Erie SeaWolves

• Location: Erie, PA
• League: New York-Penn League 1995-1998; Eastern League 1999-2019; Double-A Northeast 2021; Eastern League 2022-
• Affiliation: Pittsburgh Pirates 1995-1998; Anaheim Angels 1999-2000; Detroit Tigers 2001-present
• Ballpark: UPMC Park

Team History

The Erie SeaWolves, formerly of the Eastern League and briefly in Double-A Northeast, were once among the teams MLB planned to eliminate in its 2021 Minor League Reorganization. The Detroit Tigers farmhands play their home games at UPMC Park in Erie, PA.

After appearing on the leaked lists of teams to be downsized in MLB's 2021 Minor League Reorganization, they survived because the Tigers wanted to keep them, because their stadium had recently finished an already funded $12 million renovation, and because the recently sold New York Mets unexpectedly kept the Binghamton Rumble Ponies in a league that needs an even number of teams.

"SeaWolves" started as a salute to the Pittsburgh Pirates, who parented the first club to play in The Uht - a short-season New York-Pennsylvania League team. The brand quickly became so synonymous with Erie baseball that it remained through later changes of affiliations including the 1999 Anaheim Angels Double-A expansion franchise that is now with the Tigers. That expansion marked Erie's return to the Eastern League and simultaneously sent its NYPL franchise to Niles, OH, as the Mahoning Valley Scrappers.

The 2017 SeaWolves celebrated a 2016 EL title they didn't win, and similar political fun-making, on Alternative Facts Night.

The 2022 team's season was historic but had a jarring end. Making it to the EL Championship Series for the first time ever, they split the first two games with the Somerset Patriots - setting up a one-game showdown for the title. Playing at home, the Pats scored nine times in the first inning and, behind a two-pitcher combined no-hitter, vaporized the 'Wolves, 15-0.

They play Copa de la Diversión Hispanic engagement campaign games as Piñatas de Erie (a piñata is a candy-filled container that is broken open during a celebration).

Year-by-Year Record

Year	Record	Finish	Manager	Playoffs	Hitting coach	Pitching coach	Other Coach
1995	34-41	9th (t)	Scott Little
1996	30-46	12th	Jeff Richardson			Larry Smith
1997	50-26	2nd	Marty Brown	Lost in 1st round		Chris Lein
1998	26-50	14th	Tracy Woodson		Tom Barnard	Blaine Beatty	Joe Lonnett
1999	81-61	2nd	Garry Templeton	Lost in 1st round	Bill Lachemann	Howie Gershberg
2000	47-94	12th	Don Wakamatsu		Bill Lachemann	Howie Gershberg
2001	84-58	2nd	Luis Pujols	Lost in 1st round	Matt Martin	Steve McCatty
2002	52-89	12th	Kevin Bradshaw		Matt Martin	Rich DeLucia
2003	72-70	5th (t)	Kevin Bradshaw		Matt Martin	Britt Burns
2004	80-62	3rd	Rick Sweet	Lost in 1st round	Pete Incaviglia	Mike Caldwell
2005	63-79	11th (t)	Duffy Dyer		Pete Incaviglia	Mike Caldwell
2006	60-81	12th	Duffy Dyer		Pete Incaviglia	Mike Caldwell
2007	81-59	2nd	Matt Walbeck	Lost in 1st round	Glenn Adams	A.J. Sager
2008	68-74	8th	Tom Brookens		Glenn Adams	Ray Burris
2009	71-70	6th	Tom Brookens		Glenn Adams	Ray Burris
2010	66-76	11th (t)	Phil Nevin		Glenn Adams	Ray Burris
2011	67-75	9th	Chris Cron		Jerry Martin	Ray Burris
2012	57-84	12th	Chris Cron		Jerry Martin	Ray Burris
2013	76-66	3rd	Chris Cron	Lost in 1st round	Gerald Perry	Jaime Garcia
2014	71-71	7th	Lance Parrish		Gerald Perry	Jaime Garcia
2015	64-78	11th	Lance Parrish		Gerald Perry	Mike Henneman
2016	62-79	9th (t)	Lance Parrish		Phil Clark	Willie Blair
2017	65-75	8th	Lance Parrish		Phil Clark	Willie Blair
2018	63-77	11th	Andrew Graham		Mike Hessman	Willie Blair	Santiago Garrido
2019	77-61	2nd	Mike Rabelo		Brian Harper	Mark Johnson	Santiago Garrido
2020	Season cancelled
2021	64-55	5th	Arnie Beyeler		Adam Melhuse	Mark Johnson	Tony Smith
2022	80-58	2nd	Gabe Alvarez	Lost League Finals	John Murrian	Dan Ricabal	Ollie Kadey
2023			Gabe Alvarez		Francisco Contreras	Juan Pimentel	Matt Malott

Related Sites

• SeaWolves.com