# 2017 Carolina League season

The 2017 Carolina League was a Class A-Advanced baseball season played between April 6 and September 4. Ten teams played a 140-game schedule, with two teams from each division competing in the playoffs.
The Down East Wood Ducks and Lynchburg Hillcats were named co-champions of the Carolina League championship.

## Team changes

* The Buies Creek Astros joined the league as an expansion team and would join the South Division. The club began an affiliation with the Houston Astros.
* The Down East Wood Ducks joined the league as an expansion team and would join the South Division. The club began an affiliation with the Texas Rangers.
* The Salem Red Sox moved from the South Division to the North Division.
* The Carolina Mudcats ended their affiliation with the Atlanta Braves and began a new affiliation with the Milwaukee Brewers.

## Teams

2017 Carolina League :
| Division | Team | City | MLB Affiliate | Stadium |
| North | Frederick Keys | Frederick, Maryland | Baltimore Orioles | Harry Grove Stadium |
| North | Lynchburg Hillcats | Lynchburg, Virginia | Cleveland Indians | Calvin Falwell Field |
| North | Potomac Nationals | Woodbridge, Virginia | Washington Nationals | G. Richard Pfitzner Stadium |
| North | Salem Red Sox | Salem, Virginia | Boston Red Sox | Haley Toyota Field |
| North | Wilmington Blue Rocks | Wilmington, Delaware | Kansas City Royals | Daniel S. Frawley Stadium |
| South | Buies Creek Astros | Buies Creek, North Carolina | Houston Astros | Jim Perry Stadium |
| South | Carolina Mudcats | Zebulon, North Carolina | Milwaukee Brewers | Five County Stadium |
| South | Down East Wood Ducks | Kinston, North Carolina | Texas Rangers | Grainger Stadium |
| South | Myrtle Beach Pelicans | Myrtle Beach, South Carolina | Chicago Cubs | TicketReturn.com Field |
| South | Winston-Salem Dash | Winston-Salem, North Carolina | Chicago White Sox | BB&T Ballpark |

## Regular season
### Summary

* The Lynchburg Hillcats finished with the best record in the league for the first time since 1992.
* Despite finishing with the best record in the South Division, the Buies Creek Astros failed to qualify for the post-season, as they did not finish in first place in either half of the season.

### Standings

North division :
| Team | Win | Loss | % | GB |
| Lynchburg Hillcats | 87 | 52 | .626 | – |
| Salem Red Sox | 73 | 66 | .525 | 14 |
| Frederick Keys | 68 | 71 | .489 | 19 |
| Wilmington Blue Rocks | 67 | 72 | .482 | 20 |
| Potomac Nationals | 63 | 77 | .450 | 24.5 |
| South division |||||
| Buies Creek Astros | 74 | 65 | .532 | – |
| Carolina Mudcats | 73 | 65 | .529 | 0.5 |
| Myrtle Beach Pelicans | 73 | 67 | .521 | 1.5 |
| Down East Wood Ducks | 62 | 77 | .446 | 12 |
| Winston-Salem Dash | 56 | 84 | .400 | 18.5 |

## League Leaders
### Batting leaders

| Stat | Player | Total |
| AVG | Ryan Mountcastle, Frederick Keys | .314 |
| H | Luis Yander, Down East Wood Ducks | 139 |
| R | Myles Straw, Buies Creek Astros | 81 |
| 2B | Jake Gatewood, Carolina Mudcats | 36 |
| 3B | Sam Haggerty, Lynchburg Hillcats | 13 |
| HR | Ademar Rifaela, Frederick Keys | 24 |
| RBI | Lucas Erceg, Carolina Mudcats | 81 |
| SB | Sam Haggerty, Lynchburg Hillcats | 49 |

### Pitching leaders

| Stat | Player | Total |
| W | Triston McKenzie, Lynchburg Hillcats | 12 |
| ERA | Michael Rucker, Myrtle Beach Pelicans | 2.51 |
| SV | Nate Griep, Carolina Mudcats | 30 |
| SO | Triston McKenzie, Lynchburg Hillcats | 186 |
| IP | Matt Kent, Salem Red Sox | 164.0 |

## Playoffs

* Due to Hurricane Irma, the final round of the playoffs was cancelled.
* The Down East Wood Ducks and Lynchburg Hillcats were named co-champions of the league.
* This was the first championship for the Down East Wood Ducks and the eighth championship for the Lynchburg Hillcats.

### Playoff bracket

| Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Finals | Finals |
| N1 | Lynchburg | 2 | | |
| N2 | Frederick | 1 | | |
| N2 | Frederick | 1 | N1 | Lynchburg |
| | | | S2 | Down East |
| S1 | Myrtle Beach | 0 | S2 | Down East |
| S2 | Down East | 2 | | |

## Awards

Carolina League awards :
| Award name | Recipient |
| Most Valuable Player | Ademar Rifaela, Frederick Keys |
| Pitcher of the Year | Triston McKenzie, Lynchburg Hillcats |
| Manager of the Year | Tony Mansolino, Frederick Keys |