Sunbelt Baseball League

Collegiate summer baseball league in the southern US

Sunbelt Baseball League

Sport| Baseball
Founded| 2005[1]
President| Bobby Bennett
General manager| Becky Kelly
Administrator| Jake Grier
Motto| Georgia's Premier Collegiate Summer Baseball League
No. of teams| 8[2]
Country| United States
Headquarters| Lawrenceville, Georgia
Most recent
champion(s)| Choccolocco Monsters
(2024)
Most titles| Atlanta Crackers (4)
Sponsor(s)| Major League Baseball, Rawlings, Peach State Roofing, Kapp Koncepts, Ignite Business Solutions, CorTech, Wilson Action Photography and Atlanta Rehabilitation & Performance Center
Official website| www.sunbeltleague.com

The Sunbelt Baseball League (SBL) is a non-profit collegiate summer baseball league with teams located in metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia and Oxford, Alabama. The SBL is a member of the National Alliance of College Summer Baseball, which is partially funded by Major League Baseball.[3] Games are played with wooden bats. The season starts in early June and runs through the end of July/early August, with playoffs determining the league champion.

## Current league teams[4]

[edit]

Team  | Head coach  | Location  | Home field  | Established

|
|
|
|

Alpharetta Aviators | Brandon Boggs | Alpharetta, GA | Veterans Field (American Legion Post 201)  | 2010
Atlanta Astros | Will Mize  | Decatur, GA | Georgia State Baseball Complex | 2025
Atlanta Crackers | Kevin Meistickle  | Suwanee, GA | Seckinger High School | 2009 (1983[5])
Brookhaven Bucks | Corey Patterson | Brookhaven, GA | Hermance Stadium at Oglethorpe University | 2011
Cartersville Cannons | Kyle Wilkie  | Cartersville, GA | Georgia Highlands College (Cartersville campus)  | 2024
Choccolocco Monsters | Ricky Clayton  | Oxford, AL | Choccolocco Park | 2022
Gainesville Gol’Diggers | Blake Davis  | Gainesville, GA | Riverside Military Academy | 2009
Lake Oconee Wild Things | Tony Matos  | Oconee, GA | Lake Oconee Academy | 2021

## Past champions and runners-up

[edit]

Year  | Champion  | Runner-up

|
|

2025  | Atlanta Crackers  | Cartersville Cannons
2024[6] | Choccolocco Monsters  | Atlanta Crackers
2023[7] | Gainesville Gol'Diggers  | Columbus Chatt-a-Hoots
2022[8] | Gainesville Gol'Diggers  | Atlanta Crackers
2021  | Alpharetta Aviators  | Columbus Chatt-a-Hoots
2019[9] | Brookhaven Bucks  | Norcross Astros
2018[10] | Brookhaven Bucks  | Marietta Patriots
2017[11] | Sunbelt Patriots  | Atlanta Crackers
2016[12] | Atlanta Crackers  | Carrollton Clippers
2015[13] | Atlanta Crackers  | Phenix City Crawdads
2014[14] | Atlanta Crackers  | Phenix City Crawdads
2013[15] | Atlanta Crackers  | 6-4-3 DP Cougars
2012[16] | Douglasville Bulls  | Windward Braves
2011[17] | Berkeley Lake Tides  | Douglasville Bulls
2010[18] | Berkeley Lake Tides  | Douglasville Bulls
2009  | Rockdale A's  | Atlanta Crackers
2008  |  |
2007  |  |
2006  | Rockdale A's  |
2005  | Atlanta Astros  |

## Former league teams

[edit]

* Atlanta Blues (2022-24)
* Waleska Wild Things (2021-24) became Lake Oconee Wild Things
* Chattahoochee Monsters (2023) returned to Choccolocco Monsters
* Columbus Chatt-A-Hoots (2021-2023)
* Choccolocco (Oxford, AL) Monsters (2022) became Chattahoochee (Columbus, GA) Monsters [19]
* Gwinnett Astros (2020-2022)
* Gainesville Braves (2020-2021) became G'ville Gol'Diggers
* Marietta Patriots (2018-2021) became Atlanta Blues
* Gwinnett Tides (2014-2019) became Gainesville Braves
* Norcross Astros (2016-2019) became Gwinnett Astros
* Phenix City Crawdads (2014-2017)
* Carrollton Clippers (2016-2017)
* Alpharetta Braves (2015-2017) became Alpharetta Aviators
* Sunbelt Patriots (2017) became Marietta Patriots
* Marietta Patriots (2016) became Sunbelt Patriots
* Douglasville Bulls (2009-2015) became Carrollton Clippers
* East Cobb Patriots (2014-2015) became Marietta Patriots
* Home Plate Chukars (2010-2014) became Peachtree City Chukars (2015)
* Windward Braves (2010-2014) became Alpharetta Braves
* Berkeley Lake Tides (2009-2013) became Gwinnett Tides
* 6-4-3 DP Cougars (2011-2013)
* OTC Bearcats (2012-2013)
* Rockdale Roadrunners (2011)
* South Atlanta Bearcats (2011)
* Rockdale A's (2005-2010)
* Signature Park Grizzlies (2010)
* South Atlanta Phillies (2010)
* Atlanta Astros (2005-2010)
* Fulton Grizzlies (2009)
* Alpharetta Phillies (2009)
* Johns Creek Wood Ducks (2005-2009)

## Sunbelt Baseball League alumni in Major League Baseball

[edit]

Player  | MLB team(s)  | MLB debut  | SBL team (year)

|
|
|

Chandler Simpson | Tampa Bay Rays | April 19, 2025  | Brookhaven Bucks (2019)
Xzavion Curry | Cleveland Guardians | August 15, 2022  | Brookhaven Bucks (2017)
Sean Guenther | Miami Marlins, Detroit Tigers | August 4, 2021  | Brookhaven Bucks (2014)
Nate Lowe | Tampa Bay Rays, Texas Rangers | April 29, 2019  | East Cobb Patriots (2014)
Touki Toussaint | Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Angels, Cleveland Guardians, Chicago White Sox | August 13, 2018  | Brookhaven Bucks (2014)
Alan Busenitz | Minnesota Twins, Cincinnati Reds | June 17, 2017  | Berkeley Lake Tides (2011)
Drew Steckenrider | Miami Marlins | May 24, 2017  | Windward Braves
Tyler Austin | New York Yankees, Minnesota Twins, San Francisco Giants | August 13, 2016  | Rockdale A's (2010)
Buck Farmer | Detroit Tigers, Cincinnati Reds | August 13, 2014  | Rockdale A's (2009)
David Hale[20] | Atlanta Braves, Colorado Rockies, New York Yankees | September 13, 2013  |
Tyler Flowers | Chicago White Sox, Atlanta Braves | September 3, 2009  | Rockdale A's (2005)

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Sunbelt wooden-bat league grows in metro area". Retrieved December 3, 2014.
2. ^ "Sunbelt Baseball League Teams". Retrieved August 3, 2024.
3. ^ "National Alliance of College Summer Baseball". Retrieved September 2, 2014.
4. ^ "Sunbelt Baseball League Teams". Retrieved May 1, 2025.
5. ^ "The Atlanta Crackers: A Storied History of Excellence on and Off the Field". Retrieved May 22, 2018.
6. ^ "Monsters Champs!". Retrieved August 3, 2024.
7. ^ "Back to back: Gainesville Gol'Diggers claim Sunbelt Baseball League title at Ivey-Watson". Retrieved September 13, 2023.
8. ^ "Gol'Diggers find gold in the 11th, and win the 2022 SBL". Retrieved August 22, 2022.
9. ^ "Bucks Repeat as Sunbelt Champions; Edmond, Brace Named Co-MVPs | Sunbelt Baseball League". sunbeltbaseball.pointstreaksites.com. Retrieved 2019-10-22.
10. ^ "Brookhaven Bucks win first Sunbelt league title". Retrieved May 16, 2019.
11. ^ "Patriots Dominate Crackers in 13-5 Win to Claim the Sunbelt League Championship". Retrieved January 8, 2018.
12. ^ "Crackers Win Championship in 13-1 Rout of Clippers". Retrieved January 8, 2018.
13. ^ "Crawdads swept by Crackers in Sunbelt Championship series". Retrieved July 30, 2015.
14. ^ "Crackers win second consecutive Sunbelt title". Retrieved December 3, 2014.
15. ^ "Atlanta Crackers win the Sunbelt League Championship". Retrieved December 3, 2014.
16. ^ "Coach Todd Pratt". Retrieved December 3, 2014.
17. ^ "Bulls Fall Short in Championship". Retrieved December 3, 2014.
18. ^ "Marshall helps Berkeley Lake to title". Retrieved December 3, 2014.
19. ^ "Monsters out". Retrieved March 20, 2023.
20. ^ "Sunbelt League has 12 in MLB draft". Retrieved April 25, 2018.

* v
* t
* e

Collegiate summer baseball

National Alliance of College Summer Baseball

* Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League
* California Collegiate League
* Cal Ripken Collegiate Baseball League
* Cape Cod Baseball League
* Florida Collegiate Summer League
* Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League
* Hamptons Collegiate Baseball League
* New England Collegiate Baseball League
* New York Collegiate Baseball League
* Sunbelt Baseball League
* Valley Baseball League

National Amateur Baseball Federation

* Continental Collegiate Wood Bat League
* Florida Collegiate Summer League
* Metropolitan Collegiate Summer Baseball League of Illinois
* New York Collegiate Baseball League
* Northern League
* Tri-State Collegiate League

National Baseball Congress

* Alaska Baseball League
* California Collegiate League
* CenTex Collegiate League
* Coastal Baseball League
* Jayhawk Collegiate League
* Kansas Collegiate League Baseball
* Mountain Collegiate Baseball League
* Northern Illinois Baseball League
* Pacific International League
* Rocky Mountain Baseball League
* Sooner Collegiate League
* Southern California Collegiate Baseball Association
* Western Baseball Association

Unaffiliated Leagues (full list)

* Atlantic Baseball Confederation
* Appalachian League
* CarShield Collegiate League
* Coastal Plain League
* Expedition League
* Futures Collegiate Baseball League
* Golden State Collegiate Baseball League
* Great West League
* Hawaii Collegiate Baseball League
* Horizon Air Summer Series
* KIT League
* M.I.N.K. Collegiate Baseball League
* MLB Draft League
* Mid-Plains League
* Northwoods League
* Pacific Empire League
* Palm Springs Collegiate League
* Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League
* Pioneer Collegiate Baseball League
* Prospect League
* Puget Sound Collegiate League
* Rockingham County Baseball League
* Sunflower Collegiate League
* Texas Collegiate League
* West Coast League
* Western Canadian Baseball League
* Wild Wild West League

Defunct Leagues

* Central Illinois Collegiate League
* Clark Griffith Baseball League
* Walter Johnson League
* Western Baseball Association
* Far West League

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