Tuesday, June 24

It’s National Playground Safety Week, so please slide with caution into this week’s edition of the Baseball Traveler newsletter. Let’s talk about Minor League Baseball.

2025 marks my 15th season of Minor League Baseball road trips. The goal, as always, is to celebrate what it is that makes each team unique. My 2025 travels kicked off this past Saturday at FirstEnergy Stadium, home of the Reading Fightin Phils; one of the day’s many highlights was suiting up as the Crazy Hot Dog Vendor’s assistant (we named him the Crazy Hot Dog Bender). 

There’ll be plenty more where that came from! Here are the Minor League ballparks I’ll be visiting over the next four months. Hope to see you at a game this summer.  

HEARTLAND HOP

The Midwest, it’s a big place. I was in Michigan and Ohio last season, and Ohio and Indiana the season before, and Wisconsin and Minnesota the season before that. But it’s been a little while since I was in this particular portion of the Midwest. Looking forward to it!

Thursday, May 1
Omaha Storm Chasers (vs. Indianapolis Indians), 6:35 p.m.
Werner Park; Omaha, NE (Ballpark Guide)
Take Meow’t to the Ballgame
Previous visit: 2015

Friday, May 2
Iowa Cubs (vs. Buffalo Bisons), 7:08 p.m.
Principal Park; Des Moines, Iowa (Ballpark Guide)
Halfway to Halloween
Previous visit: 2015

Saturday, May 3
Cedar Rapids Kernels (vs. South Bend Cubs), 6:35 p.m.
Veterans Memorial Stadium; Cedar Rapids, Iowa (Ballpark Guide)
Twins Night
Previous visit: 2015

Sunday, May 4
Peoria Chiefs (vs. Beloit Sky Carp), 2:05 p.m.
Dozer Park; Peoria, Ill. (Ballpark Guide)
Light switch cover giveaway
Previous visit: 2015

NOTHING'S FINER THAN SOUTH CAROLINA

This itinerary was originally built around the Hub City Spartanburgers, one of four teams playing in a new ballpark this season. I then decided to incorporate Hub City into a different trip incorporating two other new ballparks (see below) while still going ahead with this South Carolina itinerary. Well, mostly South Carolina. I added the Carolina Mudcats, based in Zebulon, N.C., because this will be their final season before relocating to nearby Wilson (and becoming the Warbirds).

Tuesday, May 27
Greenville Drive (vs. Jersey Shore BlueClaws, 6:45 p.m.)
Fluor Field; Greenville, SC (Ballpark Guide)
No promo listed
Previous visit: 2016

Wednesday, May 28
Columbia Fireflies (vs. Fayetteville Woodpeckers, 7:05 p.m.)
Segra Park; Columbia, SC (Ballpark Guide)  
Dog Day of Summer
Previous visit: 2017 (National Eclipse)

Thursday, May 29
Carolina Mudcats (vs. Salem Red Sox, 6:30 p.m.)
Five County Stadium; Zebulon, NC (Ballpark Guide) 
Tacos and Tallboys
Previous visit: 2016

Friday, May 30
Myrtle Beach Pelicans (vs. Augusta GreenJackets, 7:05 p.m.)
Pelicans Ballpark; Myrtle Beach, SC (Ballpark Guide)
Bluey Night
Previous visit: 2016

Saturday, May 31
Charleston RiverDogs (vs. Kannapolis Cannon Ballers, 6:05 p.m.)
Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park; Charleston, SC (Ballpark Guide)
TP Night/Mischief Night
Previous visit: 2017 (Interviewed Bill Murray)

JUNE 11

A special night with the Somerset Patriots, more details will be announced on Friday! Or, as I like to call it, tomorrow! April 25! 

NEW MINOR LEAGUE BALLPARKS OF THE AMERICAN SOUTH

Three of 2025’s new Minor League ballparks are located, broadly speaking, in the South. I found a point on the schedule where the three teams who play at these ballparks were all home at the same time and, voila! An itinerary. These will be the 187th, 188th and 189th ballparks I’ve visited. First time at a new (to me) ballpark since traveling to see the Wichita Wind Surge in July 2022.

The Knoxville Smokies were formerly located in nearby Kodak, where they were known as the Tennessee Smokies. The Hub City Spartanburgers relocated from Kinston, N.C., where they played as the Down East Wood Ducks. The Columbus Clingstones play in Georgia and are not to be confused with the Columbus (Ohio) Clippers. The Clingstones relocated from the Jackson suburb of Pearl, where they played as the Mississippi Braves. 

June 24-25
Knoxville Smokies (vs. Birmingham Barons, 7 p.m.)
Covenant Health Park (Ballpark Guide)
No promos listed

June 26-27
Hub City Spartanburgers (vs. Aberdeen IronBirds, 6:35 p.m.; 7:05 p.m)
Fifth Third Park (Ballpark Guide)
Flip’s Last Resort with “insult hat” and Flip bobblehead giveaway (June 26); Look At This Photo Night (Nickelback theme night, June 27)

June 28-29
Columbus Clingstones (vs. Biloxi Shuckers, 6:05 p.m. and 1:05 p.m.)
Synovus Park (Ballpark Guide)
Beach Towel giveaway (June 28); Sunday Funday (June 29)

SALT LAKE CITY ... AND WELL BEYOND

The first time I went to Salt Lake City, in 2017, it was part of a lengthy trip that included nearly the entirety of the Pioneer League. That circuit is no longer part of the Minor League landscape, making Salt Lake City a most remote Minor League locale. But I need to go back, for the Bees have a new ballpark. And, heck, since I’m going out that way I might make a trip out of it. After a weekend in Salt Lake City, I’ll go on a long Monday drive with GPS coordinates (and my own innate sense of direction) set on Washington state.

July 26-27
Salt Lake City Bees (vs. Albuquerque Isotopes, 7:05 p.m. and 1:05 p.m.)
The Ballpark at America First Square (Ballpark Guide)
Drone Show (July 26); Sunday Brunch (July 27)

July 28
Let me know what stops I should make during the presumably scenic drive between Salt Lake City and Pasco, Wa.

July 29
Tri-City Dust Devils (vs. Vancouver Canadians, 7:05 p.m.)
Gesa Stadium (Ballpark Guide)
No promo listed
Previous visit: 2016

July 30
Spokane Indians (vs. Hillsboro Hops, 6:35 p.m.)
Avista Stadium: (Ballpark Guide)
Dollars In Your Dog
Previous Visit: 2016

AN AWFUL NIGHT IN ALTOONA

The above description features no editorializing on my part. I am making the trip to Altoona’s Peoples Natural Gas Field to see the Curve stage their (more or less annual) Awful Night promotion on August 6. This one holds a personal meaning to me, as my first-ever professional Minor League ballpark visit was to see the Curve’s 2007 iteration of this event. What makes a ballgame awful? Follow along with me and find out!  

OH, HI, OHIO

The Lake County Captains and Akron Rubber Ducks, both Ohio-based Cleveland affiliates, both cultivate high-energy and often quite weird ballpark environments. I’ll end my season of travel with them. It’ll be a good time.

Aug. 22
Lake County Captains (vs. Fort Wayne TinCaps, 7 p.m.)
Classic Park (Ballpark Guide)
Star Wars Night
Previous visit: 2018

Aug. 23
Akron RubberDucks (vs. New Hampshire Fisher Cats, 6:05 p.m.)
Canal Park (Ballpark Guide)
Playing as the Negro League Akron Tyrites; Rita Dove Akron Bicentennial bobblehead giveaway
Previous visit: 2014

Visit MiLB.com to view all 120 Minor League Ballpark Guides, presented by Wyndham Rewards.

If you would like to be a Designated Eater at one of the above ballpark visits -- you know, the fan tasked with eating the stadium concessions that my gluten-free diet prohibits -- then email me. In the subject line please write “Designated Eater” and the team you are interested in, and in the body of the email tell me why you are the person for the job. I’ll choose Designated Eaters within two weeks of the ballpark visit in question, with the exception of my upcoming Midwest trip. That starts next week, so get in touch immediately! 

Thanks for reading. I appreciate you. You can reach out (benjamin.hill@mlb.com) any time.

Contact Benjamin Hill

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