Fort Wayne TinCaps
Team logo Cap insignia
Minor league affiliations
ClassHigh-A (2021–present)
Previous classesClass A (1993–2020)
LeagueMidwest League (2022–present)
DivisionEast Division
Previous leagues
Major league affiliations
TeamSan Diego Padres (1999–present)
Previous teamsMinnesota Twins (1993–1998)
Minor league titles
League titles (1)
  • 2009
Division titles (3)
  • 2009
  • 2012
  • 2017
Second-half titles (1)
  • 2023
Team data
NameFort Wayne TinCaps (2009–present)
Previous names
Fort Wayne Wizards (1993–2008)
ColorsForest green, red, tin, black, white
         
MascotJohnny Tincap
BallparkParkview Field (2009–present)
Previous parks
Memorial Stadium (1993–2008)
Owner(s)/
Operator(s)
Hardball Capital
PresidentMike Nutter
ManagerJon Mathews

The Fort Wayne TinCaps are a Minor League Baseball team of the Midwest League and the High-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres. They are located in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and play their home games at Parkview Field. They won their lone Midwest League championship in 2009.

History

The Midwest League came to Fort Wayne in 1993. The franchise is the oldest in the Midwest League and dates back to the league's beginning as the Illinois State League, starting in 1947 in Mattoon, Illinois as the Mattoon Indians. In 1958 the team moved to Keokuk, Iowa, where it spent five seasons as the Keokuk Cardinals; it was then based in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin (1963–1983) and Kenosha, Wisconsin (1984–1992) before moving to Fort Wayne. The team was a Minnesota Twins farm team before they affiliated with the Padres in 1999. When the team moved to Fort Wayne in 1993, it adopted a new name, the Wizards.

The name TinCaps was chosen following the 2008 season, alluding to John Chapman, better known as Johnny Appleseed (1774–1845).[1] The Tin Cap refers to the story (dating back to the 19th century), that Johnny Appleseed wore a tin cooking pot as a hat, though this depiction has been disputed by historians.[2] Chapman spent his final years in Fort Wayne and is buried in the city.[3]

The team's home park was Memorial Stadium, opened in 1993; a franchise attendance record of 318,506 was also set that year. As part of the Harrison Square revitalization project, Parkview Field became the official home of the TinCaps at the start of the 2009 season.[4] To coincide with the new ballpark, the team held a contest to determine a new name for the Wizards once that new ballpark opened, and "TinCaps" was the result.[5]

The mascot of the TinCaps is Johnny TinCap. Previously, for the Wizards, it was Dinger the Dragon and prior to that, the Wizards were represented by Wayne the Wizard.

The team won the Midwest League 2009 championship by sweeping the Burlington Bees, 3–0. The first two games were played at Parkview Field and the final, decisive game was played in Burlington, Iowa. The team and its staff were honored at Parkview Field in a special victory rally on September 18, 2009.[6] In addition to winning a franchise record-setting 94 games in their new home, fans shattered the previous attendance record for the season, with 378,529 coming through the turnstiles.[7]

The TinCaps also clinched playoff spots in every season of Parkview Field's existence with the exception of 2016.

In conjunction with Major League Baseball's restructuring of Minor League Baseball in 2021, the TinCaps were organized into the High-A Central.[8] In 2022, the High-A Central became known as the Midwest League, the name historically used by the regional circuit prior to the 2021 reorganization.[9]

Playoffs

SeasonQuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinals
1993–1994DNQ
1995L, 2–0, Michigan--
1996DNQ
1997W, 2–0, West MichiganL, 2–0, Lansing-
1998W, 2–1, PeoriaL, 2–0, Rockford-
1999DNQ
2000L, 2–0, Michigan--
2001–2002DNQ
2003L, 2–0, Battle Creek--
2004L, 2–0, South Bend--
2005L, 2–1, West Michigan--
2006L, 2–1, West Michigan--
2007–2008DNQ
2009W, 2–1, South BendW, 2–1, Great LakesW, 3–0, Burlington
2010L, 2–0, Great Lakes--
2011W, 2–0, Bowling GreenL, 2–0, Lansing-
2012W, 2–0, LansingW, 2–1, Lake CountyL, 3–1, Wisconsin
2013W, 2–0, Bowling GreenL, 2–1, South Bend-
2014W, 2–1, West MichiganL, 2–0, Lake County-
2015L, 2–0, West Michigan--
2016DNQ
2017W, 2–0, Bowling GreenW, 2–1, DaytonL, 3–0, Quad Cities
2018–2019 DNQ
2020 Season canceled
2021–2022 DNQ
2023-L, 2–1, Great Lakes -

Awards and honors

All-time team

On August 24, 2008, The Journal Gazette and the franchise selected the all-time Wizards team members.

Roster

Fort Wayne TinCaps roster
Players Coaches/Other

Pitchers

  • 21 Edwuin Bencomo
  • 15 Ryan Bergert
  • 45 Raul Brito
  • 27 Miguel Cienfuegos
  • 44 Keegan Collett
  •  3 Ruben Galindo
  • 37 José Geraldo
  • 84 Jesus Gonzalez
  • 99 Garrett Hawkins
  • 26 Henry Henry
  • 30 Aaron Holiday
  • 36 Jairo Iriarte
  • 40 Jared Kollar
  • 22 Chris Lincoln
  • 20 Victor Lizarraga
  • 33 Adam Mazur
  • 43 Alan Mundo
  • 29 Bodi Rascon
  • 32 Ethan Routzahn
  • 13 Adam Smith
  • 16 Nick Thwaits
  • 84 Noel Vela

Catchers

  •  9 Colton Bender
  • 17 Brandon Valenzuela
  •  4 Juan Zabala

Infielders

  • 10 Marcos Castañon
  •  2 Nerwilian Cedeño
  •  7 Lucas Dunn
  • 23 Carlos Luis
  • 25 Nathan Martorella
  •  1 Jackson Merrill
  • 18 Kervin Pichardo

Outfielders

Manager

Coaches

  •  8 Aaron Bray (hitting)
  • 34 Brian Burres (assistant)
  • 14 Carlos Chavez (pitching)
  • 28 Jerry Downs (bench)

60-day injured list

  • -- Danny Denz
  • -- Gabe Morales

7-day injured list
* On San Diego Padres 40-man roster
~ Development list
# Rehab assignment
∞ Reserve list
‡ Restricted list
§ Suspended list
† Temporarily inactive list
Roster updated June 19, 2023
 Transactions
→ More rosters: MiLB • Midwest League
 → San Diego Padres minor league players

Former TinCaps/Wizards in the majors

Nate Freiman

Dylan Axelrod, Trea Turner, Torii Hunter, Jake Peavy, Joakim Soria, Nate Freiman, David Freese, Max Fried, Will Venable, Nick Hundley, Matt Antonelli, Josh Geer, Josh Barfield, A. J. Pierzynski, Michael Cuddyer, Wade LeBlanc, Corey Koskie, Dirk Hayhurst, LaTroy Hawkins, Matt Lawton, Brandon Gomes, Mat Latos, Daniel Robertson, Allan Dykstra, Brad Brach, Matt Wisler, Corey Kluber, Dan Serafini, Mike Hazen, Miles Mikolas, Josh VanMeter, and Fernando Tatis Jr.

See also

Sources

References

  1. ↑ "Fort Wayne no longer the Wizards." Archived October 29, 2013, at the Wayback Machine Scout.com. 2 October 2008. Retrieved on 10 August 2009.
  2. ↑ Knapp, Horace S. (July 7, 1863). "A History of the Pioneer and Modern Times of Ashland County: From the Earliest to the Present Date". J.B. Lippincott & Company – via Google Books.
  3. ↑ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-10-29. Retrieved 2008-10-02.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  4. ↑ Leininger, Kevin, 2007's top local stories, Fort Wayne News-Sentinel, January 1, 2008. Retrieved 2008-01-27.
  5. ↑ Fort Wayne Wizards to Hold Re-Naming Contest Archived 2008-06-18 at the Wayback Machine, HarrisonSquareFortWayne.com, June 15, 2008. Retrieved 2008-06-19.
  6. ↑ "Fort Wayne TinCaps". MiLB.com.
  7. ↑ Watson, Dan, "TinCaps Rewrite Franchise Record Book", tincaps.com, September 9, 2009. Retrieved 2010-05-26.
  8. ↑ Mayo, Jonathan (February 12, 2021). "MLB Announces New Minors Teams, Leagues". Major League Baseball. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
  9. ↑ "Historical League Names to Return in 2022". Minor League Baseball. March 16, 2022. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
  10. ↑ Mayo, Jonathan (December 28, 2009). "TinCaps honored as Minors' top team: Padres' Class A affiliate posted .678 winning percentage". MLB Advanced Media, L.P. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
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