Courtesy of the Mississippi Mud Monsters
September 8th 2024, was a sad day for Mississippi sports fans as, after 20 seasons playing at Trustmark Park, the Mississippi Braves played their final game. The Atlanta Braves Double-A affiliate will move to Columbus, GA in 2025 and rename themselves the Columbus Clingstones, after a Georgia brand of peach. During the entire 2024 season it was unknown what would become of Trustmark Park, which was still in good condition after 20 years. Besides Braves games the ballpark hosts high school state championship games and college baseball games every year between Southern Miss, Ole Miss, and Mississippi State.
However, on the previous night, September 7th, it was announced to a sellout Saturday night crowd at Trustmark Park that baseball would be staying in Pearl, MS, with the Independent Frontier League scheduled to place an expansion team here beginning in 2025. Three team names were given for fans to vote on: 1) Mississippi Grits, 2) Mississippi Mud Monsters, and 3) Mississippi Soul Shakers.
Photo by Matt Colville, Stadium Journey
The winning team name was unveiled on September 30th, when the Mud Monsters were chosen as the newest team to represent the Frontier League. Mud Monsters is a play on the state's unofficial fish, the catfish – the Magnolia state leads the country in catfish production. If you see a hole in a wall catfish restaurant in Mississippi, I advise visiting, as this will probably be some of the best catfish in the world.
The Frontier League is one of four independent leagues that is considered to be an MLB Partner League – there is no affiliation with an MLB club, but players are eligible to sign with MLB clubs throughout the season. The 18-team league will have teams much different than what Mississippi Braves fans are used to in the Southern League, as the Mud Monsters will play in a 9-team Western Division consisting of teams in Illinois, Ohio, Indiana, and Pennsylvania. Instead of road trips to local towns like Biloxi, Pensacola, and Montgomery, the closest team to Mississippi will be the Evansville Otters 500 miles away. The Mud Monsters will also make 1,600-mile road trips to as far away as Quebec City.
Photo by Matt Colville, Stadium Journey
It'll be a much different look in 2025 at Trustmark Park, but the fact of the matter is that baseball is staying here, and the ballpark that once welcomed Braves stars such as Ronald Acuna, Ozzie Albies, Max Fried, Austin Riley, and Spencer Strider will continue to host baseball for hopefully many years to come.
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