MiLB announces Copa de la Diversión brands

For the first time since the program debuted with just four teams in 2017, Minor League Baseball’s Copa de la Diversión (“Fun Cup”) will feature fewer teams than the previous season. Seventy-six of 120 affiliated Minor League Baseball will participate in the program, compared to 92 of 160 teams that did so in 2019.

The Copa, per Minor League Baseball, is “a season-long event series specifically designed to embrace the culture and values that resonate most with participating teams’ local U.S. Hispanic/Latino communities.” Most of this year’s brands are ones that we’ve seen in previous seasons, but there are a few new looks to note:

The Akron RubberDucks (Double-A, Indians) will participate in the program for the first time as the Perros Calientes. The team had unveiled this identity in March of 2020, but it never made it to the field with the cancellation of the season. Here’s the rationale for the brand from MiLB:

Unique and fun promotions have always been synonymous with the Akron RubberDucks, and the “Los Perros Calientes” identity continues that tradition with a nod to the Hispanic community in the Greater Akron area. With Hot Dogs being a ballpark favorite among fans, “Los Perros Calientes” pays homage to the tremendous atmosphere of superb food and affordable, family fun at Canal Park, the home of the RubberDucks.

The Greenville Drive (High-A, Red Sox) previously played as the Energía (Energy), but this year switched to Ranas de Río de Greenville. Per MiLB:

The Greenville Drive’s “Ranas de Rio” moniker is designed to pay tribute to the vibrant and significant Hispanic community in the Upstate of South Carolina, which has contributed mightily to the region’s progress. The “River Frog” is derived from the popular frog mascot of the Greenville Drive and with the Reedy River which runs through downtown Greenville, not far from the ballpark.

The Worcester Red Sox, or WooSox, will play their inaugural season in 2021 after relocating from Pawtucket. Ofter playing as the Osos Polares (Polar Bears) in Pawtucket, they’ll take on the moniker Los Wepas in Worcester. MiLB explains it like this:

All right! Good job! Wow! Yeah! Woo Hoo!” These exclamations will all be said when the Worcester Red Sox launch a home run, score a run, or display dazzling defense. In the Latino community, all of these joyous emotions translate to… “¡Wepa!”, a universal term used for any positive exciting moment in life. As the WooSox prepare to take the field for their inaugural season at Polar Park, we are delighted to be called “Los Wepas,” representing the Worcester, Central Massachusetts, New England, and worldwide Latino communities. Where would the Boston Red Sox be without their Latino heroes? We seek to celebrate these players of the past while nurturing our players of the future, as we present, Los Wepas to the world. ¡Gracias a todos!

Affiliated Minor League teams will play selected games throughout the season with their Copa identities, and a winner of the Fun Cup will be declared at the end of the season. You can see all of the Copa brands on MiLB.com.