How has the park changed over the years? Which notable players once performed on the field?
When you enter a storied facility such as Fenway Park or Wrigley Field, it’s not hard to think about Ted Williams blasting home runs into the right field seats or Ernie Banks deftly scooping up ground balls. Most MLB parks offer plenty of history for fans to think about, but don’t overlook the history that independent ballparks can also provide — particularly those parks that have roots in affiliated baseball.
If you’re interested in watching an independent baseball game in a park that once hosted a minor league franchise, you have several options. Here are five ballparks to visit.
Joseph L. Bruno Stadium (Tri-City ValleyCats)
Joseph L. Bruno Stadium in Troy, N.Y., was the first stop in the professional baseball journeys of many eventual major leaguers, including several All-Stars and World Series champions. George Springer, Hunter Pence, Ben Zobrist, and Dallas Keuchel all called “The Joe” home immediately after being drafted. Zobrist and Pence were teammates in 2004, batting .339 and .296, respectively, for the Tri-City ValleyCats. That iteration of the ValleyCats competed in the former New York-Penn League from when the ballpark opened in 2002 through 2019, before falling victim to baseball’s minor league contraction after the canceled 2020 season.
Fortunately, this ballpark never got a chance to fall into disrepair. It returned to use in 2021, hosting a Frontier League franchise that wisely kept the ValleyCats moniker — thus allowing the team to keep much of the team’s signage throughout the facility. Joseph L. Bruno Stadium sits on the campus of Hudson Valley Community College, and the college’s baseball team shares the facility with the ValleyCats. The 4,500-seat park features a wide concourse with good sightlines, grass berm seating, and an upscale bar area in left field, among other features.
The 18-team Frontier League offers an entertaining level of baseball, and even features three teams from Canada. Thinking about adding a ValleyCats game to a baseball road trip? You’ll be pleased to know the ballpark is relatively close to several minor league clubs, including Hudson Valley, Syracuse, Binghamton, Hartford, and Worcester.
Grainger Stadium (Down East Bird Dawgs)
Of the five ballparks on this list, Grainger Stadium in Kinston, N.C., hosted affiliated baseball most recently. The ballpark’s primary tenant through the 2024 season was the Down East Wood Ducks of the Carolina League. The Wood Ducks relocated to Spartanburg, S.C., prior to 2025, but the city did a good job of promptly finding a new tenant for the ballpark. The new Bird Dawgs franchise is a member of the Frontier League, and the league’s lone member based in the Carolinas.
Grainger Stadium isn’t just one of the oldest ballparks in independent baseball — it was also one of the oldest parks in the minor leagues. The park opened in 1949, hosting several levels of minor league action over the subsequent decades. It’s a ballpark that offers a historic feel with a number of appealing modern-day amenities. The brick-and-exposed-steel-beam design will appeal to those who love old ballparks, while the two-level Mother Earth Pavilion bar area in the right field corner is as nice as any similar area in the minors.
The park’s seating capacity has changed throughout the years; it currently holds 3,400 spectators, making it the smallest facility in the Frontier League. This results in a cozy fan experience that thankfully doesn’t feel cramped, given the various seating options for fans. Grainger Stadium is a good addition to any baseball trip through the Carolinas. Fayetteville’s impressive Segra Stadium, for example, is less than 100 miles away.
GoMart Ballpark (Charleston Dirty Birds)
The pro ballpark in Charleston, WV, might have a new name, but it’s a park that hosted nearly two decades of MiLB action before contraction. Now home to the Dirty Birds, the park is the former home of the West Virginia Power, a member of the South Atlantic League from 2005 through 2020. During the Power’s years at the ballpark, it was known as Appalachian Power Park. The Dirty Birds are a member of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, which people view as the top indy league in the country.
Situated just a few blocks from numerous dining and shopping options in the city’s historic district, the Charleston ballpark offers a really good view from behind home plate. You’ll not only enjoy the sight of several decades-old brick buildings, but also a hilly terrain in the distance. The West Virginia Air National Guard’s 130th Airlift Wing is just a few miles away, so it’s relatively common for fans to see one or more C-130J Hercules aircraft flying in the distance.
Fans should plan to arrive early to catch a glimpse of batting practice from the sidewalk along Morris and Smith streets, which run behind right field and left field, respectively. It’s easy to snag a BP baseball from either of these sidewalks before the gates open. In addition to the standard seating bowl, there are several areas of the park in which you may want to spend some time. Check out the standing-room spots around the outfield concourse and the seats below the video board in left-center field. Finally, for road trippers, there are several pro teams just a few hours from Charleston — including Columbus, Pittsburgh, and Lynchburg.
SIHU Community Park (Staten Island FerryHawks)
The Class-A Short Season New York Penn League operated from 1939 through 2020, and for two of those decades, baseball fans could attend games in Staten Island, N.Y. The Staten Island Yankees (1999–2020) offered a first taste of professional ball for several future Yankees, including 18-year-old prospects Robinson Cano and Melky Cabrera. MiLB contraction put an end to Staten Island’s affiliated team, and the ballpark sat empty in 2021. Fortunately, a new franchise, dubbed the FerryHawks, moved in before the start of the 2022 Atlantic League campaign.
It’s impossible to discuss the idea of visiting SIHU Community Park without noting its view from home plate — a view that was unquestionably one of the best in the minor leagues. Fortunately, fans can continue to enjoy this view at FerryHawks games. The park sits on the northeastern edge of Staten Island and offers fans a breathtaking view of the Manhattan skyline in the distance. Looking for a unique way to get to the ballpark? Consider taking the Staten Island Ferry, which has a terminal just a short walk from the front gates.
The FerryHawks have had some noteworthy personnel in their short history. They made headlines when Kelsie Whitmore, the first woman to appear in an Atlantic League game, played in more than 50 games between the 2022 and 2023 seasons. More recently, three-time World Series champion and two-time NL All-Star Pablo Sandoval has been with the club since April of 2024.
UCHealth Park (Rocky Mountain Vibes)
If you followed minor league baseball at any point between 1988 and 2018, you were undoubtedly aware of the Colorado Springs Sky Sox — a member of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League for their entire history. The club had short affiliations with Cleveland and Milwaukee, but you may remember its lengthy association with the Rockies. Plenty of future big leaguers suited up for the Sky Sox, who played just 70 miles from Coors Field. This list includes Matt Holliday, Nolan Arenado, and Carlos Gonzalez. The Sky Sox relocated to San Antonio after 2018, but fans at Security Service Field didn’t have to go without pro baseball for long.
A new team, the Rocky Mountain Vibes, was ready to play ball by the time Opening Day for MiLB’s Rookie Advanced level arrived in 2019. The club had one year of affiliated baseball, didn’t play in 2020, and re-emerged from MiLB contraction to join the indy ranks in 2021. Since then, it’s been a member of the independent Pioneer League, which features several clubs with MiLB roots.
The home ballpark of the Vibes is now called UCHealth Park, and although it dates back more than 35 years, it’s had several fan-friendly upgrades. Families will enjoy the huge grass berm down the third base line, while the party deck down the first base line is a popular spot for large groups. Large parking lots and grassy areas around the park offer good spots for a pregame catch session. A seat behind home plate will give you a great view of the Colorado sky in the distance — the sight after which the Sky Sox were named. Of course, you can’t overlook the team’s popular mascot, Toasty, who is one of the more recognizable mascots in all of baseball.
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