This pitcher gave so many haircuts his team added a barber chair to the clubhouse
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from his newsletter -- which he reported on from Madison, Ala., on June 19 -- is one of those stories. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here. Victor Mederos, a
AFL's Saguaros have the best record -- and the best celly
SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Watching Chase DeLauter hit a double can be a thing of beauty. And at the Arizona Fall League this season, the entertainment didn't stop when he got to second. MLB's No. 41 prospect, as well as his Surprise Saguaros teammates, would strike a saguaro cactus-like pose to
This Minors team takes concessions very seriously -- watch out for the grasshoppers
This is an excerpt from The Baseball Traveler Newsletter, formerly known as Ben's Biz Newsletter, delivering Minor League Baseball business and culture news to your inbox each and every Thursday. Check out the full newsletter and background on the name change HERE.
'Big Apples' alternate identity makes Yankees' affiliate New York to the core
The Hudson Valley Renegades, seeking to celebrate core aspects of their home state, planted a seed that has now borne fruit. At a gala event on Friday morning, the New York Yankees' High-A affiliate unveiled their "Big Apples" alternate identity. New York state is the second-largest producer of apples in
This Minors park offers heavenly pretzels, Cubs prospects and very clever fans
This is an excerpt from the latest edition of the Ben's Biz Beat Newsletter, bringing Minor League Baseball business and culture news to your inbox each and every Thursday. Check out the full newsletter HERE.
This Midwestern city's Minor League park set the standard
This is an excerpt from the latest edition of the Ben's Biz Beat Newsletter, bringing Minor League Baseball business and culture news to your inbox each and every Thursday. Check out the full newsletter HERE. The following ballpark road trip recap is presented by Wyndham, proud sponsor of Minor League
Here are 10 of the top Minor League jerseys in 2024
Fans typically buy a sports jersey because of who's wearing it. But in the Minor Leagues, what’s on a jersey can often mean so much more. Teams have a way of making fans part of franchises by bringing local culture into their jersey and theme nights. “It's taking pride in
This Minor League ballpark is full of personality -- even during a rainout
This is an excerpt from the latest edition of the Ben's Biz Beat Newsletter, bringing Minor League Baseball business and culture news to your inbox each and every Thursday. Check out the full newsletter HERE. The following ballpark road trip recap is presented by Wyndham, proud sponsor of Minor League
Holy Toledo! A baby dinosaur crashed this MiLB ballpark visit
This is an excerpt from the latest edition of the Ben's Biz Beat Newsletter, bringing Minor League Baseball business and culture news to your inbox each and every Thursday. Check out the full newsletter HERE. The following ballpark road trip recap is presented by Wyndham, proud sponsor of Minor League
Come along on a visit to a Dodgers affiliate during 'The Office' Night
This is an excerpt from the latest edition of the Ben's Biz Beat Newsletter, bringing Minor League Baseball business and culture news to your inbox each and every Thursday. Check out the full newsletter HERE. The following ballpark road trip recap is presented by Wyndham, proud sponsor of Minor League
A night visiting the Whitecaps is a classic Minor League experience
This is an excerpt from the latest edition of the Ben's Biz Beat Newsletter, bringing Minor League Baseball business and culture news to your inbox each and every Thursday. Check out the full newsletter HERE. The following ballpark road trip recap is presented by Wyndham, proud sponsor of Minor League
Which MiLB identity was the best of 2024?
The 2024 MiLB Awards Show will be broadcast on MLB Network on Sept. 30 at 9 p.m. ET, and YOU have a say in which team will go home winners of the Best Alternate Identity category. Voting is open here until Sept. 23 at 5 p.m. ET. And, of course,
Maine's MiLB team played as -- of course -- the Lobster Bakes
PORTLAND, Maine -- They'd played as the Whoopie Pies. They'd played as the Bean Suppahs and the Clam Bakes. They'd played as the Red Snappers. In keeping with the food-based alternate identity craze that began sweeping Minor League Baseball more than 10 seasons ago, the Portland Sea Dogs have paid
Greensboro's ballpark offers new skyline views, classic MiLB vibes
This is an excerpt from the latest edition of the Ben's Biz Beat Newsletter, bringing Minor League Baseball business and culture news to your inbox each and every Thursday. Check out the full newsletter HERE. The following ballpark road trip recap is presented by Wyndham, proud sponsor of Minor League
Four Cards clubs celebrate walk-off Wednesday
Talk about doing it The Cardinal Way. The St. Louis club has long prided itself on its organizational philosophy for building winners. On Wednesday night, the Cardinals and their affiliates proved that everyone is still on the same page. In a fun bit of baseball symmetry, four Cardinals teams each
Rehabbing Max Muncy, meet Aviators' Max Muncy
Professional baseball has finally achieved Maximum Muncy. At long last, the sport's two infielders named Max Muncy -- improbably born exactly 12 years apart and completely unrelated -- finally met and played in the same game, an eventual 10-8 victory by rehabbing Muncy's Triple-A Oklahoma City over prospect Muncy's Las
The weirdest, wackiest stats from the past month
Welcome to Crooked Numbers, a monthly column dedicated to Minor League Baseball on-field oddities and absurdities. The edition, rounding up the month of July, features intra-organizational no-nos, wild romps, unexpected mound dominance and, of course, much more. Keeping track of this type of thing is a team effort, so get
Altoona throws curves on Extreme Difficulty Night
Some days, nothing comes easy. On Friday night, the Double-A Altoona Curve celebrated the tough times with "Extreme Difficulty Night," a promotion that tested the limits of human speed, strength, intelligence and willingness to embrace futility. "It came from when our roving camera guy and I were walking around during
Lucky 13: FCL Marlins nab just that many bases
On the Fourth of July, the proverbial fireworks were on the basepaths in Florida. The Marlins’ Rookie-level Florida Complex League team stole a staggering 13 bases in Thursday's 7-3 win over the FCL Mets at the Roger Dean Stadium complex. Eight players had at least one steal with 19-year-olds Jose
Chestnut crushes concessions for a cause
When you go out to a Minor League Baseball game, it's a good idea to show up hungry. Maybe nobody is more familiar with this wisdom than Joey Chestnut, the 16-time champion of the annual Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest. On Saturday night, Chestnut brought his appetite to a Toledo
These are the best May ballpark promos
Welcome to Promo Preview, a monthly compendium of Minor League Baseball promotions to look forward to. May's highlights include nonagenarian icons, Mardi Gras sweets, reinterpretations of local disasters and, of course, much more. Let's get to it.
Will 2024 be the tastiest season of all-time?
Baseball develops some of its best elements in the Minor Leagues, from the talent of players, to ballpark promotions to rule changes. That also extends to food. Of course, you can get all your favorites -- Cracker Jacks, hot dogs, cotton candy, beer, cola and all the rest -- at
Hold up! Minors has long history of strange delays
Come out to the ballpark on any given day, and there’s no telling what you might see. Or might not see. For instance, a baseball game played as scheduled from start to finish. Nobody hopes for a delay, but the possibility does add a certain spontaneity. And is there any
Ballpark chef brings Italian touch to concessions
ALLENTOWN, Pa. -- The 2023 season was Alessandro Buccino’s first as executive chef for the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. This despite the fact that, for most of his life, he never gave any thought to a career in the food service industry. But, then again, he also hadn’t thought that he'd
Check out 10 of Mike Veeck's zaniest promotions
The Saint of Second Chances, a new documentary now streaming on Netflix, traces Mike Veeck’s professional implosion and resurrection. The implosion was caused by Disco Demolition Night, an infamous disaster that Veeck staged in 1979 while serving as promotions director for the Chicago White Sox (a team then owned by