Columbia Fireflies

Columbia Fireflies
Founded in 2016
Columbia, South Carolina
Team logoCap insignia
Class-level
Current Class A
Minor league affiliations
League South Atlantic League (2016–present)
Division Southern Division
Major league affiliations
Current
Team data
Nickname
  • Columbia Fireflies (2016–present)
  • Savannah Sand Gnats (1996–2015)
  • Savannah Cardinals (1984–1995)
Colors Navy blue, neon green, silver, white
                   
Ballpark Spirit Communications Park (2016–present)
Owner(s)/
Operator(s)
 Hardball Capital LLC
Manager Jose Leger

The Columbia Fireflies are a Minor League Baseball team based in Columbia, South Carolina. The team plays in the Class A South Atlantic League and is an affiliate of the New York Mets of the National League in Major League Baseball. The home stadium is Spirit Communications Park. The team was formerly known as the Savannah Sand Gnats (1995–2015); they relocated from Savannah, Georgia, after the 2015 season. It is the only professional baseball team in Columbia, and the first since the Capital City Bombers moved to Greenville, South Carolina, after the 2004 season.

Team history

The Capital City Bombers moved from Columbia, South Carolina, to Greenville, South Carolina, after the 2004 season. The city of Columbia approved plans to build a new stadium in 2014, with the goal of attracting a new Minor League Baseball team. Spirit Communications, a local telecommunications company, purchased the naming rights for the stadium.[1] In May 2015, the Savannah Sand Gnats of the Class A South Atlantic League, an affiliate of the New York Mets, announced that they would move to Columbia in time for the 2016 season.[2][3]

After receiving over 2,300 submissions in a public contest to name the team, they chose to call themselves the "Columbia Fireflies". The name was inspired by an article in The State, the local newspaper.[4] Portions of the team's uniforms glow in the dark as a tribute to the team's name.

Columbia earned their first ever victory as the Fireflies on April 9, 2016. In the game, three pitchers (Thomas McIlraith, Alex Palsha, and Johnny Magliozzi) combined to throw a no-hitter in a 9–0 shutout victory over the Charleston RiverDogs. The no-hitter was the Fireflies' third game. In their first ever home game, on April 14, 2016, the Fireflies defeated the Greenville Drive, 4–1, in front of 9,077 people.[5]

Roster

Columbia Fireflies roster
Players Coaches/Other

Pitchers

  • 23 Keaton Aldridge
  • 30 Marty Anderson
  • 36 Adam Atkins
  •  6 Matt Blackham
  •  4 Justin Brantley
  • -- Gary Cornish
  • -- Seth Davis
  • 45 Harol Gonzalez
  • 33 Cameron Griffin
  • 17 Taylor Henry
  • 24 Colin Holderman
  • -- Joel Huertas
  • 18 Chase Ingram
  • 16 Max Kuhns
  • 10 Gabriel Llanes
  • -- Thomas McIlraith
  • 32 Matt Pobereyko
  • 27 Darwin Ramos
  • 29 Ryder Ryan
  • -- Thomas Szapucki
  • 28 Blake Taylor
  • -- Placido Torres
  • 39 Joseph Zanghi

Catchers

  • 25 Brandon Brosher
  • 16 Natanael Ramos
  •  5 Dan Rizzie
  • -- Ali Sanchez

Infielders

  • 11 Luis Carpio
  •  2 J.J. Franco
  • 20 Reed Gamache
  • 13 Andres Gimenez
  •  7 Jay Jabs
  •  8 Vinny Siena
  • -- Blake Tiberi
  • 34 Dash Winningham
  • 26 Colby Woodmansee

Outfielders

  •  3 Arnaldo Berrios
  •  9 Gene Cone
  • -- Desmond Lindsay
  • 40 Ian Strom
  • 21 Jacob Zanon

Manager

  • 19 Jose Leger

Coaches

  • 12 Joel Fuentes (hitting)
  • 48 Jonathan Hurst (pitching)
  • -- Josh Kozuch (assistant)


7-day disabled list
* On New York Mets 40-man roster
# Rehab assignment
∞ Reserve list
‡ Restricted list
§ Suspended list
† Temporary inactive list
Roster updated August 13, 2017
Transactions
→ More MiLB rosters
→ New York Mets minor league players

References

  1. ↑ Callahan, Carolyn (December 3, 2014). "Bull Street Ball Park to Be Named `Spirit Communications Park`". WIS. Columbia, South Carolina. Retrieved April 11, 2016.
  2. ↑ White, Neil (May 21, 2015). "It’s Official: Savannah Baseball Team Moving to Columbia". The State. Columbia, SC. Retrieved July 15, 2015.
  3. ↑ Dial, Steven; Santaella, Tony (March 25, 2015). "Savannah Baseball Team Moving to Columbia". WLTX. Columbia, SC. Retrieved July 15, 2015.
  4. ↑ Ransdell, Aaron (August 4, 2015). "Columbia Fireflies Named as New Baseball Name". The State. Columbia, South Carolina. Retrieved April 11, 2016.
  5. ↑ Fitzgerald, Kevin (April 15, 2016). "9,077 See Fireflies Win Spirit Communications Park Opener". Minor League Baseball. Retrieved April 16, 2016.
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