The Carolina League is a minor league baseball affiliation which operates in the South Atlantic Coast of the United States. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth step between Rookie ball and the major leagues. Although Minor League Baseball, the umbrella organization for minor leagues that are affiliated with Major League Baseball, has eliminated the distinction between High-A and other full-season A leagues, most major-league teams still use such leagues as a standard promotion step. A few draftees, generally those taken in the early rounds of the draft and those with significant college experience, will be assigned to a High-A team upon signing a professional contract, but most players do not reach the High-A level until their third or fourth year of professional play.

The organization that later became the Carolina League formed in 1945, just as World War II was ending, and consisted of only two teams based in southern Virginia. Historically, however, as many as 12 teams in a given year have competed for the Carolina League pennant, and most of the league's teams have represented towns and cities in North Carolina. Today, the league consists of eight teams in a region stretching from Delaware to South Carolina, and is divided into a Northern Division and a Southern Division. The division champions from the first half and second half of each season compete in a best-of-five divisional playoff, with the winners advancing to the best-of-five league championship, the winner of which receives the Mills Cup.

Gerald Dempsey "Buster" Posey III (born March 27, 1987) is an American professional baseball catcher and first baseman for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball (MLB). He was selected by the Giants with the fifth overall pick in the 2008 Major League Baseball Draft. Posey made his major league debut on September 11, 2009; he was named the Giants' regular catcher on June 30, 2010.

As a rookie, he hit .305, slugged 18 home runs and had 67 runs-batted-in. He was a key to the Giants winning the 2010 World Series. He was named the National League rookie of the year.

Posey, the eldest of four children, was born to Gerald "Demp" Dempsey Posey II and Traci Posey on March 27, 1987, in Leesburg, Georgia. His nickname, "Buster," came from his father's childhood nickname. He played football, soccer, and basketball along with baseball growing up, but baseball was his main sport. As a junior at Lee County High School, Posey (playing shortstop and pitching) had 9 doubles, 3 triples, and 7 home runs while setting school records for batting average (.544) and runs batted in (RBI) (46). Meanwhile, he had a 10–1 record and a 1.53 earned run average (ERA). He batted .462 with 40 RBI as a senior while setting a school record with 14 home runs. Meanwhile, he had a 12–0 record (in 13 starts) with a 1.06 ERA and 108 strikeouts. That year, he was named the Georgia Gatorade Player of the Year, the Louisville Slugger State Player of the Year, an EA Sports All-American, and a Baseball America All-American. Posey had a 3.94 GPA in high school while graduating fourth in his class (out of 302 students), and although he was drafted in the 50th round of the 2005 Major League Baseball (MLB) Draft by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, he chose to enroll in college instead of signing.

Lonnie D. Chisenhall (born October 4, 1988) is an American professional baseball third baseman with the Cleveland Indians of Major League Baseball.

Chisenhall was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 11th round of the 2006 Major League Baseball Draft but chose to attend University of South Carolina. Chisenhall played for the South Carolina Gamecocks baseball team in his freshman year, but was dismissed from the team after being charged with breaking into a dorm room and stealing electronic equipment. He then transferred to Pitt Community College.

He was drafted by Cleveland Indians 29th overall in the 2008 Major League Baseball Draft. In 2009 and 2010, he played with the AA Akron Aeros.

On June 27, 2011, Chisenhall was promoted from Triple-A Columbus, and went 2-4 in his Major League debut against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

On July 6, 2011 Chisenhall hit his first Major League homerun, off of Boone Logan of the New York Yankees.

On July 7, 2011, Chisenhall was hit with a fastball thrown by Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Carlos Villanueva and had to leave the game with 'facial contusions'.

Michael Christopher Moustakas (born September 11, 1988 in Chatsworth, California) is an American professional baseball third baseman for the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball. He was drafted second overall in the 2007 Major League Baseball Draft.

Mike Moustakas attended Chatsworth High School in Chatsworth, California. He is the nephew of former New York Mets hitting coach Tom Robson.

Moustakas was a four-year starter in baseball for Chatsworth High School. During that time he helped Chatsworth to a 124-11 record including four West Valley League championships, and two CIF city titles. His 52 career home runs in high school are a California prep state record.

Moustakas was drafted by the Kansas City Royals with the second overall pick of the 2007 amateur draft. He signed with the team on August 15, 2007, receiving a reported signing bonus of $4 million. Fellow Chatsworth teammate Matt Dominguez was chosen by the Florida Marlins with the 12th overall pick of the amateur draft.

Entering 2009, Moustakas was widely regarded as one of the top baseball prospects in all of minor league baseball. The Sporting News ranked Moustakas as the 13th best prospect overall, while MLB.com listed Moustakas as their 11th best prospect in all of baseball. Moustakas, however, had trouble adjusting to the Carolina League in 2009. While his power remained, his ability to hit for a high average went down significantly. In 2010, Moustakas' power and average increased significantly. As of July 13, 2010, Moustakas was hitting .352 with 21 homers and 76 runs batted in in AA Northwest Arkansas. On July 15, 2010, he was promoted to Triple-A Omaha. On August 30, 2010, Moustakas was named the 2010 Texas League Player of the Year and on the same night, he set an Omaha Royals record with three home runs and 11 RBIs in one game. Moustakas won the Joe Bauman Home Run Award for most home runs in minor league baseball, winning a tiebreaker with Mark Trumbo.

Joseph Edward Mahoney (born February 1, 1987 in Albany, New York, USA) is a minor league baseball first baseman currently with the Norfolk Tides, the AAA affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. He won the Orioles 2010 Brooks Robinson Minor League Player of the Year Award.

Prior to playing professionally, Mahoney attended Catholic Central High School in Troy, New York and then University of Richmond. While with the University of Richmond in 2005, he hit .268 with nine home runs and 41 RBI. In 2006, he hit .356 with five home runs and 49 RBI and in 2007 - his final year with the school - he hit .305 with 17 home runs, 62 RBI and 16 stolen bases.

He was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the sixth round of the 2007 amateur draft and began his professional career that season.

With the Aberdeen IronBirds in 2007, Mahoney hit .269 with nine home runs and 44 RBI in 65 games. The following year, with the Delmarva Shorebirds, Mahoney hit .222 with seven home runs and 61 RBI in 95 games. In 2009, Mahoney played for the Shorebirds and Frederick Keys, hitting a combined .278 with eight home runs, 58 RBI and 29 stolen bases. He played for the Keys and Bowie Baysox in 2010, hitting .307 with 18 home runs, 78 RBI and 13 stolen bases.