KBO Futures League#KBO Fall League

{{About|the Korean farm/minor league|the KBO main league|KBO League}}

{{Infobox sports league

| title = KBO Futures League

| current_season =

| last_season =

| logo = KBO Futures League.png

| pixels = 130px

| caption =

| sport = Baseball

| founded = 1990

| organiser = Korea Baseball Organization (KBO)

| fame =

| motto =

| inaugural =

| teams = 11

| country = South Korea

| champion =

| most_champs =

| qualification =

| folded =

| website = {{URL|https://www.koreabaseball.com/Futures/Main.aspx|Homepage}}

| singles =

| ceo =

| Director =

| streaming = YouTube
Sporki

| related_comps = KBO League
(Main League)

}}

KBO Futures League ({{ko-hhrm|KBO 퓨처스리그}}) or Korea Baseball Futures League is South Korea's second level of baseball, below the KBO League. It serves as a farm league with the purpose to develop professional players on-demand to play in the KBO League. The league consists of two divisions — the Southern League and the Northern League. These leagues are governed by the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO).{{Cite web|url=http://sports.news.naver.com/kbaseball/news/read.nhn?oid=109&aid=0002967321|title=KBO 실행위 결과 발표, "퓨처스리그 3개로 확대"|website=sports.news.naver.com}} The league plays an 80-game season.{{citation needed|date=June 2020}}

History

The KBO League was founded in 1982, with the second-tier league being founded in 1990.Fast, Alex. [https://www.pitcherlist.com/so-you-want-to-get-into-the-kbo/ "So You Want To Get Into The KBO: The Pitcher List staff brings you the definitive guide to the KBO,"] Pitcher List (May 2020). The initial roster of seven teams in the 1990 season was:

The Ssangbangwool Raiders played the initial season in the Futures League; the team moved up to the KBO League in 1991 (although it left behind its minor-league team as well). The Raiders franchise was dissolved after the 1999 season.

The SK Wyverns added a minor-league franchise in 2001, playing their home games at SK Dream Park in the Nam District of Incheon.

Two unaffiliated teams joined the minor leagues in 2005: the Korean Police Baseball Team, operated by the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, and the Sangmu Phoenix, part of the Korea Armed Forces Athletic Corps. Many KBO League players serving compulsory military service opted to play for the Police and Sangmu teams, usually for a term of two seasons.KIM HYO-KYUNG, PARK SO-YOUNG. [https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=3061916 "Military service looms over KBO,"] Korea JoongAng Daily (April 16, 2019).

The Hyundai Unicorns (formerly the Pacific Dolphins) — both the KBO League team and the second-tier team — were dissolved after the 2007 season.

The minor league's name was changed to the "Futures League" in 2008. That same year the Hwaseong Heroes joined the league.

In 2012, two teams based in Goyang joined the Futures League: the Goyang Dinos and the Goyang Wonders. (The Wonders' games were considered unofficially "friendly" contests.)Nam Hyun-woo. [https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/sports/2014/09/136_164408.html "Independent baseball club disbanded,"] The Korea Times (2014-09-11). Now with 11 teams, the Futures League divided into two divisions: the Northern League and the Southern League. A "Freedom Division" was also created for the Dinos and the Wonders. The Dinos only played the one season in the Futures League before being elevated to the KBO League — as the NC Dinos — prior to the 2013 season.

Also in 2012, the third-level squad of Nippon Professional Baseball's Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, began playing 12 games a year against Futures League teams.

The Suwon KT Wiz started out in 2013 as a Futures League team and played with Goyang Wonders in the Freedom Division; after two seasons the Wiz were elevated to the KBO (as the KT Wiz) in 2015. (The Goyang Wonders, meanwhile, were dissolved after the 2014 season.)

In 2015, the Futures League reorganized into three divisions: the Red League (Goyang Dinos, Hanwha Eagles, Hwaseong Heroes, SK Wyverns), the Blue League (Doosan Bears, LG Twins, Police, Suwon KT Wiz), and the Yellow League (Kia Tigers, Lotte Giants, Samsung Lions, Sangmu Phoenix).[https://baseballinkorea.wordpress.com/2014/01/19/participating-franchises-in-the-kbo-futures-league/ "PARTICIPATING FRANCHISES IN THE KBO FUTURES LEAGUE,"] Baseball in Korea (January 19, 2014). The 2015 Blue League champion was the Police Baseball Team; the Red League champion was the Goyang Dinos; and the Yellow League champion was the Sangmu Phoenix.

The league returned to the Northern and Southern League divisions in 2016.

The Sangmu Phoenix were champions of the Southern League in 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019; the Police baseball team was the champion of the Northern League in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, and 2018. The Police team was disbanded after the 2019 Futures League season.Kim Hyo-Kyung. [https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=3065156 "Woop-woop! That’s the sound of da Police Team disbanding,"] Korea JoongAng Daily (July 5, 2019).

Teams

=Current=

Most of the Korean minor league teams carry the same name, and use the same uniforms, as their parent team.

==Southern League==

class = "wikitable sortable"
Team !City !Stadium
KT Wiz \|Iksan \|Iksan Stadium
Hanwha Eagles \|Seosan \|Seosan Baseball Training Center
Sangmu Phoenix{{efn\| Unaffiliated with a KBO League team.}} \|Mungyeong \|Sangmu Baseball Stadium
KIA Tigers \|Hampyeong \|Kia Challengers Field
Samsung Lions \|Gyeongsan \|Samsung Lions Ballpark
Lotte Giants \|Gimhae \|Sangdong Baseball Stadium

class = "wikitable sortable"

Team

!City

!Stadium

|Seosan Baseball Training Center

Sangmu Phoenix{{efn| Unaffiliated with a KBO League team.}}

|Mungyeong

|Sangmu Baseball Stadium

KIA Tigers

|Hampyeong

|Kia Challengers Field

Samsung Lions

|Gyeongsan

|Samsung Lions Ballpark

Lotte Giants

|Gimhae

|Sangdong Baseball Stadium

==Northern League==

class = "wikitable sortable"
Team !City !Stadium
Goyang Heroes{{efn\|The second level squad of Kiwoom Heroes. The first and second level squads have not shared the team name since 2014. Formerly, Woori Heroes, Seoul Heroes, Nexen Heroes and Hwaseong Heroes.}} \|Goyang \|Goyang National Baseball Training Stadium
NC Dinos{{efn\|The second level squad of the baseball club is called the "C-Team" while the first level squad is known as the "N-Team" and the disabled list is called the "D-Team". The letters N, C and D are from the baseball club's name NC Dinos.}} \|Changwon \|Masan Baseball Stadium
SSG Landers{{efn\|Formerly, SK Wyverns.}} \|Incheon \|SSG Futures Park
Doosan Bears{{efn\|Formerly, OB Bears.}} \|Icheon \|Bears Park
LG Twins{{efn\|Formerly, MBC Chungyong.}} \|Icheon \|LG Champion's Park

class = "wikitable sortable"

Team

!City

!Stadium

Goyang Heroes{{efn|The second level squad of Kiwoom Heroes. The first and second level squads have not shared the team name since 2014. Formerly, Woori Heroes, Seoul Heroes, Nexen Heroes and Hwaseong Heroes.}}

|Goyang

|Goyang National Baseball Training Stadium

NC Dinos{{efn|The second level squad of the baseball club is called the "C-Team" while the first level squad is known as the "N-Team" and the disabled list is called the "D-Team". The letters N, C and D are from the baseball club's name NC Dinos.}}

|Changwon

|Masan Baseball Stadium

SSG Landers{{efn|Formerly, SK Wyverns.}}

|Incheon

|SSG Futures Park

Doosan Bears{{efn|Formerly, OB Bears.}}

|Icheon

|Bears Park

LG Twins{{efn|Formerly, MBC Chungyong.}}

|Icheon

|LG Champion's Park

==Non-regular team==

Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks{{efn|The third level squad of the Japanese Baseball Club.}}

=Former teams=

class = "wikitable sortable"
Team !Years
Ssangbangwool Raiders \|1990–1999
Hyundai Unicorns{{efn\|1=Until 1995, Pacific Dolphins ({{lang\|ko\|태평양 돌핀스}}).}} \|1990–2007
Goyang Wonders{{efn\|Goyang Wonders was an independent non-regular team and not affiliated with the KBO League.}} \|2012–2014
Police{{efn\|Folded due to change in military system.}} \|2005–2019

class = "wikitable sortable"

Team

!Years

Ssangbangwool Raiders

|1990–1999

Hyundai Unicorns{{efn|1=Until 1995, Pacific Dolphins ({{lang|ko|태평양 돌핀스}}).}}

|1990–2007

Goyang Wonders{{efn|Goyang Wonders was an independent non-regular team and not affiliated with the KBO League.}}

|2012–2014

Police{{efn|Folded due to change in military system.}}

|2005–2019

KBO Fall League

In 2022, the KBO started the KBO Futures Education League (later renamed to the Ulsan-KBO Fall League), an off-season fall showcase league that competes solely in the month of October. Similar in structure and purpose to Major League Baseball's Arizona Fall League, it features developmental KBO players, players newly draft eligbile, players from South Korea's independent baseball leagues, and teams from outside of South Korea.{{cite news|url=https://www.mk.co.kr/en/sports/11139306|title=The Ulsan-KBO Fall League, hosted by the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) and sponsored by Ulsan Metropolitan City and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, will kick off on the 15th|date=14 October 2025|publisher=Maeil Business Newspaper|last=Lee|first=Hanju}}{{cite news|url=https://maribyrnonghobsonsbay.starweekly.com.au/sport/aces-leave-abl/|publisher=Star Weekly|title=Aces leave ABL|date=1 May 2025|first=Tara|last=Murray}}{{cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/news/lmb-asi-se-jugara-la-ulsan-kbo-fall-league|publisher=Minor League Baseball|title=LMB: Así se jugará la Ulsan-KBO Fall League|date=October 13, 2024}}

=Teams=

class = "wikitable sortable"
Team !City/Home !Years active
KT Wiz \|Iksan \|2022
Hanwha Eagles \|Seosan \|2022
Sangmu Phoenix \|Mungyeong \|2023
KIA Tigers \|Hampyeong \|2023
Samsung Lions \|Gyeongsan \|2022
Lotte Giants \|Gimhae \|2022–present
Goyang Heroes \|Goyang \|2024–present
NC Dinos \|Changwon \|2022–present
LG Twins \|Icheon \|2022–present
Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks{{efn\|name=FukuCuba\|The Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks and Cuban national team only participate for half the month and share a record.}} \|Fukuoka, Japan \|2022–present
Independent All-Stars{{efn\|All-stem from the independent Gyeonggi Challenge Baseball League}} \|Gyeonggi \|2024–present
Jiangsu Huge Horses \|Jiangsu, China \|2024–present
Cuba national baseball team{{efn\|name=FukuCuba}} \|Cuba \|2024–present
Team LMB{{efn\|All-star team from the Mexican Baseball League}} \|Mexico \|2024–present
Melbourne Aces \|Melbourne, Australia \|2025–present

class = "wikitable sortable"

Team

!City/Home

!Years active

|2022

|2022

|2023

|2023

|2022

|2022–present

|2024–present

|2022–present

|2022–present

Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks{{efn|name=FukuCuba|The Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks and Cuban national team only participate for half the month and share a record.}}

|Fukuoka, Japan

|2022–present

Independent All-Stars{{efn|All-stem from the independent Gyeonggi Challenge Baseball League}}

|Gyeonggi

|2024–present

Jiangsu Huge Horses

|Jiangsu, China

|2024–present

Cuba national baseball team{{efn|name=FukuCuba}}

|Cuba

|2024–present

Team LMB{{efn|All-star team from the Mexican Baseball League}}