Modesto Nuts
- Location: Modesto, CA
- League: California League 2005-2019; Low-A West 2021; California League 2022-
- Affiliation: Colorado Rockies 2005-2016; Seattle Mariners 2017-
- Ballpark: John Thurman Field
Team History[edit]
The Modesto Nuts, of the Single-A California League and briefly in Low-A West, say their nickname salutes "the agricultural community in the Central Valley and Stanislaus County … specifically almonds and walnuts … a huge part of who we are."[1] The Seattle Mariners farmhands play their home games at John Thurman Field in Modesto, CA.
The Nuts are mostly owned by their parent club. After the 2016 campaign, the Mariners bought 51% of the team - thus extricating themselves from parenting a team in dilapidated Sam Lynn Ballpark in Bakersfield, CA.
MLB's 2021 Minor League Reorganization lowered the Nuts, and most of the California League, one level.
The same franchise played as the Modesto Athletics for 30 years starting in 1975. When the team lost its Oakland affiliation after the 2004 season, it re-branded as the Nuts and hooked up with the Colorado Rockies.
Although it was possible to parent two teams in the same level and even league in Minor League Baseball days, few teams did often or for long. Oakland was a California League exception from 1997 through 2002 in the with Modesto and the Visalia Oaks. In 2000, the Oaks beat Modesto in the playoffs - and, in 2002, Modesto beat Visalia.
A Nuts cap was among five Cali League ones that became clues to solving a murder in TV's Life (2007-2009).
The WB's 7th Heaven (1996-2007 had the team itself playing a role - figuratively; the brand was mentioned several times but no players appeared onscreen - in a 2006 episode. Regular character Martin Brewer is torn between going to college and signing with the Rockies to play with the Nuts - an enticing option for a prospect, given that the Nuts were at the time a Class A Advanced club. Although such fictional placements often don't get affiliations right, the Rockies and the Nuts were indeed partners at the time.
In July 2024, the Seattle Mariners and Modesto announced that they could not reach an agreement on a new long-term lease at venerable but aging John Thurman Field, effectively ending Modesto’s long-standing minor-league baseball operation at the end of the 2024 season. [2] [3] [4] MLB was demanding a $32 million investment in the park. There was no immediate plan for what where the team would play in 2025.
The Nuts play Copa de la Diversion Hispanic engagement campaign games as Alebrijes de Modesto. An alebrije is a colorful wooden folk sculpture popular in Mexico.
Year-by-Year Record[edit]
External Link[edit]
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