The 1986 Carolina League was a Class A baseball season played between April 10 and August 31. Eight teams played a 140-game schedule, with the winners of each half of the season competing in the playoffs.
The Winston-Salem Spirits won the Carolina League championship, defeating the Hagerstown Suns in the final round of the playoffs.
Team changes The Kinston Blue Jays ended their affiliation with the Toronto Blue Jays. The club was renamed the Kinston Eagles. The Peninsula Pilots ended their affiliation with the Philadelphia Phillies and began a new affiliation with the Chicago White Sox. The club was renamed the Peninsula White Sox.
Teams 1986 Carolina League Division Team City MLB Affiliate Stadium North Hagerstown Suns Hagerstown, Maryland Baltimore Orioles Municipal Stadium Lynchburg Mets Lynchburg, Virginia New York Mets City Stadium Prince William Pirates Woodbridge, Virginia Pittsburgh Pirates Prince William County Stadium Salem Redbirds Salem, Virginia Texas Rangers Salem Municipal Field South Durham Bulls Durham, North Carolina Atlanta Braves Durham Athletic Park Kinston Eagles Kinston, North Carolina None Grainger Stadium Peninsula White Sox Hampton, Virginia Chicago White Sox War Memorial Stadium Winston-Salem Spirits Winston-Salem, North Carolina Chicago Cubs Ernie Shore Field
Map of teams
Regular season Summary The Hagerstown Suns finished with the best record in the league for the first time in team history.
Standings 1986 CL Standings at stats-crew.com, URL accessed December 18, 2024 North division Team Win Loss % GB Hagerstown Suns 91 48 – Lynchburg Mets 75 65 16.5 Prince William Pirates 67 72 24 Salem Redbirds 45 93 45.5South division Winston-Salem Spirits 82 56 – Durham Bulls 72 68 11 Peninsula White Sox 60 74 20 Kinston Eagles 60 76 21
League Leaders Batting leaders 1986 CL Batting Leaders at baseball-reference.com, URL accessed December 18, 2024 Stat Player Total AVG Gregg Jefferies, Lynchburg Mets .354 H Doug Dascenzo, Winston-Salem Spirits 178 R Marcus Lawton, Lynchburg Mets 118 2B Bob Bafia, Winston-Salem Spirits 36 3B Marcus Lawton, Lynchburg Mets 16 HR Ron Gant, Durham Bulls 26 RBI Craig Worthington, Hagerstown Suns 105 SB Pete Stanicek, Hagerstown Suns 77
Pitching leaders 1986 CL Pitching Leaders at baseball-reference.com, URL accessed December 18, 2024 Stat Player Total W Marty Reed, Kinston Eagles 16 ERA Jeff Ballard, Hagerstown Suns 1.85 CG Marty Reed, Kinston Eagles 9 SV Laddie Renfroe, Winston-Salem Spirits 21 SO Chris Ritter, Prince William Pirates 149 IP Marty Reed, Kinston Eagles 196.2
Playoffs The Winston-Salem Spirits won their eighth Carolina League championship, defeating the Hagerstown Suns in four games.
Playoff bracket
Awards Carolina League awards Award name Recipient Most Valuable Player Gregg Jefferies, Lynchburg Mets Pitcher of the Year Dave Pavlas, Winston-Salem Spirits Manager of the Year Jim Essian, Winston-Salem Spirits
See also 1986 Major League Baseball season
References
External links Minor League Baseball official website