Four teams stood out from the pack this past season
Triple-A
FRESNO (PACIFIC COAST)
The most successful minor league promotion over the last few years unquestionably belongs to the Fresno Tacos, er, Grizzlies. What started in 2015 as novel idea—wearing taco-themed jerseys to coincide with their annual Taco Truck Rodeo—has blossomed into a merchandise empire complete with its own website apart from the traditional team store.
“It’s funny what ideas you can come up at 1 a.m. after an eight-game homestand when everybody’s delirious,” Grizzlies GM Derek Franks said. “You can come up with some interesting stuff, and we’re really happy that it’s worked out and caught fire. It’s been really great for our business, and obviously it’s caught on and other teams are doing it.”
The tacos theme has its roots in Fresno’s annual taco truck throwdown, which brings scads of the area’s vendors out to Chukchansi Park to sell their wares to hungry fans. That event started in 2011, but it really kicked into overdrive after the fourth year.
So, on the night of the fourth Taco Truck Throwdown, after a sellout crowd had left Chukchansi and the staff had begun recuperating, an idea struck during a conversation among Franks, promotions director Sam Hansen and media manager Ryan Young.
“Ryan said, ‘The weirdest thing about it, though, is we have the biggest crowd of the year but it’s strange to see nobody watching the game,’” Franks said. “Sam said ‘We should do a theme jersey next year, at least give them something to look at,’ because it was just another Grizzlies game. … It looked like two-thirds of the crowd was just eating tacos, drinking beer and goofing off.”
Thanks to Franks, Hansen, Young and the Grizzlies, tacos and baseball are forever connected in Fresno.
Double-A
This story is from the December 8, 2017 edition of Baseball America.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the December 8, 2017 edition of Baseball America.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
NOBODY'S PERFECT
No. 1 prospect Jackson Holliday has one flaw in an otherwise airtight profile
ORGANIZATION REPORTS
At nearly every level of his professional career, outfielder Colton Cowser has taken time to acclimate. His major league debut last season was no different.
ORGANIZATION TALENT RANKINGS
For the second consecutive year, the Orioles enter the season with the best farm system in baseball.
WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN WITH NEW ROSTER LIMITS
No one can fully predict what will happen with the reduced 165-player minor league roster limits, but baseball officials weighed in with predictions for 2024, some of which we heard repeatedly.
NO MORE SLACK IN THE SYSTEM
The in domestic minor leagues creates consternation for farm directors
INTERNATIONAL TREASURES
Why MLB teams value foreign professionals more than ever
HIGH-FLYING BIRDS
Learning from past success and failure in Houston, Mike Elias and his united front office remade the Orioles into winners— and they got there ahead of schedule
ARIZONA COMPLEX LEAGUE TOP 10
Early promotions of star prospects led to a bit of a down season for the Rookie-level Arizona Complex League.
FLORIDA COMPLEX LEAGUE TOP 10
Even before the Rookie-level Florida Complex League season began, scouts who saw extended spring training gushed over the Yankees' talent, starting with shortstop Roderick Arias and 6-foot7 pitchers Henry Lalane and Carlos Lagrange. Outfielder John Cruz mashed 10 home runs as a 17-year-old.
SALAS COULD BE SPECIAL
When Ethan Salas arrived in the California League on May 30, he immediately displayed talent well beyond his years.