Wood Ducks

Leaders, prospects on NC’s minor league rosters

July 5, 2023 Shawn Krest

There’s still hope! The minor leagues have been undergoing substantial change over the last few seasons. Several teams were eliminated during the pandemic, and the remaining minor league franchises were reshuffled into new leagues. The […]

New owners plan to move Down East Wood Ducks out of Kinston

June 1, 2023 Shawn Krest

On April 8, 1949, Grainger High School beat Tarboro High 5-4 in the first baseball game held at Kinston’s Grainger Stadium. Several teams have called the historic building home over the past seven-plus decades, and […]

The Big Dumper leads NC’s representation in MLB postseason

October 12, 2022 Shawn Krest

October is famous for crowning new cult heroes during baseball’s postseason, and this year has already found a prime candidate to join them: The Big Dumper. Cal Raleigh’s nickname — which celebrates the Seattle catcher’s […]

Best of the best: What makes NC’s 10 MiLB teams special

August 3, 2022 Brett Friedlander

Read NSJ’s 2022 MiLB Across NC features: Carolina Mudcats • Down East Wood Ducks • Winston-Salem Dash • Kannapolis Cannon Ballers • Greensboro Grasshoppers • Fayetteville Woodpeckers • Charlotte Knights • Durham Bulls • Hickory […]

Wood Ducks bring old-time baseball Down East

June 1, 2022 Brett Friedlander

KINSTON — Stanley Sullivan isn’t just an usher for the Down East Wood Ducks. He’s also the Carolina League team’s unofficial goodwill ambassador. A fixture at historic Grainger Stadium since 2000, the 79-year-old Air Force […]

Minor league baseball teams around North Carolina start season

April 6, 2022 Brett Friedlander

Opening day of the 2022 Major League Baseball season has been pushed back two weeks because of the labor dispute that delayed the start of spring training. But baseball fans, especially those in North Carolina, […]

Minor leagues return to NC with plenty of top talent

April 28, 2021 Shawn Krest

For the first time in 20 months, Minor League Baseball teams across the nation — including North Carolina — will take the field next week. While the pandemic won’t keep teams off the field this […]

Minor league teams still serving their communities while waiting for return

April 15, 2020 Brett Friedlander

As Douglas Locascio looked out at a pristine green field under a bright Carolina blue sky last Thursday, his team’s scheduled opening day, the general manager of the Hickory Crawdads couldn’t help but think that […]