Lynchburg Hillcats
Encyclopedia
The Lynchburg Hillcats are a minor league baseball
team in Lynchburg, Virginia
. They are a Class High-A team in the Carolina League
, and currently are a farm team of the Atlanta Braves
. They had been a farm team of the Pittsburgh Pirates
since 1995, with the Cincinnati Reds
fulfilling the final year in 2009 of a two-year agreement with the Pirates. The Hillcats play home games at Calvin Falwell Field
; refurbished and renamed in 2004, the stadium seats 4,000 fans. They are the only team of the Atlanta Braves' affiliates that are not owned by the parent club, as well as the only affiliate who does not share the "Braves" mascot with the parent club.
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
team in Lynchburg, Virginia
Lynchburg, Virginia
Lynchburg is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 75,568 as of 2010. Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains along the banks of the James River, Lynchburg is known as the "City of Seven Hills" or "The Hill City." Lynchburg was the only major city in...
. They are a Class High-A team in the Carolina League
Carolina League
The Carolina League is a minor league baseball affiliation which operates in the South Atlantic Coast of the United States. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
, and currently are a farm team of the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
. They had been a farm team of the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
since 1995, with the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
fulfilling the final year in 2009 of a two-year agreement with the Pirates. The Hillcats play home games at Calvin Falwell Field
Calvin Falwell Field
Calvin Falwell Field, located in Lynchburg, Virginia, was originally constructed in 1939 to be used as a complex for professional baseball teams. The baseball stadium was built in conjunction with an adjacent 6,000-person football stadium. The New York Yankees and the Brooklyn Dodgers played in the...
; refurbished and renamed in 2004, the stadium seats 4,000 fans. They are the only team of the Atlanta Braves' affiliates that are not owned by the parent club, as well as the only affiliate who does not share the "Braves" mascot with the parent club.
Division and League Championships
- 1896 State League Champions, No playoffs.
- 1906 Virginia League Champions, No playoffs.
- 1940 Virginia League Champions, Senators over Harrisonburg 3–2.
- 1944 Piedmont League Champions, Cardinals over Portsmouth Cubs 4–3.
- 1948 Piedmont League Regular Season Champions, Cardinals lose to Newport News Dodgers 0–4.
- 1949 Piedmont League Champions, Cardinals over Portsmouth Cubs 4–2.
- 1962 South Atlantic LeagueSouth Atlantic LeagueThe South Atlantic League is a minor league baseball league based chiefly in the Southeastern United States, with the exception of three teams in the Mid-Atlantic States...
Regular Season Champions, White Sox lose to Macon 0–3. - 1963 South Atlantic LeagueSouth Atlantic LeagueThe South Atlantic League is a minor league baseball league based chiefly in the Southeastern United States, with the exception of three teams in the Mid-Atlantic States...
2nd-Half Champions, White Sox lose to Augusta 2–3. - 1964 Southern League Champions, No playoffs.
- 1973 Carolina LeagueCarolina LeagueThe Carolina League is a minor league baseball affiliation which operates in the South Atlantic Coast of the United States. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
1st-Half Champions, Twins lose to Winston-Salem 2–3. - 1977 Carolina LeagueCarolina LeagueThe Carolina League is a minor league baseball affiliation which operates in the South Atlantic Coast of the United States. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
1st-Half Champions, Mets lose to Peninsula 2–3. - 1978 Carolina LeagueCarolina LeagueThe Carolina League is a minor league baseball affiliation which operates in the South Atlantic Coast of the United States. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
Champions, Mets over Peninsula 3–0. - 1982 Carolina LeagueCarolina LeagueThe Carolina League is a minor league baseball affiliation which operates in the South Atlantic Coast of the United States. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
2nd-Half Northern Division Champions, Mets lose to Alexandria in one-game Divisional playoff. - 1983 Carolina LeagueCarolina LeagueThe Carolina League is a minor league baseball affiliation which operates in the South Atlantic Coast of the United States. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
Champions, Mets sweep Northern Division and win over Winston-Salem 3–0. - 1984 Carolina LeagueCarolina LeagueThe Carolina League is a minor league baseball affiliation which operates in the South Atlantic Coast of the United States. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
Champions, Mets sweep Northern Division and win over Durham 3–1. - 1985 Carolina LeagueCarolina LeagueThe Carolina League is a minor league baseball affiliation which operates in the South Atlantic Coast of the United States. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
Northern Division Champions, Mets sweep Division lose to Winston-Salem 1–3. - 1988 Carolina LeagueCarolina LeagueThe Carolina League is a minor league baseball affiliation which operates in the South Atlantic Coast of the United States. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
2nd-Half Northern Division Champions, Red Sox over Salem 2–1 in playoffs, lose to Kinston 2–3 in Championship. - 1989 Carolina LeagueCarolina LeagueThe Carolina League is a minor league baseball affiliation which operates in the South Atlantic Coast of the United States. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
1st-Half Northern Division Champions, Red Sox lose to Prince William 1–2 in playoffs. - 1991 Carolina LeagueCarolina LeagueThe Carolina League is a minor league baseball affiliation which operates in the South Atlantic Coast of the United States. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
2nd-Half Northern Division Champions, Red Sox over Prince William 2–0 in playoffs, lose to Kinston 0–3 in Championship. - 1992 Carolina LeagueCarolina LeagueThe Carolina League is a minor league baseball affiliation which operates in the South Atlantic Coast of the United States. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
Northern Division Champions, Red Sox sweep Division lose to Peninsula 2–3 in Championship. - 1997 Carolina LeagueCarolina LeagueThe Carolina League is a minor league baseball affiliation which operates in the South Atlantic Coast of the United States. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
Champions, Hillcats win 2nd-Half Northern Division, over Frederick 2–0 in playoffs, over Kinston 3–1 in Championship. - 2000 Carolina LeagueCarolina LeagueThe Carolina League is a minor league baseball affiliation which operates in the South Atlantic Coast of the United States. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
2nd-Half Northern Division Champions, Hillcats over Frederick 2–0 in playoffs, lose to Myrtle Beach 0–3 in Championship. - 2002 Carolina LeagueCarolina LeagueThe Carolina League is a minor league baseball affiliation which operates in the South Atlantic Coast of the United States. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
Champions, Hillcats win Northern Division Wildcard, over Wilmington 2–1 in playoffs, over Kinston 3–1 in Championship. - 2003 Carolina LeagueCarolina LeagueThe Carolina League is a minor league baseball affiliation which operates in the South Atlantic Coast of the United States. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
1st-Half Northern Division Champions, Hillcats over Wilmington 2–0 in playoffs, lose to Winston-Salem 0–3 in Championship. - 2005 Carolina LeagueCarolina LeagueThe Carolina League is a minor league baseball affiliation which operates in the South Atlantic Coast of the United States. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
1st-Half Northern Division Champions, Hillcats lose to Frederick 0–2 in playoffs. - 2009 Carolina LeagueCarolina LeagueThe Carolina League is a minor league baseball affiliation which operates in the South Atlantic Coast of the United States. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
Champions, 1st-Half Northern Division Champions, Hillcats over Wilmington 3–2 in playoffs, over Salem 3–0 in Championship
Notable Lynchburg Alumni
- Pedro AlvarezPedro Alvarez (baseball)Pedro Manuel Alvarez Jr. is a Dominican-American professional baseball third baseman with the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball....
, 2008 - Daniel MoskosDaniel MoskosDaniel Ross Moskos is an American baseball pitcher in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization. A left-handed pitcher, Moskos was drafted with the 4th overall pick in the 2007 Major League Baseball Draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates....
, 2008 - Steve PearceSteve Pearce (baseball)Steven Wayne Pearce is a Major League Baseball player for the Pittsburgh Pirates.-High school and college career:...
, 2007 - Rajai DavisRajai DavisRajai Davis [RAH-jay] is an American professional baseball center fielder with the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball....
, 2004 - Henry OwensHenry OwensHenry Jay Owens is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Florida Marlins. He bats and throws right-handed....
, 2004 - Zach DukeZach DukeZachary Thomas Duke is a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who currently plays for the Arizona Diamondbacks...
, 2004 - José Castillo, 2001–02
- Nate McLouthNate McLouthNathan Richard McLouth is a Major League Baseball player. Primarily a center fielder, McLouth bats from the left side and throws from the right. He is 5' 11" tall and weighs 185 pounds...
, 2000–02 - John GrabowJohn GrabowJohn William Grabow, nicknamed "Grabes" , is a Major League Baseball left-handed reliever....
, 2001 - Joe BeimelJoe BeimelJoseph Ronald Beimel is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent.-Amateur career:...
, 2000 - Aramis RamirezAramis RamírezAramis Nin Ramírez is an All-Star Major League Baseball third baseman for the Chicago Cubs.He started his professional career with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1998, before being traded to the Cubs in 2003. On November 12, 2006, Ramírez signed a five-year deal with the Cubs...
, 1997 - Trot NixonTrot NixonChristopher Trotman Nixon is an American retired professional baseball right fielder. He played from 1996-2008 for three different teams, but is noted primarily for his time with the Boston Red Sox...
, 1994 - Lenny DykstraLenny DykstraLeonard Kyle "Lenny" Dykstra , nicknamed "Nails" and "Dude", is a former Major League Baseball center fielder. Dykstra played for the New York Mets during the late 1980s before playing for the Philadelphia Phillies during the early 1990s....
, 1983 - Dwight GoodenDwight GoodenDwight Eugene Gooden , nicknamed "Doc Gooden" or "Dr. K", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He was one of the most dominant and feared pitchers in the National League in the middle and late 1980s.-Career:...
, 1983 - Lloyd McClendonLloyd McClendonLloyd Glenn McClendon is a former professional baseball player and manager, currently serving as the hitting coach for the Detroit Tigers under Jim Leyland...
, 1981–82 - Darryl StrawberryDarryl StrawberryDarryl Eugene Strawberry is a former American Major League Baseball outfielder who is well-known both for his play on the field and for his controversial behavior off it...
, 1981 - John McNamaraJohn McNamara (baseball)John Francis McNamara is a former manager and coach in Major League Baseball. He managed six major league teams, directing the 1986 Boston Red Sox to the American League pennant, only to experience an excruciating defeat in that season's World Series at the hands of the New York Mets.-Playing,...
, 1952