Archives for February 2022

South Bend Cubs Hiring for the 2022 Season 

 

SOUTH BEND, IN – Four Winds Field is more than a destination, it’s an experience and the South Bend Cubs are looking for detail oriented and guest service minded individuals to help create that experience. Applications are now being accepted to fill open gameday positions for the 2022 season. Those interested can visit SouthBendCubs.com and complete the online application or fill out an application at the South Bend Cubs main office.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW AND APPLY TO ALL OPEN POSITIONS

Two open job fairs will also be held on Tuesday, February 15 and Thursday, February 17 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. inside the Pepsi Stadium Club at Four Winds Field. When arriving please enter through the double glass doors located next to the box office, just off South Street. Applicants can park in Lots A or B off of Taylor Street.

Like last year, the online application has been designed with mobile devices in mind, making it accessible and easy to complete. All applications will be reviewed by the South Bend staff and those whose qualifications match the desired needs will be contacted to set up an interview. Those attending the job fair can fill out a paper application on-site.

Some of the available positions for the 2022 season include box office attendant, stadium support services, fun zone attendant, promotions team member, parking lot attendant, and hospitality host (usher). Professional Sports Catering, the food & beverage supplier for the South Bend Cubs, are also looking to fill positions for 2022 including bartender, concessions stand supervisor, venue server, and server. Most positions require a person to walk and stand for extended periods of time and may occasionally be asked to lift or move up to 25 pounds. Please see each job description for a list of duties and requirements.

The 2022 season kicks off at Four Winds Field on Friday, April 8 as the South Bend Cubs host the Quad Cities River Bandits for a three-game series. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

About the South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs are the High-A minor league affiliate of the 2016 World Series Champion Chicago Cubs. Over the past 34 years, the team has won four Midwest League titles, most recently in 2019, and has captured eight division titles. In 2019, the South Bend Cubs hosted the Midwest League All-Star Game. In June 2017, Four Winds Field, home of the South Bend Cubs, was voted Best Class A ballpark in the country by Ballpark Digest. In 2015 the team was named Ballpark Digest’s Team of the Year and received the John H. Johnson President’s Award, the highest award in minor league baseball. The team is owned and operated by Swing-Batter-Swing, LLC whose principal shareholder is Andrew T. Berlin of Chicago, Ill. More information is available at www.SouthBendCubs.com.

The Nine: Tyson Ross

 

In celebration of Black History Month, throughout February, teams across Minor League Baseball are taking a look back at five of the best Black players to suit up for their club.

While some of these standout performers went on to long and illustrious Major League careers, others simply had great Minor League careers or, in some cases, just one incredible season that went down as “a year for the ages.”

Here is the first installment of five of the best Black baseball players ever to suit up for the Sacramento River Cats.

Former Sacramento River Cats right-hander Tyson Ross has California in his blood. The Berkeley, California native was selected by the Oakland Athletics in the second round of the 2008 MLB Draft out of the University of California, Berkeley before becoming an All Star with the San Diego Padres in 2014.

Prior to his move south, Ross spent five years in the Oakland organization, three split between Oakland and Sacramento. In 30 games with the River Cats, Ross was 11-5 with a 4.30 ERA, 128 strikeouts, and a 1.48 WHIP.

He was traded to the Padres in 2012 in exchange for infielder Andy Parrino and left-hander Andrew Werner. Ross excelled with the Padres, posting a sub-3.30 ERA in each of his first three seasons in San Diego.

In 10 MLB seasons, Ross is 44-70 with a 4.04 ERA, 816 strikeouts, and a 1.36 WHIP in 904.2 innings, last pitching in the Majors in 2019 with Detroit.

Ross’ strongest impact now is off the field, inspiring young baseball players in the Bay Area. He is the founder of the Loyal To My Soil program, where he and his big leaguer peers gather to “educate, inspire, and coach the kids of our community to be great on and off the field.”

You can hear Ross talk about his MLB journey, his time in Sacramento, and Loyal To My Soil on episode eight of the River Cats Nine Lives Podcast.

Celebrating Black History Month: Highlighting Marlon Anderson

In celebration of Black History Month, throughout February, teams across Minor League Baseball are looking back at some of the best Black players to suit up for their club.

While some of these standout performers from across the sport went on to long and illustrious Major League careers, others simply had great Minor League careers or, in some cases, just one incredible season that went down as “a year for the ages.”

Over the month, we will highlight some of the best Black baseball players to ever suit up for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Marlon Anderson

The Philadelphia Phillies tabbed Marlon Anderson with a second-round pick in the 1995 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of South Alabama. After three years in the Minors, Anderson spent the entire 1998 season with the Red Barons and flourished.

Anderson appeared in 136 games for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in 1998, batting .306 with 32 doubles, 14 triples, 16 home runs, 86 runs batted in and 24 stolen bases. For this effort, he was voted Rookie of the Year by the International League. Anderson is one of only four players in franchise history who have earned that lofty distinction. He was recalled by the Phillies later that season and made his Major League debut in September.

After spending the 1999 season in the Majors, Philadelphia placed Anderson back on the Red Barons roster in 2000 for 103 games. His second year in Triple-A produced similar results, including a .305 batting average and IL Midseason and Postseason All-Star nods.

Anderson played 12 years in the Majors, spending time with Tampa Bay, St. Louis, the New York Mets and the Los Angeles Dodgers. Over 1,151 games, he held a career .265 batting average.

The Nine: Isotopes Era (2003-Current)

 

Minor League Baseball has announced the launch of “The Nine,” a new, Black-community focused outreach platform specifically designed to honor and celebrate the historic impact numerous Black baseball pioneers made on the sport. It’s named for the number Jackie Robinson wore during his only season playing in MiLB with the Triple-A Montreal Royals in 1946. The Albuquerque Isotopes will look back at the rich history of Black ballplayers in the Duke City by highlighting the Top Nine over various eras.

1B Ryan Howard — 2017

When news broke that Ryan Howard was attempting a comeback, that he signed with the Colorado Rockies, and was assigned to Triple-A Albuquerque, the initial thought was disbelief. Really? The three-time All-Star first baseman, the 2005 Rookie of the Year, the 2006 Most Valuable Player, the slugger with 382 home runs is really coming to the Isotopes? Yes, it was true. Howard made his Isotopes debut on August 13, 2017. He played in 16 games over the last three weeks, and while his batting average was only .192, seven of his 10 hits were for extra bases, including a walk-off home run to defeat Reno on August 30.

Manager Glenallen Hill – 2015-19

Once or twice a year, Glenallen Hill stepped into the batting cage at Isotopes Park, and with an effortless swing, launched balls out of the ballpark and into the CNM Parking Lot. It was a reminder of the feared slugger who blasted 182 home runs over 13 years in the majors, including one onto the Rooftops across the street from Wrigley Field. Hill’s job with the Isotopes was manager, however, and his calm demeanor was appreciated by Triple-A players whose careers are often at a crossroads. Hill nearly guided the Isotopes into the playoffs in 2016 and 2017, and always had a knack for finding a creative way to tell players they were going to The Show.

Hitting Coach Franklin Stubbs – 1983-85, 2013-14

The baseball life of Franklin Stubbs went full circle when the Dodgers made him their hitting coach at Triple-A Albuquerque for the 2013 and 2014 seasons. As a player, Stubbs was a former first-round pick by the Dodgers in 1982 and played parts of three seasons with the Dukes from 1983-85. Stubbs etched his name into the baseball history books on June 2, 1983, when he hit four home runs in one game at the old Albuquerque Sports Stadium. After his playing career ended, Stubbs took to mentoring younger players as a coach. Stubbs’ star pupil in 2014 was Joc Pederson, the Pacific Coast League’s Most Valuable Player.

1B John Lindsey – 2010

“Big John” was a baseball lifer who played 21 seasons of professional baseball, appearing in 2,277 games and accumulating 9,213 plate appearances. His best season came in 2010, at age 33, when Lindsey slashed .353/.400/.657 for the Isotopes. Lindsey just missed a batting title by percentage points, but that .353 average remains the best in Isotopes history. Lindsey added 41 doubles and 25 home runs, drove in 97 RBIs, and was rewarded with his only callup to the Major Leagues in September. The only thing bigger than Lindsey’s potent bat was his constant smile. Isotopes fans voted him their “Fan Favorite” by the end of the season.

OF Trayvon Robinson – 2011, 2014

It seemed like destiny that Trayvon Robinson would play for the Dodgers organization. He attended Crenshaw High in Los Angeles, the same as Darryl Strawberry. His last name was the same as Jackie, the trailblazer whose uniform is retired by all MLB teams. The Dodgers selected Trayvon in the 10th round and his five-tool prowess was on display in 2011, when he was selected to the PCL All-Star Game, hit 26 home runs, drove in 71 runs, compiled a .938 OPS and elegantly chased down flyballs in the spacious Isotopes Park outfield. Robinson returned to the Topes in 2014 and was ecstatic to catch the ceremonial first pitch thrown by Petie Gibson, the grandson of Hall of Famer Josh Gibson, on Negro League Tribute Night.

OF Tony Gwynn, Jr. – 2012-13

The first time Tony Gwynn Jr. played at Isotopes Park was during his collegiate years at San Diego State, when his Hall of Fame father was the head coach. Tony has another family connection to the Duke City. His uncle, Chris Gwynn, played for the Dukes from 1987-89. As a Topes player, Tony left his biggest mark in Albuquerque during Game Four of the 2012 playoffs, when the Topes trailed, 10-3, in the seventh inning and were facing elimination. Gwynn’s go-ahead, three-run homer capped a nine-run rally that sent the ballpark into delirium. Gwynn hit an even .300 in 2013, and compiled a .393 on-base percentage, with his discerning eye. But fans also recall the numerous catches Gwynn made on the unique “Topes Slope” in center field.

CF Matt Kemp – 2012-13

Some rehab assignments are more famous than others. When Kemp came to Albuquerque in 2012, he was coming off a runner-up finish in the Most Valuable Player voting, a Gold Glove award in center field, a Silver Slugger, and he’d come tantalizingly close to joining the “40/40 Club” with 39 home runs and 40 stolen bases. On May 27-28, Kemp put on a show, going a combined 5-for-7 with a home run in each game and five RBIs. He returned later in 2012 and again in 2013 on rehab assignments, adding demand at the box office and electricity in the stands.

SS/2B Dee Strange-Gordon – 2011-13

Before he was a two-time All Star, Gold Glove and Silver Slugger winner in the Major Leagues, Gordon terrorized Topes opponents with his speed and hand-eye coordination for the Isotopes. He first arrived at Triple-A in 2011 as a shortstop, hit .333, scored an astounding 51 runs in 70 games, and was successful on 30-of-34 stolen bases, a pace of 118 runs and 69 steals for a 162-game season. After the Dodgers traded for Hanley Ramirez, Gordon was back with the Topes late in the 2012 season and helped them reach the playoffs. Then, in 2013, Gordon made the successful conversion to second base, led the league with 49 stolen bases, and compiled a 20-game hitting streak before returning to the majors for good.

OF Wynton Bernard – 2021

Even before he arrived in Albuquerque, outfielder Wynton Bernard knew all about the city, the food, and the sports facilities. His older brother, Walter, was all All-Conference defensive back for the University of New Mexico football team, and family outings to the Duke City were a regular occurrence. On the diamond, Bernard joined Lindsey and Robinson in getting selected “Fan Favorite” by Isotopes fans in 2021. Bernard wowed fans with his speed, once scoring a game winner on a shallow flyball to left field once, and scored from second base on a groundout to the pitcher. The highlight was making a circus catch, falling down on The Hill in center field, then waving and blowing kisses to the fans while still seated.

https://www.krqe.com/sports/local-sports/isotopes-outfielder-wynton-bernard-has-childhood-ties-to-lobo-football/

Check back to www.abqisotopes.com throughout February as we celebrate the most prominent Black players in the Duke City’s history from the Isotopes era (2003-current), the Dukes Triple-A era (1972-2000) and the Early Years (1888-1971)

A Spotlight on the Top Black Players in Iowa Franchise History

In celebration of Black History Month, throughout February, teams across Minor League Baseball are taking a look back at some of the best Black players to suit up for their club.

While some of these standout performers went on to have long, illustrious Major League careers, others simply had great Minor League careers. In some cases, just one incredible season that went down as “a year for the ages.”

Over the month, we will highlight some of the best Black baseball players to ever come through Iowa in franchise history.

Vida Blue (1970)

Vida Blue was one of the top left-handers in baseball in the 1970’s with Oakland as he helped the Athletics to three straight World Championships from 1972-74. He went straight from Double-A Birmingham to Oakland in 1969, where he went 1-1 with a 6.64 ERA in 12 games (four starts). His 1970 season that began in Des Moines was the season that put him on the path to stardom.

At just 20 years old, Blue started 17 games for Iowa in 1970, going 12-3 with a 2.17 ERA. He struck out 165 batters and allowed just 88 hits in 133.0 innings before a promotion to Oakland, where he went 2-0 with a 2.09 ERA in six starts. On September 21, 1970, in Oakland, Blue threw a no-hitter against the Minnesota Twins.

The following season, at the age of 21, Blue was named the 1971 American League Most Valuable Player and Cy Young Award winner after going 24-8 with a 1.82 ERA in 39 starts. He pitched 312 innings and threw eight shutouts in 1971.

Blue went on to be a six-time All-Star and received MVP votes four times and Cy Young Award votes five times. Despite playing until 1986 when he was 36 years old, Blue never stepped foot on another Minor League field after leaving Des Moines during that 1970 season.

Black History Month – The 5 best Black players in WooSox/PawSox history

 

In celebration of Black History Month, throughout February, teams across Minor League Baseball are taking a look back at five of the best Black players to suit up for their club.

While some of these standout performers went on to long and illustrious Major League careers, others simply had great Minor League careers or, in some cases, just one incredible season that went down as “a year for the ages.”

Here is a look at five of the best Black baseball players ever to suit up for the WooSox/PawSox organization.

Sam Horn

Sam Horn was drafted by the Red Sox in the first round with the sixth overall pick in the 1982 draft out of Samuel Morse High School in San Diego, CA. In 1987 Horn had one of the best offensive seasons in Triple-A franchise history when he belted 30 Home Runs, 82 RBI, and hit .321 before getting called up by the Boston Red Sox in July of that same year. Horn would later hit another 10 Home Runs in his first 82 trips to the plate as a member of the Major League Club during the 1987 season. He was also a member of the Baltimore Orioles in 1992 during the Innaugural Season at Camden Yards, where he scored the first-ever run in the history of the new ballpark. Horn has always stayed connected with Larry Lucchino, who would later build Petco Park in San Diego before becoming President & CEO of the Boston Red Sox in 2002. Horn now resides in Rhode Island, where he continues to stay active in the community for the Worcester Red Sox and Boston Red Sox.

Dennis “Oil Can” Boyd

Dennis “Oil Can” Boyd was rafted by the Boston Red Sox in the 16th round of the 1980 amateur draft out of Jackson State University. The Meridian, MS native made his Major League debut for Boston in 1982 and won 16 games in 1986 as a critical member of the American League Championship team’s starting rotation. He was also the recipient of the Boston Red Sox Pitcher of the Year Award voted on by the Boston baseball Writers Association in 1985. Boyd would pitch for the Red Sox through the end of the 1989 season before moving on for stints with the Montreal Expos (1990-1991) and Texas Rangers (1992). Boyd also had two uncles who played baseball professionally— Robert Boyd played for the Kansas City Athletics and Memphis Red Sox of the Negro Leagues, and his Great Uncle Benjamin played for the Memphis Red Sox and Homestead Grays. Dennis resided in East Providence for years where he was always a fixture at PawSox games, and stays active in the community for both the Worcester Red Sox and Boston Red Sox.

Jim Rice

Jim Rice was the only player in the last 50 years of the International League to win the IL Triple Crown when he hit .337 along with 25 HR and 93 RBI in just 117 games for the 1974 Pawtucket Red Sox to lead the league in all three categories. He was one of only six players to capture the IL Triple Crown in the 132 years of the International League. Rice, who was Pawtucket’s all-time hitting leader with a .340 average, joined the PawSox late in the 1973 season (at the age of 20) and helped lead the club to the Governors’ Cup Championship and the Junior World Series title. He was the IL MVP in 1974 despite being promoted to Boston in mid-August. Rice ranks among the all-time Boston Red Sox leaders in at-bats (3rd), runs (4th), hits (3rd), doubles (6th), triples (6th), HR (3rd), RBI (3rd), walks (8th), slugging pct. (8th), and total bases (3rd) among others. An 8-time American League All-Star outfielder (1977-80, 83-86), Jim was enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown in 2009. He was also a member of the first class of Red Sox Hall of Fame inductees in 1995 and was elected to the International League Hall of Fame in 2008.

Mo Vaughn

Mo Vaughn was a popular player for the PawSox for parts of three seasons (1990-92) and went on to a stellar 12-year Major League career with Boston (1991-98), Anaheim (1999-2000), and the New York Mets (2002-03). He finished his big league career with a .293 average along with 328 HR & 1064 RBI in 1512 games. Mo was a three-time American League All-Star with the Red Sox (1995, ’96 and ’98) and the American League MVP in 1995 when he hit .300 with 39 HR & 126 RBI. The “Hit Dog” followed that up with a sensational 1996 campaign for Boston batting .326 with career-highs of 44 HR & 143 RBI. Vaughn was chosen by the Red Sox in the 1st round of the 1989 draft. He spent all of 1990, at the age of 22, with the PawSox posting a .295 average with 22 HR & 72 RBI in 108 games. He would split the 1991 season between Pawtucket and Boston, returned briefly to Pawtucket in 1992 for 39 games, but then spent the rest of his career in the majors. From 1996-98 with the Red Sox he hit .315 or higher and averaged 40 homers and 118 RBI.

Jackie Bradley Jr.

Jackie Bradley Jr. was reacquired by the Boston Red Sox in a trade from the Milwaukee Brewers on December 1, 2021. Bradley Jr. has played in 1,007 major league games with the Red Sox (2013-20) and Brewers (2021), batting .230 with 104 home runs. A 2016 All-Star, he earned the Rawlings Gold Glove Award for center field in 2018 and was a finalist for the award in three other seasons (2014, ’16, ’19). Bradley helped the Red Sox win the 2018 World Series, as he was named Most Valuable Player of the American League Championship Series. Selected by the Red Sox in the supplemental round of the 2011 June Draft, Jackie was among the most popular players in Pawtucket Red Sox history while playing for the PawSox during parts of the 2013-15 and 2017 seasons. An active member of the community along with his wife, Erin, Bradley served as captain of the Red Sox Scholars program from 2016-20 and supported the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program.

Kannapolis Selects Top 5 Black MiLB Players in Organization’s History in Conjunction with “The Nine”

 

To honor one of the world’s greatest trailblazers, Hall of Famer Jackie Robinson, the Cannon Ballers have created a list of the Top 5 Black Minor League Baseball players that have ever worn a jersey in Kannapolis. Making its debut in 2022, MiLB announced that they created “The Nine,” an initiative that will engage and welcome Black fans, businesses, schools and civic leaders. In 1946, Robinson wore the number nine in his only year at the minor league level. The criteria to make the Top 5 list broke down to the player’s success at the major league level.

Jimmy Rollins

In 1997, the former second-round draft by the Phillies quickly became a household name in Kannapolis by leading the team in a plethora of offensive categories. That season, Rollins (18 years old) topped the team in games played (139), runs (94), hits (151), triples (8), stolen bases (46), and total bases (207).

Nicknamed “J-Roll,” the California native went on to play 17 MLB seasons, including his first 15 years with the Phillies. In 2001, 2002, and 2005, Rollins earned a spot on the National League All-Star team, with the 2001 season being his rookie year. Despite not getting an invite to MLB’s Fall Classic in 2007, Rollins took home the league’s Most Valuable Player award, proving to be the only Kannapolis baseball alumnus to do so.

The talented shortstop brought back more hardware throughout his luxurious career, collecting a Silver Slugger award in 2007 and four Gold Glove awards (‘07, ‘08, ‘09, ‘12). Although his time in Kannapolis in 1997 was not spent while under a contract by the White Sox, Rollins played his last season in the majors in 2016 with the Sox in the South Side of Chicago.

Tim Anderson

Anderson, the current Chicago White Sox everyday shortstop, sported a Kannapolis Intimidators jersey in 2013 for 68 games, getting his first crack at baseball at the professional level. At 20 years old, Anderson batted .277, along with 24 stolen bases, and 10 doubles.

Born in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, “T.A.” moved his way up to the White Sox by 2016, batting an impressive .283 in 99 games. That season, Anderson came in seventh in the Rookie of the Year voting. Just a few seasons later in 2019, Anderson slashed .335/.357/.508 from the right side of the plate, with his .335 batting average earning him MLB’s American League Batting Title, the only such award won by a former Kannapolis ball player. With the entire country now knowing his name, Anderson established himself as the leader of a White Sox rebuild, helping the team make a birth to the playoffs in 2020, their first since the 2008 season.

During the 2021 campaign, Anderson led the Sox to their most wins (93) in a season since their World Series championship in 2005, while also earning his first trip to the All-Star game. T.A. remains a beacon of light for young African Americans around the country, as he started “League of Leaguers” in 2019, a youth-focused charity to empower kids in Chicago’s South Side and Tuscaloosa after losing his best friend to gun violence.

Marcus Simien

The California Golden Bear product began his professional baseball career in Kannapolis after being drafted in the sixth round of the 2011 MLB draft. In 229 at-bats, Simien batted .253 with 15 doubles, and three homeruns. After making it to the majors in 2013 and playing two seasons in Chicago, Simien was traded to the Oakland A’s, allowing him to return to his home state from 2015-2020.

Simien’s name leaped towards the top of all second basemen in baseball right after the 2019 season, a year in which he batted .285 with 33 home runs, leading to a third-place finish in that year’s MVP voting. The Toronto Blue Jays were in need of a second baseman following the 2020 season, as they signed Simien to a one-year deal. In 2021, Simien made a start at second base in his first All-Star game, and also won a Gold Glove, and Silver Slugger award. In that same season, Simien smacked 44 home runs, breaking Davey Johnson’s MLB record for the most home runs in a season by a player who played 75 percent or more of his games at second base.

Concluding that historic season, the nine-year veteran signed a seven-year, $175 million contract with the Texas Rangers, now playing up the middle with Kannapolis native, Corey Seager, who signed a 10-year, $325 million contract.

Marlon Byrd

In 2000, Byrd appeared in 133 games with the Piedmont Phillies, putting his name on the map as a top power-hitter in the Phillies organization. A former 10th round pick in the 1999 MLB draft out of college, Byrd hit 17 home runs, 29 doubles, 13 triples, and swiped 41 bags.

After two more seasons in the minors, Byrd received his call up to the majors in 2002 at 24 years old, seeing himself play in 10 games. In his rookie year in 2003, Byrd came in fourth place in the Rookie of the Year voting, putting up an impressive .303 batting average, including 28 doubles and 11 stolen bases. Byrd spent two more seasons in Philadelphia before being traded to the Washington Nationals in 2005.

Byrd went on to play for 13 of the 30 MLB, including two years with the Cubs in Chicago. The 15-year MLB veteran earned his first and only All-Star appearance almost halfway through his career in 2010 with the Cubs, finishing the year with a .293 average. Byrd finished his career with 159 home runs, smacking 20 or more in a single season five times.

Chris Young

Young had his way at the plate once he walked onto the field in Kannapolis in 2004, hitting 24 home runs, 31 doubles, and collecting 31 stolen bases. Skipping over Class-A Advanced ball in Winston-Salem, Young was named the Chicago White Sox Minor League Player of the Year in 2005 after his stellar play with the Birmingham Barons. Following his second MiLB season, the White Sox traded Young to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Just one year later in 2006, Young made his debut for the D-Backs, and began the 2007 season as the D-Backs’ everyday center fielder. Young set multiple Diamondbacks’ rookie records, including hitting 32 home runs in his historic first season. A few years later in 2010, the Houston native made it to MLB’s Fall Classic, a year in which he batted .257 with 27 homers and 28 stolen bases.

Young jumped around the league after completing seven years in Arizona, with stops in OaklaKannapolis Selects Top 5 Black MiLB Players in Organization’s History in Conjunction with “The Nine”

nd, New York (Mets and Yankees), Boston, and Los Angeles (Angels). The 13-year veteran finished nine home runs shy of 200 and just 12 doubles shy of 300.

Full list of Black MiLB players that have made it to the MLB after/before playing in Kannapolis:

Jason Boyd, Piedmont Phillies, 1995

Reggie Taylor, Piedmont Boll Weevils, 1996

Jimmy Rollins, Piedmont Boll Weevils, 1997

Marlon Byrd, Piedmont Boll Weevils, 2000

Chris Young, Kannapolis Intimidators, 2004

Brandon Allen, Kannapolis Intimidators, 2006-07

Chris Carter, Kannapolis Intimidators, 2008-07

Marcus Simien, Kannapolis Intimidators, 2011

Tim Anderson, Kannapolis Intimidators, 2013

Micah Johnson, Kannapolis Intimidators, 2013

Jacob May, Kannapolis Intimidators, 2013

Keyvius Sampson, Kannapolis Cannon Ballers, 2021

The Greenville Black Spinners & Mayberry Park

Greenville and the Upstate region has a rich baseball history. Everyone knows the stories of “Shoeless” Joe Jackson and others, including Tommy Lasorda, Nolan Ryan, and Jim Rice. However, the lesser known stories include the Greenville Black Spinners, St. Anthony’s, and Sterling High School – teams that also utilized Mayberry Park and Meadowbrook Park.

As the Drive continues the celebration of Black History Month, we are proud to pay homage to the Greenville Black Spinners, with a commemorative Greenville Black Spinners t-shirt. You can pre-order the t-shirt by CLICKING HERE. Proceeds from the sale of this t-shirt will support the City of Greenville’s Unity Park project, particularly the restoration of Mayberry Park.

Greenville Drive owner Craig Brown and his wife, Vicki, are among the first partners with the City of Greenville in donating to Unity Park. The couple provided funding for the restoration and preservation of historic Mayberry Park, built in the 1920s for Black children at a time they were not allowed to play in the city’s segregated parks. Mayberry Park, which sat just beyond the outfield wall of Meadowbrook Park, will be known as Mayberry Field when Unity Park opens in spring 2022.

The following passages were taken from the upcoming book, Voices from Meadowbrook Park, Memories of Greenville, South Carolina’s Historic Baseball Park (1938-1972) written by Greenville historian, author, and Drive season ticket holder, Mike Chibbaro. The book will be released in late March 2022, and can be preordered by CLICKING HERE.

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On a warm June morning in 2021, John Calvin Whiteside returned for a visit to Mayberry Park. He stood in a familiar spot on the grass covered infield, halfway between second and third base. More than fifty years have passed since Whiteside was a slick fielding shortstop for his high school team, the Sterling Tigers. Sterling practiced at Mayberry Park and played its home games at the adjacent Meadowbrook Park.

Whiteside was one of many youth from the surrounding neighborhoods who chased down baseballs beyond the boundaries of Meadowbrook Park, sometimes even jumping into the Reedy River to retrieve the souvenir. “We would take the balls and sell them to the White parents going into the game who gave them to their children. We would get anywhere from twenty-five cents to a dollar for a ball, which would give us money to go to a movie, plus buy us something at the concession stand,” Whiteside remembered. “Sometimes we would take the ball to the gate at Meadowbrook and if we gave it back, they would let us in the game free.”

Whiteside and his friends often watched games at Meadowbrook standing atop a small hill outside the park and peering over the left field wall. “I remember standing on that hill watching Willie Stargell hit one over the right field wall and over the Reedy River,” Whiteside’s cousin, Marion Butler, said about a memorable home run the future Hall of Famer hit in 1961 while playing for the Asheville Tourists.

On that June morning when Whiteside returned to his shortstop position at Mayberry Park, the sounds of heavy construction equipment could be heard as workers graded the land for the planned 60-acre, $40 million Unity Park. The new park is in part an attempt by the city to right some of the past wrongs related to the inadequacy of recreational facilities offered to Greenville’s Blacks during segregation. Whiteside smiles at the irony of the massive construction in an area where the city’s investment was so minimal during the days of his childhood.

“The infield at Mayberry was lots of lumps and bumps. We’d have to pick up rocks and glass out of the infield before practice,” Whiteside said. “We had a single merry go round that held about three of us, a swing set and one see-saw.”

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The distance between the outfield fence of Mayberry Park and the concrete outfield wall of Meadowbrook Park was a few hundred feet. In terms of access for Blacks, there was a vast chasm between the two parks, a divide that had been built over years of legalized racial segregation.

For most of Meadowbrook’s life, it was a place where Blacks were only allowed to use the park on selected dates and times, and their access came with a series of restrictions. If a Black resident attended a “non-Black” event they were forced to sit in the designated “colored section” along the third-base line. Separate, but certainly not equal, concession and restroom facilities were provided. Members of Black teams playing at Meadowbrook dressed in their uniforms prior to arriving at Meadowbrook as they were not allowed to use the park’s locker rooms.

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Like many other American cities, Greenville’s Black community built its own baseball world. Author Donn Rogosin in his book, _Invisible Men, Life in Baseball’s Negro Leagues_, explains that these baseball sub-cultures were built out of necessity.

Baseball has long been called America’s game. It was not just white America’s game, it was a game loved by all races, but due to the segregated society that emerged in America during reconstruction, Black communities were forced to build their own baseball world.

In segregated America, great Black baseball players were forced to exhibit their talents behind a rigid color barrier—victims of the unwritten law that no black man was allowed in the major leagues. Men of extraordinary athletic ability passed their lives in obscurity, absent from the sport pages of the white newspapers, obliterated from American sports history.

Confronted by an intolerant society, the Black athlete and the Black community built their own sports world. Black teams were formed and later, black leagues…Black teams, representing Black communities, formed a replica of major-league baseball, separate and unequal in everything but athletic ability.

Baseball was played non-stop by youth at Mayberry Park or on any other open field within the black neighborhoods of Greenville. Adults played baseball as well as softball on evenings and weekends.

Meadowbrook Park became the home field for games for the following Black teams: The Sterling High School Tigers, The Greenville Black Spinners, The Greenville Red Socks, the St. Anthony Braves and the Greenville Negro All-Stars. The most prominent of the semi-pro teams was the Greenville Black Spinners.

The first reference to an organized Black baseball team in Greenville dates to 1910 when The Greenville News reported on a game between the Greenville Giants and a similar team from Anderson. The Giants were referred to as “Greenville’s fast colored team” and one of “the best colored teams in the State.” The team disappeared around the time World War I began but made a brief reappearance in the late 1940s.

The Black Spinners were a collection of mostly local players who competed against teams like the Spartanburg Sluggers, Easley Browns, Asheville Blues, Charlotte Black Hornets or the Raleigh Tigers. Initially, home games were played on the baseball field on Perry Avenue and later at Graham Field, and Meadowbrook became the Black Spinners official home when it opened in 1938. Many of the Black Spinners games were scheduled for Monday evenings when the park was not being used by Greenville’s White professional team.

Infrequent and brief accounts of Black Spinners’ contests appeared in The Greenville News from 1921 to 1969. Advertisements for the games always included the following statement: “A special section will be reserved for white fans at the game.” Most often, this meant that the entire grandstand section on the third base side was reserved for Whites. The games drew large crowds, particularly those against archrival Spartanburg. Whenever gate receipts were significant enough, players were paid small amounts of money for their play.

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Meadowbrook also became a stop-over for traveling Negro League teams. The Kansas City Monarchs appeared at Meadowbrook in 1955, 1961 and 1962. The Monarchs opponent in their August 16, 1962 visit to Meadowbrook was the Harlem Stars, a team that featured legendary Hall of Fame pitcher Leroy “Satchel” Paige. The 56-year-old Paige hurled three scoreless innings before a sparse crowd of 528 as Harlem defeated Kansas City 8-4.

The Indianapolis Clowns of the Negro American League played at Meadowbrook eight times between 1953 and 1970. The 1953 appearance of the Clowns showcased their second baseman Toni Stone, the first female player in the Negro Leagues.

A barnstorming group of Negro Major League All-Stars played a series of exhibition games throughout the southeast in 1960 and stopped at Meadowbrook on the evening of October 20. The game featured the Milwaukee Braves’ Hank Aaron who went on to break Babe Ruth’s career homerun record, along with the L.A. Dodgers Maury Wills, Cincinnati’s Vada Pinson and Cleveland’s Jim “Mudcat” Grant. The Greenville News promoted the game, yet no account of the game’s results appeared the following day in either the morning or evening papers in Greenville.

Top Five Black Players in Columbia History

To celebrate Black History Month, the Columbia Fireflies are joining MLB in naming the top five black players to play baseball in the Midlands region. Columbia has a decorated baseball history that first saw professional baseball in the late 1800’s. The first Major League team to make an official relationship

To celebrate Black History Month, the Columbia Fireflies are joining MLB in naming the top five black players to play baseball in the Midlands region. Columbia has a decorated baseball history that first saw professional baseball in the late 1800’s. The first Major League team to make an official relationship with Columbia was the Cincinnati Reds, who announced their affiliation with the city in 1954.

Across the expansive list of players, this is the group that stands out over the rest.

5.) Our countdown starts with Ron Washington. While Washington didn’t play in Columbia, many people don’t know Washington for his eight-year Major League career in the middle infield, they know him for his time as a Manager and coach. His coaching career began with the Capital City Bombers, where he manned the helm in 1993 and 1994. Washington led the Bombers to 123 wins across those two seasons before getting an offer from the Oakland Athletics to help out their Major League staff during the start of the Moneyball era. Washington is credited as teaching Scott Hatteberg how to play first base after Billy Beane signed him. The Louisiana native began his Major League coaching career in 2007 with the Texas Rangers. In parts of eight seasons with the Rangers, Washington led the club to the World Series in 2010-11 and to a third playoff berth in 2012. He would finish his managerial career with a 664-611 record after resigning from his post with the Rangers in 2014. In 2016, he made his return to coaching in Major League Baseball, this time as a third-base coach for the Atlanta Braves. Washington was finally able to win his first World Series when the Braves took home the title in 2021.

4.) Next up, the first former player in Columbia to make the list is Mo Bruce. While Bruce never played in the Majors, he had a profound impact on the last championship season in Soda City. The middle infielder played for the Capital City Bombers in the 1998 campaign and led the League with a .341 average in 126 games. Hickory’s Jimmy Terrell was second in the league with a .337 clip. Bruce wasn’t selected until the 54th round of the 1994 draft, but he did more than provide an elite average for Capital City. He also clubbed 15 homers and drove in a team-high 74 RBI on Capital City’s chase for the South Atlantic League crown. Over the course of his career, Bruce spent six seasons in the minors, including two in AAA. He held a career average of .289 and had 38 total homers. His input was a big reason why Baseball America ranked that Bombers’ team first overall in the last 1998 power ranking they put out that season. Bruce also had an intangible that added to the team’s success: his veteran presence. A lot of guys in that line-up viewed Bruce as a third coach on the field. Bruce was a year or two older than most of the other players on that roster. That magical season at Capital City Stadium is where Bruce put together his top power and average numbers to help culminate in a ring, and that’s why he clocks in at number four in our list.

3.) Simeon Woods-Richardson is the only pitcher in the top-five, but Woods-Richardson has established himself, not only as one of the top pitchers in Columbia history, but one of the top young, exciting prospects in all of baseball, all before his 22nd birthday. Prior to the 2021 season, Baseball America ranked the righty as the 60th-best prospect in baseball. The magazine gives credit to his control of all four of his pitches and most believe he will make his Major League debut some time this season. He wasn’t ignored by the other top publication in baseball scouting. MLB.com Pipeline called Woods-Richardson the 87th-best prospect in baseball prior to the 2021 season. In Columbia, the Sugar Land, Texas native racked up strikeouts at an incredible rate. He started all 20 of his appearances for the Fireflies, punching out 97 batters in 78.1 frames. That’s 11.15 K/9 IP! His overall numbers have been hampered by a lot of the hype around him that has led to Woods-Richardson being involved in two blockbuster trades in the last three seasons. First, he was traded with LHP Anthony Kay for All-Star Marcus Stroman in 2019. Next the wheels brought him to Minnesota where he was traded with SS Austin Martin for All-Star Jose Berrios. While Woods-Richardson has had to adapt to playing in three different farm systems, his talent was recognized when he was selected to pitch in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games and was awarded a silver medal for his participation with team USA. Simeon Woods-Richardson’s career is far from over, but what he’s accomplished already is enough for him to end up at number three on this list!

2.) Our next candidate never played baseball professionally in the Midlands, but it would be a crime to leave someone so impactful off our list. Larry Doby was born in Sumter, less than 50 miles from Segra Park. When Doby was young, his family moved to New Jersey, where he would eventually play for the Negro League Newark Eagles from 1942-1944. Like many others in that era, Doby stepped away from baseball to join the war effort at the peak of World War II. The star ballplayer joined the Navy and when he came back to the states in 1946, he played again for the Newark Eagles. He didn’t stick to baseball though, Doby broke the color barrier in the ABL, a precursor to today’s NBA and then he helped the Eagles win a championship in 1946 before the Cleveland Indians signed him in 1947. Later that season, Doby followed Jackie Robinson to become the second black player in Major League Baseball. He broke the color barrier in the American League, and then followed it with plenty of accolades. The next year, on his way to winning a World Series with the Indians, Doby became the first African American to hit a homer in a World Series game. Then, in 1952, on another run that saw Cleveland finish second in the American League, Doby became the first black player to lead a league in homers. He hit 32 homers in the campaign, beating teammate Luke Easter by a single homer for the league lead. Over the course of Doby’s career, he played in seven All-Star games and tallied five-100 RBI seasons and eight-20 home run seasons. Doby was elected into the Hall of Fame in 1998. His impact on the game of baseball will never be forgotten.

1.) Now it’s time for our top spot on the list. There are plenty of people who had incredible careers in Columbia and beyond, but when you combine the impact a player had in the Midlands with a Major League impact, you have to hand the top award to Frank Robinson who spent parts of two summers playing for the Columbia Reds in 1954-55. During his time in Columbia, The Judge paced the 1954 team with a .336 average and 25 homers in 132 games. In 1955 he added 12 more homers in 80 games before getting the call straight to the majors in 1956 where he won the National League Rookie of the Year award as a 20-year-old. After a decade with the Reds, Robinson was traded to the Orioles during the 1965 campaign. In his first season on the East Coast, Robinson won the AL Triple Crown, blasting 49 homers to pair with a .316 average and 122 RBI. That season, Robinson won the AL MVP award, four years after he won the NL MVP award with the Reds, thus becoming the first player to win the MVP for both leagues. The slugger also tallied a World Series MVP in 1966. He was the heart of the Orioles lineup that won three AL Pennants from 1969-71. All-in-all, Robinson was a 14-time All-Star and has the most walk-off hits (26) in Major League history. Robinson’s 586 homers are the 10th-most all-time. Robinson wasn’t done there though. After his playing days ended in Cleveland, Robinson became the manager for the Indians, making his way as the first black manager in Major League Baseball. He would manage for the Giants, Orioles, Expos and Nationals before retiring and took home the hardware for the 1989 American League Manager of the Year. Robinson truly was one of the all-time greats, and that’s why he leads our list of top black players to come through Columbia.

Black History Month:  A Look Back With Cory Vaughn

 

In celebration of Black History Month, throughout February, teams across Minor League Baseball are taking a look back at some of the best Black players to suit up for their club.
We will be showcasing these players – in no particular order – throughout the month and introducing a video

In celebration of Black History Month, throughout February, teams across Minor League Baseball are taking a look back at some of the best Black players to suit up for their club.

We will be showcasing these players – in no particular order – throughout the month and introducing a video series where we chat with each player about their time in Brooklyn and where life has taken them since their time on Coney Island.

First up is Cory Vaughn. Without a doubt, Cory Vaughn was the most prolific power hitter in Cyclones history during their time in the New York-Penn League. His 14 home runs and 56 RBI were both franchise records, until the Cyclones became a full-season affiliate following the 2019 season. Cory also led the NYPL with a .557 slugging percentage and a .953 on-base percentage. The 4th Round selection in the 2010 MLB Draft was a New York-Penn League All-Star in 2010 and made it all the way to Triple-A Las Vegas with the Mets in 2015 before finishing his career in the Independent Atlantic League with Southern Maryland.

BlueClaws Open New Period of Virtual Job Fair Interviews

 

JERSEY SHORE, NJ – The BlueClaws, by popular demand, have opened a new period of virtual interviews for gameday positions at the ballpark this summer!

Positions are available in a wide variety of departments: Custodial Services (Post-Game Cleaning Crew, In-Game Cleaning Crew), Concourse Level Food & Beverage (Cashiers, Food Runners, Cooks, Picnic Area Attendants, and more), Suite Level Food & Beverage (Food Runners and Party Deck Attendants), Back-of-House Food & Beverage (Day and Night Warehouse), Retail Operations (Cashiers, Sales Floor, Hawkers), Grounds (Grounds Crew), Game Day Operations (Parking Attendants, Bat Boys, Kids Zone Attendants), Production (Camera Operators, Instant Replay), and Promotions (Claws Crew, On-Field Emcee).

“We’ve been excited over the last few weeks to add more and more energetic individuals to our team for the upcoming season,” said Kayla Reilly, BlueClaws Director of Events & Operations. “We look forward to interviewing even more applicants and to join our BlueClaws family heading into another great season.”

How To Apply:

Click here to apply for an open position in Custodial Services:

· Post-Game Cleaning Crew

· In-Game Cleaning Crew

Click here to apply for an open position in Food & Beverage:

· Concourse Level Food & Beverage

o Cashiers

o Food Runners

o Cooks (Portables, Back of House, Prep, etc.)

o Picnic Area Attendants

· Suite Level Food & Beverage

o Food Runners

o Party Deck Attendants

· Back-of-House Food & Beverage

o Day and Night Warehouse

Click here to apply for all other open Game Day positions:

· Retail Operations

o Cashiers

o Sales Floor

o Hawkers

· Grounds

o Day and Night Grounds Crew

· Operations

o Parking Attendants

o Bat Boys

o Kids Zone Attendants

· Production

o Camera Operators

o Instant Replay

· Promotions

o Claws Crew

o On-Field Emcee

A BlueClaws representative will be in touch schedule a virtual interview to take place between February 7th and 18th.

With any questions, please email **[email protected]**.

All positions are part-time and begin with on-boarding and training in March with Opening Night set for April 8th. Positions run through the team’s last home game in September, though there is opportunity for additional work at team and ballpark events as needed. Applicants must be at least 16 years of age by April 1st and pass a background check. Nights and weekends are required.

Each position starts at $13 per hour.

The BlueClaws are the Jersey Shore’s top stop for affordable, family entertainment. Since their 2001 inception, the BlueClaws have drawn over 7.8 million fans to FirstEnergy Park.

The BlueClaws will enter 2022 in their second season as both the Jersey Shore BlueClaws and as the High-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. Opening Night at the Jersey Shore is Friday, April 8th against the Aberdeen IronBirds. 2022 ticket packages and group outings are currently on sale by calling 732-901-7000 option 3 or online at BlueClaws.com.

-Jersey Shore BlueClaws-

National Platform Adds To MiLB’s Inclusion Efforts Through America’s Pastime

NEW YORK, NY, Feb. 1, 2022 —Minor League Baseball® (MiLB™) today announced the launch of “The Nine,” a new, Black-community focused outreach platform specifically designed to honor and celebrate the historic impact numerous Black baseball pioneers made on the sport, provide new opportunities for youth baseball and softball participation, further diversify the business of baseball, and embrace millions of passionate fans throughout MiLB’s 120 communities nationwide.

Named for the number Jackie Robinson wore during his only season playing in MiLB with the Triple-A Montreal Royals in 1946, The Nine will connect MiLB teams’ existing, Black-community focused development efforts with new national programming and future special events in a coordinated and centralized campaign. The new inclusion initiative follows MiLB’s Copa de la Diversión Latino fan engagement platform introduced in 2017 that included 76 MiLB teams in 2021.

The Nine will recognize and honor numerous Black pioneers and trailblazing civil rights leaders in all 120 MiLB communities, ensuring the heroes of the past and their contributions continue to be celebrated through ceremonies and events at MiLB ballparks and in the community. Recent tributes and celebrations have included Negro Leagues commemorative games honoring the Austin Black Senators in Round Rock (TX), the Bradenton (FL) Nine Devils, and Page Fence Giants near Lansing (MI). Additional tribute games are being planned for the 2022 season and beyond.

“The Nine will shine bright spotlights on these successful initiatives and transform them into national campaigns reaching more fans and communities, further showcasing our teams’ commitment to representing, honoring, and welcoming all fans to MiLB’s unique brand of fun,” said Kurt Hunzeker, MLB’s Vice President of Minor League Business Operations. “The Nine is just the latest example of MiLB teams being true community champions.”

In addition to player- and team-related content, The Nine will focus heavily on creating new opportunities for youth participation among young Black boys and girls, particularly in communities where youth baseball and softball programming is either nonexistent or difficult to access.

Central to this youth-focused push is a planned expansion of Major League Baseball’s Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) Program throughout MiLB’s national footprint. New competitions in MLB’s Pitch, Hit & Run and Junior Home Run Derby event series will also debut in MiLB markets beginning in 2022.

MiLB teams will continue to build relationships with local Black-owned and operated businesses, local artists and entertainers in an effort to embrace Black culture and make MiLB ballparks a hub for culturally relevant concerts, shows, and community events.

With several MiLB teams having a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) in their community, opportunities will be provided for those schools to start internship and mentorship programs with their local team, creating opportunities for on-the-job experience for students prior to entering the job market. Additionally, MiLB recently partnered with TeamWork Online to create a more inclusive virtual job fair and ongoing talent pipeline that aims to recruit and position qualified and ready-for-hire candidates from across the country for potential management- and executive-level roles within MiLB team front offices.

MiLB’s ‘The Nine’: Top Black Players in Atlanta Braves Triple-A History

In celebration of Black History Month and Minor League Baseball’s launch of “The Nine,” teams across MiLB are taking a look back at five of the best Black players to suit up for their franchise.

Black players have held a starring role in every era of Atlanta Braves Triple-A history, from Tommie Aaron, Dusty Baker, and Ralph Garr in the early days of the Richmond Braves in the 1960’s and 70’s, to Gerald Perry, Lonnie Smith, and Tony Tarasco of the 80’s and 90’s Richmond teams, to Stefan Gartrell, Travis Demeritte, and Touki Toussaint of the more recent Gwinnett clubs.

Recognizing the five best Black players in Richmond and Gwinnett’s combined 56-year history is no easy task, but the players below all have one thing in common: they left lasting marks in the Triple-A record books.

5: Stefan Gartrell (2011-13)

Stefan Gartrell blasted 54 career home runs with Gwinnett from 2011 to 2013.
Karl L. Moore

Gartrell is the lone entrant on the list from the Gwinnett era. The prolific slugger ranks among Gwinnett’s career leaders in home runs (2nd, 54), doubles (4th, 63), runs (4th, 166), and RBI (4th, 180) since 2009. He bashed 25 long-balls and drove in 91 runs in 116 games during the 2011 season with the G-Braves, earning him selection to the International League Postseason All-Star team. Those 25 clouts are tied for eighth-most in a single season in franchise history.

Gartrell returned to launch 20 homers in 2012 and nine more in 2013 before ultimately calling it a career. Of his 137 career minor league clouts over eight professional seasons, nearly 40% came in a Gwinnett uniform. Despite his prodigious power, the San Francisco, CA native never reached the Majors.

4: Bill Robinson (1966)

In Richmond’s inaugural year of existence as the Braves’ Triple-A affiliate in 1966, Robinson became the franchise’s very first International League Postseason All-Star. The McKeesport, PA native batted .312 with 30 doubles, four triples, 20 home runs, 86 runs, and 79 RBIs in 139 games, helping the R-Braves reach the Governors’ Cup Finals.

To date, Robinson still ranks among franchise single-season leaders in hits (T-3rd, 159), and total bases (7th, 257). He went on to play a 16-year Major League career with the Braves, the New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, and Pittsburgh Pirates from 1966-83.

3. Gerald Perry (1982-83, 1986)

Gerald Perry was named an International League Postseason All-Star in 1983 and 1986.
Richmond Braves Archives

Perry’s accomplishments in three seasons with Richmond are numerous. As a Triple-A rookie in 1982, he became the third player in franchise history to hit for the cycle (May 12 vs. Tidewater) and ranked among franchise single-season leaders in RBIs (T-6th, 93), walks (8th, 91), and runs (T-8th, 94). Perry returned to the R-Braves in 1983 and again in 1986, and earned International League Postseason All-Star honors both years, making him one of only three players in franchise history to win twice.

The Savannah, GA native played 353 total games with Richmond, batting .311 (5th-best in franchise history) with 73 doubles, 17 triples, 38 homers, 244 runs, and 238 RBIs. He went on to a 13-year Major League career with the Braves (1983-89), Kansas City Royals (1990), and St. Louis Cardinals (1991-95).

2. Ralph Garr (1969-70)

After playing for the R-Braves from 1969-70, Garr returned to the team as a coach from 1985-87.
Richmond Braves Archives

Garr is quite simply the greatest hitter for average in Atlanta Braves Triple-A history, thanks to his franchise-record .356 career batting average with Richmond. He is the only player in franchise history to win two International League Batting Titles, accomplishing the feat in each of his two seasons with the R-Braves (.329 in 1969, franchise-record .386 in 1970). Garr also led the IL in stolen bases both years (63 in 1969, 39 in 1970) as he earned consecutive selections to the IL Postseason All-Star Team.

Following a 13-year Major League career with the Atlanta Braves (1968-75), Chicago White Sox (1976-79), and California Angels (1979-80), Garr returned to Richmond as a coach from 1985-87 and was part of the 1986 Governors’ Cup Championship club. The Monroe, LA native was elected to the IL Hall of Fame in 2008.

1. Tommie Aaron (1966-67, 1971-72, Manager from 1977-78)

Tommie Aaron hoists the Governors’ Cup as manager of the 1978 International League champion Richmond Braves.
Richmond Braves Archives

The younger brother of baseball icon Hank Aaron, Tommie Aaron became a legend in his own right as the only man in International League history to earn league Most Valuable Player honors and manage a Governors’ Cup champion. The Monroe, AL native hit .309 as the IL MVP in 1967, helping the Richmond Braves capture their first IL pennant. Ten seasons later, he became the league’s first Black manager. In just his second season at the helm, Aaron led Richmond to their first Governors’ Cup Championship in 1978.

Aaron also played 437 games over a seven-year Major League career with the Milwaukee Braves (1962-63) and Atlanta Braves (1968-71). He and Hank still hold the MLB record for most combined home runs by brothers (768, 13 by Tommie and 755 by Hank).

Aaron’s number 23, originally retired by Richmond in 1985 shortly after his passing in 1984, remains retired by Gwinnett. In 2008, he joined Garr in being elected to the IL Hall of Fame.

Honorable Mentions:

Albert Hall (1982-83, 1985-86)

Hall is the greatest speedster in Atlanta Braves Triple-A history, ranking among record holders in career stolen bases (1st, 186), triples (2nd, 32), and runs (6th, 302) following his two stints with Richmond. He owns two of the franchise’s top four single-season triples totals (franchise-record 15 in 1982, T-4th with 11 in 1983), two of the top five single-season runs totals (franchise-record 120 in 1983, T-5th with 97 in 1982), and three of the top seven single-season steals totals (2nd with 72 in 1986, 4th with 62 in 1982, and T-7th with 46 in 1983).

Hall’s quickness helped him become the second player in franchise history to hit for the cycle on May 3, 1982 at Syracuse. The Birmingham, AL native went on to play parts of nine Major League seasons with Atlanta (1981-88) and Pittsburgh (1989).

Larry Whisenton (1976-81, 1983-85)

Whisenton is the king when it comes to longevity, having played a franchise-record 773 games over parts of nine seasons with Richmond. He was in the R-Braves’ Opening Day starting lineup in six of those years (1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984).

Though he was never selected to an IL Postseason All-Star team, Whisenton did reach the 100-hit plateau in three different seasons, including a 114-hit campaign as a 21-year-old in 1978 and 121 hits in his final full Triple-A season in 1981. His 657 career hits stood as a franchise record until 2021, when he was surpassed by Gwinnett’s Sean Kazmar Jr. (675). In addition to games and hits, Whisenton ranks among the franchise’s top five hitters in triples (1st, 46), runs (1st, 392), RBIs (2nd, 308), walks (3rd, 432), at-bats (3rd, 2,505), and stolen bases (4th, 93).

Drafted by Atlanta in the second round in 1975, the St. Louis, MO native went on to a 116-game Major League career with the Braves (1977-79, 1981-82).

Curve Join Minor League Baseball in Celebration of Black History Month 

In celebration of Black History Month, throughout February, teams across Minor League Baseball are taking a look back at five of the best Black players to suit up for their club.

While some of these standout performers went on to long and illustrious Major League careers, others simply had great Minor League careers or, in some cases, just one incredible season that went down as “a year for the ages.”

Here is a look at five of the best Black baseball players ever to suit up for your Altoona Curve.

LHP Shane Youman (2004-06)

Easily one of the best pitchers of the first ten seasons of Curve baseball, left-hander Shane Youman turned in one of the best seasons on the mound in Altoona Curve history. A native of New Iberia, Louisiana, Youman was selected in the 43rd round by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2001 MLB Amateur Draft.

A lefty reliever at the outset of his professional career, Youman steadily climbed the Pirates minor league system by serving as the closer at Short-Season Williamsport, Single-A Hickory and High-A Lynchburg in his first three seasons. In 2004, Youman arrived for the playoff push in Altoona and threw a scoreless inning in the postseason aiding the Curve to their first appearance in the Eastern League Championship series.

Youman returned to Altoona for Opening Day in 2005 and quickly settled into a high-leverage relief role for Manager Tony Beasley and the Curve. The 2005 Curve were one of the Eastern League’s top teams combining a powerful hitting core with several future major leaguers on the mound. At the plate, Josh Bonifay and Jose Bautista sent baseballs into orbit all summer long, combining for 48 home runs, driving in speedsters Rajai Davis and Rich Thompson; who each set the franchise record with an Eastern League best 45 stolen bases.

On the mound, Youman joined future major leaguers Tom Gorzelanny, Matt Capps and Paul Maholm to lead the Curve to the postseason. Youman finished the regular season tied for third on the team with 44 appearances, including five starts, and recorded a 3.92 ERA. Youman made one start in the 2005 Eastern League Playoffs against the Akron Aeros, allowing three runs in four innings pitched, a series taken by the Aeros in five games.

Youman returned to Altoona in 2006 and turned in one of the best seasons in Eastern League history. With a dramatic cut in his walk rate from the season before, Youman set the Curve’s single-season franchise record for lowest ERA in a season with a 1.51 mark. As he swung between the bullpen and starting rotation, the crafty left-hander allowed just 92 baserunners (70 hits, 20 walks, 1 intentional walk, 1 hit by pitch) and struck out 64 batters in a swing role between the bullpen and rotation, totaling 95.1 innings pitched. All told he appeared in 23 games for the Curve and made 11 starts before earning a promotion to Triple-A Indianapolis.

The 2006 campaign finished in Pittsburgh for Youman where he made his major league debut on September 10, 2006 with a start against the Cincinnati Reds. Despite being charged with a loss, Youman allowed just three runs in 5.1 innings pitched. Youman would pitch in five games and make three starts for the Pirates at the tail end of the 2006 season allowing just seven runs in 21.2 innings, recording a 2.91 ERA. Youman would go on to make 16 appearances, eight starts, for the Pirates in 2007, going 3-5 with a 5.97 ERA.

While his major league career spanned only 79 career innings in Pittsburgh, Youman’s pro career was just taking off as he would spend the next ten years playing all over the world. Youman spent four seasons in the Atlantic League before earning his first overseas opportunity with Lamigo in the Chinese Professional Baseball League in 2011. After seven dominant starts in the CPBL, the Lotte Giants of the Korean Baseball Organization took notice and signed Youman for the 2012 season where he quickly emerged as one of the league’s best. With a 2.55 ERA in 28 starts, good for third-best in the KBO, Youman led a late-season surge into the postseason for the Giants. After a thrilling victory in a four-game series with Doosan in the quarterfinals, Lotte lost a hard-fought five-game series with SK Wyverns in the semifinals. Youman would go on to spend four seasons in the KBO where he went 42-27 with a 3.99 ERA.

A 15-year professional career wrapped up for Youman following 13 starts in the Venezuelan Winter League in 2016-17 where he was still effective to the tune of a 4.15 ERA at age 36. All told, the left-hander threw more than 1700 innings as a professional and recorded a 3.87 career ERA.

OF Rajai Davis (2005)

Pittsburgh found a diamond in the rough late in the 2001 MLB Amateur draft when the Pirates selected outfielder Rajai Davis in the 38th round out of Division-III UConn-Avery Point. Davis, a native of nearby New London, CT, used blazing speed to become one of the best outfielders in the Pirates minor league system and quickly rose to prominence for his exploits on the base paths combined with a patient, contact-oriented approach at the plate.

By the time Davis arrived in Altoona for the 2005 campaign, he already had a pair of 40 stolen base seasons under his belt and had established himself as a .300 hitter at the lower levels of the Pirates minor league system. Davis kept the good times rolling with the Curve and combined with Rich Thompson to create havoc on the basepaths. Davis and Thompson both stole 45 bases during the 2005 season, tops in the Eastern League, to lead Altoona to a third straight playoff appearance. Named to the Eastern League All-Star team, the Curve missed Davis’ presence in the postseason after he was placed on the Injured List in late-August and missed the rest of the campaign. Davis finished his lone season in Altoona with a team-best 140 hits and 82 runs scored in 123 games played.

Davis’ speed combined with his contact-oriented approach at the plate would serve him well as he went on to a 14-year major league career with Pittsburgh, San Francisco, Oakland, Toronto, Detroit, Cleveland, Boston and the New York Mets. Davis made his major league debut on August 14, 2006 with a pinch-hit appearance against the Milwaukee Brewers in a 4-2 Pirates victory. Like many young players, his first two seasons in the majors saw him shuttle back and forth between the major league club and Triple-A. Davis totaled 44 games in a Pirates uniform, batting .242 with three doubles, one triple and six stolen bases, and his speed allowed him to make highlight reel plays in the outfield. As the trade deadline arrived in the summer of 2007, the San Francisco Giants came calling and acquired Davis, along with a player to be named later, for righty Matt Morris. Davis played 51 games down the stretch of the 2007 season for San Francisco and batted .282 with 17 stolen bases. His performance helped establish him as a reliable contributor in the outfield that would put him in demand at the major league level.

Davis moved to the American League and into a starting role with the Oakland Athletics after they claimed him off waivers prior to the 2008 campaign. While patrolling center field for the A’s for three seasons, he compiled a .283 average and stole 120 bases in 381 games. Davis went on to spend three seasons in Toronto before advancing to the postseason for the first time in his major league career with Detroit in 2014. Led by a veteran core at the plate with future Hall of Famer Miguel Cabrera in the middle of the order, Davis combined to man center field with Austin Jackson and helped lead the Tigers to an AL Central Division title.

Despite a sweep at the hands of the Baltimore Orioles in the 2014 Division Series, Davis would soon write his name into the history books when found himself back in the thick of the playoff chase with AL Central rival Cleveland in 2016. On July 2, 2016, Davis became the eighth player in Major League history to hit for the cycle in reverse. Facing off against his former teammates in Toronto, Davis homered to lead off the game, tripled in the third inning, doubled in the sixth and singled in the ninth to finish off the cycle. As the Indians surged to their first World Series appearance since 1997, Davis played a massive role in the Fall Classic; a seven-game thriller with the Chicago Cubs. With Cleveland trailing by two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning and just four outs away from elimination, Davis swatted a 2-2 offering from Chicago’s Aroldis Chapman over the wall in left field to tie the game at 6-6. The Cubs went on to win break the Curse of the Billy Goat with a victory in extra innings.

Following the heartbreaking loss in the 2016 World Series, Davis signed a free agent deal with the Oakland Athletics and found himself back in the postseason the very next year as an extra outfielder for the Boston Red Sox after they acquired him up at the 2017 Trade Deadline. Despite making just one plate appearance in the postseason, Davis complimented Jackie Bradley Jr. in center field providing a right-handed platoon and maintained a veteran presence in the clubhouse that had several young stars including Mookie Betts, Andrew Benintendi, Xander Bogaerts and Rafael Devers.

Davis’ 14-year major league career wrapped up following another season with Cleveland in 2018 and the New York Mets in 2019. All told he played in 1,448 major league games batting .262 with 62 home runs, 387 runs batted in and 415 stolen bases. Prior to the 2021 season, Davis accepted a role with Major League Baseball as Senior Director, On-Field Operations overseeing the Northeast region.

OF Andrew McCutchen (2006-07)

One of the most popular players in Altoona’s franchise history, Andrew McCutchen has gone onto a brilliant major league career with Pittsburgh, San Francisco, New York (AL) and Philadelphia.

Drafted 11th overall in 2005 by the Pirates out of Fort Meade HS in Fort Meade, Florida, McCutchen immediately became one of the top prospects in the organization and overall, in baseball. Prior to the 2006 season, Baseball America named McCutchen the #50 prospect in the minors as he embarked on his first full-season campaign as a professional, opening the season with Single-A Hickory where he was named an SAL All-Star and earned a late-season promotion to Altoona. Reaching Double-A as a 19-year-old, McCutchen continued his dominance at the plate by hitting .308 in the final 20 games of the regular season and aiding the Curve to a fourth straight postseason appearance. Despite being the youngest player to suit up for the Curve at 19 years, ten months and five days, McCutchen picked up four hits in a five-game postseason series with Akron; a series won by the Aeros with a 5-2 decision in the decisive fifth game.

McCutchen returned to Altoona as the Opening Day Center Fielder and immediately put together an All-Start worthy campaign in the Eastern League. Named as a top-15 prospect in the minors by both Baseball America and Baseball Prospectus, McCutchen showed off an impressive power/speed combination with 33 extra base hits and 17 stolen bases in 118 games while batting .258 with a .327 on-base percentage while playing as one of the youngest players in the league. At just 20 years-old, McCutchen was named an Eastern League All-Star and earned a promotion to Triple-A Indianapolis late in the season. Combined in 2007, he batted .265/.329/.388 with 11 home runs and 21 stolen bases. After the season he played for the Phoenix Desert Dogs of the Arizona Fall League and was named a Rising Star and to the AFL’s All-Prospect Team.

After a Futures Game appearance in 2008, McCutchen finally reached Pittsburgh to make his Major League debut after 49 games in Indianapolis to start the 2009 campaign. Following a June 3 trade of center fielder Nate McLouth to Atlanta, the Pirates recalled McCutchen and he singled in his first career at bat off Mets starter Mike Pelfrey to begin a two-hit day at the plate and lead the Pirates to an 11-6 win at PNC Park. McCutchen’s rookie campaign saw him finish fourth in the National League Rookie of the Year voting after he batted .286/.365/.471 with 26 doubles, nine triples, 12 home runs and 54 runs batted in.

McCutchen blossomed into one of the National League’s brightest stars in his nine seasons in Pittsburgh. 2011 marked the first of five consecutive All-Star Game selections, four Silver Slugger Awards, a 2012 Gold Award and in 2013 he earned the National League MVP Award; becoming the first Pirate to claim the award since Barry Bonds in 1992. McCutchen secured 28 of 30 first place votes in the MVP voting batting a sensational .336 from April 30 to the end of the regular season, the best mark in the league. McCutchen was one of three National League players to rank in the top-seven in batting average (.307), on-base percentage (.404), and slugging percentage (.508) and led the Pirates to their first postseason appearance since 1992, defeating Cincinnati in a one-game Wild Card Playoff before meeting fellow NL Central rival, St. Louis in the Divisional Round. The Cardinals pitching staff proved to be too much for Pittsburgh, who could manage only two runs over the final two games of the series, in a five-game series. McCutchen and the Pirates remained one of the NL’s best teams in 2014 earning a second straight postseason appearance, but again ran into elite pitching as San Francisco’s Madison Bumgarner delivered a four-hit shutout at PNC Park to lead the Giants to an 8-0 win over the Pirates in the National League Wild Card Game.

A model of consistency, McCutchen homered at least 20 times in each of his final seven seasons with the Pirates. In nine seasons total in the Steel City, McCutchen batted .291/.379/.487 with 203 home runs in 1,346 games. Prior to the 2018 season, the final year of a six-year contract extension he signed before the 2012 campaign, the San Francisco Giants acquired McCutchen and cash considerations for righty Kyle Crick, outfielder Bryan Reynolds and International Bonus Slot Money.

McCutchen’s name rings loudly in the Pirates record books, standing in the top-10 in franchise history in home runs (4th), doubles (9th), RBI (10th), extra-base hits (7th), and walks (7th) as well as the 2015 Roberto Clemente Award; given annually to the Major League player who best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community involvement and the individual’s contribution to his team. McCutchen also ranks first in PNC Park history in hits (751), home runs (92) and runs batted in (357).

After splitting the 2018 campaign between San Francisco and the New York Yankees, McCutchen signed a three-year free agent contract with the Philadelphia Phillies. A promising 2019 season was cut short due to a torn ACL though McCutchen bounced back with 19 extra base hits in the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign that saw him take the field for 57 of a possible 60 games for the Phillies who just narrowly missed the postseason. In 2021, McCutchen turned in his most powerful campaign since 2017 with 27 home runs and 52 extra base hits in 144 games with Philadelphia.

The now 35-year-old outfielder is a free agent after playing 1,761 games across 13 major league seasons. He holds a career batting line of .280/.373/.476 with 270 home runs, 933 runs batted in and 197 career stolen bases.

IF Josh Harrison (2010)

A native of Cincinnati, Ohio native, Harrison was selected by the Chicago Cubs in the 6th round of the 2008 Amateur Draft out of the University of Cincinnati. As the 2009 trade deadline approached, the Pirates acquired Harrison in a five-player deal that sent pitchers John Grabow and Tom Gorzelanny to Chicago.

The Pirates identified a speedy player with a versatile glove on the infield and a knack for making solid contact that would blossom into an All-Star contributor for their playoff teams in the mid 2010’s. After finishing off the 2009 season with a Carolina League Championship at High-A, Harrison opened the 2010 season in Altoona with many of his same teammates and immediately established himself as one of the Eastern League’s best hitters.

On Opening Day 2010, Altoona was greeted by a prospect-laden roster that included four of the Pirates Top-10 prospects according to Baseball America and eight of the Top-30 overall prospects. It was also a roster that had veteran talent, and it proved to be the perfect mix to get Altoona off to a nearly perfect start as the club started the season 7-1, a drastic turnaround after starting 2009, 0-8.

Included in those first eight games was one day where everything seemed to fall into place for a memorable afternoon at BCB. After the first three games of the season were played under dreary cold conditions, mother nature opened the skies for a perfect 67-degree day on April 11th when the national spotlight turned to Altoona for the first professional start of Harrisburg Senators phenom Stephen Strasburg. More than 70 media members from around the country and upwards of 7,800 people came to watch the professional debut of the heralded Strasburg on the picture-perfect day in Curve, Pa. The Curve managed to get four runs off the future Major League All-Star but fell 6-4 to the Senators.

Harrison bounced between second and third base that season on the field. He went on to knock 156 hits, tied for the fourth-most in a single season in Curve history. He also set the record for the most doubles in a game with four on June 27 against Bowie. He was selected as an Eastern League Mid-Season All-Star.

The Curve remained at the top of the Western Division standings throughout the summer and eventually finished the season with an 82-60 record, the second-most wins in a season in franchise history and the team’s second-ever division title.

Bouncing between second and third base, Harrison finished off the regular season with an even .300 average, 33 doubles, three triples, four home runs and 75 runs batted in. He added 19 stolen bases and played a significant role in Altoona’s push toward the Eastern League Championship. After defeating the Harrisburg Senators in four games, the Curve overcame another Major League All-Star on the mound, New York Yankees left-hander Andy Pettitte, in the opening game of the Eastern League Championship Series and secured their first title in franchise history. During the playoff run, Harrison recorded a team-best 11 hits in eight postseason games and homered three times, matching Chase D’Arnaud and Jordy Mercer for the team lead.

Harrison began the 2011 season with Triple-A Indianapolis and got the call to Pittsburgh for the first time on May 31, 2011 and suited up against the New York Mets, going 2-for-4 with an RBI. His debut season saw him work mostly in a bench role with 65 appearances on the diamond, showcasing a versatile glove and a solid approach at the plate.

After shuttling back and forth between Indianapolis and Pittsburgh, Harrison finally took hold of an everyday spot in the starting lineup in 2014. Named to the National League All-Star team that summer, Harrison batted .315 with a career-high 38 doubles, 13 home runs and 52 runs batted in. Harrison’s season finished the season ninth in the MVP voting helping the Pirates to an appearance in the National Wild Card Game. His .315 batting average was second-best in the National League, just behind Colorado’s Justin Morneau.

Harrison picked up a second National League All-Star selection in 2017 with a slight bump in the power department, smashing a career-best 16 home runs, and finished his eighth season with the Pirates in 2018. A .317 hitter in his time in the Steel City, Harrison has since appeared with the Detroit Tigers, Washington Nationals and Oakland Athletics. Headed into his age-34 season in 2022, Harrison has played in more than 1,000 major league games and holds a career batting average of .277. He is currently a free agent after finishing off the 2021 campaign with 48 appearances with the Athletics.

1B Josh Bell (2015)

A native of Irving, Texas, first baseman Josh Bell roared through the Pirates minor league system and quickly established himself as one of the top power hitters in the National League.

Selected by the Pirates in the second round (61st overall) of the 2011 draft, Bell quickly emerged as one of the top prospects in the Pirates minor league system and in his first full season of professional baseball was named a South Atlantic League Mid-Season and Post-Season All-Star with the West Virginia Power. Bell batted .279 with a league-best 37 doubles, two triples, 13 home runs and 52 runs batted in to lead the Power to a Northern Division title and an 82-58 record under future Curve Manager Michael Ryan.

Bell began his 2014 campaign at High-A Bradenton and immediately established himself as one of the leagues best. In a league that was notoriously difficult for young power hitters, Bell grew his game at the plate and found a more contact-oriented approach that led to a third-place finish in batting average (.335) and a 13th place finish in on-base percentage (.385) to go with 20 doubles, four triples ad nine home runs. Named a Mid-Season Florida State League All-Star, Bell earned a late-season promotion to Altoona and batted .284 with seven runs batted in in 24 games. For his outstanding efforts, Bell was named the Pirates Minor League Player of the Year, an award he would claim a second time in 2016.

The 2015 Curve opened the season with high expectations as Bell, Tyler Glassnow, Chad Kuhl and Adam Frazier highlighted the star-studded group. Bell, a consensus top-60 prospect in minor league baseball according to multiple outlets, starred in the middle of the order. At age 22, Bell put together another All-Star worthy campaign, earning a selection to the Eastern League’s Mid-Season All-Star team, hosted bt the Portland Sea Dogs at Hadlock Field. Bell would also earn a spot in the Futures Game; played in Cincinnati. His 2015 season in Altoona found its way into the record books with a .307 average, the best mark in a single season in franchise history by a switch-hitter. Teaming with Adam Frazier, the Curve had two players bat .300 during the season (minimum 300 plate appearances) for just the fourth time in franchise history. While Bell became one of 12 Curve players to earn a promotion to Triple-A Indianapolis during the season, Altoona reached the postseason for the first time since 2010. Under the direction of Manager Tom Prince, Bowie eliminated Altoona in four games, capping off a season in which the Curve had its highest attendance total in nine seasons. The campaign earned the Eastern League’s nomination for the John H. Johnson President’s Award, the top honor in Minor League Baseball.

After spending much of the 2016 season in Triple-A, Bell reached Pittsburgh to make his major league debut. That season saw 14 different Curve alumni make their MLB debut including Alen Hanson, Jameson Taillon, Jacob Stallings, Adam Frazier, Chad Kuhl, Steven Brault, Tyler Glasnow, and Max Moroff all debuting with Pittsburgh. Bell made his debut on Friday, July 8, 2016 in an 8-4 win over the Chicago Cubs with a pinch-hit single off Jake Arrieta in the bottom of the seventh inning. Bell would go on to play 45 games in his rookie season with Pittsburgh, batting .273 with a .368 on-base percentage and three home runs.

Bell grew into the starting role in 2017 and blossomed into the one of the National League’s best young players. At just 24 years old, he swatted 26 home runs, good for second-most among NL rookies and his steady presence in the middle of the Pirates order helped him drive in 90 runs and earn a third-place finish in the NL Rookie of the Year voting. Bell’s 24th home run of the season set the record for most home runs by a rookie switch hitter in major league history.

After managing just 12 home runs in the 2018 season, Bell found his stroke in 2019 and capitalized on his massive power potential. Bell became the fourth player in PNC Park history to hit a ball directly into the Allegheny River on May 8. Just two weeks later he hit another home run into the river as part of dazzling month at the plate. Bell earned the National League Player of the Month in May of 2019 after hitting .390/.442/.797 with 12 doubles, 12 home runs, 31 runs batted in and 11 walks in 29 games played. Bell became the third player in NL history to log at least 12 doubles and 12 home runs in a single calendar month, joining Hall of Famers Hank Aaron (July 1961) and Frank Robinson (July 1961). Bell’s month of May also saw him record three multi-homer games, the first Pirate to do so since Brian Giles in August 1999.

Bell was named to his first Major League All-Star Game in the summer of 2019. Leading the league with 70 runs batted in and in extra base hits with 54, Bell became the first Pirates first baseman to be named an All-Star since Jason Thompson in 1982.

While the Pirates sagged in the standings, Bell managed to put the finishing touches on an outstanding campaign in 2019. He finished the season ninth in the league with 37 home runs and sixth in the league with 116 runs batted in. Overall, he hit .277/.367/.569 with 37 doubles, three triples and a .936 OPS which ranked tenth-best in the league.

Following a down 2020 season, the Washington Nationals acquired Bell in exchange for RHP Wil Crowe and RHP Eddy Yean and he bounced back with 27 home runs and a .260 average in his first season with the Nats. Through six major league seasons, Bell has hit 113 home runs and holds a .261 career batting average.

CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY MONTH

 

In celebration of Black History Month, throughout February, teams across Minor League Baseball are taking a look back at five of the best Black players to suit up for their club.

While some of these standout performers went on to long and illustrious Major League careers, others simply had great Minor League careers or, in some cases, just one incredible season that went down as “a year for the ages.”

Here is a look at five of the best Black baseball players ever to suit up for the Modesto Nuts.

2B Joe Morgan (’63)

Hall-of-Famer Joe Morgan is a NorCal native that began his pro career in Modesto. Morgan went to Castlemont High School in Oakland. He played at Cal Sate – East Bay and Merritt College before he was signed. Over 45 games with Modesto in 1963, Morgan hit .263 while slugging .434. Morgan would reach the big leagues and make his debut later that season as a 19-year-old for the Houston Colt .45s.

Morgan would be inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1990. He was a two-time MVP, a two-time World Series champion, a ten-time all-star and a five-time Gold Glove winner.

OF Reggie Jackson (’66)

Hall-of-Famer Reggie Jackson spent 56 games in Modesto during his first season as a professional. The second overall pick in the 1966 draft went on to provide one of the most spectacular displays of power in franchise history. As a 20-year-old, Jackson smashed 21 home runs in just 56 games. It was a rate of one home run per 11.5 at-bats. The very next season, he made his Major League debut with the Kansas City A’s.

Jackson went on to become one of the greatest sluggers the game has ever seen. He crushed 563 career home runs. He was the 1973 MVP, a 14-time all-star, and a five-time World Champion.

Rickey Henderson (’77)

Hall-of-Famer Rickey Henderson was drafted in the 4th round of the 1976 draft out of Oakland Technical High School. The next year he made his full-season professional debut in Modesto. He put on a show for the California League. He hit .345 and stole 95 bases in 134 games. Just two years later he made his Major League debut at the age of 20 with the Oakland A’s.

Henderson was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2009. He set the Major League record for stolen bases with 1,406 during his career. He was a ten-time all-star and a two-time World Series Champion.

OF Kyle Lewis (’17-’18)

After being underrecruited out of high school, Lewis attended Mercer University where he electrified college baseball. In 2016, Lewis hit .395 and slugged .731 while crushing 20 home runs in 61 games. Lewis won the Golden Spikes Award that year which is awarded to college baseball’s top player each season.

Later during the 2016 season, Lewis suffered a devastating knee injury at the end of the minor league season that kept him out for an entire year. He would return from the knee injury in June of 2017 with the Modesto Nuts but reaggravated it after just two games. Lewis would return to Modesto again in July. He was able to stay healthy the rest of the year and was an integral part of the Nuts run to the 2017 California League Championship.

Lewis would return to Modesto in 2018 for 49 games where he hit .260 with five home runs. He made his Major League debut in 2019. In 2020, Lewis was named the A.L. Rookie of the Year after batting .262 with 11 home runs in 58 games during the pandemic shortened season for the Mariners.

RHP Reggie McClain (’17-’19)

Reggie McClain was selected in the 13th round of the 2016 draft out of the University of Missouri. The next season he joined Modesto and earn all-star honors after an electrifying first half. McClain spent the entire season pitching in the Nuts’ rotation on a team that won the First Half North Division Championship. That squad would later go to a perfect 6-0 run through the postseason on the way to their first California League Championship since 2004.

McClain returned to Modesto in 2018 but struggled to repeat the same success over 23 starts. Finally, during the winter of ’18-’19, McClain went to the Mariners “Gas Camp” where he added almost ten miles an hour to his fastball. McClain spent a third straight opening day with Modesto at the start of the 2019 season but this time he was working out of the bullpen throwing heat. He quickly zoomed through the Mariners MiLB system until he made his Major League debut on August 2nd, 2019.