Carolina Mudcats
- Location: Wilson, NC 1991; Zebulon, NC 1991-
- League: Southern League 1991-2011; Carolina League 2012-2019; Low-A East 2021; Carolina League 2022-
- Affiliation: Pittsburgh Pirates 1991-1998; Colorado Rockies 1999-2002; Florida Marlins 2003-2008; Cincinnati Reds 2009-2011; Cleveland Indians 2012-2014; Atlanta Braves 2015-2016; Milwaukee Brewers 2017-present
- Ballpark: Fleming Stadium 1991; Five County Stadium 1991-
Team History[edit]
The Carolina Mudcats, of the Single-A Carolina League and briefly in Low-A East, are owned by their parent club. The Milwaukee Brewers farmhands play their home games at Five County Stadium in Zebulon, NC.
MLB's 2021 Minor League Reorganization lowered the 'Cats one level. The Brewers became their third parent in as many affiliation cycles in 2017, then bought them from long-time owner Steve Bryant.
Bryant, a Raleigh area advertising executive, bought the Columbus Astros of the Southern League in 1988. He intended to use the team, which he promptly renamed the "Mudcats", to return affiliated baseball to North Carolina's capital. However, the nearby Durham Bulls blocked the move with their territorial rights. Bryant then located the team as close to Raleigh as possible, in the town of Zebulon, moving it in 1991 and in the same season switching its affiliation from the Houston Astros to the Pittsburgh Pirates. After eight years, the 'Cats switched to the Colorado Rockies for four years, then went with the then-Florida Marlins before becoming the Cincinnati Reds' Double-A affiliate in 2009.
Their logo - a caricature of a catfish swimming toward the viewer through a capital C, or perhaps wearing one as a collar - was an instant success.
in 2012, Bryant sold his original franchise to a buyer who moved it to Pensacola, FL, then bought the Kinston Indians and moved them to Zebulon. The K-Tribe assumed the Mudcats' brand, with the effect that "Carolina" dropped from Class Double-A to Class A Advanced. Bryant sold that franchise to the Brewers in 2017. The sale was a benchmark, moving commonly owned parent/farm tandems to 20% as MLB clubs defended themselves against getting paired with teams they didn't want by buying ones they did. This was the primary force that led to the 2021 reorganization.
The franchise may be on the move again. The Mudcats and the city of Wilson, NC, which is in one of the five counties referenced in their ballpark's name, are officially talking about the city building the team a new ballpark there.[1] The city is officially spending, too, with city council on June 15th approving $640,000 toward studying the idea.[2]
The 'Cats play Copa de la Diversión Hispanic engagement campaign games as Pescados de Carolina (Carolina Fish).
Year-by-Year Record[edit]
External Link[edit]
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