Pensacola Blue Wahoos

Last updated
Pensacola Blue Wahoos
PensacolaBlueWahoos.PNG Pensacola Blue Wahoos.PNG
Team logoCap insignia
Minor league affiliations
Class Double-A (2012–present)
League Southern League (2012–present)
DivisionSouth Division
Major league affiliations
Team Miami Marlins (2021–present)
Previous teams
Minor league titles
League titles (2)
  • 2017
  • 2022
Division titles (3)
  • 2017
  • 2022
  • 2023
First-half titles (4)
  • 2016
  • 2017
  • 2022
  • 2023
Second-half titles (2)
  • 2015
  • 2016
Team data
NamePensacola Blue Wahoos (2012–present)
ColorsGulf Coast royal blue, Blue Angel navy, coral pink, tin roof tin
    
MascotKazoo
Ballpark Admiral Fetterman Field (2012–present)
Owner(s)/
Operator(s)
 Quint Studer, Rishy Studer, and Bubba Watson
PresidentJonathan Griffith [1]
ManagerKevin Randel
Website milb.com/pensacola

The Pensacola Blue Wahoos are a Minor League Baseball team of the Southern League and the Double-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins. They are based in Pensacola, Florida, and play their home games at Admiral Fetterman Field. In 2012, the team relocated to Pensacola from Zebulon, North Carolina, where they were known as the Carolina Mudcats.

Contents

History

The franchise began in 1959 as the Charleston White Sox of the South Atlantic League (now the Southern League); it subsequently moved several times, playing in Charleston, South Carolina, (1959–1961); Savannah, Georgia, (1962); Lynchburg, Virginia, (1963–1965); and Evansville, Indiana, (1966–1968), before moving to Columbus, Georgia, in 1969 to play in Golden Park. The team was known as the Columbus Astros from 1970 to 1988, when it became an affiliate of the Houston Astros. Following the 1988 season, new owner Steve Bryant held a contest among season ticket holders to rename the team, and as a result, in 1989 the team became the Columbus Mudcats. In 1991, Bryant moved the club to Zebulon, North Carolina, and renamed them the Carolina Mudcats. [2] [3]

In Zebulon, the team played in Five County Stadium and won Southern League championships in 1995 and 2003. In 2010, Quint Studer, owner of the Pensacola Pelicans independent baseball team, acquired the Mudcats franchise in a complicated series of moves and purchases designed to bring affiliated Double-A baseball to Pensacola. First, he sold the Pelicans to a group in Amarillo, Texas, where they became the Amarillo Sox in 2011. Studer then bought the Carolina Mudcats franchise. To settle this purchase, he had to facilitate the move of the Kinston Indians to Zebulon, where they assumed the Carolina Mudcats name and branding. Additionally, as Pensacola is within the franchise territory of the Mobile Bay Bears, Studer paid that team an undisclosed sum of money. The arrangements cost a total of $2 million. [4] [5]

The Blue Wahoos nickname was decided in a fan contest run by Wendy's in conjunction with the Pensacola News Journal . It refers to the wahoo (Acanthocybium solandri), a local fish species. Their team colors are Neon red, Gulf Coast royal, Blue Angel navy, and Tin Roof tin. It was officially announced on May 23, followed by the logo and colors on November 18. [6] [7]

Following the inaugural season that saw Billy Hamilton break the all-time professional baseball single season stolen base record, the team was named the Southern League's Organization of the Year. Two-time Masters Champion Bubba Watson became co-owner in January 2015. [8]

In 2016, the Blue Wahoos were chosen by Baseball America as the Double-A winner of the prestigious Bob Freitas Award as the best overall franchise among the nation's 30 affiliates at this level. It was announced at the Baseball Winter Meetings at the Gaylord Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland, just outside of Washington, D.C.

They entered into a two-year PDC with the Minnesota Twins that ran from 2019 to 2020. [9] The start of the 2020 season was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic before ultimately being cancelled on June 30. [10] [11]

Starting in 2021, the Blue Wahoos were affiliated with the Miami Marlins. [12] In a further result of Major League Baseball's restructuring of Minor League Baseball in 2021, the Blue Wahoos were organized into the eight-team Double-A South. [13] In 2022, the Double-A South became known as the Southern League, the name historically used by the regional circuit prior to the 2021 reorganization. [14]

Television and radio

All Pensacola Blue Wahoos games are televised live on MiLB.TV. The Blue Wahoos are also televised on delay Monday through Thursday on Cox Sports and Friday through Sunday on Blab-TV (WFBD). All Blue Wahoos games are broadcast on radio on WTKE/1490 and TuneIn Radio.

Season-by-season records

Pensacola Blue Wahoos
YearRegular SeasonPostseason
RecordWin %Finish*RecordWin %Result
201268–70.4937th–––
201359–79.428T-8th–––
201460–80.429T-7th–––
2015 ¤63–75.4298th0–3.000Won South Division Second Half
Lost South Division Championship Series vs Biloxi Shuckers, 3–0
2016 ¤81–59.5792nd1–3.250Won South Division First & Second Half
Lost South Division Championship Series vs Mississippi Braves, 3–1
2017 †74–66.5293rd3–01.000Won South Division First Half
Won South Division Championship Series vs Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, 3–0
Southern League Championship cancelled
Southern League Co-Champions
2018 ¤69–68.5044th1–3.250Lost South Division Championship Series vs Biloxi Shuckers, 3–1
2019 ¤76-63.5474th2–3.400Lost South Division Championship Series vs Biloxi Shuckers, 3–2
2020Season cancelled (COVID-19 pandemic) [15]
202157–54.5145th–––
2022 †68–63.5193rd4–2.667Won South Division First Half
Won South Division Championship Series vs Montgomery Biscuits, 2–1
Won Southern League Championship vs Tennessee Smokies, 2–1
Southern League Champions
2023 ^79–57.5811st2–2.500Won South Division First Half
Won South Division Championship Series vs Montgomery Biscuits, 2–0
Lost Southern League Championship vs Tennessee Smokies, 2–0
202471–65.522T-3rd–––
Totals825–799.508–16–16.5002 Southern League Championships
Note: * Finish denotes their position in the overall league standings.
Legend ¤ Made playoffs ^ Division champions †Won championship series

Roster

Pensacola Blue Wahoos roster
PlayersCoaches/Other

Pitchers

  • 12 Nigel Belgrave
  • 32 Tyler Eckberg
  • 39 Josh Ekness
  • 92 Justin Evans Injury icon 2.svg
  •  8 Evan Fitterer
  • 34 Cade Gibson †
  •  2 Woo-suk Go
  • 39 M.D. Johnson Injury icon 2.svg
  • 18 Chandler Jozwiak
  • 25 Justin King
  • 30 Adam Laskey ~
  • 27 Jacob Miller
  • 47 Patrick Murphy Injury icon 2.svg
  • 26 Luis Palacios
  • 36 Matt Pushard
  • 28 Robby Snelling
  • 24 Dale Stanavich
  • 17 Tristan Stevens ~
  • 38 Justin Storm
  • 20 Josh White
  • 34 Alex Williams

Catchers

  • 22 Spencer Bramwell
  • 13 Joe Mack
  • 21 Paul McIntosh

Infielders

Outfielders


Manager

  • 10 Kevin Randel

Coaches

60-day injured list

  • 95 Breidy Encarnación
  • 90 Dax Fulton
  •    Robinson Martínez
  • 88 Zach McCambley (full season)
  • 95 Jake Thompson (full season)

Injury icon 2.svg 7-day injured list
* On Miami Marlins 40-man roster
~ Development list
# Rehab assignment
∞ Reserve list
‡ Restricted list
§ Suspended list
† Temporarily inactive list
Roster updated September 14, 2024
 Transactions
→ More rosters: MiLB  •  Southern League
→ Miami Marlins minor league players

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southern League (1964–present)</span> Minor League Baseball league in the Southern United States

The Southern League is a Minor League Baseball league that has operated in the Southern United States since 1964. Along with the Eastern League and Texas League, it is one of three circuits playing at the Double-A level, which is two grades below Major League Baseball (MLB).

<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">Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp</span> Minor League Baseball team

The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins. They are located in Jacksonville, Florida, and are named for shrimp caught in the area. The team plays their home games at 121 Financial Ballpark, which opened in 2003. They previously played at Sam W. Wolfson Baseball Park from 1962 until the end of the 2002 season.

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

The Mississippi Braves, or M-Braves as they were referred to locally, were a Minor League Baseball team based in Pearl, Mississippi, a suburb of Jackson, from 2005 to 2024. They were the Double-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves and competed in the Southern League. The M-Braves played their home games at Trustmark Park. After the 2024 season, the team relocated to Columbus, Georgia, to become the Columbus Clingstones.

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

The Charlotte Knights are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox. They are located in Charlotte, North Carolina, and play their home games at Truist Field, which opened in 2014 and is located in Uptown Charlotte. The team previously played at Knights Park (1976–1988), Knights Castle (1989), and Knights Stadium (1990–2013).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pensacola Pelicans</span> Baseball team in Pensacola, Florida

The Pensacola Pelicans were a minor league baseball team based in Pensacola, Florida. In various incarnations, they played in three different independent baseball leagues from 2002 to 2010. They played their games at Pelican Park.

<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">Five County Stadium</span> Baseball stadium in Zebulon, North Carolina

Five County Stadium is a baseball stadium located in Zebulon, North Carolina, a suburb of Raleigh. It is the home of the Carolina Mudcats of the Carolina League. The ballpark, which was opened in 1991 and extensively renovated in 1999, has a capacity of 6,500.

The Columbus Mudcats were a Minor League Baseball team that played in the Double-A Southern League from 1969 to 1990. They were located in Columbus, Georgia, and played their home games at Golden Park. Founded as the Columbus White Sox in 1969, they were named for their Major League Baseball affiliate, the Chicago White Sox. They became the Columbus Astros in 1970 upon affiliating with the Houston Astros. The Astros won their lone Southern League championship in 1986. Columbus rebranded as the Mudcats in 1989 for their final two years in Columbus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edwin Rodríguez (baseball)</span> Puerto Rican baseball player and manager (born 1960)

Edwin Rodríguez Morales is a Puerto Rican minor league manager. He is the former manager of the Florida Marlins of Major League Baseball's National League. He also played Major League Baseball briefly in the early 1980s as an infielder.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Mildren</span> Baseball player

Paul Frank Mildren is an Australian former professional baseball pitcher. He was 6' 1" tall and weighed 195 lbs.

Below is a partial list of minor league baseball players in the Miami Marlins system:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amarillo Thunderheads</span> Baseball team in Amarillo, Texas

The Amarillo Thunderheads, formerly known as the Amarillo Sox, were a professional minor league baseball team based in Amarillo, Texas. They were members of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, an independent baseball league unaffiliated with Major League Baseball, and played their home games at Potter County Memorial Stadium.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miguel Rojas (baseball)</span> Venezuelan baseball player (born 1989)

Miguel Elias Rojas Naidernoff is a Venezuelan professional baseball shortstop for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut with the Dodgers in 2014 and also played in MLB for the Miami Marlins from 2015 to 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Biloxi Shuckers</span> Minor League Baseball team in Biloxi, Mississippi

The Biloxi Shuckers are a Minor League Baseball team of the Southern League and the Double-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. They are located in Biloxi, Mississippi, and are named in reference to the city's oyster industry and seafood heritage. The Shuckers play their home games at Keesler Federal Park.

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

The Carolina Mudcats are a Minor League Baseball team of the Carolina League and the Single-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. They are located in Zebulon, North Carolina, a suburb of Raleigh, and play their home games at Five County Stadium. "Mudcats" is a Southern synonym for catfish.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Down East Wood Ducks</span> Minor league baseball team

The Down East Wood Ducks were a Minor League Baseball team of the Carolina League and the Single-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers. They were located in Kinston, North Carolina, and are named for the wood duck, a colorful local waterfowl. Established in 2017, the team played its home games at Grainger Stadium, which opened in 1949 and holds 4,100 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brian Navarreto</span> Puerto Rican baseball player (born 1994)

Brian Eduardo Navarreto is a Puerto Rican professional baseball catcher in the Milwaukee Brewers organization. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Miami Marlins in 2020.

References

  1. ↑ "Blue Wahoos Staff". Pensacola Blue Wahoos. Minors League Baseball. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  2. ↑ "Mudcats celebrate 15th year in Five County". Wilson Daily Times . Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved February 1, 2007.[ dead link ]
  3. ↑ Seaton, Ned (March 28, 1996). "Minor league caps; major league profits". St. Petersburg Times .
  4. ↑ "Top 10 Sports Stories of 2010". Pensacola News Journal . January 2, 2011. Archived from the original on January 19, 2016. Retrieved April 3, 2012.
  5. ↑ "Carolina to Pensacola, Kinston to Zebulon in 2012". Ballpark Digest. December 16, 2010. Retrieved April 3, 2012.
  6. ↑ "Blue Wahoos it is! Pensacola's new pro baseball team named". Pensacola News Journal. May 23, 2011. Archived from the original on May 26, 2011. Retrieved May 23, 2011.
  7. ↑ "Blue Wahoos unveil logos in Pensacola". Southern League Official Website. Pensacola Blue Wahoos. November 18, 2011. Retrieved April 19, 2018.
  8. ↑ "Bubba Watson Purchases Ownership in Pensacola Blue Wahoos". Blue Wahoos Official Website. Pensacola Blue Wahoos. January 19, 2015. Retrieved April 19, 2018.
  9. ↑ "Blue Wahoos Announce New Affiliation Partnership with Minnesota Twins". Pensacola Blue Wahoos. October 1, 2018. Retrieved October 1, 2018.
  10. ↑ "A Message From Pat O'Conner". Minor League Baseball. March 13, 2020.
  11. ↑ "2020 Minor League Baseball Season Shelved". Minor League Baseball. June 30, 2020.
  12. ↑ "Report: Wahoos losing Twins as MLB parent club". WKRG. December 1, 2020. Retrieved December 1, 2020.
  13. ↑ Mayo, Jonathan (February 12, 2021). "MLB Announces New Minors Teams, Leagues". Major League Baseball. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
  14. ↑ "Historical League Names to Return in 2022". Minor League Baseball. March 16, 2022. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
  15. ↑ "2020 Minor League Baseball Season Shelved". Minor League Baseball. June 30, 2020. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
Preceded by Cincinnati Reds
Double-A affiliate
2012–2018		Succeeded by
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.