The Jacksonville Suns are an amateur minor league baseball team of the Southern League. The franchise has been in existence since 1970 and has been affiliated with the Miami Marlins ever since 2009. Before joining the Marlins, the team was known as the Jacksonville Expos. Between 1985 and 1990, the team was an affiliate of the Montreal Expos. The Suns have twice won the Southern League, in 2001 and 2005. The Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville is where the team plays.
The Suns have signed a few pitchers. First, Austin Barnes was moved from the Jupiter Hammerheads over to the Suns. Barnes, who has played 44 games for Hammerheads, is the eighth-best hitter of the Florida State League. He was scheduled to start for the Suns this season and will likely make his debut tonight at Biloxi. Now the roster of the Suns is at 25 active players, including a rehab assignment for Miguel Tejada.
The Marlins announced the transactions before tonight’s game between the Jacksonville Suns and the Biloxi Shuckers. The Marlins can now promote J.T. Realmuto, who was with the Suns in minor leagues, will now be joining the Marlins’ big league team. Realmuto will join the Marlins in Miami prior to today’s game. Although the Suns have had a long list recently, it is not clear what their roster looks like.
Promotions are another important aspect of the roster. The Suns are also hosting a bobblehead giveaway series for fans. Mike Stanton is the first to take part, followed by Shane Victorino and Larry Walker, as well as Mark Canseco and Alex Rodriquez. Two former Atlanta Braves players will also be there. The Suns have made great use of the promotional schedule in their promotions. And for fans, they have created a unique atmosphere at the ballpark.
The roster also includes former Major Leaguers. These players were part of the Southern League from 1970 to 2016.
The Suns also have a 53 man roster, which is significantly smaller that the Jumbo Shrimp, their affiliates. They are not as successful than the Red Sox because of this. The Suns’ roster includes former Red Sox pitchers, including John Trautwein, who played for the team for two seasons. The set-up man had a 15-4 record in 56 appearances and subsequently played nine games with the Red Sox in 1988. And Kevin Price had part of a three-year stint with the Suns. He was the league’s leader with 19 saves and a record of 9-4 in 1987.
The first professional baseball team in Jacksonville was called the Jacksonville Jays. They were part of the original South Atlantic League and played most of their games in a baseball park inside Dixieland Park. The Suns were renamed Tarpons in 1911 and moved to Norfolk, VA. The new minor-league team adopted the name of the Jacksonville Suns and joined the Southern League as a Double-A affiliate for the Montreal Expos.