Bluefield Blue Jays

The Bluefield Blue Jays are a minor league baseball team of the Rookie Appalachian League representing the twin cities of Bluefield, West Virginia, and Bluefield, Virginia, affiliated with the Toronto Blue Jays.[1] The team plays their home games at Bowen Field at Peters Park, a historic stadium (opened in 1939) in Bluefield's city park. The park, which straddles the West Virginia–Virginia state line, is operated by the West Virginia city; however, Bowen Field lies entirely within Virginia.

Bluefield Blue Jays
Founded in 1937
Bluefield, Virginia
Team logoCap insignia
Minor league affiliations
ClassAdvanced Rookie (1963–present)
Previous classes
  • Class D- (1957–1962)
  • Class D (1946–1955)
  • Class C (1942)
  • Class D (1937–1940)
LeagueAppalachian League (1946–1955, 1957–present)
DivisionEast Division
Previous leagues
Mountain State League (1937–1942)
Major league affiliations
TeamToronto Blue Jays (2011–present)
Previous teams
Minor league titles
League titles (14)
  • 1949
  • 1950
  • 1954
  • 1957
  • 1962
  • 1963
  • 1967
  • 1970
  • 1971
  • 1982
  • 1992
  • 1996
  • 1997
  • 2001
Division titles (12)
  • 1971
  • 1974
  • 1976
  • 1982
  • 1992
  • 1995
  • 1996
  • 1997
  • 2001
  • 2002
  • 2011
  • 2017
Team data
NicknameBluefield Blue Jays (2011–present)
Previous names
  • Bluefield Orioles (1958–2010)
  • Bluefield Dodgers (1957)
  • Bluefield Blue-Grays (1937–1942, 1946–1955)
ColorsBlue, White
MascotBaby Jay (2011-present)
Baby Bird (1999-2010)
BallparkBowen Field at Peters Park (1946–1955, 1957–present)
Owner(s)/
Operator(s)
Bluefield Baseball Club, Inc.
ManagerDennis Holmberg
General ManagerRocky Malamisura
PresidentGeorge McGonagle

History

On August 28, 2010, Andy MacPhail, then-president of baseball operations for the Baltimore Orioles announced that Baltimore was ending their affiliation with Bluefield and the Appalachian League, effective at the end of the 2010 Appalachian League season.[2][3] Bluefield's 53 season affiliation with the Orioles, which lasted from 1958 to 2010, had been the oldest continuous affiliation with the same major league franchise in Minor League Baseball.[3]

The Orioles were sometimes known as the "Baby Birds" or the "Baby O's", a reference to their major league parent club. One of the best known players to have played in Bluefield is Cal Ripken, Jr., who played with Bluefield in 1978 when he was 17 years old. Another famous former Baby Bird is Boog Powell, who played there in 1959, also as a 17-year-old.

Bluefield became an affiliate organization with Toronto for the 2011 season.[4]

Outfielder Kevin Pillar played for the Bluefield Blue Jays in 2011, and batted .347, winning the Appalachian League batting title and leading the organization in batting average.[5][6] He holds the team's all-time records for batting average, on-base percentage (.377), and slugging percentage (.534).[7] In August 2013, Pillar became the first Bluefield Blue Jays alumnus to play in the major leagues for Toronto.[8]

Playoffs
  • 1992: Defeated Elizabethton 2–1 to win championship.
  • 1995: Lost to Kingsport 2–1 in finals.
  • 1996: Defeated Kingsport 2–1 to win championship.
  • 1997: Defeated Pulaski 2–0 to win championship.
  • 2001: Defeated Elizabethton 2–1 to win championship.
  • 2002: Lost to Bristol 2–1 in finals.
  • 2011: Defeated Elizabethton 2–1 in semifinals; lost to Johnson City 2–0 in finals.
  • 2013: Lost to Pulaski 2–0 in semifinals.
  • 2017: Lost to Pulaski 2–1 in semifinals.
  • 2018: Lost to Princeton 2–1 in semifinals.

Notable alumni

Hall of Fame alumni

Notable alumni

Roster
Bluefield Blue Jays roster
Players Coaches/Other

Pitchers

  • -- Jiorgeny Casimiri
  • 20 Felipe Castaneda
  •  6 Jol Concepcion
  • 26 Lazaro Estrada
  • 28 Austin Havekost
  • 14 Roither Hernandez
  • 35 Andrew McInvale
  •  7 Alejandro Melean
  • -- Anderson Nunez
  • 36 Naswell Paulino
  • -- Nathaniel Perez
  • 43 Jimmy Robbins
  • 32 Sam Ryan
  • 37 Julian Valdez
  • -- Emanuel Vizcaino

Catchers

  • 39 Scotty Bradley
  • -- Jose Ferrer
  •  4 Anthony Morales

Infielders

  • -- Addison Barger ‡
  •  1 Steward Berroa
  • 19 Angel Camacho
  • 13 P. K. Morris
  • -- Glenn Santiago
  •  9 Davis Schneider

Outfielders

  • 27 Justin Ammons
  • 11 Eric Rivera

Manager

  • -- Jose Mayorga

Coaches

  • 33 Paul Elliot (hitting)
  • 50 Rafael Lazo (pitching)
  • -- Aaron Matthews (position)


7-day injured list
* On Toronto Blue Jays 40-man roster
# Rehab assignment
∞ Reserve list
‡ Restricted list
§ Suspended list
† Temporary inactive list
Roster updated June 2, 2019
 Transactions
→ More rosters: MiLB • Appalachian League
 → Toronto Blue Jays minor league players

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References
  1. "Blue Jays fly into Bluefield to replace the Orioles". Bluefield Daily Telegraph. September 7, 2010. Archived from the original on January 17, 2013. Retrieved September 24, 2010.
  2. "Orioles leaving Bluefield". Bluefield Daily Telegraph. August 28, 2010. Retrieved August 29, 2010.
  3. "Orioles out of Bluefield". Orioles Insider: Baltimore Sun. Retrieved August 29, 2010.
  4. "MORNING UPDATE: Blue Jays fly into Bluefield to replace the Orioles". bdtonline.com. September 7, 2010. Archived from the original on January 17, 2013. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
  5. Eric Sondheimer (November 9, 2011). "Baseball: Ex-Chaminade player Kevin Pillar to receive honor". latimes.com. Retrieved August 16, 2013.
  6. "2013 Prospect Watch". mlb.com. May 24, 2013. Retrieved August 18, 2013.
  7. "2012 Bluefield Blue Jays Media Guide". Retrieved August 19, 2013. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  8. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-07-26. Retrieved 2013-08-19.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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