The South Atlantic League of Minor League Baseball is one of three High-A baseball leagues in the United States. A league champion is determined at the end of each season. Champions have been determined by postseason playoffs, winning the regular season pennant, or being declared champion by the league office. For 2019, the first- and second-half winners within each division, Northern and Southern, met in a best-of-three series to determine division champions. Then, the North and South division winners played a best-of-five series to determine a league champion. As of 2022, the winners of each division from both the first and second halves of the season meet in a best-of-three division series, with the winners of the two division series meeting in a best-of-three championship series.
League champions
YearChampionFinalistOther postseason participants1980Greensboro HornetsCharleston RoyalsGastonia Cardinals; Spartanburg Phillies1981Greensboro HornetsGreenwood Pirates—1982Greensboro HornetsFlorence Blue JaysCharleston Royals1983Gastonia ExposColumbia Mets—1984Asheville TouristsCharleston RoyalsGreensboro Hornets; Savannah Cardinals1985Florence Blue JaysGreensboro HornetsColumbia Mets; Sumter Braves1986Columbia MetsAsheville Tourists—1987Myrtle Beach Blue JaysAsheville Tourists—1988Spartanburg PhilliesCharleston RainbowsGreensboro Hornets; Myrtle Beach Blue Jays1989Augusta PiratesGastonia RangersCharleston Rainbows1990Charleston WheelersSavannah Cardinals—1991Columbia MetsCharleston WheelersMacon Braves1992Myrtle Beach HurricanesCharleston WheelersColumbus RedStixx; Spartanburg Phillies1993Savannah CardinalsGreensboro HornetsFayetteville Generals1994Savannah CardinalsHagerstown SunsColumbus RedStixx; Hickory Crawdads1995Augusta GreenJacketsPiedmont PhilliesAsheville Tourists; Columbus RedStixx1996Savannah Sand GnatsDelmarva ShorebirdsAsheville Tourists; Columbus RedStixx1997Delmarva ShorebirdsGreensboro BatsAugusta GreenJackets; Cape Fear Crocs; Charleston Alley Cats; Capital City Bombers; Hickory Crawdads; Macon Braves 1998Capital City BombersGreensboro BatsAugusta GreenJackets; Cape Fear Crocs; Delmarva Shorebirds; Hagerstown Suns; Macon Braves; Piedmont Boll Weevils1999Augusta GreenJacketsCape Fear CrocsCapital City Bombers; Columbus RedStixx; Greensboro Bats; Hagerstown Suns; Hickory Crawdads; Macon Braves2000Delmarva ShorebirdsColumbus RedStixxAugusta GreenJackets; Piedmont Boll Weevils2001Asheville TouristsLexington Legends—Augusta GreenJackets; Hagerstown Suns2002Hickory CrawdadsColumbus RedStixxCapital City Bombers; Delmarva Shorebirds2003Rome BravesLake County CaptainsHickory Crawdads; Lexington Legends2004Hickory CrawdadsCapital City BombersCharleston Alley Cats2005Kannapolis IntimidatorsHagerstown SunsCharleston RiverDogs; Delmarva Shorebirds2006Lakewood BlueClawsAugusta GreenJacketsLexington Legends; Rome Braves2007Columbus CatfishWest Virginia PowerAugusta GreenJackets; Hickory Crawdads2008Augusta GreenJacketsWest Virginia PowerAsheville Tourists; Lake County Captains2009Lakewood BlueClawsGreenville DriveAsheville Tourists; Kannapolis Intimidators2010Lakewood BlueClawsGreenville DriveHickory Crawdads; Savannah Sand Gnats2011Greensboro GrasshoppersSavannah Sand GnatsAugusta GreenJackets; Hickory Crawdads2012Asheville TouristsGreensboro GrasshoppersHagerstown Suns; Rome Braves2013Savannah Sand GnatsHagerstown SunsAugusta GreenJackets; West Virginia Power2014Asheville TouristsHagerstown SunsGreensboro Grasshoppers; Savannah Sand Gnats2015Hickory CrawdadsAsheville TouristsSavannah Sand Gnats; West Virginia Power2016Rome BravesLakewood BlueClawsCharleston RiverDogs; Hagerstown Suns2017Greenville DriveKannapolis IntimidatorsCharleston RiverDogs; Greensboro Grasshoppers2018Lexington LegendsLakewood BlueClawsKannapolis Intimidators; Rome Braves2019Lexington LegendsHickory CrawdadsAugusta Greenjackets; Delmarva Shorebirds2020None (season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic)2021Bowling Green Hot RodsGreensboro Grasshoppers—2022Bowling Green Hot RodsAberdeen IronBirdsBrooklyn Cyclones; Rome Braves2023Greenville DriveHudson Valley RenegadesHickory Crawdads; Jersey Shore BlueClaws2024Bowling Green Hot RodsHudson Valley RenegadesGreensboro Grasshoppers; Rome Emperors2025Brooklyn CyclonesHub City SpartanburgersBowling Green Hot Rods; Greensboro Grasshoppers2026Winston-Salem DashGreensboro GrasshoppersBowling Green Hot Rods; Frederick Keys
Championship wins by team Active South Atlantic League teams appear in bold.
WinsTeamChampionship years5Greenville Drive (Columbia Mets/Capital City Bombers)1986, 1991, 1998, 2017, 20234Asheville Tourists1984, 2001, 2012, 20144Augusta Pirates/GreenJackets1989, 1995, 1999, 20084Greensboro Hornets/Grasshoppers1980, 1981, 1982, 20114Savannah Cardinals/Sand Gnats1993, 1994, 1996, 20133Bowling Green Hot Rods2021, 2022, 20243Hickory Crawdads2002, 2004, 20153 Jersey Shore BlueClaws (Lakewood BlueClaws)2006, 2009, 20103Lexington Legends2001, 2018, 20192Delmarva Shorebirds1997, 20002Myrtle Beach Blue Jays/Hurricanes1987, 19922Rome Braves2003, 20161Brooklyn Cyclones20251Charleston Wheelers19901Columbus Catfish20071Florence Blue Jays19851Gastonia Expos19831Kannapolis Intimidators20051Spartanburg Phillies19881Winston-Salem Dash2026
Notes Asheville and Lexington were declared co-champions after the playoffs were cancelled in the wake the September 11 terrorist attacks.
References