The 2026 Carolina League season was a Single-A baseball season being played between April 2 and September 6. Twelve teams played a 132-game schedule, with two teams in each division qualifying for the post-season.
The Fayetteville Woodpeckers won the Carolina League championship, defeating the Charleston RiverDogs in the final round of the playoffs.
Team changes The Carolina Mudcats relocated to Wilson, North Carolina and were renamed to the Wilson Warbirds. The club remained as an affiliate for the Milwaukee Brewers. The Lynchburg Hillcats were rebranded to the Hill City Howlers. The club remained as an affiliate for the Cleveland Guardians. The Salem Red Sox were rebranded to the Salem RidgeYaks. The club remained as an affiliate for the Boston Red Sox.
Teams 2026 Carolina League Division Team City MLB Affiliate Stadium North Delmarva Shorebirds Salisbury, Maryland Baltimore Orioles Arthur W. Perdue Stadium Fayetteville Woodpeckers Fayetteville, North Carolina Houston Astros Segra Stadium Fredericksburg Nationals Fredericksburg, Virginia Washington Nationals Virginia Credit Union Stadium Hill City Howlers Lynchburg, Virginia Cleveland Guardians Bank of the James Stadium Salem RidgeYaks Salem, Virginia Boston Red Sox Carilion Clinic Field at Salem Memorial Ballpark Wilson Warbirds Wilson, North Carolina Milwaukee Brewers Wilson Ballpark South Augusta GreenJackets North Augusta, South Carolina Atlanta Braves SRP Park Charleston RiverDogs Charleston, South Carolina Tampa Bay Rays Joseph P. Riley Jr. Park Columbia Fireflies Columbia, South Carolina Kansas City Royals Segra Park Hickory Crawdads Hickory, North Carolina Texas Rangers L. P. Frans Stadium Kannapolis Cannon Ballers Kannapolis, North Carolina Chicago White Sox Atrium Health Ballpark Myrtle Beach Pelicans Myrtle Beach, South Carolina Chicago Cubs Pelicans Ballpark
Map of teams
Regular season The Hickory Crawdads finished the season with the best record in the league for the first time in club history.
Overall standings Final standings North division Team Win Loss % GB Fredericksburg Nationals 80 51 – Fayetteville Woodpeckers 71 58 8 Wilson Warbirds 64 66 15.5 Salem RidgeYaks 56 75 24 Hill City Howlers 56 75 24 Delmarva Shorebirds 45 87 35.5South division Team Win Loss % GB Hickory Crawdads 82 47 – Charleston RiverDogs 73 59 11.5 Kannapolis Cannon Ballers 71 61 12.5 Augusta GreenJackets 70 61 13 Columbia Fireflies 64 65 18 Myrtle Beach Pelicans 50 77 31
First half standings Final first half standings North division Team Win Loss % GB Fredericksburg Nationals 46 20 – Wilson Warbirds 36 30 10 Fayetteville Woodpeckers 32 33 13.5 Hill City Howlers 31 35 15 Salem RidgeYaks 25 40 20.5 Delmarva Shorebirds 23 43 23South division Team Win Loss % GB Charleston RiverDogs 37 29 – Hickory Crawdads 34 30 2 Augusta GreenJackets 35 31 2 Columbia Fireflies 34 32 3 Kannapolis Cannon Ballers 33 33 4 Myrtle Beach Pelicans 27 37 9
Second half standings Final second half standings North division Team Win Loss % GB Fayetteville Woodpeckers 39 25 – Fredericksburg Nationals 34 31 5.5 Salem RidgeYaks 31 35 9 Wilson Warbirds 28 36 11 Hill City Howlers 25 40 14.5 Delmarva Shorebirds 22 44 18South division Team Win Loss % GB Hickory Crawdads 48 17 – Kannapolis Cannon Ballers 38 28 10.5 Charleston RiverDogs 36 30 12.5 Augusta GreenJackets 35 30 13 Columbia Fireflies 30 33 17 Myrtle Beach Pelicans 23 40 24
League leaders Batting leaders 2026 CL Batting Leaders at baseball-reference.com, URL accessed September 8, 2026 Stat Player Total AVG Luis Guanipa, Augusta GreenJackets .303 H Cooper Flemming, Charleston RiverDogs 133 R Paulino Santana, Hickory Crawdads 89 2B Cooper Flemming, Charleston RiverDogs 29 3B Jaden Fauske, Kannapolis Cannon Ballers 10 HR Jose Anderson, Wilson Warbirds 23 RBI Cooper Flemming, Charleston RiverDogs 79 SB Yolfran Castillo, Hickory Crawdads 55
Pitching leaders 2026 CL Pitching Leaders at baseball-reference.com, URL accessed September 8, 2026 Stat Player Total W Moises Morales, Hickory Crawdads 10 ERA Evan Siary, Hickory Crawdads 3.30 CG Aidan Cremarosa, Charleston RiverDogs Juan Fraide, Fayetteville Woodpeckers Jason Gilman, Salem RidgeYaks Aidan Haugh, Charleston RiverDogs Andrew Herbert, Delmarva Shorebirds Truman Pauley, Kannapolis Cannon Ballers Javier Pérez, Fayetteville Woodpeckers 1 SHO Aidan Cremarosa, Charleston RiverDogs Juan Fraide, Fayetteville Woodpeckers Aidan Haugh, Charleston RiverDogs 1 SV Andy Basora, Columbia Fireflies Louis Marinaro, Hickory Crawdads Styven Paez, Augusta GreenJackets Landen Payne, Kannapolis Cannon Ballers Lewis Sifontes, Augusta GreenJackets 8 SO Michael Lombardi, Columbia Fireflies 124 IP Aidan Haugh, Charleston RiverDogs 118.1
Playoffs The Fayetteville Woodpeckers won their second league title in franchise history, and first since relocating to Fayetteville, as they defeated the Charleston RiverDogs in two games.
Playoff bracket
Semi-finals (N1) Fredericksburg Nationals vs. (N2) Fayetteville Woodpeckers
(S1) Charleston RiverDogs vs. (S2) Hickory Crawdads
Finals (S1) Charleston RiverDogs vs. (N2) Fayetteville Woodpeckers
Awards Carolina League awards Award name Recipient Most Valuable Player Cooper Flemming, Charleston RiverDogs Pitcher of the Year Aidan Cremarosa, Charleston RiverDogs Top MLB Prospect Brady Ebel, Wilson Warbirds Manager of the Year Nick Janssen, Hickory Crawdads
See also 2026 Major League Baseball season
References
External links Minor League Baseball official website