This 'KALEctible' is More Than an Action Figure
It was just a normal day at Segra Park for Ryan MacAdams and Andrew Ellison, a Corporal and Officer at the Richland County Sherriff’s Department. They decided to come to attend the Fireflies first home game since August of 2019, have a couple of beers and socialize with other friends
It was just a normal day at Segra Park for Ryan MacAdams and Andrew Ellison, a Corporal and Officer at the Richland County Sherriff’s Department. They decided to come to attend the Fireflies first home game since August of 2019, have a couple of beers and socialize with other friends they would run into at the game.
After a few innings, they found out that one of their friends was sitting near Columbia’s bullpen, so they moved and noticed a bullpen arm begin to warm-up.
As McAdams remembers it, “We started making some comments to Kale while he was catching and he started to laugh and shake his head, interacting with us.” That Kale in the bullpen is catcher Kale Emshoff, who has played in 11 of the first 18 games for the Columbia Fireflies. The game was anything but just another game for the backstop from Robstown, Texas.
After his senior season at The University of Arkansas at Little Rock was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the Pre-Season All-Sun Belt Selection did what he knew best and went home to work at the family farm.
While there, Kale does “anything my dad tells me to.” The 6’2, burly catcher chuckles. That mostly includes driving the tractor round and round. Then when this last harvest came around, he had the opportunity to drive the grain buggy, which takes the grain from the combine at the farm to the 18 wheelers that ship them out.
As July rolled around, it was time for the draft, a moment where Kale would certainly get picked up by a team and he could start his journey as a professional baseball player. Then, May 8, two months to the day from Emshoff’s final game with the Little Rock Trojans, Major League Baseball announced that they were shortening the draft from 40 rounds to five rounds.
A .417 average in 17 games with seven homers, including one in his final game, against Southern Miss was good, but it wasn’t enough to get the backstop picked up in the shortened draft format. So how did the farmer find himself on the Royals farm, rather than on the soil in Texas?
In a way, it was a blessing that everything was shortened, because Emshoff had over 25 offers to choose from. “Because I didn’t get selected with the draft being shortened due to COVID, I literally got to hand-pick the team I got to go to.” The Fireflies catcher recalls.
It all started with a visit from Royals’ scout Matt Price. Price stressed that the Royals were all about being a family and that players weren’t just players to the coaches and staff, but they were members of the larger Kansas City Royals Family.
The more Emshoff looked into the organization, the more he realized that it matched his mentality and work ethic, a work-ethic that he brought with him from the family farm to Little Rock to Columbia.
His college coach, Chris Curry, said, “Kale is one of my all-time favorites. He was having a Player of the Year Season before COVID shut down his senior year, but he is one of those guys who would come in early and stay late every day. The thing I appreciated most was that he didn’t do that for him. He led through his body language and his positivity each day.”
After signing with Kansas City, it was time for the Texan to start planting for the summer and he also had to prepare for Spring Training. That created an unimaginable schedule for most. “I was getting up at 6 or 6:30 every morning to walk over to the barn and start checking out the tractor.” Emshoff remembers. “Then when my Dad got off work around 6 or 7 at night, he would hop on the tractor and let me get to lifting or baseball and whatever I needed to do to prepare.”
That brings us back to May 11, after nearly 14 months from his last game in college, the former-Trojan was in the bullpen for his night off warming up a pitcher. It was the first time he put on a uniform in front of a home crowd as a professional baseball player.
He remembers a group of guys who were chirping him a bit at the start of the game, telling him “Good job, Kale!” on small things he was doing behind the dish. “Then our pitcher started throwing balls in the dirt, and I started picking them with my glove. That made those guys get more rowdy. They were screaming ‘Let’s go!’ and they were getting really pumped.”
The officers and the catcher met after the game and became friends. Kale even took a picture with the fans, who prior to parting ways told him that they were going to make t-shirts and a fan section honoring the backstop.
“I thought. Yeah, okay. There’s no way that that’s going to happen, but then they came back with the shirts and their whole family and I just thought, wow. This is crazy.” Emshoff says.
As the officers left the stadium that night, they came up with the name “The KALEctibles” for the fan club. “We knew that he was an undrafted free agent out of Arkansas Little Rock.” Officer Andrew Ellison explains, “We were hoping that it might give him some encouragement to keep doing big things.”
Of course, the group could have picked any player to start a fan club for, but MacAdams contends that “He interacted with us on social media after the game, and that was when we decided to make the fan club. It was the fan-centered approach to the whole situation that made us all like him from the start.”
It’s the blue-collar hard-working attitude that helped the officers of the Richland County Sherriff’s department resonate towards the farmer, and that attitude is helping him continue to be successful in the Low-A East League.
Just like the grain that Emshoff harvests in the offseason, the club started off small, with just four members, but after the first home slate, the group was already up to around 20 members. As for Kale and his journey, through the team’s first 18 games, he leads the Fireflies with 14 RBI and has a .277 average in 47 at-bats. He’s continuing to grow and learn while with the Royals, and that leadership is still shining through in the Fireflies club house.
Reflecting on the off-season with Kansas City and his first month on the Royals farm Kale tells, “I can easily say that I made the right choice.”
Fireflies Earn Fifth Shutout in Front of Sellout Crowd
COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Columbia Fireflies pitching staff continued to roll, as they got their second shutout of the week and their fifth of the season in front of a sellout crowd of 7,402 Friday night at Segra Park. Yunior Marte had another strong start for Columbia. The righty spun
Pitching Delivers Another Strong Outing in 1-0 Loss
COLUMBIA, S.C. — After a two-hour delay, both pitching staffs delivered strong outings as the Fireflies lost 1-0 to the Augusta GreenJackets Thursday night at SRP Park. Augusta got on the board in the bottom of the first inning. Eric Hartman got things started. The second baseman laced a double
Fireflies Get First One Hitter Since 2019 in Augusta
COLUMBIA, S.C. — David Shields, Henson Leal, Dash Albus and Julio Rosario combined to throw Columbia’s first nine inning one hitter since 2019 in a 3-0 win over the Augusta GreenJackets Wednesday night at SRP Park. David Shields had another stellar start Wednesday. The southpaw retired the first 10 batters
Homestand Preview: July 4-6
COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Fireflies return home for one of the biggest weekends of the year! Celebrate July 4 with three baseball games complete with three firework shows, a giveaway and a great way to cool down to close out the week at Segra Park. Ticket Links and Information Fourth
Stellar Pitching, Early Offense Lead Cola to 6-2 Win
COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Fireflies used six runs in the first five innings to put away the GreenJackets 6-2 Tuesday night at SRP Park. Josi Novas got the Fireflies on the board in the top of the second inning. Hyungchan Um and Milo Rushford drew back-to-back one out walks to
Fireworks with the Philharmonic Rescheduled to July 3
COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Columbia Fireflies announced today that they are rescheduling their annual Fireworks with the Philharmonic event to Thursday, July 3 due to forecasted rain showers and thunderstorms for Wednesday evening. All tickets sold for the event will still be honored Thursday. The timing for the event will
Season Ticket Renewals Open with Playoff Ticket First Access
COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Columbia Fireflies announced today that beginning tomorrow, July 1, current season ticket members can renew their 2026 Season Ticket Memberships and receive first access to purchase 2025 Carolina League playoff tickets for all potential home games at Segra Park—before tickets go on sale to the general
Four-Run Fourth Not Enough in 8-7 Loss
COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Fireflies scored four runs off a pair of homers in the fourth, but it wasn’t enough to take home the series finale as Columbia dropped Sunday’s contest 8-7 to the Myrtle Beach Pelicans at Segra Park. The Pelicans pushed ahead in the eighth as an Owen
Fireflies Get Third Shutout of Season in 3-0 Win
COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Fireflies got their third shutout of the 2025 season in a 3-0 victory over the Myrtle Beach Pelicans Saturday night at Segra Park. It was Columbia’s first shutout since May 26, when they blanked the Fayetteville Woodpeckers 3-0 behind David Shields, Fraynel Nova and Dash Albus.
Fireflies Welcome Two Millionth Fan Friday
COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Columbia Fireflies welcomed their two millionth fan in club history Friday night, as the team lost 4-1 to the Myrtle Beach Pelicans at Segra Park. Hank Thompson from Rock Hill, South Carolina bought his family tickets to see their first-ever Fireflies game as a present for
McNair’s Walk-Off Blast Gives Columbia 3-2 Win
COLUMBIA, S.C. — With two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, Brennon McNair lifted his eighth homer of the 2025 season to beat the Myrtle Beach Pelicans 3-2 in walk-off fashion. The homer was Columbia’s seventh walk-off win of the season, their second via the homer. It was
Rain Calls Game Wednesday at Segra Park
COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Fireflies fell 3-0 to the Myrtle Beach Pelicans across five innings in a rain-shortened game Wednesday night at Segra Park. The tarp came on the field at 8:21 and never left the field as weather finished the game early. The Pelicans got on the board in
Fireflies To Celebrate Two Millionth Fan Friday
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Fresh off of securing its first playoff berth in franchise history, the Columbia Fireflies today announced that they will welcome its two millionth fan to Segra Park during their Friday, June 27 game against the Myrtle Beach Pelicans. To celebrate hitting the milestone in the club’s eighth
Silva Strikes Out the Side in 12-1 Loss
COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Columbia Fireflies fell 12-1 to the Myrtle Beach Pelicans Tuesday night at Segra Park, but the game was not without excitement. Catcher Gabriel Silva entered the game in the ninth and got three swinging strikeouts in his second scoreless outing of the 2025 season. The Pelicans
Segra Park Brings Back Tacos & Margarita Festival
COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Columbia Fireflies today announced the return of their Taco & Margarita Festival slated for Saturday, October 4 from 12-5 pm at Segra Park. In 2024, the event sold out, so fans will want to buy their tickets early to ensure access to the annual festival. In
Homestand Preview: June 24-29
COLUMBIA, S.C. — After taking the First Half South Division title, the Columbia Fireflies return home for the first time for a six-game set with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (Class-A, Chicago Cubs). During the week the Fireflies will host their annual First Responders Night Friday with guest appearances from members
Fireflies Drop Back-and-Forth Finale 6-5
ZEBULON, N.C. — The Fireflies lost a back-and-forth game 6-5 in walk-off fashion to the Carolina Mudcats Sunday at Five County Stadium. The Fireflies got a rally in the top of the ninth inning. Brennon McNair drew a lead-off walk and came around on a Henry Ramos double to tie
Gonzalez Sets Franchise Mark in 7-6 Loss
ZEBULON, N.C. — Columbia’s centerfielder Asbel Gonzalez had a career night. He finished a homer shy of the cycle and had four steals as the Fireflies lost 7-6 to the Carolina Mudcats Saturday night in Zebulon. The biggest moment of the night came in the third. After Gonzalez singled to
Wyatt Excels in 3-0 Loss to Mudcats
ZEBULON, N.C. — The Fireflies bats were held at-bay by the Carolina Mudcats in a 3-0 loss Friday night at Five County Stadium. The Mudcats broke the scoreless tie with two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Jose Anderson led the inning off with a double. After Hiro
The Fireflies Are Headed To The Postseason
ZEBULON, N.C. — The Columbia Fireflies relied on early offense and a great start from David Shields as the club beat the Carolina Mudcats 6-3 in a rain-shortened seven inning game at Five County Stadium. With the win, the Fireflies clinched their first playoff berth in team history. The first
Magic Number Shrinks to One With 5-Run Ninth
ZEBULON, N.C. — The Columbia Fireflies batted around in the ninth to score five to upset the Carolina Mudcats 7-4 at Five County Stadium. With the win, Columbia’s magic number was trimmed to one to clinch their first playoff berth in team history. Stone Russell led the ninth off with
Red, White & Bluey Ticket Specials Now Available
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Today the Columbia Fireflies announced a pair of special ticket offers available for fans for the second half of the 2025 season. The team is offering a Red, White and Bluey two-game ticket package for a pair of our biggest games of the second half. The package
Late Rally Falls Short in 3-2 Loss
COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Columbia Fireflies fell 3-2 despite a late rally against the Carolina Mudcats Tuesday night at Five County Stadium. Derlin Figueroa doubled to start off the ninth. After that, Hyungchan Um drew a walk to bring the tying run to the plate with nobody out. After a
Gonzalez Steal Home, Fireflies Win 3-2
COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Columbia Fireflies used Asbel Gonzalez’s steal of home to beat the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers 3-2 in Sunday’s series finale at Segra Park. Columbia maintained their position atop the South Division standings with three games left in the half. Asbel Gonzalez set the tone for Columbia Sunday.
Doubleheader Sweep Vaults Fireflies to First
COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Columbia Fireflies swept the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers with a pair of walk-off wins Saturday night at Segra Park. Hyungchan Um was the hero in game one, mashing a double to right-center to produce a 5-4 win for the Fireflies. Then in game two, Asbel Gonzalez was