Get to know the teams in the Double-A South
As the 2021 season approaches, MiLB.com introduces the 11 leagues created by the restructuring of Minor League Baseball across four levels of play. Below is a team-by-team introduction to the Double-A South, including affiliation, previous circuit and most recent championship. (Note: "Established" refers to the first year of a team's
As the 2021 season approaches, MiLB.com introduces the 11 leagues created by the restructuring of Minor League Baseball across four levels of play. Below is a team-by-team introduction to the Double-A South, including affiliation, previous circuit and most recent championship. (Note: "Established" refers to the first year of a team's continuous operation in that market regardless of league or level.) Learn about other leagues here: Triple-A East, Triple-A West, Double-A Northeast, Double-A Central.
Old meets new in the eight-team Double-A South as the Rocket City Trash Pandas make their long-awaited debut May 4 in Chattanooga against the Lookouts -- a historic franchise with one of the oldest monikers in baseball. Rocket City's home opener at brand-new Toyota Field is slated for May 11.
The Birmingham Barons, who celebrate their own rich history by playing one game each season at century-old Rickwood Field, also will compete in the Double-A South's North Division. Rounding out that group are the Tennessee Smokies, who trace their roots back to 1932.
Familiar foes also converge in the South Division as the Biloxi Shuckers, Mississippi Braves, Montgomery Biscuits and Pensacola Blue Wahoos were close rivals in the Southern League. Established in 2005, the Biscuits are the oldest club of the bunch, followed closely by the M-Braves (2005) with the Blue Wahoos (2012) and Shuckers (2015) being relative newcomers.
North Division
BIRMINGHAM BARONS
Affiliate: Chicago White Sox (since 1986)
Location: Birmingham, Alabama (629 miles from Guaranteed Rate Field)
Ballpark: Regions Field (opened April 10, 2013)
Established: 1981 (the Barons also played in Birmingham from 1901-65; baseball in Birmingham dates back to 1885)
Previous league: Double-A Southern League
Last championship: 2013
Did you know? NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan spent his lone Minor League season with the Barons in 1994, when they played in the Birmingham suburb of Hoover, Alabama.
CHATTANOOGA LOOKOUTS
Affiliate: Cincinnati Reds (since 2019)
Location: Chattanooga, Tennessee (360 miles from Great American Ball Park)
Ballpark: AT&T Field (opened April 10, 2000)
Established: 1976 (the Lookouts also played in Chattanooga from 1885-86, 1901-02, 1909-61 and 1963-65)
Previous league: Double-A Southern League
Last championship: 2017
Did you know? Named for nearby Lookout Mountain, the Lookouts' nickname dates back to 1885. Only the Buffalo Bisons (1877) have a longer history.
ROCKET CITY TRASH PANDAS
Affiliate: Los Angeles Angels (since 2020)
Location: Madison, Alabama (1,992 miles to Angel Stadium)
Ballpark: Toyota Field
Established: 2018
Previous league: Double-A Southern League
Last championship: None
Did you know? Though they announced their space-themed name and logos in 2018, the Trash Pandas are still waiting to play their inaugural game.
TENNESSEE SMOKIES
Affiliate: Chicago Cubs (since 2007)
Location: Kodak, Tennessee (564 miles to Wrigley Field)
Ballpark: Smokies Stadium (opened April 20, 2000)
Established: 2000 (the franchise traces its history back to the 1932 Knoxville Smokies)
Previous league: Double-A Southern League
Last championship: 2004
Did you know? Although Smokies Stadium is approximately 15 miles north of Dollywood -- the amusement park owned by country music superstar Dolly Parton -- the biggest crowd in its history came for another music legend: Jimmy Buffett Night, June 17, 2017.
South Division
BILOXI SHUCKERS
Affiliate: Milwaukee Brewers (since 2015)
Location: Biloxi, Mississippi (991 miles from Miller Park)
Ballpark: MGM Park (opened June 6, 2015)
Established: 2015
Previous league: Double-A Southern League
Last championship: None
Did you know? Due to construction delays, the Shuckers did not play their first home game of the 2015 season until June 6, opening their inaugural season with a 54-game road trip.
MISSISSIPPI BRAVES
Affiliate: Atlanta Braves (since 2005)
Location: Pearl, Mississippi (381 miles from Truist Park)
Ballpark: Trustmark Park (opened April 18, 2005)
Established: 2005
Previous league: Double-A Southern League
Last championship: 2008
Did you know? When Drew Waters won the Southern League MVP in 2019, he was the first M-Braves player ever to claim that honor.
MONTGOMERY BISCUITS
Affiliate: Tampa Bay Rays (since 2004)
Location: Montgomery, Alabama (493 miles from Tropicana Field)
Ballpark: Montgomery Riverwalk Stadium
Established: 2004 (previous Montgomery clubs date back to 1892)
Previous league: Double-A Southern League
Last championship: 2007
Did you know? A portion of Montgomery Riverwalk Stadium's structure is a refurbished train shed that extends down the first-base line. Before that site had been home to a train shed, it was a cotton depot-turned-Confederate military prison.
PENSACOLA BLUE WAHOOS
Affiliate: Miami Marlins (since 2021)
Location: Pensacola, Florida (674 miles to Marlins Park)
Ballpark: Blue Wahoos Stadium (opened April 5, 2012)
Established: 2012 (previous Pensacola clubs date back to 1903)
Previous league: Double-A Southern League
Last championship: 2017
Did you know? Professional golfer and former Masters champion Bubba Watson is a part-owner of the Blue Wahoos.
Celebrate Memorial Day Weekend with the Shuckers, Bluey and Bingo
BILOXI, MS – Celebrate Memorial Day Weekend with the Biloxi Shuckers at Keesler Federal Park from May 20-25 as they take on the Knoxville Smokies, Double-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs! Throughout the week, fans can access the Corona Premier Tiki Bar, right field beach area and Schooner’s Splash Zone
Lara's Career-Day Leads Shuckers to Series Win Over Smokies
BILOXI, MS – Luis Lara set a season-high with three hits and set a new career-high with four RBI as the Biloxi Shuckers (27-17) defeated the Knoxville Smokies (20-22), 8-5, to clinch a series win at Keesler Federal Park on Saturday night. During the game, the Shuckers transformed into the
Shuckers Ride Kuehner's Dominant Start to 3-1 Win Over Smokies
BILOXI, MS – The Biloxi Shuckers (26-17) rode another great start from Tate Kuehner for a 3-1 win over the Knoxville Smokies (20-21) at Keesler Federal Park on Friday night. With the win and a Pensacola Blue Wahoos loss, the Shuckers have opened a three-game lead in the South Division,
Wichrowski Strikes Out Six, Boeve Drives in Both Runs in 2-1 Shuckers Win
BILOXI, MS – Mike Boeve drove in both runs with a two-RBI single in the fifth, leading the Biloxi Shuckers (25-17) to a 2-1 win over the Knoxville Smokies (20-20) at Keesler Federal Park on Thursday night. Shuckers’ starter Brett Wichrowski also starred with a season-high six strikeouts and 12
Shuckers Fall to Smokies in Wild, 8-6, Affair
BILOXI, MS – The Biloxi Shuckers (24-17) fell to the Knoxville Smokies (20-19), 8-6, at Keesler Federal Park on Wednesday night. Despite the loss, Brock Wilken continued his hot May with a two-RBI double and starter Alexander Cornielle lowered his ERA to 1.93 after allowing one run over 5.1 innings.
Spain's 3-RBI Night Leads Shuckers to 4-3 Win over Smokies
BILOXI, MS – Behind Garrett Spain’s three-RBI night, the Biloxi Shuckers (24-16) earned a win over the Knoxville Smokies (19-19), 4-3, in the series opener on Tuesday night at Keesler Federal Park. With the win, the Shuckers now sit in first place by themselves, a game up on the Pensacola
Shuckers Fall to Biscuits, 4-1, in Series Finale in Montgomery
MONTGOMERY, AL – The Biloxi Shuckers (23-16) fell to the Montgomery Biscuits (21-17), 4-1, at Riverwalk Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Despite the loss, the Shuckers split the series with the Biscuits, extending their streak to five consecutive series without a loss. The Biscuits struck first with a first-inning home run
Kuehner, Shuckers Flirt with No-Hitter in 6-3 Win over Biscuits
MONTGOMERY, AL – Tate Kuehner dominated with 5.2 no-hit innings and Stiven Cruz brought the no-hit bid into the eighth as the Biloxi Shuckers (23-15) defeated the Montgomery Biscuits (20-17), 6-3, at Riverwalk Stadium on Saturday night. With the win, the Shuckers secured at least a series split with a
Shuckers Suffer Walk-Off Loss to Biscuits
MONTGOMERY, AL – The Biloxi Shuckers (22-15) fell to the Montgomery Biscuits (20-16), 4-3, on a walk-off sacrifice fly in the ninth inning at Riverwalk Stadium on Friday night. The loss marked the Shuckers’ first walk-off loss of the season. The Biscuits opened the game with a solo home run
Boeve's 4-RBI Night Leads Shuckers to League-Leading 22nd Win
MONTGOMERY, AL – The Biloxi Shuckers (22-14) used a four-RBI night from Mike Boeve and a Zavier Warren’s 34th career home run in a Shuckers uniform for a 9-3 win over the Montgomery Biscuits (19-16) at Riverwalk Stadium on Thursday night. Through the first three games of this week’s series
Warren Ties Career-High with 4 Hits, Wilken Makes History in Shuckers' Loss
MONTGOMERY, AL – Despite a four-hit night from Zavier Warren and Brock Wilken’s record-setting 10th home run of the year, the Biloxi Shuckers (21-14) fell to the Montgomery Biscuits (19-15), 7-4, at Riverwalk Stadium on Wednesday night. Warren’s four-hit night tied his career high and marked a career-best at the
Pratt's First inning Home Run Sets Stage for Shuckers Dominant 10-4 Win
BILOXI, MS – The Biloxi Shuckers (21-13) tied their season high with 10 runs and 11 walks in a dominant 10-4 win over the Montgomery Biscuits (18-15) at Riverwalk Stadium on Tuesday night. With the win, the Shuckers extended their win streak to six consecutive games and have won 20
Wilken's 3-Hit, 3-RBI Day Lifts Shuckers to Win in Series Finale
BILOXI, MS – The Biloxi Shuckers (20-13) earned their third win across 24 hours and their fifth consecutive win, 5-1, over the Pensacola Blue Wahoos (19-14) at Keesler Federal Park on Sunday afternoon. With the win, the Shuckers earned sole possession of first place in the South Division for the
Dominant Doubleheader Sweep Pulls Shuckers Into First-Place Tie
BILOXI, MS – The Biloxi Shuckers (19-13) recorded their second consecutive doubleheader sweep over the Pensacola Blue Wahoos (19-13) and pulled into a tie for first place in the South Division. The Shuckers, who stretched their win streak to four straight and have won 18 of 24, won 4-1 in
Shuckers, Blue Wahoos Postponed on Friday
BILOXI, MS – The Biloxi Shuckers and Pensacola Blue Wahoos were postponed on Friday at Keesler Federal Park due to rain. The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader on Saturday, May 10 at 5:05 p.m. Gates will open at 4:30 p.m. and both games will be
Shuckers Announce 2025 Promotions, Giveaway and Theme Nights
BILOXI, MS – The Biloxi Shuckers have announced daily promotions, giveaways and theme nights for the team’s 10th anniversary season, set to begin at Keesler Federal Park on Tuesday, April 8 at 6:05 p.m. against the Columbus Clingstones. The promotional schedule is highlighted by multiple premium giveaways, including a Shuckers
Shuckers Outscore Blue Wahoos 15-2 in Doubleheader Sweep
BILOXI, MS – Across two games, the Biloxi Shuckers (17-13) outscored the Pensacola Blue Wahoos (19-11) 15-2, out-hit them 15-6, recorded nine extra-base hits, including four home runs, and saw 323 pitches in a sweep at Keesler Federal Park on Thursday night. The Shuckers' offense exploded in game one for
Shuckers, Blue Wahoos Postponed on Wednesday
BILOXI, MS – The Biloxi Shuckers and Pensacola Blue Wahoos were postponed on Wednesday at Keesler Federal Park due to rain. The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader on Thursday, May 8 at 5:35 p.m. Gates will open at 5:00 p.m. and both games will be
Pratt Makes Defensive Web Gem, Records Two Hits, Shuckers Fall to Blue Wahoos
BILOXI, MS – Despite a multi-hit effort from Cooper Pratt and a hit in Mike Boeve’s return to the lineup for the first time since August 2024, the Biloxi Shuckers (15-13) fell to the Pensacola Blue Wahoos (19-9), 6-1, at Keesler Federal Park on Tuesday night. The game marked Boeve’s
Wilken's Fifth Homer, Dominant Pitching Lead Shuckers to Win in Finale
COLUMBUS, GA – The Biloxi Shuckers (15-12) built an early advantage and cruised to a 6-1 win over the Columbus Clingstones (9-17) at Synovus Park on Sunday afternoon. With the win, the Shuckers earned a 5-1 series win, scoring 43 runs during the week. The 43 runs are tied for
7-Run 8th Inning Lifts Shuckers to Wild Comeback Win
COLUMBUS, GA – It took a seven-run seventh inning, but the Biloxi Shuckers (14-12) clinched their third consecutive series win with an 8-5 victory over the Columbus Clingstones (9-16) at Synovus Park on Saturday night. Since being introduced in 2021, the Shuckers had never won three consecutive six-game series before
Rodríguez's 3 RBI Night, Fitzpatrick's Dominant Outing Leads Shuckers to Wild Win
BILOXI, MS – Behind a three-hit, three RBI night from Ramón Rodríguez, the Biloxi Shuckers (13-12) won a three-hour, seven-minute offensive bonanza, 7-4, over the Columbus Clingstones (9-15) at Synovus Park on Friday night. The game marked the third consecutive game lasting at least three hours for the Shuckers and
Shuckers Fall in Slugfest to Clingstones, 9-5
BILOXI, MS – The Biloxi Shuckers (12-12) fell to the Columbus Clingstones (9-14), 9-5, in a slugfest on Thursday night at Synovus Park in Columbus. The two teams combined for 14 runs, 19 hits, nine walks and four extra-base hits throughout the night. Despite the slugfest, Shuckers’ reliever Stiven Cruz
Shuckers Finish April with 8-5 Win over Clingstones
BILOXI, MS – The Biloxi Shuckers (12-11) used seven hits, 11 walks, four hit batters and home runs from Luke Adams and Zavier Warren to earn an 8-5 win over the Columbus Clingstones (8-14) at Synovus Park on Wednesday night. With the win, the Shuckers have won 11 of their