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Fredericksburg Nationals

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Fredericksburg Nationals
Team logo Cap insignia
Minor league affiliations
ClassSingle-A (2021–present)
Previous classesClass A-Advanced (2020)
LeagueCarolina League (2020–present)
DivisionNorth Division
Major league affiliations
TeamWashington Nationals (2005–present)
Previous teams
Minor league titles
League titles (5)
  • 1989
  • 2008
  • 2010
  • 2014
  • 2024
Division titles (10)
  • 1989
  • 1991
  • 1995
  • 2004
  • 2008
  • 2010
  • 2013
  • 2014
  • 2018
  • 2024
Second-half titles (2)
  • 2022
  • 2024
Team data
NameFredNats
Previous names
  • Potomac Nationals (2005–2019)
  • Potomac Cannons (1999–2004)
  • Prince William Cannons (1989–1998)
  • Prince William Yankees (1987–1988)
  • Prince William Pirates (1984–1986)
ColorsRed, white, blue
     
MascotGus[1]
BallparkVirginia Credit Union Stadium
Previous parks
Northwest Federal Field at Pfitzner Stadium (1984–2019)
Owner(s)/
Operator(s)
Art Silber[2]
PresidentLani Silber Weiss[2]
General managerRobert Perry[2]
ManagerJake Lowery[3]
Websitemilb.com/fredericksburg

The Fredericksburg Nationals are a Minor League Baseball team that is the Single-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals. They are located in Fredericksburg, Virginia, and play their home games at Virginia Credit Union Stadium, with a capacity of 5,000 people.

History

[edit]

In June 2018, Potomac Nationals owner Art Silber announced that he had signed a letter of intent to build a new stadium in Fredericksburg, Virginia, that would open in April 2020.[4] The 5,000-seat multi-purpose stadium, as then planned, would include a 300-seat club facility and 13 suites.[5] In November 2018 the Fredericksburg city council unanimously gave final approval for the Silber family to finance, build and maintain the $35 million stadium with the city as an "anchor tenant" making an annual payment to the club of $1.05 million for 30 years.[6]

A groundbreaking ceremony was held on February 24, 2019,[7] but construction work did not begin until July[8] or August 2019.[9] On September 25, 2019, general manager Nick Hall said, "We're 100 percent planning on opening April 23."[10] MASN reported on January 13, 2020, that Hall had said that construction was on schedule and that he was confident the venue will be ready for the 2020 season.[11] With the 2020 season start postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Nationals held a virtual opening day on April 23, 2020. Hall said that the stadium was baseball-ready though construction was not yet complete, even though, with construction deemed as essential business, "The construction progress has gone off without a hitch."[12][13] Construction was continuing at the start of June 2020.[14] Since its inaugural 2021 season the team has used the stadium, which in 2022 was renamed the Virginia Credit Union Stadium, under a 10-year naming rights deal.[15][16][17]

As part of a process to give the team a new name that included Fredericksburg,[6] a "Name the Team" contest that began in April 2019 received more than 2,400 responses on the team name, colors, mascots, and ways to incorporate local history and culture.[8] On October 5, 2019, the team announced that it had changed its name to the Fredericksburg Nationals for the 2020 season and that its marketing nickname for the team – "P-Nats" when the team was the Potomac Nationals – would change to "FredNats."[18][19][20]

The teams uniforms were revealed on November 16, 2019, along with a Mary Washington logo at an event on Mary Washington's 311th birthday.[21]

In March 2020, the team unveiled their new mascot, Gus, described as "fat and fluffy" with purple fur and bright green eyebrows.[1]

2020 season

[edit]

The 2020 minor league baseball season was initially postponed, and ultimately cancelled altogether, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[22][23] With no minor league season to play, Fredericksburg became the alternate training site for the Washington Nationals, hosting players who were not on the active roster, as well as a number of minor league players and instructors, during the 2020 season.[24]

2021 season

[edit]

Before the Fredericksburg Nationals could play a game at the Class A-Advanced level, the team was notified in December 2020 that it would need to accept relegation to the Low-A level to continue play as an affiliate of the Washington Nationals. Silber confirmed the Fredericksburg Nationals would continue their affiliation with Washington at the new level for 2021 and beyond.[25] They were organized into a newly named league, the Low-A East.[26]

Fredericksburg began competition on May 4, 2021, with a 16–3 loss to the Lynchburg Hillcats at Bank of the James Stadium in Lynchburg, Virginia.[27] The Nationals played their first home game at FredNats Ballpark on May 11, 2021, losing to the Delmarva Shorebirds, 7–5, with 2,065 people in attendance.[28][29]

The team finished its inaugural 2021 season with a 44-76 win-loss record, ending in fourth (last) place in the North Division of the Low-A East League. However, the team's total attendance of 199,071 was the highest in its division.[30]

2022 season

[edit]

In 2022, the Low-A East renamed itself as the Carolina League, the name historically used by the regional circuit prior to the 2021 reorganization, and was reclassified as a Single-A circuit. The League also changed its structure, from three four-team divisions to two six-team divisions.[31]

The team finished the 2022 regular season with a 75-55 overall win-loss record, first in the Carolina League's North Division. More specifically, Fredericksburg finished fifth in its division in the season's first half, with a 33-33 record, and first in the second half with a 42-22 record. In the first round of Carolina League playoffs, the FredNats fell in 3 games to Lynchburg in the best-of-three game series, as the North Division's first-place teams in the two halves of the season.[32][33][34]

2023 season

[edit]

The team finished the 2023 regular season with a 65-63 overall win-loss record, third in the Carolina League's North Division. More specifically, Fredericksburg finished third in its division in the season's first half, with a 30-33 record, and third in the second half with a 35-30 record.[35]

2024 season; first league championship

[edit]

On September 18, 2024, the FredNats beat the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers, 3-0, at home, in the third game of a 3-game series to win their first Carolina League championship.[36]

Virginia Credit Union Stadium in 2023
Ballpark main entrance

Roster

[edit]
Fredericksburg Nationals roster
Players Coaches/Other

Pitchers

  • 18 Anthony Arguelles
  •    Merrick Baldo
  • 34 Merritt Beeker
  • 17 Adam Bloebaum
  • 28 Matthew Bollenbacher
  • 14 Alex Clemmey
  • 36 Robert Cranz
  • 27 Bubba Hall
  • 39 Alexander Meckley
  • 35 Johan Otanez
  •    Bryan Polanco ~
  • 10 Angel Roman
  • 11 Brayan Romero
  • 29 Bryan Sanchez
  •  8 Camilo Sanchez
  • 31 Travis Sthele
  • 39 Travis Sykora

Catchers

Infielders

  •  2 Kelvin Diaz
  •  7 Seaver King
  • 23 Jorgelys Mota
  • 13 Nathaniel Ochoa Leyva
  •  3 Rafael Ramirez Jr.

Outfielders

  •  1 Teo Banks
  • 12 Brenner Cox
  • 21 Elijah Green
  • 26 Nick Peoples
  • 24 Sam Petersen
  • 25 Brandon Pimentel
  • 30 Cristhian Vaquero

Manager

Coaches

  • 47 Mike Habas (hitting)
  • 16 Carmelo Jaime (development)
  • 33 Justin Lord (pitching)

60-day injured list

  • 40 Juan Abreu (full season)
  •  6 Gabriel Agostini (full season)
  •    Pablo Aldonis (full season)
  • 19 Tyler Baca
  •    Everett Cooper III
  •    Franklin Marquez (full season)
  •    Liam Sullivan (full season)
  •    Erik Tolman

7-day injured list
* On Washington Nationals 40-man roster
~ Development list
# Rehab assignment
∞ Reserve list
‡ Restricted list
§ Suspended list
† Temporarily inactive list
Roster updated September 16, 2024
 Transactions
→ More rosters: MiLB • Carolina League
 → Washington Nationals minor league players

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b LoMonaco, Joey (April 6, 2020). "Fredericksburg Nationals unveil new mascot: Gus". The Free Lance–Star. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
  2. ^ a b c "Front Office". MiLB.com. Fredericksburg Nationals. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
  3. ^ "Field Staff". milb.com. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
  4. ^ Hambrick, Greg (June 26, 2018). "Potomac Nationals announce plans for Fredericksburg stadium". InsideNoVa.com. Retrieved June 27, 2018.
  5. ^ "P-Nats Announce First Fredericksburg Ballpark Founding Partnership". Ballpark Digest. July 9, 2018. Retrieved July 10, 2018.
  6. ^ a b Jett, Cathy (November 13, 2018). "Fredericksburg finalizes $35 million stadium deal with Potomac Nationals' owners". The Free Lance–Star. Retrieved January 31, 2019.
  7. ^ Spedden, Zach (February 26, 2019). "New Fredericksburg Ballpark Breaks Ground". Ballpark Digest. August Publications. Retrieved May 20, 2019.
  8. ^ a b "Fredericksburg Ballpark Site Work to Start Next Month". Ballpark Digest. August Publications. June 25, 2019. Retrieved June 26, 2019.
  9. ^ "Moving dirt at the baseball stadium site in Fredericksburg". Fredericksburg Today. August 17, 2019. Retrieved August 31, 2019.
  10. ^ LoMonaco, Joey (September 25, 2019). "Fredericksburg Baseball confident in being ready for 2020 season". The Free Lance–Star. Retrieved September 27, 2019.
  11. ^ Kerr, Byron (January 13, 2020). "FredNats on schedule for new stadium opening April 23". MASN. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
  12. ^ Kerr, Byron (April 23, 2020). "Fredericksburg stadium baseball-ready for today's virtual opening day". MASN. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  13. ^ LoMonaco, Joey (April 21, 2020). "FredNats dealing with 'hodgepodge' during COVID-19". The Free Lance–Star. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  14. ^ Nawrotzky, Kirk (June 9, 2020). "With inaugural season on hold, Fredericksburg Nationals can't wait to take the field". WRIC-TV. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  15. ^ "FredNats sell stadium naming rights to credit union". Potomac Local News. March 6, 2022. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
  16. ^ LoMonaco, Joey (March 5, 2022). "Fredericksburg Nationals and Virginia Credit Union announce naming rights deal". The Free Lance–Star. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
  17. ^ Griffin, Liam (March 7, 2022). "FredNats Ballpark Renamed Virginia Credit Union Stadium". Patch (Fredericksburg, Virginia). Retrieved August 17, 2022.
  18. ^ Caputo, Phil (October 5, 2019). "Introducing the FredNats, by George!". SportsLogos.net. Retrieved October 5, 2019.
  19. ^ LoMonaco, Joey (October 5, 2019). "Fredericksburg minor league baseball team unveils new name". The Free Lance–Star. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
  20. ^ Hill, Benjamin (October 5, 2019). "Fredericksburg makes Nationals news". MiLB.com. Minor League Baseball. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
  21. ^ "Fredericksburg Nationals Unveil Team Jerseys and Mary Washington Logo". MiLB.com (Press release). Fredericksburg Nationals. November 18, 2019. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
  22. ^ "A Message From Pat O'Conner". Minor League Baseball. March 13, 2020. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  23. ^ "2020 Minor League Baseball Season Shelved". Minor League Baseball. June 30, 2020. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  24. ^ Reddington, Patrick (July 8, 2020). "Washington Nationals' Alternate Training Site in Fredericksburg Nationals' new home..." Federal Baseball. SB Nation. Retrieved December 20, 2020.
  25. ^ "FredNats to be the new Low-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals". Fredericksburg Today. December 9, 2020. Retrieved December 20, 2020.
  26. ^ Mayo, Jonathan (February 12, 2021). "MLB Announces New Minors Teams, Leagues". Major League Baseball. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
  27. ^ "Nationals vs. Hillcats Box Score 05/04/21". Minor League Baseball. May 4, 2021. Retrieved May 13, 2021.
  28. ^ "Shorebirds vs. Nationals Box Score 05/11/21". Minor League Baseball. May 11, 2021. Retrieved May 13, 2021.
  29. ^ Svrluga, Barry (May 12, 2021). "Fredericksburg had to wait for its minor league debut, but it's time to play ball at last". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
  30. ^ "2021 Low-A East League Standings". Stats Crew. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
  31. ^ "Historical League Names to Return in 2022". Minor League Baseball. March 16, 2022. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
  32. ^ "Standings, Carolina League". MiLB.com. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  33. ^ LoMONACO, JOEY (September 12, 2022). "FredNats expect a big crowd for their first playoff game". Fredericksburg.com (The Free Lance-Star). Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  34. ^ "Hillcats looking for much-needed momentum heading into final regular-season series". The News & Advance. September 5, 2022. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  35. ^ "Standings". MiLB.com. Retrieved October 1, 2024.
  36. ^ Payne, Devin (September 19, 2024). "Updated: FredNats win Carolina League championship". Fredericksburg Free Press. Retrieved September 23, 2024.
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