Triad Baseball Guide 2023

Rockers add three newcomers to roster

Pitcher, catcher, outfielder headed to High Point

BY THE HIGH POINT ROCKERS

The High Point Rockers on Tuesday announced the signing of three newcomers for the 2023 season. Catcher Tyler Blaum and pitcher Courtney Mack each played in the Atlantic League in 2022 while outfielder John Daly will make his ALPB debut.

Mack, 30, will begin his second year of professional baseball after playing with three Atlantic League teams in 2022. He debuted with Kentucky in July and made one start, going five innings and allowing just one hit in a win over Lexington. After being released, he signed with Charleston and made five appearances, all out of the bullpen. He then finished the season with York, posting a 2-1 record in eight games including six starts with one of those wins coming against the Rockers on Sept. 18. For his first season in professional baseball, Mack was 3-2 with a 6.56 ERA in 15 appearances.

“Courtney is a very promising pitcher who showed what he can do when given the opportunity,” said Rockers manager Jamie Keefe. “He was out of baseball for a couple of years but he continues to work hard and is progressing every day.”

Blaum, 24, will be a strong defensive addition to the Rockers. While playing collegiately at Virginia-Wise, Blaum became the first player in school history to be awarded a Rawlings Gold Glove after playing error-free baseball in 2021. He threw out 11 of 24 base-stealers and was named the top defensive catcher in the South Atlantic Conference. He broke into the Atlantic League in 2022 with the Charleston Dirty Birds, hitting .239 with a pair of home runs and 21 RBI in 83 games. Following his college career, Blaum joined the United Shore League in 2021 before moving to Joliet, Ill. in the Frontier League.

“Tyler will really solidify our defensive behind the plate,” said Keefe. “He has proven he is an outstanding

catcher and that will be his primary duty, to provide great defense and work in sync with our pitching staff.”

Daly, 24, is an outfielder who played at the State University of New York at Albany, compiling a .297 average with five home runs and 32 RBI as a senior in 2022. Before joining the Great Danes, Daly was a third team All-American at Rockland Community College, posting a career .395 batting average with 18 doubles and eight home runs. In 2023, Daly hit .353 in 16 games with Bakersfield in the Pecos League.

“John really surprised us during a showcase event over the winter,” said Keefe. “He can run and is a former football player so he brings a certain level of grit to the game. He will run through the outfield wall for you and will be a big help defensively.”

The Rockers will open the 2023 season at home on April 28 with the Long Island Ducks. High Point will play its first 10 games at Truist Point through May 8. Individual game tickets will go on sale starting March 31.

About High Point Baseball, Inc.

The High Point Rockers, operated by the non-profit High Point Baseball, play their home games at Truist Point, a state-of-the-art $36 million ballpark which serves as a catalyst to the rejuvenation of downtown High Point. In 2022, the Rockers reached the League Championship Series of the 10-team Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, an MLB Partner League with clubs from New York to North Carolina.

Tyler Blaum

John Daly Courtney Mack

Michael Martinez returning to Rockers

BY THE HIGH POINT ROCKERS

Michael Martinez, a Major League veteran and World Series participant, will return to the High Point Rockers for a third season. Martinez recently signed a contract that will put him back in a Rockers uniform for the 2022 season.

“I couldn’t be happier to have Michael back again,” said manager Jamie Keefe who will be entering his fourth season at the helm of the Rockers. “He has tremendous knowledge of the game and is a joy to be around. Having Michael on the field and in the line-up every day is like having another coach on the field.”

Martinez, 40, hit .304 in 2022 and has a .296 career average with the Rockers including nine home runs and 65 RBI in 126 games. His batting average is the highest-ever by a Rockers switch-hitter. A versatile defender, Martinez has played both second and third base as well as spot duty in the outfield. One of his 2022 highlights was a walk-off grand slam to defeat Lancaster on September 7.

Martinez had a very productive 2021 season in High Point. He joined the club on August 6 and played in 51 games, hitting .286 with four home runs and 30 RBI.

A seven-year Major League veteran, Martinez has played with five different MLB teams and made four trips to the playoffs. He played his first season in the Atlantic League with the Lancaster Barnstormers in 2019 before joining the Rockers in 2021.

A native of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Martinez last played in the Major Leagues with Cleveland and Tampa Bay during the 2017 season. Martinez spent 2018 at Cleveland’s AAA club in Columbus, Ohio.

Originally signed by the Washington Nationals organization in 2006, Martinez advanced through their system before reaching the Major Leagues with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2011. He continued with the Phillies through 2013 before joining the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2014. Martinez was with the Indians (now Guardians) in 2015 and 2016, helping the club reach the World Series in 2016 vs. the Chicago Cubs. Martinez split the 2017 season between Cleveland and Tampa Bay.

Michael Martinez

Rockers ready for ’23 with returning staff

BY THE HIGH POINT ROCKERS

The High Point Rockers today announced that manager Jamie Keefe and his coaching staff that led the Rockers to the Atlantic League’s 2022 South Division Championship will return for the 2023 season.

Keefe will begin his fourth season as the Rockers’ manager and will be joined by pitching coach Frank Viola and bench coach Albert Gonzalez.

“The thing that is amazing to me is that with all the knowledge that Frank and Albert have, it’s remarkable that they are here in High Point and not in Major League Baseball,” said Keefe. “Frank had a fantastic playing career and has been great as a coach and instructor. Albert is very well-connected within all baseball circles.”

Keefe will be leading his 20th club onto the field in 2023. The veteran manager has compiled a career record of 981-864 and is nearing his 1,000th career win. He has led the Rockers to the ALPB playoffs in two of his three seasons including a berth in the ALPB League Championship Series last fall, eventually dropping the final series to Lancaster. Keefe’s three seasons in High Point have resulted in a 209-182 record and a .535 winning percentage.

Viola has worked with the Rockers pitchers since the team’s inception in 2019. During the last three years, his mentorship has led the team’s pitching staff to have the Atlantic League’s fewest walks allowed and the second-best earned run av-

erage at 4.45. During Viola’s three seasons in High Point, the Rockers have the second-most wins in the Atlantic League with 209.

A native of Long Island, Viola spent 15 years in the Major Leagues, leading the Minnesota Twins to the 1987 World Championship while winning the American League Cy Young Award in 1988. Viola was the MVP of the ’87 World Series and was named to three All-Star teams before retiring in 1996. He coached at every level of the Mets organization following his retirement prior to joining the Rockers in 2019.

“Frank is the best,” said Keefe. “He has learned the independent (baseball) game over the last four years. He is great in his communication with the players, and we get a lot of players who come here because of Frank. He is incredibly humble and comes to the ballpark with a big smile every day.”

Gonzalez has served as an assistant coach to Keefe at several stops including stints with the New York Boulders of the Can-Am League in 2017 and 2018. He was the Rock-

ers’ bullpen coach in 2019 and 2021. During the 2021 season, Gonzalez was signed to the active roster and appeared in two games. He has also played professionally in Puerto Rico and Spain.

In addition to his on-field responsibilities, Gonzalez will also become the Rockers’ Director of Player Personnel.

“I couldn’t be more excited to see Albert in his new role,” said Keefe. “Over the last six years I’ve watched him grow into a great baseball coach. I met him when he would come over the ballpark (in Rockland, N.Y.) and catch bullpen sessions and now he is helping to put this club together. It is very comforting to me to have a great baseball mind like Albert next to me in the dugout every game. He remains eager to learn and we will work side by side every day for the next nine months.”

In 2020, Gonzalez served as the manager of the New York Boulders of the Frontier League, leading the club to a playoff berth before finishing his first managerial season leading the BR Bandits to a Liberation Professional Baseball League Championship.

“Our coaching staff is the best in the Atlantic League,” said Rockers Team President Pete Fisch. “They provide a wonderful representation of High Point and put us in a position to continue winning.”

The Rockers will open the Atlantic League’s 25th Anniversary season on Friday, April 28 when they host the Long Island Ducks at Truist Point.

ROCKERS 2023 MAY

Pirates announce Hoppers 2023 coaching staff

BY THE GREENSBORO GRASSHOPPERS

The Pittsburgh Pirates announced today that Robby Hammock will be the new manager for the 2023 Greensboro Grasshoppers. Returning to Greensboro to join Hammock will be pitching coach Fernando Nieve, hitting coach Rubén Gotay, integrated baseball performance coach Justin Orton and development coach Collin Wilber. Casey Lee will be the athletic trainer and Ryoji Ejima will be the strength and conditioning coach.

Hammock enters his first season with the Pirates organization and as the field manager for the Hoppers. Robby spent the 2022 season as the AAA coach in the San Diego Padres organization, and was a crucial member of various Arizona Diamondback minor league coaching staffs from 2012-2021. Drafted in the 23rd round of the 1998 MLB First-Year Player Draft, Hammock played in 182 major league games and had three years of major league service time over six seasons. Most notably, Hammock caught Randy Johnson’s perfect game on May 18, 2004.

Nieve enters his fifth season with the Pirates organization and his second with the Hoppers. He previously served as the pitching coach for the Low-A Southeast League champion Bradenton club in 2021. Fernando pitched professionally for 17 seasons, most recently in 2017 with the Oaxaca Guerreros in the Mexican League. He appeared in 99 major league games over four seasons

with the Astros (2006, 2008) and Mets (2009-2010).

Gotay enters his third season with the Hoppers and the Pirates organization. Prior to joining the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2020, he was with the Phillies organization. He played professionally for 17 years (2001-2017), including parts of four seasons in the major leagues with the Royals (2004-05), Mets (2007) and Braves (2008). As a former infielder he compiled .255 batting average, 12 homers and 77 RBI in 316 big league games. Gotay was originally selected by Kansas City in the 31st round of the 2000 MLB First-Year Player Draft.

Orton enters his fourth season with the Pirates organization and his second with the Hoppers as the integrated baseball performance coach. He previously served as the hitting coach and development coach in the Dominican Republic in 2021 and 2020, respectively. The former infielder played four years for the University of British Columbia (2014-18) before joining the coaching ranks.

Wilber enters his second season with the Pirates organization and the Hoppers as the development coach. He previously served as the Director of Player Development/Catching Coordinator with Inspiration Academy in Bradenton.

The Greensboro Grasshoppers first 2023 home game will be Tuesday, April 18 at 6:30pm. For information on season tickets, mini ticket plans and advertising packages, please contact the Grasshoppers front office at 336.268.2255.

SE pt EMBER

Winston-Salem Dash announce 2023 field staff

Quiroz, Ely, and Wooten return to Winston, join two newcomers

BY THE WINSTON-SALEM DASH

The Winston-Salem Dash, in conjunction with the Chicago White Sox, are excited to announce the WinstonSalem Dash field staff for the 2023 season. Guillermo Quiroz will make his debut as Manager for the Dash, alongside Pitching Coach John Ely, and Hitting Coach Jason Krizan. Carson Wooten returns as the Athletic Trainer, and the Dash welcome Logan Jones as the team’s Performance Coach.

Manager Guillermo Quiroz takes a step up from Single-A Kannapolis after managing the Cannon Ballers for the past two seasons. Quiroz was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in 1998 and earned MLB playing time for Toronto in 2004. After his time with the Blue Jays ended in 2005, the Venezuelan catcher went on to play between the major and minor league levels for the Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers, Baltimore Orioles, Boston

Red Sox, San Francisco Giants and the Cleveland Guardians. After his retirement, Quiroz brought 19 years of playing experience to the WinstonSalem Dash as a coach in 2018 and later to he Charlotte Knights in 2019. The White Sox soon named Quiroz manager of the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers, where his 2020 managerial debut was put on hold until 2021 due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Quiroz brings with him a new Pitching Coach in John Ely, who has also spent the last two seasons in Kannapolis. Ely grew up in Harvey, Illinois and was drafted by the Chicago White Sox as a pitcher out of Miami University (OH) in 2007. He spent the 2008 season between the Great Falls Voyagers and the Winston-Salem Warthogs and pitched his way to Double-A Birmingham in 2009. Shortly after being traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers, Ely made his MLB debut in April of 2010 and spent time with the Dodgers between 2010 and

2011. After playing in the Astros, Red Sox and Brewers organizations, Ely transitioned to a coaching role within the White Sox system. He served as Pitching Coach for the Great Falls Voyagers from 2017-2019, with a brief stop in Winston-Salem in early 2019. Ely was scheduled to return to Great Falls in 2020, but was named Pitching Coach for Kannapolis when minor league play resumed in 2021.

Hitting Coach, Jason Krizan, makes his MiLB coaching debut after an 11-year professional playing career. After a successful campaign at Dallas Baptist University, the Austin, Texas-native was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in 2011 and shaped himself into effective utility player at the higher levels of the Tigers’ minor league organization. After his time with the Tigers, Krizan signed minor league contracts with the New York Mets in 2018 and the San Francisco Giants in 2020. In 2022, Krizan was posted to the Giants’ 40-man roster

on April 29. He made his MLB debut on the same day, starting in left field and collecting his first major league hit.

Athletic Trainer, Carson Wooten, returns for a third season with the Dash. Wooten hails from California and is a graduate of Boise State University. Before making his Dash debut in 2021, he spent time with the Boston Red Sox organization as well as the Great Falls Voyagers, former rookie affiliate of the Chicago White Sox.

Wooten and the Dash coaching staff will work in tandem with Performance Coach, Logan Jones, who returns to his home state of North Carolina. Jones grew up in Zebulon, NC and spent four seasons playing baseball at Guilford College. While at Guilford, he earned degrees in Exercise and Sport Sciences & Health Sciences. After graduation, Jones spent time at the University of Kentucky and Wake Forest University before joining the Arizona Diamondbacks organization in 2018.

“We are thrilled to welcome this new staff to Winston-Salem. It is a pleasure to have Carson Wooten back as well. I am confident that these coaches will put the best product on the field and give our fans an unforgettable baseball experience in 2023,” said Dash President & General Manager, Brian DeAngelis.

The Dash begin their 2023 season with a three-game series on the road against the Hickory Crawdads beginning on Thursday, April 6. The Dash play their home opener against the Brooklyn Cyclones on Tuesday, April 11 at 7:00pm. Ticket information can be found at wsdash.com or by calling (336) 714-2287.

The Winston-Salem Dash are the Class A-Advanced Minor League affiliate of the Chicago White Sox. For more information, please call 336-714-2287 or visit www.wsdash. com

66 home games & 25 firework shows at Truist Stadium in 2023

The Winston-Salem Dash have announced tickets for all games during the 2023 season are on sale now. This season is going to be one for the books, including 25 fireworks shows – more than the Dash have ever had in one season. The Dash are also rolling out over 30 theme nights, 10 daily promotions, and 6 specialty on-field jerseys.

“The 2023 season marks a new era in Winston-Salem,” said Dash President & General Manager, Brian DeAngelis. “We’ve got double the fireworks and more theme nights than ever, so there is something in store for everybody in our community this year. We look forward to providing Dash fans with top-notch entertainment every time they walk through the gates of Truist Stadium.”

Check out the daily promotions below happening during every Dash homestand:

TUESDAYS

Clear Tote Tuesday, presented by O2 Fitness The first 1,000 fans on Opening Night will receive a free tote. All remaining Tuesdays of the season, 200 lucky fans will get this awesome tote.

WEDNESDAYS

Pass purchased this season will go towards AARF Winston-Salem.

FRIDAYS & SATURDAYS

FIREWORKS FRIDAY AND SATURDAY

We’re Doubling Down! This season, we will have post-game fireworks on Saturday as well! That’s right, a total of 25 firework shows for you to enjoy. Every Saturday firework show will feature special music, from Luke Combs to Michael Jackson to Drake, there will be a fireworks playlist for everyone!

SUNDAYS

LOWES FOODS FAMILY SUNDAY

Sunday is for family! Join us for another year of Lowes Foods Family Sunday. Enjoy a mid-day Dash baseball game, starting at 2:00 p.m., with free Kids Zone entry throughout the game.

Kids Run the Bases, presented by Daggett Shuler Stick around after the game each Sunday for Kids Run the Bases. Children aged 13 and younger will have the chance to go on the field after the game and run the bases.

BRUNCH WITH BOLT

WHITE

CLAW

WEDNESDAY, PRESENTED BY WHITE CLAW

New this season, Wednesdays are wavy. While we still have laws, you can have all the claws. White Claws are half-o every Wednesday at Truist Stadium.

THURSDAYS

LOWES FOODS THIRSTY THURSDAY

The Dash are bringing back Lowes Foods Thirsty Thursday again for the 2023 season with ½ o all beer. Pups in the Parks, presented by Tito’s Handmade Vodka Bring on the Pups! We’ve missed our furry fans and can’t wait to celebrate Pups in the Park, presented by Tito’s Handmade Vodka every Thursday! Part of the proceeds from each Pup

Enjoy Sunday Brunch and a Dash game! Our Brunch with Bolt ticket package includes early entry into the ballpark starting at 12pm, along with a ticket to the Dash game. Spend your Sunday brunching in one of our Flow Club Level executive suites with a mimosa in hand!

The Dash will be playing in the South Atlantic League, which includes regional rivals Asheville, Greensboro, and Hickory. Six-game series return for the 2023 season and will run from Tuesday-Sunday. More than half of the Dash home games will be played on weekends. Tickets can be purchased in advance at wsdash.com/tickets or by calling 336-714-2287. To view the full promotional schedule, visit our website.

WINSTON-SALEM DASH 2023

TEAMS

Disco Turkeys getting set for third summer

BY CAROLINA DISCO TURKEYS

The Carolina Disco Turkeys are already in full swing preparing for their third season in Winston-Salem.

The popular summer collegiate organization will play its first game of the season at home with a night game on Saturday, May 27 at Truist Stadium against a new rival team, the Uwharrie Wampus Cats.

Tickets for most of their home games are $8.50 for general admission seats, meaning fans can sit as close as they want to the action. The team’s season runs from late May through late July.

“We can’t wait for our third year to start,” said team owner and president Greg Sullivan. “We’ve got several high-profile home games in Winston-Salem. The players also have big away trips to play the Wilmington Sharks, our old rival the Boone Bigfoots, and the High PointThomasville Hi-Toms, who we have wins against our past two years. And every year our talent gets better.”

In their first year, the Disco Turkeys introduced the college baseball world to Austin St. Laurent, a North Carolina native who used his summer with the Disco Turkeys to help transfer and earn a starting infielder and leadoff hitter job at Appalachian State last spring and is now thought upon as a draft prospect. Other players

from that first team have since gone on to play in the MLB Draft League (Colin Kennedy, La Salle) and professionally in the Maverick League (Chase Jessee, Malone) and the Pecos League (Alex Canty, Lindenwood).

In 2022, the team’s roster was roughly half players at the Division 1 level and the team was noticeably improved. “With who all we’ve signed so far for 2023, we expect to have an even better team this year,” Sullivan said. “We have a lot of top returners like Nico Noto (Samford) and Max Gustafson (Bryant) and new guys like pitcher Reece McDuffie from Tennessee Tech, just to name a few. We also have some elite junior college players which will bring college scouts to our games.”

The team will also be bringing its toughest competition yet to Winston-Salem with visits from tough regional teams like the Tarboro River Bandits, the Queen City Corndogs and the Wake Forest Fungo (Wake Forest, NC).

“We’re looking forward to another fun year,” Sullivan said. “We’ve built a reputation as a great place for families to bring their kids to a game and for adults who want to watch a cool brand of baseball and have a cold beer and enjoy an evening out at the ballpark. And I know our players relish the attention.”

Disco Turkeys’ funky reputation continues to grow after early success

BY CAROLINA DISCO TURKEYS

When the Carolina Disco Turkeys released their name and logo in March of 2021, they received attention from nearly every corner of the world.

On the strength of national stories on ESPN and online at Barstool Sports, SB Nation and Axios, the Winston-Salem summer collegiate team shipped out merchandise orders to all 50 states within three weeks and has continued to get orders from Canada, the UK, Australia and spots all over the world.

“We have a lot of fans in Quebec, for whatever reason, and one of our super-fans lives in Gibraltar, south of Spain,” said team owner and president Greg Sullivan. “What’s cool for local fans in the Triad is this is a team in their backyard and the games are a blast to go to.”

The team’s best-selling merchandise item the past couple years has been a New Era fl ex fi t cap with the team’s dancing peacock logo on a New York Yankees navy-colored cap. It’s one of several New Era cap varieties the team sells at games along with all sorts of popu-

lar t-shirts and other merchandise.

The logo, often popping up on best minor league baseball logo lists or best minor league baseball team name lists, is of a peacock, or a disco turkey, calling his shot like Babe Ruth or, if one prefers to think of it a different way — like John Travolta striking a dance pose.

The games have continued to grow in popularity for the team, which since the beginning has regularly featured players from schools like Wake Forest, Appalachian State, East Carolina and other well-known programs.

“We had a feeling an offbeat name would be a hit in Winston-Salem,” Sullivan said. “It has been and we love playing here and being part of the community here and working with groups like Forsyth Humane Society and our local business sponsors.”

The team’s merchandise is available at all home games and at shopdiscoturkeys.com. A selection of merchandise can also be found at Mast General Store in downtown Winston-Salem. The team begins its third season on Saturday, May 27 at Truist Stadium.

TRUIST STADIUM

SAT 5/27 @ 6:30PM vs. Uwharrie Wampus Cats

FRI 6/9 @ 6:30PM vs. Wake Forest Fungo

SAT 6/10 @ 6:30PM vs. Uwharrie Wampus Cats

DAVID COUCH BALLPARK (WFU)

DAVID COUCH BALLPARK (WFU)

FRI 6/23 @ 6:30PM vs. The Kingsmen

SAT 6/24 @ 6:30PM vs. Tarboro River Bandits

BOWMAN GRAY STADIUM

BOWMAN GRAY STADIUM

SUN 7/2 @ 4PM vs. Uwharrie Wampus Cats

MON 7/3 @ 6:30PM vs. Uwharrie Wampus Cats

TUE 7/4 @ 4PM vs. Winston-Salem Moravians

DAVID COUCH BALLPARK (WFU)

DAVID COUCH BALLPARK (WFU)

THU 7/13 @ 6:30PM vs. Queen City Corndogs

FRI 7/14 @ 6:30PM vs. Greensboro Yard Goats

FRI 7/28 @ 6:30PM vs. Wake Forest Fungo

SAT 7/29 @ 6:30PM vs. Uwharrie Wampus Cats

additional opponents this season include the Wilmington sharks, asheboro Zookeepers, Martinsville Mustangs, High point-thomasville Hi-toms, boone bigfoots, catawba Valley stars, edenton steamers, Mooresville spinners and others.

The history of the HiTom mascot

BY JOCELYN JONES

Originally printed in 2018

In most sports, mascots are an integral part of getting the fan base involved in the game, and especially in the team spirit. From high school to college, to professional sports, mascots are some of the most important aspects of the team, especially in this day and age where people are more focused on their phones, and other various technology, rather than watching and engaging with the game going on in front of them.

No one knows this more than the High Point-Thomasville baseball team, the HiToms.

The HiToms are a part of the Coastal Plain League, a summer collegiate baseball league where players can work on their skills in the offseason. The team was started in 1999 and was one of the earlier teams to participate in the Coastal Plain League.

While they are a collegiate league presently, this wasn’t always the case. Initially, the HiToms were a minor league professional team that started in the late 1930’s and was based in Thomasville at the historic Finch Field. The minor league team was started in 1937 and shel-

tered a rich legacy of a pipeline of talent from the minor leagues all the way to the major leagues. Finch Field once housed players such as Hall of Famer Eddie Matthews, and former manager of the Philadelphia Phillies, Dallas Green to name a few. Called the Thomasville Tommies, the original mascot was created to help to reflect the history of the town of Thomasville.

The name change came in 1948 after a former player and manager petitioned for a name change to encompass both the communities of High Point and Thomasville, hence the name “HiToms.” After the name change, the team was then dissolved and became apart of the Minnesota Twins organization. However, once the team came back as a collegiate league, they were without a mascot until 2001. It was initially designed to represent a baseball player from the earlier years of the HiToms and was named Tommie.

However, after 16 years of being the official mascot, the organization decided that it was time for a change. They wanted a change for the fans who were not familiar with the organization so that it would be more recognizable. And although they were searching for a change, they did not want to stray away from the rich history of the towns of High Point and Thomasville.

Become a member of the HiToms Family

Without host families, the lives of Coastal Plain League players and organizations would be much harder. When teams around baseball bring in players from out of the region, they need a place to stay. That’s where a host family comes into play. They are the backbone of the HiToms organization, helping us stay as a leader on the field and in our community, housing our players for the three-month season.

Each year we honor our host families with complementary tickets to games and an end-of-the-year ceremony at Finch Field. Host families assist with the connection of a player to the local community, with some relationships lasting forever.

“I’ve made lifelong connections with my three host families in summer collegiate baseball.” Says Shaemus Kreider, the broadcaster of the HiToms. “Baseball players are hardworking, exceptional individuals, and you will not regret your time spent with the future leaders of this country.”

If you’re interested in hosting a player, email Greg Suire at greg@hitoms.com.

The organization then came across an array of cartoons from the 1950’s that was about the HiToms in the High Point Enterprise. The cartoons featured a cat as one of the main characters, and this is how the modern mascot of the HiToms “TomKat” was born. It was first debuted last season (2017) for the first time, and he makes appearances at HiTom games, schools, and special events for the team.

The man behind the costume is Mike Edwards. Edwards is not only the mascot for the HiToms, but he does work around the stadium with concessions and groundskeeping. Since the new mascot first unveiled, he has been able to suit up for special events involving the HiToms. He hasn’t been able to do so in a game just yet but will be able to do so during this upcoming season. But the coolest part of being the mascot for him isn’t putting on the costume, or even being seen in it. For him, it’s being able to interact with the audience, and most importantly the kids.

“The best part about it for me is definitely the kids’ reactions. I love seeing the kids get all smiling and happy,” Edwards said. “I’m really gentle with them. They always like getting their picture with me, and some even want to pet my head.”

Being a “simple kind of man,” his favorite thing to do is watch baseball, especially his favorite team the Atlanta Braves, and watch movies in his spare time.

HITOMS 2023

MAY/JUNE

TEAMS