FORT WAYNE, Ind. (ADAMS) – The Tin Caps say that a total of 53 former players appeared in Major League Baseball during the 2024 season, including six all-stars. Now, more than a dozen alumni are on postseason rosters vying for a World Series championship.
Since Fort Wayne’s Minor League Baseball franchise was established in 1993, there’ve been 228 players who’ve ascended from playing in the Summit City to the big leagues. (The club was known as the Wizards through 2008 before rebranding as the TinCaps in ’09.)
The team released the following:
Jackson Merrill, who starred for the TinCaps just last year, was one of nine alums to make his MLB debut in 2024. The National League Rookie of the Year candidate was also one of six selected for MLB’s All-Star Game in July. Merrill was joined there in Texas by fellow Padres outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr. (2017), plus Max Fried (2013-14 – Braves), Trea Turner (2014 – Phillies), Andrés Muñoz (2017 – Mariners), and CJ Abrams (2019 – Nationals).
Over the course of the campaign, former TinCaps appeared with 26 of MLB’s 30 teams. (The only clubs without a former ’Caps player were the Angels, Blue Jays, Giants, and Tigers.) Thirteen alums played for the Padres, Fort Wayne’s parent club since 1999. San Diego’s coaching staff also included five former Fort Wayne staff memebrs: catching coach and game strategy assistant Brian Esposito (2022), hitting instructor Morgan Burkhart (2013-14), athletic trainer Ricky Huerta (2013-15), strength coach Jay Young (2017), and equipment manager T.J. Laidlaw. There are even more former players and coaches on the staffs of other teams.
“We’re proud to offer affordable, family fun at Parkview Field,” said TinCaps President Mike Nutter. “We know a lot of fans come to Parkview Field to simply enjoy the entertainment, the food and drinks, and the overall atmosphere, but here’s a reminder that there are also future big leaguers on the field – not to mention the prospects on the visiting teams. We’re so happy to see our old friends achieve their dreams of playing in The Show.”
Kevin Kiermaier (Dodgers) and Zach McKinstry (Tigers), who grew up in Fort Wayne and once played at Parkview Field as visitors, are on playoff teams, too.
The TinCaps will open their 2025 season at Parkview Field on Friday, April 5. Season ticket packages are on sale now through TinCaps.com. Before then, Parkview Field will stay busy hosting special events, including a brand new Holiday Lights walk-thru experience, presented by Rohrman Automotive, Paul Davis, and Lear Corporation.
Former TinCaps Players in MLB in 2024
INF CJ Abrams, 2019 (Nationals)**
LHP Logan Allen, 2014 (Diamondbacks)
INF Gabriel Arias, 2017-18 (Guardians)
RHP Pedro Avila, 2017 (Padres / Guardians)
INF Jake Bauers, 2014 (Brewers)
RHP Lake Bachar, 2016-17 (Marlins)*
RHP David Bednar, 2016-17 (Pirates)
RHP Caleb Boushley, 2018 (Twins)
C Luis Campusano, 2018 (Padres)
LHP Joey Cantillo, 2018-19 (Guardians)*
RHP Dylan Coleman, 2018-19 (Astros)
LHP Tom Cosgrove, 2018 (Padres)
INF Xavier Edwards, 2019 (Marlins)
RHP Zach Eflin, 2013 (Rays / Orioles)
RHP Enyel De Los Santos, 2016 (Padres / Yankees / White Sox)
INF Ty France, 2016 (Mariners / Reds)
LHP Max Fried, 2013-14 (Braves)**
LHP Robert Gasser, 2022 (Brewers)*
LHP MacKenzie Gore, 2018, ’21 (Nationals)
C Austin Hedges, 2012 (Guardians)
RHP Jairo Iriarte, 2023 (White Sox)*
RHP Alek Jacob, 2022 (Padres)
RHP Michael Kelly, 2012-13, ’15 (A’s)
RHP Dinelson Lamet, 2015 (Dodgers)
LHP Joey Lucchesi, 2016 (Mets)
RHP Phil Maton, 2016 (Rays / Mets)
RHP Adam Mazur, 2023 (Padres)*
OF Jackson Merrill, 2023 (Padres)* **
RHP Miles Mikolas, 2010 (Cardinals)
INF Owen Miller, 2018 (Brewers)
LHP Adrian Morejon, 2017 (Padres)
RHP Andrés Muñoz, 2017 (Mariners)**
RHP Chris Paddack, 2016 (Twins)
INF Graham Pauley, 2023 (Padres)*
INF Jace Peterson, 2012 (Diamondbacks)
RHP Cal Quantrill, 2016 (Rockies)
RHP Emmanuel Ramirez, 2016-18 (Marlins)*
RHP Colin Rea, 2012-13 (Brewers)
OF Hunter Renfroe, 2013 (Royals)
RHP Gerardo Reyes, 2016 (A’s)
INF Eguy Rosario, 2017 (Padres)
RHP Joe Ross, 2012-13 (Brewers)
OF Esteury Ruiz, 2018 (A’s)
RHP José Ruiz, 2015 (Phillies)
LHP Erik Sabrowski, 2021 (Guardians)*
OF Jack Suwinski, 2017-18 (Pirates)
OF Travis Jankowski, 2012 (Rangers)
OF Fernando Tatis Jr., 2017 (Padres)**
INF Trea Turner, 2014 (Phillies)**
INF Luis Urías, 2015 (Mariners)
RHP Matt Waldron, 2021 (Padres)
LHP Ryan Weathers, 2018-19 (Marlins)
RHP Trey Wingenter, 2016 (Red Sox / Cubs)
*MLB debut
**All-Star
Notes: List doesn’t include catcher Blake Hunt (2019), who was added to Baltimore’s roster in July, but didn’t appear in a game with the Orioles. The list also doesn’t include pitchers Blake Snell and Yu Darvish, who made MLB rehab appearances with the TinCaps in 2022 and 2024, respectively.
TinCaps Ties to 2024 MLB Postseason
Atlanta Braves
Left-handed pitcher Max Fried (2013-14)
Baltimore Orioles
Right-handed pitcher Zach Eflin (2013)
Cleveland Guardians
Right-handed pitcher Pedro Avila (2017)
Left-handed pitcher Joey Cantillo (2018-19)
Catcher Austin Hedges (2012)
Left-handed pitcher Erik Sabrowski (2021)
Detroit Tigers
Infielder Zach McKinstry (North Side High School grad)
Pitching coach Chris Fetter (pitched for TinCaps in 2009 and ’12)
Coach Gary Jones (Wizards manager in 2003)
Assistant performance coach Drew Heithoff (TinCaps strength coach in 2016)
Houston Astros
Coach Michael Collins (TinCaps manager in 2014)
Kansas City Royals
Outfielder Hunter Renfroe (2013)
Los Angeles Dodgers
Outfielder Kevin Kiermaier (Bishop Luers High School grad)
Milwaukee Brewers
Infielder Jake Bauers (2014)
Right-handed pitcher Joe Ross (2012-13)
New York Mets
Right-handed pitcher Phil Maton (2016)
Pitching coach Jeremy Heffner (pitched for the Wizards in 2008)
Philadelphia Phillies
Infielder Trea Turner (2014)
Right-handed pitcher José Ruiz (2015)
San Diego Padres
Outfielder Jackson Merrill (2023)
Left-handed pitcher Adrian Morejon (2017)
Outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr. (2017)
Catching coach and game strategy assistant Brian Esposito (TinCaps manager in 2022)
Hitting instructor Morgan Burkhart (TinCaps hitting coach from 2013-14)
Athletic trainer Ricky Huerta (TinCaps athletic trainer from 2013-15)
Strength coach Jay Young (TinCaps strength coach in 2017)
Equipment manager T.J. Laidlaw
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