Minor League Baseball announced Tuesday the plan for 33 teams in Minor League Baseball to celebrate the Copa de la Diversión for a total of 165 games.
This season’s 165-game “Copa” event series is the cornerstone of MiLB’s expanding Hispanic fan initiative to engage, entertain and delight U.S. Hispanic/Latino baseball fans and communities.
Minor League Baseball and the “Copa 33” worked with local Hispanic civic organizations on the naming and creative processes for the culturally-relevant on-field personas.
Essentially, 33 minor league teams will not only don uniforms and hats that represent their alter-persona, but they'll also adapt said persona's nickname.
Check out the hats:
My personal favorites include the Petroleros de Tulsa (Drillers), the Winston-Salem Rayados (Dash), the Memphis Musica (Redbirds) and the Hillsboro Lupulos (Hops). The assumed Hispanic nicknames represent the area of the team itself, or are simply a Spanish-language version of the team's current nickname.
Lupulos, for example, is the Spanish word for hop plant.
Here are all the teams involved:
| TEAM (LEVEL) | COPA NAME (MEANING) | MLB AFFILIATE |
|---|---|---|
| Brooklyn Cyclones (SS) | Brooklyn Jefes (Bosses) | Mets |
| Charlotte Knights (AAA) | Charlotte Caballeros (Gentleman) | White Sox |
| Bowie Baysox (AA) | Cangrejos (Crabs) Fantasmas de Chesapeake Copa Branding | Orioles |
| Durham Bulls (AAA) | Toros (Bulls) de Durham | Rays |
| LeHigh Valley Iron Pogs (AAA) | Lehigh Valley Tocino (Bacon) | Phillies |
| Hartford Yard Goats (AA) | Los Chivos (Kid Goat) de Hartford | Rockies |
| Pawtucket Red Sox (AAA) | Pawtucket Osos Polares (Polar Bears) | Red Sox |
| Greenville Drive (A) | Greenville Energía (Energy) | Red Sox |
| Daytona Tortugas (A) | Daytona Tortugas (Turtles) | Reds |
| Winston-Salem Dash (A+) | Winston-Salem Rayados (Striped Ones) | White Sox |
| Corpus Christi Hooks (AA) | Corpus Christi Raspas (Roughs) | Astros |
| Everett AquaSox (SS) | Everett Conquistadores (Conquerors) | Mariners |
| Eugene Emeralds (SS) | Eugene Monarcas (Monarchs) | Cubs |
| Kane County Cougars (A) | Kane County Cougars | Diamondbacks |
| Tulsa Drillers (AA) | Los Petroleros (Oilers) de Tulsa | Dodgers |
| El Paso Chihuahuas (AAA) | El Paso Chihuahuas | Padres |
| Albuquerque Isotopes (AAA) | Mariachis (Mariachis) de Nuevo México | Rockies |
| Omaha Storm Chasers (AAA) | Omaha Cazadores de Tormentas (The Storm) | Royals |
| San Jose Giants | San Jose Gigantes (Giants) | Giants |
| Salt Lake Bees (AAA) | Las Abejas (Bees) de Salt Lake | Angels |
| Kannapolis Intimidators (A) | Los Rápidos (Fast) de Kannapolis | White Sox |
| Round Rock Express (AAA) | Round Rock Chupacabras | Rangers |
| San Antonio Missions (AA) | San Antonio Flying Chanclas (Flip-Flops) | Padres |
| Memphis Redbirds (AAA) | Memphis Música (Musicians) | Cardinals |
| Las Vegas 51s (AAA) | Las Vegas Reyes de Plata (Silver Kings) | Mets |
| Lake Elsinore Storm (A+) | Lake Elsinore Storm | Padres |
| Inland Empire 66ers (A+) | San Bernardino Cucuys (Bogeyman) | Angels |
| Stockton Ports (A+) | Stockton Caballos (Horses) | Athletics |
| Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (A+) | Rancho Cucamonga Temblores (Earthquakes) | Dodgers |
| Oklahoma City Dodgers (AAA) | Cielo Azul (Blue Skies) de Oklahoma City | Dodgers |
| Hillsboro Hops (SS) | Hillsboro Lúpulos (Hops) | Diamondbacks |
| Visalia Rawhide (A+) | Visalia Toros (Bulls) | Diamondbacks |
| Sacramento River Cats (AAA) | Sacramento Dorados (Goldens) | Giants |
