260 TO THE SHOW: Record Number of Former Fort Wayne Players in MLB in 2021

FORT WAYNE, Ind. — A record number of former Fort Wayne TinCaps and Wizards players appeared on Major League Baseball rosters in 2021. The list of 58 players from the 260 in The Show was headlined by All-Stars Fernando Tatis Jr. (San Diego Padres) and Trea Turner (Los Angeles Dodgers).

Both players shined at Parkview Field before becoming big league stars.

At only 22 years old, Tatis led the National League in home runs with 42. Meanwhile, Turner led all of MLB in batting average (.328) and hits (195). He also paced the NL with 32 stolen bases.

Tatis was merely 18 years old in 2017 when he set Fort Wayne’s franchise record for home runs in a season with 21. Now he’s just the 11th player in MLB history—and the youngest ever—to have a season with 40-plus homers, 30-plus doubles, and 25-plus stolen bases.

As a rookie fresh out of North Carolina State, Turner was a TinCap in 2014. He hit .369 in 46 games with Fort Wayne. In the franchise’s 28-season history, that’s the highest batting for any player with 125 or more at-bats. Turner also stole 14 bases in his time here.

Originally drafted by the Padres in the first round, Turner was traded to the Washington Nationals in 2015. After helping to lead the Nats to the 2019 World Series, Turner was dealt to the Dodgers this year on July 30. He capped off his standout season by winning the final NL Player of the Week Award.

As for pitchers, Max Fried (Atlanta Braves), who called Parkview Field home in 2013, was the NL Pitcher of the Month in September. Despite dealing with injuries in the first half of the season, he finished 9th in the NL in earned run average (3.04). Among American League arms, Corey Kluber (New York Yankees) threw a no-hitter on May 19. Kluber pitched for the Wizards in 2008, a season before the franchise rebranded as the TinCaps.

Josh VanMeter, a 2014-15 TinCap who grew up in nearby Ossian, Ind., played in 112 games for the Arizona Diamondbacks. He swatted six home runs, including a walk-off in the regular season finale. Also representing the region, Matt Wisler of Bryan, Ohio, who pitched for the ’Caps in 2012, appeared with the San Francisco Giants and Tampa Bay Rays. Note that Kevin Kiermaier (Rays) and Zach McKinstry (Dodgers) are from Fort Wayne and played against the TinCaps coming up through Minor League Baseball.

Collectively, the 58 former Fort Wayne players suited up with 26 of MLB’s 30 teams (the only exceptions were the Twins, Tigers, Rockies, and Angels). From the group of 38 pitchers and 20 position players (11 of whom were with Fort Wayne’s parent club, the San Diego Padres), eight were called up to the big leagues for the first time. The previous high number of former TinCaps and Wizards in The Show in a season was 57 in 2019.

Since the Fort Wayne franchise was founded in 1993, a total of 199 players have ascended to the major leagues.

Former Fort Wayne TinCaps/Wizards in MLB in 2021

· C Austin Allen (2016) – Oakland A’s

· LHP Logan Allen (2016-17) – Cleveland Indians

· RHP Pedro Avila (2017) – San Diego Padres

· INF / OF Jake Bauers (2014) – Seattle Mariners / Cleveland Indians

· RHP Anthony Bass (2009) – Miami Marlins

· RHP David Bednar (2016-17) – Pittsburgh Pirates

· RHP Ronald Bolaños (2017) – Kansas City Royals

· RHP Brad Brach (2009) – Cincinnati Reds

· RHP Matt Brash* (2019) – Seattle Mariners

· RHP Matt Bush (2005-07) – Texas Rangers

· C Luis Campusano (2018) – San Diego Padres

· RHP Dylan Coleman* (2018-19) – Kansas City Royals

· OF Franchy Cordero (2014-15) – Boston Red Sox

· RHP Enyel De Los Santos (2016) – Pittsburgh Pirates / Philadelphia Phillies

· RHP Zach Eflin (2013) – Philadelphia Phillies

· INF Ty France (2016) – Seattle Mariners

· LHP Max Fried (2013-14) – Atlanta Braves

· C Austin Hedges (2012) – Cleveland Indians

· OF Travis Jankowski (2012) – Philadelphia Phillies

· INF Sean Kazmar (2004-05) – Atlanta Braves

· RHP Brandon Kintzler (2005) – Philadelphia Phillies

· RHP Corey Kluber (2008) – New York Yankees

· RHP Reiss Knehr* (2018) – San Diego Padres

· RHP Dinelson Lamet (2015) – San Diego Padres

· LHP Eric Lauer (2016) – Milwaukee Brewers

· LHP Wade LeBlanc (2006) – St. Louis Cardinals / Baltimore Orioles

· C Jose Lobaton (2005-06) – Chicago Cubs

· LHP Joey Lucchesi (2016) – New York Mets

· INF / OF Tucupita Marcano* (2019) – San Diego Padres

· LHP Nick Margevicius (2018) – Seattle Mariners

· RHP Phil Maton (2016) – Houston Astros / Cleveland Indians

· RHP Miles Mikolas (2010) – St. Louis Cardinals

· INF Owen Miller* (2018) – Cleveland Indians

· LHP Adrian Morejon (2017) – San Diego Padres

· RHP Andrés Muñoz (2017) – Seattle Mariners

· RHP Chris Paddack (2016) – San Diego Padres

· RHP Luis Patiño (2018) – Tampa Bay Rays

· LHP Oliver Pérez (2001) – Cleveland Indians

· INF / OF Jace Peterson (2012) – Milwaukee Brewers

· RHP Kevin Quackenbush (2011) – Los Angeles Dodgers

· RHP Cal Quantrill (2016) – Cleveland Indians

· RHP Colin Rea (2012-13) – Milwaukee Brewers

· OF Hunter Renfroe (2013) – Boston Red Sox

· OF Franmil Reyes (2014-15) – Cleveland Indians

· C Webster Rivas* (2017) – San Diego Padres

· RHP Joe Ross (2012-13) – Washington Nationals

· RHP José Ruiz (2015) – Chicago White Sox

· INF Eric Sogard (2007) – Chicago Cubs

· RHP Joakim Soria (2006) – Toronto Blue Jays / Arizona Diamondbacks

· INF Fernando Tatis Jr. (2017) – San Diego Padres

· RHP Mason Thompson* (2017-18) – Washington Nationals / San Diego Padres

· INF Trea Turner (2014) – Los Angeles Dodgers / Washington Nationals

· INF Luis Urías (2015) – Milwaukee Brewers

· INF / OF Josh VanMeter (2014-15) – Arizona Diamondbacks

· LHP Ryan Weathers (2018-19) – San Diego Padres

· LHP Brad Wieck (2015) – Chicago Cubs

· RHP Matt Wisler (2012) – Tampa Bay Rays / San Francisco Giants

· RHP Eric Yardley (2014) – Milwaukee Brewers

*First MLB call-up 2021