous leagues	Gulf Coast League (1969–1970, 1974, 1977, 1986–2020)
Major league affiliations
Team	Washington Nationals (2005–present)
Previous teams	Montreal Expos (pre-2005)
Minor league titles
League titles (4)	1969 1991 2009 2013
Division titles (7)	1990 1991 1992 1996 2008 2013 2017
Team data
Name	FCL Nationals
Previous names	GCL Nationals (2005–2020) GCL Expos (1969–1970, 1974, 1977, 1986–2004)
Colors	Red, white, blue
Ballpark	The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches (2017–present)
Previous parks	Space Coast Stadium (2005–2016)
Owner(s)/ Operator(s)	Washington Nationals
Manager	Jake Lowery

History

GCL Expos (1969–2004)

From 1969 to 2004, the team was known as the Gulf Coast League Expos and was a minor league affiliate of the Montreal Expos. The team played in the Gulf Coast League from 1969 to 1970, in 1974, in 1977, and again from 1986 to 2004.^[1]

The team was based in various Florida cities during these years: in Sarasota in 1969, in Bradenton in 1970, in Sarasota in 1974 and 1977, in Bradenton from 1986 to 1991, in West Palm Beach from 1992 to 1997, in Jupiter in 1998 and 1999, in Bradenton in 2000, in Jupiter in 2001, and in Melbourne from 2002 to 2004.

The team won two Gulf Coast League championships over the course of its history, the first in 1969 under manager J. W. Porter and the second in 1991 under manager Keith Snider.

GCL Nationals (2005–2020)

After the 2004 season, when the Montreal Expos relocated and became the Washington Nationals, the Gulf Coast League Expos became the Gulf Coast League Nationals, beginning play as such in the 2005 season.^[1]

In 2013, the team finished their regular season with a record of 49–9. This .845 winning percentage was the highest winning percentage for a full regular season ever achieved by a Minor League Baseball team based in the United States. The only minor league team to have a better winning percentage over a full regular season was the Toronto Blue Jays' 1992 Dominican Summer League team based in the Dominican Republic, which finished at 68–2 with a .971 winning percentage.^[2] The Nationals then won all three of their playoff games, defeating the Gulf Coast League Pirates in a single-game semifinal playoff and sweeping the Gulf Coast League Red Sox in the best-of-three league championship series, to become the 2013 Gulf Coast League champions.^[3]

The team pulled off a historic feat on July 23, 2017, no-hitting the Gulf Coast League Marlins in both ends of a double-header.^[4][5] Four Nationals pitchers appeared in the two seven-inning games. In the first game, which the Nationals won 4–0, Joan Baez pitched six innings, striking out seven and retiring the last 14 batters he faced, and Jose Jimenez pitched the final inning. In the second game, a 1–0 Nationals win, Jaren Johnson pitched the first four innings in his seventh professional appearance and second professional start, and Gilberto Chu relieved him to finish the game with three no-hit innings.^[5]

The start of the 2020 season was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic before ultimately being canceled on June 30.^[6][7]

FCL Nationals (2021–present)

Prior to the 2021 season, the Gulf Coast League was renamed as the Florida Complex League.

Roster

Florida Complex League Nationals roster

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Players				Coaches/Other
Pitchers 68 Matthew Bollenbacher 60 Josue Carmona 48 Leodarlyn Colon 43 Marcos Fortunato 15 Miguel Gomez 41 Cristian Jimenez 73 Andy Luis 76 Adrian Ogando 77 Camilo Sanchez 50 Travis Sykora 81 Jose Ulloa 74 Genderson Zapata		Catchers 66 Jeisel Acosta 32 Edward De La Cruz 25 Ivan Murzi 9 Ryan Snell Infielders 5 Everett Cooper III 13 Winder Diaz 7 Juan Garcia 18 Angel Geraldo 2 Blake Klassen 8 Misael Mojica 4 Nathaniel Ochoa Leyva 17 Zion Pettigrew Outfielders 19 Tyler Baca 6 Jhoan Contreras 30 Brenner Cox 26 Daniel Marte 33 Nick Peoples 23 Brandon Pimentel 1 Enmanuel Ramirez 31 Eliesel Santana		Manager 3 Luis Ordaz Coaches 34 Franklin Bravo (pitching) 57 Ender Chávez (hitting) 44 Destin Hood (development) 60-day injured list 79 Jose Colmenares 37 Edward Urena   7-day injured list * On Washington Nationals 40-man roster ~ Development list # Rehab assignment ∞ Reserve list ‡ Restricted list § Suspended list † Temporarily inactive list Roster updated October 7, 2023 Transactions → More rosters: MiLB • Florida Complex League → Washington Nationals minor league players

Season-by-season results

GCL Expos (1969–2004)^[citation needed] Year Record Finish Manager Playoffs 1969 31–22 1st J. W. Porter League Champions No playoffs until 1983 1970 36–27 2nd Ed Sadowski — 1974 21–33 7th Pat Daugherty — 1977 19–35 8th Ray Bellino — 1986 33–29 4th (tie) Mike Easom — 1987 21–42 9th Jethro McIntyre — 1988 24–39 9th Dave Jauss — 1989 28–35 9th Jerry Weinstein — 1990 40–23 1st Gomer Hodge Lost league finals vs. GCL Dodgers (2 games to 0) 1991 32–28 3rd Keith Snider League Champions vs. GCL Orioles (2 games to 1) Won in first round vs. GCL Red Sox (1 game to 0) 1992 35–24 2nd (tie) Nelson Norman Lost league finals vs. GCL Royals (2 games to 1) Won in first round vs. GCL Blue Jays (1 game to 0) 1993 27–31 11th Nelson Norman — 1994 35–24 5th Nelson Norman — 1995 21–35 12th Luis Dorante — 1996 41–18 1st Jim Gabella Lost in 1st round vs. GCL Yankees (1 game to 0) 1997 25–35 12th (tie) Luis Dorante — 1998 32–27 6th Frank Kremblas — 1999 29–31 8th (tie) Bill Masse — 2000 17–43 12th Steve Phillips — 2001 20–40 13th (tie) Dave Dangler — 2002 28–32 8th (tie) Andy Skeels — 2003 25–33 10th Bob Henley — 2004 22–38 11th Arturo DeFreitas —

GCL Nationals (2005–present)^[citation needed] Year Record Finish Manager Playoffs 2005 21–32 12th Wendell Kim — 2006 23–31 10th Bob Henley — 2007 23–31 13th Bob Henley — 2008 33–22 3rd Bob Henley Lost league finals vs. GCL Phillies (2 games to 1) Won in 1st round vs. GCL Twins (1 game to 0) 2009 36–19 2nd Bob Henley League Champions vs. GCL Marlins (2 games to 0) Won in 1st round vs. GCL Twins (1 game to 0) 2010 24–32 13th (tie) Bobby Williams — 2011 20–33 14th Bobby Williams — 2012 27–33 11th Tripp Keister — 2013 49–9 1st Patrick Anderson League Champions vs. GCL Red Sox (2 games to 0) Won in first round vs. GCL Pirates (1 game to 0) 2014 25–35 12th (tie) Michael Barrett — 2015 24–34 14th Michael Barrett — 2016 30–23 4th Josh Johnson — 2017 34–22 2nd Josh Johnson Lost league finals vs. GCL Yankees (2 games to 1) Won in 1st round vs. GCL Twins (1 game to 0) 2018 23-33 15th Mario Lisson — 2019 26-23 8th Mario Lisson Playoffs cancelled due to Hurricane Dorian 2020 No Season due to pandemic^[7] 2021 26-30 9th Jake Lowery — 2022 33-22 4th (tie) Luis Ordaz —

References

1. "Gulf Coast League (Rookie) Encyclopedia and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 8, 2018.
2. Wagner, James (August 29, 2013). "Nationals GCL Team Sets a Minor League Record". WashingtonPost.com. Retrieved May 8, 2018.
3. "2013 Playoffs: Gulf Coast League". MiLB.com. 2013. Retrieved May 8, 2018.
4. "Nationals' rookie league team pitches two no-hitters in doubleheader vs. Marlins". USA Today. July 23, 2017. Retrieved July 23, 2017.
5. Boor, William (July 23, 2017). "GCL Nats Throw Back-to-Back No-Nos in DH". MLB.com. Retrieved May 8, 2018.
6. "A Message From Pat O'Conner". Minor League Baseball. March 13, 2020. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
7. "2020 Minor League Baseball Season Shelved". Minor League Baseball. June 30, 2020. Retrieved July 1, 2020.

External links

• Official website