# 2023 Atlantic League season

The 2023 Atlantic League season was the 26th season of the Atlantic League. There was a ten-team 126-game schedule. The Spire City Ghost Hounds were introduced to the league.
The Lancaster Barnstormers defeated the Gastonia Honey Hunters in the championship series, capturing their second consecutive championship and 4th in franchise history.

## Rules

In April 2023, it was announced that the Atlantic League would be testing three rules for the 2023 season:
* The "designated pinch-runner" rule will have clubs designate a pinch runner that is not in the starting line up. That player can be substituted into the game at any point as a baserunner, but unlike typical substitutions the player that is substituted for as well as the pinch-runner will be allowed to return to the game with no penalty.
* Pitchers will be allowed only one disengagement per at-bat. Any additional disengagements will be counted as a balk unless an out is recorded.
* The "double-hook" rule will continue being used in its 2022 form.

## Regular season standings

as of September 17, 2023
North Division Regular Season Standings :
| Pos | Team | G | W | L | Pct. | GB |
| 1 | e – York Revolution | 125 | 71 | 54 | .490 | -- |
| 2 | x – Long Island Ducks | 124 | 66 | 58 | .532 | 4.5 |
| 3 | e – Southern Maryland Blue Crabs | 126 | 64 | 62 | .508 | 7.5 |
| 4 | x – Lancaster Barnstormers | 124 | 62 | 62 | .544 | 8.5 |
| 5 | e – Staten Island FerryHawks | 124 | 49 | 75 | .395 | 21.5 |
Long Island won first half. Lancaster won second half.
* y – Clinched division
* x – Clinched playoff spot
* e – Eliminated from playoff contention
South Division Regular Season Standings :
| Pos | Team | G | W | L | Pct. | GB |
| 1 | x – High Point Rockers | 124 | 78 | 46 | .629 | -- |
| 2 | x – Gastonia Honey Hunters | 126 | 79 | 47 | .627 | -- |
| 3 | e – Charleston Dirty Birds | 126 | 56 | 70 | .444 | 23 |
| 4 | e – Spire City Ghost Hounds | 123 | 49 | 74 | .398 | 28.5 |
| 5 | e – Lexington Counter Clocks | 124 | 49 | 75 | .395 | 29 |
High Point won first half. Gastonia, High Point named second half South Co-Champs.
* y – Clinched division
* x – Clinched playoff spot
* e – Eliminated from playoff contention

## Statistical leaders
### Hitting

| Stat | Player | Team | Total |
| HR | Thomas Dillard | Lexington Legends | 39 |
| AVG | Drew Mendoza | York Revolution | .346 |
| RBIs | Andretty Cordero | Lancaster Barnstormers | 116 |
| SB | Trey Martin | York Revolution | 46 |
Qualified leaders

### Pitching

| Stat | Player | Team | Total |
| W | Mickey Jannis | High Point Rockers | 14 |
| ERA | Danny Wirchansky | Charleston Dirty Birds | 3.28 |
| SO | Zach Mort | Gastonia Honey Hunters | 147 |
| SV | Kevin Quackenbush | Long Island Ducks | 14 |
Qualified leaders

## Playoffs
### Format

In 2023, the winners of each the first and second half of both the North and South division played a best of five divisional series from September 19-24. The winners played a best of five championship series from September 26 through October 1.

### Playoff bracket

| Division Series (best-of-five) 9/19-9/24 | Division Series (best-of-five) 9/19-9/24 | Division Series (best-of-five) 9/19-9/24 | Division Series (best-of-five) 9/19-9/24 | Division Series (best-of-five) 9/19-9/24 | Division Series (best-of-five) 9/19-9/24 | Division Series (best-of-five) 9/19-9/24 | Championship Series (best-of-five) 9/26-10/1 | Championship Series (best-of-five) 9/26-10/1 | Championship Series (best-of-five) 9/26-10/1 | Championship Series (best-of-five) 9/26-10/1 | Championship Series (best-of-five) 9/26-10/1 | Championship Series (best-of-five) 9/26-10/1 | Championship Series (best-of-five) 9/26-10/1 |
| North Division | North Division | North Division | North Division | North Division | North Division | North Division | | | | | | | |
| 2 | Lancaster Barnstormers | 9 | 5 | 7 | X | X | | | | | | | |
| 1 | Long Island Ducks | 5 | 1 | 2 | X | X | | | | |
| 1 | Long Island Ducks | 5 | 1 | 2 | X | X | N | Lancaster Barnstormers | 3 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 7 |
| South Division | South Division | South Division | South Division | South Division | South Division | South Division | N | Lancaster Barnstormers | 3 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 7 |
| South Division | South Division | South Division | South Division | South Division | South Division | South Division | S | Gastonia Honey Hunters | 2 | 12 | 7 | 8 | 1 |
| 2 | Gastonia Honey Hunters | 1 | 5 | 11 | 9 | X | S | Gastonia Honey Hunters | 2 | 12 | 7 | 8 | 1 |
| 1 | High Point Rockers | 3 | 2 | 8 | 3 | X | | | | |
Pitcher Brent Teller of Lancaster was named Most Valuable Player of the championship series.

### Individual Awards

| Award | Player | Team |
| Manager of the Year | Mauro Gozzo | Gastonia Honey Hunters |
| Defensive Player of the Year | Melvin Mercedes | Lancaster Barnstormers |
| Player of the Year | Andretty Cordero | Lancaster Barnstormers |
| Pitcher of the Year | Zach Mort, Nick Raquet | Gastonia Honey Hunters, York Revolution |

### Team Awards

| Award | Person | Team |
| Joe Klein Executive of the Year | Mike Reynolds | Lancaster Barnstormers |
| Ken Shepard Award for Promotional Excellence | Charleston Dirty Birds | Charleston Dirty Birds |
| Promotion of the Year | Staten Island Ferry Hawks | Staten Island Ferry Hawks |
| Mascot of the Year | QuackerJack, Long Island Ducks | QuackerJack, Long Island Ducks |
| Ballpark of the Year | Clipper Magazine Stadium, Lancaster Barnstormers | Clipper Magazine Stadium, Lancaster Barnstormers |
| Ray Cipperly Groundskeeper of the Year | Mike Dunn | Spire City Ghost Hounds |
| Outstanding Community Service Award | York Revolution | York Revolution |

### Red, White & Blue All-Defensive Team

| Position | Player | Team |
| C | Beau Taylor | High Point Rockers |
| 1B | Drew Mendoza | York Revolution |
| 2B | Shed Long Jr., Melvin Mercedes | High Point Rockers, Lancaster Barnstormers |
| SS | Ruben Tejada | Long Island Ducks |
| 3B | Trace Loehr | Lancaster Barnstormers |
| OF | D. J. Burt | High Point Rockers |
| OF | Braxton Lee | Southern Maryland Blue Crabs |
| OF | Tomo Otosaka | York Revolution |
| P | Mickey Jannis | High Point Rockers |

### Atlantic League Postseason All-Star Team

| Position | Player | Team |
| C | Kole Cottam | Spire City Ghost Hounds |
| 1B | Drew Mendoza, Thomas Dillard | York Revolution, Lexington Legends |
| 2B | Shed Long Jr., Melvin Mercedes | High Point Rockers, Lancaster Barnstormers |
| SS | Angel Aguilar | Staten Island Ferry Hawks |
| 3B | Andretty Cordero | Lancaster Barnstormers |
| OF | Leobaldo Cabrera | Spire City Ghost Hounds |
| OF | Dwight Smith Jr. | Charleston Dirty Birds |
| OF | Ben Aklinski | High Point Rockers |
| DH | Jose Marmolejos | Spire City Ghost Hounds |
| Starter | Zach Mort | Gastonia Honey Hunters |
| Reliever | Jameson McGrane | High Point Rockers |
| Closer | Ryan Dull | High Point Rockers |