Myrtle Beach Pelicans

Myrtle Beach Pelicans
Name	Myrtle Beach Pelicans
Founded	1999
City	Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Class level	High-A (since 2021)
League	South Atlantic League (2017–2019, 2022–present); Carolina League (2009–2016); Carolina League (1999–2008)
Division	South Division
Majorleague	Chicago Cubs (2024–present); formerly Texas Rangers (2015–2020), Boston Red Sox (2012–2014), Milwaukee Brewers (2015), Washington Nationals (2005–2010)
Nickname	Pelicans
Colors	Teal, navy, orange
Mascots	Percy Pelican
Ballpark	TicketReturn.com Field
Championships	Carolina League champions (2002, 2004, 2006)

Myrtle Beach Pelicans are a Minor League Baseball team based in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina that play at TicketReturn.com Field. The club has competed at the High-A classification and been affiliated with several Major League Baseball franchises, drawing players, coaches, and staff from organizations including the Chicago Cubs, Texas Rangers, and Boston Red Sox. The franchise has won multiple postseason titles and serves as a regional sports attraction for the Grand Strand and broader Horry County, South Carolina area.

History

The franchise began play in 1999 as an expansion team in the Carolina League and emerged during an era when leagues such as the Carolina League and the South Atlantic League were undergoing realignment and affiliation changes with Major League Baseball. Early ownership invested in a market strategy similar to clubs in Greenville, South Carolina, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and Durham, North Carolina to attract tourists from the Grand Strand and patrons visiting via Interstate 95. The team captured Carolina League titles in 2002, 2004, and 2006, competing against clubs like the Kinston Indians, Kinston Indians' successors, and the Brevard County Manatees. Affiliations shifted over time, linking the club with the Chicago Cubs, Texas Rangers, Boston Red Sox, Milwaukee Brewers, and Washington Nationals, reflecting the larger trend of player-development contracts between Minor League Baseball and Major League Baseball. The franchise navigated the 2020 reorganization of Minor League Baseball overseen by Major League Baseball and transitioned into the High-A level within the South Atlantic League's modern structure.

Ballpark

TicketReturn.com Field, originally constructed to provide a tourist-friendly venue near U.S. Route 501 and Myrtle Beach International Airport, features amenities and sightlines modeled on parks such as BB&T Ballpark in Charlotte, North Carolina and Fluor Field in Greenville, South Carolina. The stadium hosts promotional events tied to regional attractions like Broadway at the Beach and entertainment offerings found along Ocean Boulevard. Facilities include team offices, hospitality suites, and training areas used for player development shared with parent clubs during spring and summer instructional programs affiliated with Major League Baseball teams. TicketReturn.com Field has also been a site for collegiate summer tournaments, high school championships sanctioned by South Carolina High School League, and concerts attracting performers who tour venues across the Southeastern United States.

Team identity and roster

The club's visual identity—teal, navy, and orange—was designed to evoke coastal motifs similar to identities used by other teams in the region such as the Charleston RiverDogs and Savannah Bananas. The mascot, Percy Pelican, participates in community outreach alongside promotional nights inspired by franchises like the Modesto Nuts and St. Paul Saints. Roster composition reflects player-development pipelines tied to affiliates such as the Chicago Cubs and Texas Rangers, with prospects progressing through levels that include Double-A teams like those in San Antonio, Texas and Jacksonville, Florida. Coaching staffs have included managers and instructors who previously worked with organizations like the Boston Red Sox player development system and scouting departments that interface with amateur circuits such as Cape Cod Baseball League programs.

Season-by-season records

Season-by-season performance mirrors patterns seen in Carolina League history, with playoff berths in years crowned by championships and rebuilding campaigns following affiliation realignments with clubs such as the Washington Nationals and Milwaukee Brewers. The team's record book lists divisional titles, wildcard appearances, and postseason series comparable to results recorded by peers like the Kinston Indians and Burlington Bees. Statistical leaders have often advanced to Major League rosters maintained by franchises including the Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox.

Notable players and alumni

Alumni who progressed to Major League careers include players who later appeared on rosters of teams like the Chicago Cubs, Boston Red Sox, Texas Rangers, Milwaukee Brewers, and Washington Nationals. Several former Pelicans alumni have been named to All-Star games, received Silver Slugger Award nominations, or contributed to postseason rosters for clubs such as the Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs. The development pipeline has also produced coaches and front-office personnel who moved on to positions with organizations including the Atlanta Braves and New York Yankees.

Community and media presence

The team engages with local institutions including Coastal Carolina University, Horry County Schools, and tourism bureaus promoting venues such as Barefoot Landing and Myrtle Beach State Park. Media coverage has come from regional outlets like the Sun News (Myrtle Beach) and radio broadcasters affiliated with networks similar to ESPN Radio and iHeartMedia affiliates in the Carolinas. Community programs include youth clinics, charity partnerships with local chapters of organizations comparable to United Way and fundraising events tied to seasonal tourism initiatives along the Grand Strand.

Category:Baseball teams in South Carolina