The Rome Braves are an American professional baseball team based in Rome, Georgia. The Braves compete in Minor League Baseball, as the High-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves. The team served as Atlanta's Class A, or "Low-A," affiliate from the team's first season in 2003 until the realignment of the minor league system in 2021, and is the longest-tenured partner club of the Atlanta Braves. The team plays its home games at State Mutual Stadium.
Robert Joe Cox is an American former professional baseball third baseman and manager in Major League Baseball (MLB). He first led the Atlanta Braves from 1978 to 1981, and then managed the Toronto Blue Jays from 1982 to 1985. He rejoined the Braves in 1986 as a general manager. He moved back to the manager's role during the 1990 season and stayed there until his retirement following the 2010 season. The Atlanta Braves have since retired the number 6 in commemoration of Bobby Cox. He led the Atlanta Braves to the World Series championship in 1995. He holds the all-time record for ejections in Major League Baseball with 158, a record previously held by John McGraw. He also leads the league in playoff appearances as manager with 16, and he was the first since Casey Stengel to have qualified for the postseason ten times.
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.
James Francis Williams is an American former professional baseball infielder, coach and manager in Major League Baseball (MLB). He was born in Santa Maria, California, and briefly appeared in two MLB seasons as a second baseman and shortstop for the St. Louis Cardinals. After his playing career, he managed in the California Angels' minor league system before managing at the MLB level for the Toronto Blue Jays (1986–89), Boston Red Sox (1997–2001) and Houston Astros (2002–04), and was the American League Manager of the Year in 1999. He has also coached for Toronto, the Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies.
Denis John Menke was a professional baseball infielder. He played all or part of thirteen seasons in Major League Baseball from 1962 to 1974. He played for the Milwaukee Braves (1962–65), Atlanta Braves (1966–67), Houston Astros and Cincinnati Reds (1972–73), all of the National League. He was elected to the National League All-Star team in 1969 and 1970.
Carlos Tosca is the current Field coach for the GCL Orioles. He is a former Major League and minor league baseball manager. He was the manager of the Toronto Blue Jays from 2002 to 2004. He succeeded Buck Martinez on June 3, 2002, served the entire 2003 season, and was replaced by John Gibbons on August 8, 2004, after compiling a 191–191 win-loss record (.500).
John Lowell McLaren is an American former professional baseball coach and manager. He is best known for his brief tenure as manager of the Seattle Mariners, from July 1, 2007 to June 19, 2008. A native of the Houston, Texas area, McLaren was a catcher in the Houston Astros minor league system from 1970 to 1976, and later managed in the Toronto Blue Jays minor league system.
Gary Martin Allenson is an American former Major League Baseball catcher and coach and minor league manager. In 2017, he spent a second stint as manager of the New Hampshire Fisher Cats of the Double-A Eastern League, after serving the previous three seasons in that role with the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons of the International League. Both are affiliates of the Toronto Blue Jays.
DeMarlo Hale is an American professional baseball coach who is currently serving as bench coach for the Cleveland Indians of Major League Baseball (MLB). Hale played minor league baseball from 1983 to 1988 in the Boston Red Sox and Oakland Athletics organizations.
Luis Antonio Rivera Pedraza is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball infielder, who played for the Montreal Expos, Boston Red Sox, New York Mets, Houston Astros, and Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball (MLB).
Dennis Nels Holmberg is an American minor league baseball manager for the Bluefield Blue Jays, and was a professional baseball player for eight seasons in the minor leagues.
Duane Carl Larson is an American former minor league baseball infielder and manager and is currently a Major League scout and special assistant to the General Manager in the Atlanta Braves organization.
Robert Henry Bauer is a retired American minor league baseball player and manager. Born in Decatur, Illinois, he batted left-handed, threw right-handed, stood 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) and weighed 170 lb (77 kg).
Mark Joseph Budzinski is an American professional baseball coach and retired professional baseball outfielder. He is the first base coach for Major League Baseball's (MLB) Toronto Blue Jays since the 2019 season. Prior to his coaching career, Budzinski played in the major leagues with the Cincinnati Reds.
Manuel O. Rodríguez is a former professional baseball player who is most notable for being on Panama's roster for the 2006 World Baseball Classic. He played in the Atlanta Braves and Toronto Blue Jays farm systems from 2004 to 2009.
Jerad Lee Head is a retired Major League Baseball player and former minor league baseball manager. During his playing career Head served primarily as an outfielder, appearing for the Cleveland Indians for ten games in 2011 as a left fielder and pinch hitter. He managed the Class A Short Season Auburn Doubledays of the New York–Penn League between 2016 and 2018.
Billy Franklin Smith is a retired American professional baseball first baseman, outfielder, manager and coach. He threw and batted left-handed, stood 5 feet 9 inches (1.75 m) tall and weighed 160 pounds (73 kg) during his active career. Smith compiled a lifetime batting average of .312 in minor league baseball but he never climbed higher than the Double-A level.
Timothy Joseph Leiper is an American professional baseball coach and former manager. He was the first-base coach of the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball from 2014 until 2018.
David Mark Hudgens is an American former professional baseball first baseman, who is currently the bench coach for the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball (MLB).
John P. Schneider is an American professional baseball coach for the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball (MLB). Prior to coaching, Schneider played six seasons as a catcher in the Blue Jays minor league organization.
