The best of the Pirates' Minor League ballparks
The Minor League Ballpark Guides series presented by Wyndham brings all the most fun features of Minors ballparks across America (and one in Canada!) onto your desktop, tablet or mobile device, whether you're interested in taking a virtual tour from where you sit or planning a trip to catch some
The Minor League Ballpark Guides series presented by Wyndham brings all the most fun features of Minors ballparks across America (and one in Canada!) onto your desktop, tablet or mobile device, whether you're interested in taking a virtual tour from where you sit or planning a trip to catch some games. Here, we present a roundup of the can't-miss elements from every park in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization.
Unique feature
Bradenton Marauders, Single-A:
The centerpiece of LECOM Park is the 19,000-square-foot boardwalk that spans the whole outfield, and in turn, provides fans with the opportunity to entirely walk around the ballpark. For those looking to enjoy an adult beverage and soak up the sun, there is a tiki bar in right-center field with a view of the action. More »
Must-try concession
Altoona Curve, Double-A:
Attend a game at Peoples Natural Gas Field, and people will likely give you the same recommendation for food: the Curve Burger. A creation so popular that the team offered it as a drive-thru item for sale during the pandemic, the Curve Burger isn’t an outlandish Minor League food, topped with cotton candy or sandwiched in a bun made of donuts. It’s just a good burger, and Altoona faithful swear by it. More »
Most fun mascot
Indianapolis Indians, Triple-A:
Rowdie the bear has been the Indianapolis Indians’ mascot since 1993, when the franchise was a mere 90 years old. His claims to fame, which have not been verified by fact checkers, include putting the “bear” in bear hug and modeling for the first gummy bear mold. More »
Best local attraction
Greensboro Grasshoppers, High-A:
The best known writer to have come out of Greensboro is William Sydney Porter, better known as O. Henry. This prolific short story writer, a master of the ironic twist, is immortalized via a triumvirate of statues in downtown Greensboro (a short walk from the ballpark). More »
Jesse Borek is a reporter/coordinator of prospect content at MLB Pipeline and MiLB. Follow him on Twitter @JesseABorek.