Mississippi Braves
Team logo Cap insignia
Minor league affiliations
ClassDouble-A (2005–present)
LeagueSouthern League (2022–present)
DivisionSouth Division
Previous leagues
Major league affiliations
TeamAtlanta Braves (2005–present)
Minor league titles
League titles (2)
  • 2008
  • 2021
Division titles (3)
  • 2008
  • 2016
  • 2021
First-half titles (1)
  • 2007
Second-half titles (1)
  • 2008
Team data
NameMississippi Braves (2005–present)
ColorsRed, white, blue, gold
       
BallparkTrustmark Park (2005–present)
Owner(s)/
Operator(s)
Diamond Baseball Holdings
General managerPete Laven[2]
ManagerAngel Flores[1]

The Mississippi Braves, or M-Braves as they are referred to locally, are a Minor League Baseball team based in Pearl, Mississippi, a suburb of Jackson. The team is the Double-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves and plays in the Southern League. The team is owned and operated by Diamond Baseball Holdings, which purchased the Braves from Liberty Media in 2022.[3]

History

In 2005, the Southern League's Greenville Braves relocated to Pearl from Greenville, South Carolina, due to the poor condition of Greenville Municipal Stadium, and the failure to reach an agreement with the Greenville County council for a new ballpark.

The M-Braves' first season began on April 18, 2005 at Trustmark Park with a loss to the Montgomery Biscuits.

In conjunction with Major League Baseball's restructuring of Minor League Baseball in 2021, the Braves were organized into the Double-A South.[4] They won the 2021 Southern Division title with a first-place 67–44 record.[5] They qualified for the playoffs by having the best record in the league.[6] The Braves defeated the Montgomery Biscuits, 3–2, in the best-of-five series to win the Double-A South championship.[7] Shea Langeliers was selected as the league's Top MLB Prospect and Dan Meyer as the Manager of the Year.[8] In 2022, the Double-A South became known as the Southern League, the name historically used by the regional circuit prior to the 2021 reorganization.[9]

On January 9, 2024, the Braves announced that the 2024 season would be their final season in Pearl, Mississippi and they would be relocating to Columbus, Georgia for the start of the 2025 season.[10]

Championships

On September 13, 2008, the Mississippi Braves beat the Carolina Mudcats, 3–2, in the 10th inning of the decisive Game 5 of the Southern League Championship Series. This was the M-Braves first championship and the first Southern League title for Atlanta's Double-A franchise since 1997.[11] The M-Braves' second title came in 2021 in the Double-A South.[7]

Television and radio

All Mississippi Braves games are televised live on MiLB.TV. Since 2023, all regular and post-season Mississippi Braves games air on 102.1 The Box.[12] The broadcasters are Chris Harris and Jack Sadighian. From 2009 to 2022, games aired on WYAB 103.9 FM.

Roster

Mississippi Braves roster
Players Coaches/Other

Pitchers

  • 51 Luis De Avila
  • 26 Hayden Deal
  • 46 Domingo Gonzalez
  • 57 Patrick Halligan
  • 43 Hayden Harris ~
  • 36 Nick Margevicius
  • 49 Daniel Martinez
  • 37 Jake McSteen
  • 30 Jose Montilla
  • 40 Tyler Owens ~
  • 33 Trey Riley
  • 16 Domingo Robles
  • 39 Ty Tice
  • 14 Hurston Waldrep
  • 15 Kyle Wilcox
  • 19 Peyton Williams
  •  9 Brooks Wilson

Catchers

  • 12 Drake Baldwin
  • 17 Hendrik Clementina
  •    Tyler Tolve
  • 13 Javier Valdes

Infielders

Outfielders

  •  1 Drew Campbell
  •  8 Jesse Franklin V
  •  7 Cody Milligan
  • 11 Brandon Parker
  •  2 Jacob Pearson

Manager

  • -- Angel Flores

Coaches

  • -- Francisco Diaz (coach)
  • -- Wes McGuire (pitching)
  • -- Luis Ugueto (coach)
  • -- Garrett Wilkinson (hitting)

60-day injured list

  • 94 Austin Smith

7-day injured list
* On Atlanta Braves 40-man roster
~ Development list
# Rehab assignment
∞ Reserve list
‡ Restricted list
§ Suspended list
† Temporarily inactive list
Roster updated January 26, 2024
 Transactions
→ More rosters: MiLB • Southern League
 → Atlanta Braves minor league players

Notable players

Alex Wood pitching for the Mississippi Braves

* Promoted directly to Atlanta.

References

  1. ^ "Angel Flores takes over as field manager for the M-Braves in 2024". MiLB. January 25, 2024. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  2. ^ "Pete Laven Named M-Braves Vice President and GM". Ballpark Digest. November 28, 2018. Retrieved November 28, 2018.
  3. ^ Tucker, Tim (8 December 2021). "Braves sell minor-league teams in Gwinnett, Rome and Mississippi". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  4. ^ Mayo, Jonathan (February 12, 2021). "MLB Announces New Minors Teams, Leagues". Major League Baseball. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
  5. ^ "2021 Double-A South". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved October 8, 2021.
  6. ^ Heneghan, Kelsie (July 1, 2021). "Playoffs Return to the Minor Leagues". Minor League Baseball. Retrieved October 8, 2021.
  7. ^ a b Sheehan, Stephanie (September 26, 2021). "Rangel Steers Braves to Double-A South Crown". Minor League Baseball. Retrieved October 8, 2021.
  8. ^ "Postseason All-Stars". Minor League Baseball. Archived from the original on October 8, 2021. Retrieved October 8, 2021.
  9. ^ "Historical League Names to Return in 2022". Minor League Baseball. March 16, 2022. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
  10. ^ "A Letter to Our Fans: 2024 will be the M-Braves' final season in Pearl". MiLB.com. Retrieved 2024-01-09.
  11. ^ http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080914/SPORTS09/809140389 The Clarion-Ledger: M-Braves complete mission
  12. ^ "M-Braves, New South Radio announce 780 AM, 102.1 FM The Box as new flagship radio station". 23 March 2023.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mississippi Braves.
Atlanta Braves
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Southern League
Sports teams based in Mississippi
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