Minor league baseball in NC will draw 2 million fans in 2022. Here’s how to see all 12 teams
Most fans can’t name a single player in the starting lineup, have no idea where their team sits in the standings — or even the name of the league their team plays in.
But that won’t stop an estimated more than 2 million fans from occupying seats — or grassy berms — at any of the 10 Minor League Baseball stadiums in North Carolina this season.
“They come because they like baseball, or they just want an enjoyable afternoon or evening at the ballpark,” said Dan Rajkowski, Chief Operating Officer of the Charlotte Knights, arguably the biggest of those 10 franchises.
“The baseball fans come to see the game they love, but this is also entertainment,” Rajkowski said. “And people seem to enjoy it.”
Rajkowski knows. In a span of five seasons, from 2014 through 2018, the Charlotte Knights drew more fans than any other franchise in the minor leagues. He was named Executive of the Year in Minor League Baseball in 2014, when the Knights’ new stadium in Charlotte’s uptown opened.
Minor League Baseball, back to regular seating capacity this summer for the first time since before COVID in 2019, opens for Triple-A teams April 5, then for the other minor leagues April 8.
According to BallparkDigest.com, 2.6 million fans attended MiLB games in North Carolina in 2019, the last season before the pandemic.
Minor league ball dates back to the 1800s in some Carolinas cities, and famous names — Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Jackie Robinson, Earl Weaver, and Joe Morgan — have played in minor-league stadiums across the Carolinas.
First, a quick primer on Minor League Baseball. Each of the 30 big-league teams has franchises at the Triple-A, Double-A, High-A and Low-A levels.
Triple-A ball, which is played in Charlotte and Durham, is one step below the majors.
North Carolina also has four franchises at the High-A and four Low-A levels. There are also four Low-A franchises in South Carolina.
There are actually two more professional teams in North Carolina – the Gastonia Honey Hunters and the High Point Rockers. They’re members of the American League of Professional Baseball, an independent league that is classified as “a partner league” of Major League Baseball.
Players from the ALPB that sign with minor league teams typically start at the Double-A or Triple-A level.
But all of that isn’t important to many of the fans who attend games across the region. It’s the entertainment.
“Fayetteville Woodpeckers games are fun because we have the highest energy in MiLB,” said Kristen Nett, community and media relations manager of the Woodpeckers. “We have a ton of unique theme nights and daily promotions.”
Greg Young, director of marketing and broadcast media for the Carolina Mudcats (Low-A) in Zebulon outside of Raleigh, said, “it’s the people who make our games fun to attend.”
“We take great pride in ‘the show,’ as well,” he adds. “That’s all of the on-field games, video board entertainment, music, etc., that make our games really stand out.”
In Asheville, the scenery and history are part of the show. The city’s Tourists baseball team plays at 98-year-old McCormick Field, where Ruth and Cobb once played. And the stadium is built next to a mountain.
“When you look out beyond the outfield wall, you are looking up a mountain,” said Doug Maurer, director of broadcast and media relations for the High-A Tourists.
And we couldn’t forget to mention the Snorting Bull, which is in left field at Durham bulls Athletic Park and is modeled after the snorting bull from the 1988 movie, “Bull Durham.”
That park also has the Blue Monster, a 32-foot-high left-field wall that resembles the Green Monster at Fenway Park in Boston.
As the Knights’ Rajkowski said, it’s all different in minor league baseball.
“The only goal at the major league level is to win,” he says. “For us, it’s a social experience. It’s three hours of being outside, of enjoying ourselves.”
Rajkowski said the Knights’ parent club, the Chicago White Sox, have outstanding young players moving up through the minor league system.
“But in minor league ball, how much can you promote those young players?” he asked. “If they’re that good, they won’t be here for long.
“It’s the experience — the game, the fun — that is there all the time.”
It’s viewing the mountain in Asheville … or seeing the snorting bull in Durham … or seeing the Seat of Honor that the Fayetteville Woodpeckers reserve at every game for MIA military members.
Here is a look at the Carolinas minor league teams:
Charlotte Knights
MLB affiliation: Chicago White Sox
League, level: International League (Triple-A)
Home stadium: Truist Field, Charlotte (10,200)
Ticket prices: The largest seating area are Field Box seats, which go for $21. For $33, you get a Home Plate Club seat, with access to an air-conditioned lounge. Or you can pay $14 and sit in the Power Alley beyond the left-field fence.
Local flavor: The Knights have led Minor League Baseball in season attendance several times since the stadium opened in 2014. Truist Field is built on a relatively small piece of land but offers the closest thing you’ll get to a big-league atmosphere in the Carolinas, with the uptown location, high level of baseball and variety of concession choices.
Stadium tips: With a view of uptown Charlotte, there really isn’t a bad seat in the stadium. One suggestion: Pay the extra money for a Home Plate Club seat. If it’s a hot and humid night, you can cool off with a great view of the game.
The pulled pork sandwiches are popular, but there are some unusual options, like a jalapeno burger and a giant hot dog loaded with all kinds of toppings.
Information: https://www.milb.com/charlotte-knights
Gastonia Honey Hunters
League: South Division, American League of Professional Baseball
Home stadium: Caromont Health Park, Gastonia (capacity: 5,000)
Distance from Charlotte: 24 miles
Ticket prices: There are four options, ranging from $8 (general admission) to $15 (box seats behind home plate).
Local flavor: Gastonia has a long history in the minors and was home of the Gastonia Rangers in the South Atlantic League from the 1970s to the early 1990s. Players such as Sammy Sosa and Mike Hargrove played in Gastonia.
Stadium tips: It’s a new stadium, with good sightlines. Korean pork belly sliders are a concession stand favorite.
Information: https://www.gohoneyhunters.com/
Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
MLB affiliation: Chicago White Sox
League: Carolina League (Low-A)
Home stadium: Atrium Health Ballpark, Kannapolis (capacity: 4,930)
Distance from Charlotte: 28 miles
Ticket prices: Infield box seats are $13, and the home plate premium tickets are $15. There are other options.
Local flavor: If you haven’t been to a Kannapolis minor-league game since before the COVID-19 pandemic, you’re in for a surprise. The franchise moved from its old ballpark to a new stadium last year and changed its name from the Intimidators to the Cannon Ballers. That’s a tie-in with Cannon Mills, once the city’s major employer.
Kannapolis baseball alumni include such illustrious names as Hall-of-Famer Ryne Sandberg; five-time all-star and former Manager of the Year Larry Bowa; and former National League MVP Jimmy Rollins.
Stadium tips: The old stadium was traditional, without the extras. Atrium Health Ballpark has the extras — a video board in left field; an outfield bar; plenty of suites; and a Sky Lounge. But the coolest is the Dugout Suite, which is at field level and next to the first-base dugout.
The concourse is spacious, and you won’t feel cramped, as is the case at some minor-league parks.
Boomer’s Bistro offers hot dogs loaded with extras. And check out the Super Nacho Stand in the outfield concourse area.
Information: https://www.milb.com/kannapolis
Hickory Crawdads
MLB affiliation: Texas Rangers
League: South Atlantic League (High-A)
Home stadium: L.P. Frans Stadium, Hickory (capacity: 5,062)
Distance from Charlotte: 60 miles
Ticket prices: Tickets are a bargain in Hickory. For most games, you’ll pay between $9 (outfield) and $15 (box seats close to home plate).
Local flavor: Minor-league baseball in Hickory dates back to the 1930s, but the current franchise was moved from Gastonia to Hickory in 1993. Conrad the Crawdad is among baseball’s more unusual mascots, and you’ll see him performing during games.
Stadium tips: L.P. Frans Stadium is more of a traditional minor-league ballpark, with both fixed seats and bleachers. It comes without the frills of newer stadiums in Charlotte and Fayetteville, for example, but the seats all provide a clear view of the game, and you’ll be close to the action.
The concession stands follow that theme, selling popcorn, hot dogs, burgers and the like, but a more upscale option is Crawdads Café, where you can buy sausage sandwiches and more.
Information: https://www.milb.com/hickory
High Point Rockers
League: South Division, American League of Professional Baseball
Home stadium: Truist Point, High Point (capacity: 4,500)
Distance from Charlotte: 77 miles
Ticket prices: There are five options, ranging from $8 (bleachers) to $15 (box seats behind home plate).
Local flavor: High Point is another North Carolina city with a long history of baseball. Several minor league teams, some of them for Black players before baseball was integrated, were based in High Point. The city got an ALPB franchise in 2018.
Stadium tips: This is another new stadium, with seats built relatively close to the playing field. One thing to note: The Rockers allow you to bring your dog to games (leashed, of course). Concessions cover a variety of traditional ballpark favorites.
Information: https://www.highpointrockers.com/
Winston-Salem Dash
MLB affiliation: Chicago White Sox
League: South Atlantic League (High-A)
Home stadium: Truist Stadium, Winston-Salem (capacity: 5,500)
Distance from Charlotte: 80 miles
Ticket prices: The average ticket price is $16, but there are several options. Those range from premium seats behind home plate to lawn seating behind the left-field wall.
Local flavor: Baseball dates back to the early 20th Century in Winston-Salem, and the current franchise began in 1945. The Dash (named for the dash in the city’s name) played at a stadium near Wake Forest University until BB&T Ballpark (now Truist Stadium) opened in 2010.
Among Winston-Salem’s baseball alumni are two Hall-of-Famers — former manager Earl Weaver (who played in Winston-Salem in 1950) and Wade Boggs. Jim Lonborg and Sparky Lyle also played in Winston-Salem.
Stadium tips: Being a newer stadium, you’ll find a large concourse, plenty of concession stands, and a play area for children. As is the case in Charlotte, Truist Stadium has a nice view of the Winston-Salem skyline. Check out the photos and special displays of past minor league teams in Winston-Salem.
Concessions provide the standard fare, but the Lowe’s Foods Sausage Works is popular for its sausage and bratwurst sandwiches.
Information: https://www.milb.com/winston-salem
Greensboro Grasshoppers
MLB affiliation: Pittsburgh Pirates
League: South Atlantic League (High-A)
Home stadium: First National Bank Field, Greensboro (capacity: 7,499)
Distance from Charlotte: 92 miles
Ticket prices: Box seats are $11, and seats down the left- and right-field lines are $8.
Local flavor: Greensboro’s first minor-league team, in 1902, shut down midseason. The city has done much better in the 120 years since then. Hall-of-Famers such as Mariano Rivera, Derrick Jeter and Johnny Mize have played minor-league ball in Greensboro.
For 80 years, Greensboro minor league ball was based at War Memorial Stadium, until First National Bank Field opened in 2005.
Stadium tips: First National Bank Field has a major-league look, with several party and picnic areas and 16 luxury suites. The Grasshoppers, like Durham, embrace the city’s baseball past. The stadium has a sort of retro feel, with banners and old photos.
One thing you won’t see elsewhere in the Carolinas — a dog that fetches balls and bats during the game at the stadium.
There is a grilled cheese concession at the stadium, for fans seeking a big vegetarian sandwich. But the barbecue sandwiches typically are a big seller, according to fans and reviewers.
Information: https://www.milb.com/greensboro
Fayetteville Woodpeckers
MLB affiliation: Houston Astros
League: Carolina League (Low-A)
Home stadium: Segra Stadium, Fayetteville (capacity: 4,786)
Distance from Charlotte: 129 miles
Ticket prices: You can pay anywhere from $11 to $21, but the average price for a box seat is $15.
Local flavor: OK, let’s deal with the nickname first. The team is named for the red-cockaded woodpecker, which was once common to the Sandhills area but is now an endangered species.
The franchise is relatively new to Fayetteville. The team played its first two seasons (2017 and 2018) at Campbell University in Buies Creek, then moved to the newly built Segra Stadium in 2018.
Stadium tips: The stadium is in the downtown area and is built in an area of railroad tracks. There’s a good chance you’ll hear at least one train come by during a game. With Fayetteville being a military town, the Woodpeckers have a Seat of Honor, kept open at every game for Prisoners of War or military members who are MIA.
And there’s Sgt. Stubby’s Hot Dogs, one of the stadium’s more popular concession stands.
Information: https://www.milb.com/fayetteville
Asheville Tourists
MLB affiliation: Houston Astros
League: South Atlantic League (High-A)
Home stadium: McCormick Field, Asheville (capacity: 4,000)
Distance from Charlotte: 131 miles
Ticket prices: Adult general admission is $11, with premium box seats going for $15. As is the case at most ballparks, there are more expensive suite options, and prices are lower for seniors and children.
Local flavor: There is a strong feeling of history at McCormick Field. It was built in 1924 and is carved into the side of a mountain. When you look past the outfield walls, you’re looking at the side of a mountain.
Asheville has been the home of minor-league baseball since the Moonshiners began playing in 1897. The team was renamed the Tourists in 1915.
You want history? Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb and Jackie Robinson are among the players who have taken a pitch at McCormick Field.
Stadium tips: If you want to pay a little more, check out the Bojangles Dugout Suites. They hold 16 fans and are about 35 feet from home plate.
At the concession stand, you’ll want a Deep Fried Moon Pie. The Philly cheesesteak is also popular at McCormick Field.
Information: https://www.milb.com/asheville
Durham Bulls
MLB affiliation: Tampa Bay Rays
League: International League (Triple-A)
Home stadium: Durham Bulls Athletic Park, Durham (capacity: 10,000)
Distance from Charlotte: 143 miles
Ticket prices: There are a wide variety of prices, but the most popular seats range from $15 (down the outfield lines) to $26 (box seats closer to home plate).
Local flavor: Welcome to arguably the most famous minor league franchise in baseball, thanks to Kevin Costner, Susan Sarandon, Tim Robbins and the 1988 movie “Bull Durham.” Baseball in Durham dates back to 1902, and Durham baseball alumni include old-timers like Johnny Pesky and Johnny Vander Meer and more recent MLB standouts such as Joe Morgan, Greg Luzinski and Chipper Jones.
Stadium tips: The stadium is famed for the Snorting Bull in left field. All of the seats have a good view of the playing field. The Bulls embrace the history of baseball in Durham, and be sure to allow yourself time to look at the old photos and displays in the stadium concourse.
Favorite concession items in Durham are funnel cakes and the gigantic burgers (with plenty of toppings).
Information: https://www.milb.com/durham
Carolina Mudcats
MLB affiliation: Milwaukee Brewers
League: Carolina League (Low-A)
Home stadium: Five County Stadium, Zebulon (capacity: 6,500)
Distance from Charlotte: 193 miles
Ticket prices: You can get a good seat at Five County Stadium for $12 to $16. There are more expensive and cheaper options.
Local flavor: The stadium is near the juncture of Wake, Johnston, Franklin, Nash and Wilson counties, east of Raleigh. It was built there so the franchise wouldn’t infringe on the territorial rights of the Durham Bulls. The Mudcats were a Double-A franchise when they were moved from Columbus, Ga., more than 30 years ago but switched to Single-A in 2012.
The winning pitcher in the Mudcats’ first home game, in 1991, was Tim Wakefield, who went on to have a 17-year career with the Boston Red Sox.
Stadium tips: The seating arrangement is unusual at Five County Stadium. Most of the seats are in the upper level, but the upper level is pushed forward — almost over the top of the playing field. It creates a “bowl effect.”
Mudcats’ marketing director Greg Young says catfish sandwiches are a popular concession stand item, and he says a catfish nugget/French fries combo will be added this season. “Muddy the Mudcat isn’t a huge fan of these,” Young said, referring to the team’s mascot.
Information: https://www.milb.com/carolina-mudcats
Down East Wood Ducks
MLB affiliation: Texas Rangers
League: Carolina League (Low-A)
Home stadium: Grainger Stadium, Kinston (capacity: 3,456)
Distance from Charlotte: 244 miles
Ticket prices: Wood Ducks tickets are a bargain, compared to a number of other franchises. You can get a good seat for $7, with the higher-range tickets going for $10.
Local flavor: Grainger Stadium is among the oldest in the region (built in 1949) and has a nostalgic feel. Minor-league baseball in Kinston actually dates back to 1908.
Stadium tips: Most of the seats are behind home plate or the baselines, so any seating is close to the action.
Frozen margaritas, which are served in the Mother Earth Pavilion down the right-field line (the pavilion is named for Mother Earth Brewing, which sells craft beer there), are popular at Grainger Stadium. New at the concession stands this year: A hot dog topped with King’s BBQ, the famed Kinston barbecue restaurant.
Information: https://www.milb.com/down-east
And in South Carolina …
There are minor-league baseball options in the Palmetto State, too.
Augusta:
The GreenJackets are technically a Georgia-based team, but they play in North Augusta, S.C. Their home, SRP Park, seats 4,000.
Charleston:
The RiverDogs are a Tamp Bay affiliate in the Low-A Carolinas League. They play at the 6,000-seat Joseph Riley Jr. Park, which is along the Ashley River, not far from the Medical University of South Carolina. Baseball in Charleston dates back to 1866.
Columbia:
The Fireflies are a Pittsburgh Pirates affiliate in the Low-A Carolinas League. They play at the 7,501-seat Segra Park in Columbia. The stadium is in downtown Columbia and is among the biggest in the Carolinas.
Greenville:
The Drive is a Boston Red Sox affiliate in the High-A South Atlantic League. The team plays at the 6,700-seat Fluor Field, just west of downtown Greenville; it opened in 2006. “Shoeless Joe” Jackson grew up just outside of Greenville and he died there in 1951.
Myrtle Beach:
The Pelicans are a Chicago Cubs affiliate in the Low-A Carolinas League. They play at the 5,200-seat Ticketreturn.com Field at Pelican Park in Myrtle Beach. It is a newer ballpark with a large concourse, off 21st Avenue North.
This story was originally published April 6, 2022 at 6:00 AM.