Frederick Keys

Last updated

Frederick Keys
FrederickKeys.PNG Keys cap.PNG
Team logoCap insignia
Minor league affiliations
Class Collegiate summer (2021–present)
Previous classes Class A-Advanced (1989–2020)
League MLB Draft League (2021–present)
Previous leagues
 Carolina League (1989–2020)
Major league affiliations
TeamUnaffiliated (2021–present)
Previous teams Baltimore Orioles (1989–2020)
Minor league titles
League titles (4)
  • 1990
  • 2005
  • 2007
  • 2011
Division titles (5)
  • 1990
  • 2005
  • 2006
  • 2007
  • 2011
Team data
NameFrederick Keys (1989–present)
ColorsBlack, orange, yellow
   
MascotKeyote
Ballpark Nymeo Field at Harry Grove Stadium (1990–present)
Previous parks
 McCurdy Field (1989)
Owner(s)/
Operator(s)
Attain Sports and Entertainment
General managerSlater Fuchs [1]
Manager René Rivera [2]
Website mlbdraftleague.com/frederick

The Frederick Keys are a collegiate summer baseball team of the MLB Draft League. The Keys are based in Frederick, Maryland. The franchise is named for the "Star-Spangled Banner" writer Francis Scott Key, a native of Frederick County. A new team mascot "Frank Key", short for Francis Scott Key, joined the current mascot, a coyote named Keyote, at the beginning of the 2011 baseball season. [3] The Keys were purchased from Maryland Baseball Holding, LLC by Attain Sports and Entertainment in January 2022. [4] Home games are played at Harry Grove Stadium.

Contents

Prior to Major League Baseball's reorganization of the minor leagues following the 2020 season, the Keys were a Minor League Baseball team that served as the Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles from 1989 to 2020. [5]

History

Early professional baseball in Frederick

Frederick was one of the founding members of the Blue Ridge League, which existed from 1915 to 1930. [6] The team, which went by the names of Hustlers, Champs and Warriors, won league championships in 1915 and 1921. Games were played at the Frederick Fairgrounds until 1924 when McCurdy Field was built. With the collapse of the Blue Ridge League in 1931, it would be several decades before professional baseball returned to Frederick.

Frederick players from this era who were major leaguers:

Minor League Baseball (1989–2020)

The team was founded in 1989 when the Baltimore Orioles decided to move their Class A Carolina League affiliate from Hagerstown, Maryland. The city of Frederick convinced the owners of the then-Hagerstown Suns to move the team to Frederick and promised a 4,000-seat stadium to be built for the 1990 season. For the 1989 season, the Keys played at McCurdy Field, a Babe Ruth League stadium, while waiting for the construction of the new stadium to be completed. [7] The Keys opened by losing both ends of a doubleheader (including a seven-inning perfect game by Dennis Burlingame) against the Durham Bulls. [8] Their first win came on April 11, 1989, with a 3–1 victory over the Kinston Indians in the Keys' first-ever home game. [9]

Only two players in Keys history have been transferred directly from Frederick to the Baltimore Orioles (excluding rehab related transfers). On September 3, 1996, Eugene Kingsale's contract was purchased by the Orioles. On June 11, 2005, Jeff Fiorentino's contract was purchased by the Orioles in order to replace the injured Luis Matos.

The 2020 Minor League Baseball season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Keys did not receive an invitation to remain in affiliated baseball as part of the 2021 reorganization of Minor League Baseball, and instead joined the newly-formed MLB Draft League.

Playoff history

Carolina League

Notable former Keys

Several Keys alumni have gone on to play in the major leagues. In their inaugural season, the opening day roster featured several future major leaguers: David Segui, Francisco de la Rosa, Luis Mercedes, Jack Voigt, and Pete Rose Jr. [10]

Other Keys alumni include:

Roster

Frederick Keys roster
PlayersCoaches/Other

Pitchers

  • 39 Valek Cisneros
  • 25 Wyatt Evans
  • 26 Adam Falinski
  • 40 Cooper Foster
  • 50 Jacob Gomez
  • 43 Brayden Kurtz
  • 29 Trevor Long
  • 27 Kaden Moeller
  • 35 Justin Needles
  • 45 Dawson Netz
  • 37 Grant Richars
  • 44 Christian Rodriguez
  • 17 Sempa Shawali Sherican
  • 10 Tom Sun
  • 16 Evan Yates
  • 15 Bradon Zastrow
  • 21 Joe Zhu

Catchers

  • 36 Owen Carapellotti
  • 24 Irvin Escobar
  •  6 Dennis Kasumba
  • 28 Brock Tibbitts

Infielders

  • 46 Cam Clayton
  • 32 Elijah Clayton
  •  3 Brody Fahr
  • 48 Jadyn Fielder
  • 14 Allan Gil-Fernandez
  • 34 Daylan Pena

Outfielders

  •  1 Royce Clayton Jr.
  •  9 JoJo Jackson
  •  7 Tervell Johnson
  • 13 Zech Samayoa
  • 19 Irvin Weems III


Manager

Coaches


Injury icon 2.svg 7-day injured list

~ Development list
# Rehab assignment
∞ Reserve list
‡ Restricted list
§ Suspended list
† Temporarily inactive list
Roster updated June 13, 2024
 Transactions
→ More MiLB rosters

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carolina League</span> Minor League Baseball league

The Carolina League is a Minor League Baseball league which has operated along the Atlantic Coast of the United States since 1945. Having been classified at various levels throughout its existence, it operated at Class A-Advanced from 1990 until its demotion to Single-A following Major League Baseball's 2021 reorganization of the minor leagues. The league temporarily operated for the 2021 season as the Low-A East before reassuming its original moniker in 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Norfolk Tides</span> Minor League Baseball team

The Norfolk Tides are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. They are located in Norfolk, Virginia, and are named in nautical reference to the city's location on the Chesapeake Bay. The team plays their home games at Harbor Park, which opened in 1993. The Tides previously played at High Rock Park in 1961 and 1962, Frank D. Lawrence Stadium from 1961 to 1969, and at Met Park from its opening in 1970 until the end of the 1992 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chesapeake Baysox</span> Minor league baseball team

The Chesapeake Baysox are a Minor League Baseball team located in Bowie, Maryland. They are the Double-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles, and play in the Eastern League. Their home ballpark is Prince George's Stadium. From 1993 to 2024, the team was known as the Bowie Baysox.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bluefield Blue Jays</span> Minor league baseball team

The Bluefield Blue Jays were a minor league baseball team of the Rookie Appalachian League representing the twin cities of Bluefield, West Virginia, and Bluefield, Virginia. The team played their home games at Bowen Field at Peters Park, a historic stadium in Bluefield's city park. The park, which straddles the West Virginia–Virginia state line, was operated by the West Virginia city; however, Bowen Field lies entirely within Virginia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kingsport Mets</span> Minor league baseball team

The Kingsport Mets were a Minor League Baseball team of the Appalachian League from 1921 to 2020. They were located in Kingsport, Tennessee, and were last named for the team's major league affiliate, the New York Mets. The team played its home games at Hunter Wright Stadium which opened in 1995. The Mets previously played at Dobyns-Bennett High School. In 1983, while Dobyns-Bennett's field was being renovated, the team temporarily moved to Sarasota, Florida, and played in the Gulf Coast League as the Gulf Coast League Mets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kinston Indians</span> Minor league baseball team

The Kinston Indians were a Minor League Baseball team of the Carolina League (CL) located in Kinston, North Carolina, from 1978 to 2011. They played their home games at Grainger Stadium, which opened in 1949.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lynchburg Hillcats</span> Minor league baseball team

The Lynchburg Hillcats are a Minor League Baseball team in Lynchburg, Virginia that plays in the Carolina League and is the Single-A affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians. They were a farm team of the Atlanta Braves from 2011 to 2014, the Cincinnati Reds in 2010, and the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1995 to 2009. The Hillcats play home games at Bank of the James Stadium; refurbished and renamed in 2004, the stadium seats 4,291 fans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Potomac Nationals</span> Minor league baseball team

The Potomac Nationals were a Minor League Baseball team of the Carolina League. They were located in Woodbridge, Virginia, and played their home games at Northwest Federal Field at Pfitzner Stadium. After the 2019 season, the team relocated to Fredericksburg, Virginia, becoming the Fredericksburg Nationals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Myrtle Beach Pelicans</span> Minor League Baseball team in South Carolina

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans are a Minor League Baseball team in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and the Single-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs of the National League in Major League Baseball. The Pelicans compete in the Carolina League. Home games are played at Pelicans Ballpark, which opened in 1999 and seats up to 6,599 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Devereaux</span> American baseball player (born 1963)

Michael Devereaux is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the fifth round of the 1985 amateur draft and made his debut on September 2, 1987. Along with the Dodgers, Devereaux played for the Baltimore Orioles in two separate stints, and the Chicago White Sox, Atlanta Braves and Texas Rangers.

Robert Milacki is an American former professional baseball player who pitched in Major League Baseball between 1988 and 1996, mostly with the Baltimore Orioles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Erie Sailors</span> Minor league baseball team

The Erie Sailors was the primary name of several minor league baseball teams that played in Erie, Pennsylvania between 1906 and 1994.

The York White Roses was the name of a minor league baseball team based in the city of York, Pennsylvania, US, that existed between 1894 and 1969.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dave Trembley</span> American baseball coach and manager

David Michael Trembley is an American professional baseball executive who served as the director of player development of the Atlanta Braves in 2015. Trembley has been the bench coach for the Houston Astros and a manager of the Baltimore Orioles. Before managing the Orioles, Trembley was a minor league manager for twenty seasons, compiling a 1,369–1,413 record. He won two league titles and earned Manager of the Year awards in three leagues. In December 2001, Baseball America selected him as one of minor league baseball's top five managers of the previous 20 years. He served as a coach in the inaugural Futures Game in 1999 and also served as manager for the Southern League and Double-A All-Star Games that season. Trembley has worked for the Baltimore Orioles, Chicago Cubs, Pittsburgh Pirates, San Diego Padres and Atlanta Braves.

The Hagerstown Suns Minor League Baseball team was established in Hagerstown, Maryland, in 1981. The Suns remained in the Carolina League through 1988. In 1989, team ownership purchased the Williamsport Bills franchise of the Double-A Eastern League (EL) and relocated the team to Hagerstown. The Double-A Suns carried on the history of the Class A team that preceded it. After just four seasons, the Eastern League franchise left. The Myrtle Beach Hurricanes franchise of the Class A South Atlantic League (SAL) relocated to Hagerstown for the 1993 season where they became the Suns and continued the previous Suns teams' history.

The 1989 Carolina League was a Class A baseball season played between April 7 and August 30. Eight teams played a 140-game schedule, with the winners of each half of the season competing in the playoffs.

The 1995 Carolina League was a Class A-Advanced baseball season played between April 6 and September 2. Eight teams played a 140-game schedule, with the winners of each half of the season competing in the playoffs.

The 2005 Carolina League was a Class A-Advanced baseball season played between April 7 and September 5. Eight teams played a 140-game schedule, with two teams from each division competing in the playoffs.

The 2021 Low-A East was a Class A baseball season played between May 4 and September 19. Twelve teams played a 120-game schedule, with the top two teams meeting in the final round of the post-season.

References

  1. ↑ "Frederick Keys name Slater Fuchs new general manager". Frederick News-Post . June 11, 2024. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
  2. ↑ McGee, Branden (February 21, 2023). "Former Major League Catcher Rene Rivera Will Lead Keys in 2023". Frederick Keys. MLB Draft League. Retrieved February 21, 2023.
  3. ↑ "New Mascot Frank Key Joins Keys". Unlocking the Keys. March 30, 2011. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
  4. ↑ Ruiz, Nathan (January 13, 2022). "Orioles' Double-A team Bowie Baysox, former affiliate Frederick Keys change ownership". The Baltimore Sun.
  5. ↑ Cooper, J. J. (December 9, 2020). "Frederick Becomes Sixth Team To Join MLB Draft League". Baseball America.
  6. ↑ "Blue Ridge League". Boys of the Blue Ridge, 2014. Retrieved September 6, 2014.
  7. ↑ Duggan, Paul (January 12, 1989). "The Boys of Summers Past; Cherished Memories Resurface as Baseball Returns to Frederick". The Washington Post . ProQuest   140085073.
  8. ↑ "Perfect Game only Half of Keys' Troubles". The Washington Post . April 10, 1989. pp. C7. ProQuest   140018712.
  9. ↑ Eichelberger, Curtis (April 12, 1989). "Keys Find 1st Victory in Home Opener, 3–1". The Washington Post . pp. D4. ProQuest   140024139.
  10. ↑ Goff, Steve (April 7, 1989). "Keys, Cannons Ready to Play". The Washington Post . pp. D7. ProQuest   140059670.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.