Your Charlotte Knights 2025 guide: New menu items, White Sox prospects and more
Kyle Teel didn’t play for the Charlotte Knights last season — but ask the newly acquired catcher if he remembers his trip down to the Triple-A ballpark in Uptown, and he won’t need a second thought.
He’ll think of a college game, when he was a catcher for the Virginia Cavaliers competing in the ACC tournament, which is hosted at Truist Field.
“My freshman year, I hit a ball off the light pole in right field,” he said. “This is one of my favorite ballparks.”
Ask a lot of the players, and similar sentiments soar. Maybe it’s the wonderful facility in the heart of Uptown, encased by skyscrapers. Maybe it’s the city itself. Maybe it’s the fact that good vibes spring eternal around this time of year, with the season’s beginning around the corner.
In any case, it’s universal.
“You always get butterflies, regardless of what level you’re at, you know?” Zach DeLoach said. “Super excited to be back here in Charlotte. Great city. Great fan base. Love the atmosphere here. And it just feels like home.”
Here’s a quick guide to what else you should know ahead of the team’s season-opening series, which starts Friday at 7:04 p.m. against the Gwinnett Stripers.
Who owns the Charlotte Knights?
The Knights are the Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox, meaning these players are one call away from moving up to the big leagues.
The team is owned by Diamond Baseball Holdings, a company that owns and operates select minor league baseball teams. DBH acquired the team in June.
Who is the manager of the Charlotte Knights?
The leader of the ball club this year is Sergio Santos. Santos is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who spent 2010 through 2015 on the mound playing for a number of organizations.
He was drafted and started his MLB career with the Chicago White Sox before bouncing around to the Blue Jays, Dodgers and Yankees organizations.
He spent last season serving as the manager of the Birmingham Barons, the White Sox’s Double-A affiliate.
Santos, 41, is now the 26th manager in franchise history and the fourth former player to manage the team. The others: Joel Skinner, Nick Capra and Justin Jirschele. Santos pitched three games for the Knights in 2009 before moving on to his six-year MLB career.
By all indications, he is a “player’s coach,” just like his predecessor.
Any Charlotte Knights potentially headed up to White Sox?
Here are five prospects you should know who might be logging some important big-league innings later this year.
▪ Kyle Teel, catcher, 23 years old: Teel is the No. 32 prospect on the MiLB.com Top 100 prospect list. The 14th pick in the 2023 draft, the former Virginia Cavaliers star spent his first two seasons in the Boston Red Sox organization before being sent to Charlotte in a trade that involved left-handed ace Garrett Crochet getting shipped to Boston.
▪ Colson Montgomery, shortstop, 23: Montgomery is the No. 39 prospect on the list. The White Sox took him in the first round of the 2021 draft. He’s since spent some time in the big leagues. In 2024, he played 130 games and notched 104 hits for the Knights.
▪ Edgar Quero, catcher, 21: Quero is the No. 65 on the aforementioned list. He’s expected to split catching duties 50-50 with Teel.
▪ Zach DeLoach, outfielder, 26: DeLoach played 22 games with the White Sox in 2024 and notched a batting average of .209 with a .293 on-base percentage.
▪ Chase Meidroth, infielder, 23: Meidroth, like Teel, was acquired by the Knights in that Crochet trade from the Red Sox. He has high MLB upside, and reports indicate he could be called up to the White Sox quickly.
New menu items for 2025 season
During media day Wednesday, the Knights touted a few new specialty food items. Three items you won’t want to miss, with special commentary from Knights executive chef Jamerius Sims:
▪ Fried PB&J: “So we’re taking basically an Uncrustable, tossing it in cinnamon sugar with some whipped cream on the side. … It used to be a snack we used to make in the kitchen, and it just kind of spun from there.”
▪ Smashburger: This is a “top two” favorite, per Sims. That and the specialty hot dog.
▪ Homer’s Chicken And Waffle Sandwich: “If you’re just looking for probably a ‘knock-out-and-not-do-much-later (dish), the Homer’s Chicken And Waffle … don’t have much of a plan after that one.”
Promotions for season-opening series
The Knights have specific promotion plans for their season-opening series. Those plans:
Friday, 7:04 p.m. first pitch: Enjoy a rally towel giveaway before/during the game and a fireworks show afterward.
Sunday, 1:05 p.m. first pitch: Kids get to run the bases after the game to punctuate “Family Funday.”
Note: For a full list of promotions, visit the Charlotte Knights website. One that’ll almost certainly catch your eye? Scooby Doo Night. Friday, June 6.
This story was originally published March 27, 2025 at 6:00 AM.
