Wichita Wind Surge
Minor league affiliations
ClassDouble-A (2021–present)
Previous classesTriple-A (2020)
LeagueTexas League (2022–present)
DivisionNorth Division
Previous leagues
Major league affiliations
TeamMinnesota Twins (2021–present)
Previous teamsMiami Marlins (2020)
Minor league titles
League titles (0)None
Division titles (2)
  • 2021
  • 2022
Second-half titles (1)
  • 2022
Team data
NameWichita Wind Surge (2020–present)
ColorsNavy blue, red, sky blue, yellow gold, white[1]
         
BallparkRiverfront Stadium
Owner(s)/
Operator(s)
Diamond Baseball Holdings
General managerBob Moulette[2]
ManagerRamon Borrego

The Wichita Wind Surge are a Minor League Baseball team of the Texas League and the Double-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. They are located in Wichita, Kansas, and began play in 2021 at Riverfront Stadium.

The Wind Surge were supposed to begin play in 2020 as the Triple-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins in the Pacific Coast League. However, a combination of the cancellation of the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic and Major League Baseball's realignment of the minor leagues for 2021, resulted in the team dropping down to Double-A as affiliates of the Twins without having played a Triple-A game.

History

Prior to 2020, the Wind Surge were located in Metairie, Louisiana, playing for 24 seasons as the New Orleans Zephyrs before being renamed the Baby Cakes for two seasons. In 1993, the Denver Zephyrs had been forced to move due to the creation of the Colorado Rockies expansion franchise in Major League Baseball. Before 1984, they played for nearly 30 years as the Denver Bears.

In September 2018, the city of Wichita paid US$2.2 million to the Wichita Wingnuts to break their lease at Lawrence–Dumont Stadium, with plans to demolish it and build a larger ballpark to host an affiliated Minor League Baseball team.[3] The city later announced that a new $75 million stadium would be built to host the Triple-A New Orleans Baby Cakes, who agreed to relocate to Wichita beginning with the 2020 season.[4]

The club announced its nickname, Wind Surge, in November 2019.[5] The name was met with criticism from Wichita residents following the announcement.[6] Later in the day the name was announced, a Change.org petition was started to change the name.[7] In less than 24 hours, the petition had already collected over 7,400 signatures.[7]

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Wind Surge were scheduled to begin their inaugural season on the road playing against the Round Rock Express on April 8, 2020,[8] and to play their first home game on April 14 against the Memphis Redbirds.[9] Initially postponed due to the pandemic, the season was ultimately cancelled on June 30.[10][11] Owner Lou Schwechheimer died from complications from COVID on July 29, 2020.[12]

In 2021, the team dropped to the Double-A classification without having played a Triple-A game due to Major League Baseball's realignment of the minor leagues after the 2020 season.[13] Instead of being a Miami Marlins affiliate, the Wind Surge became affiliated with the Minnesota Twins.[14] They were placed in the Double-A Central.[15] Wichita began competition in the new league on May 4 with a 2–0 victory over the Springfield Cardinals at Hammons Field in Springfield, Missouri.[16] The Wind Surge won the Northern Division title by finishing the 2021 season in first place with a 69–51 record.[17] They qualified for the championship playoffs by possessing the league's best record.[18] In the best-of-five series, they were defeated by the second-place Northwest Arkansas Naturals, 3–2.[19] Wichita manager Ramon Borrego was selected as the league's Manager of the Year.[20] In 2022, the Double-A Central became known as the Texas League, the name historically used by the regional circuit prior to the 2021 reorganization.[21]

Roster

Wichita Wind Surge roster
Players Coaches/Other

Pitchers

  • 32 Travis Adams
  • 21 Denny Bentley ~
  • 46 Jose Bravo
  • 25 Jordan Brink
  • 35 Andrew Cabezas
  • 55 Chad Donato ~
  • 40 David Festa
  • 51 Taylor Floyd
  • 30 Osiris German
  • 38 Regi Grace
  • 12 Carlos Luna
  • 17 Hunter McMahon
  • 46 Pierson Ohl
  • 37 Francis Peguero
  • 50 Alex Phillips
  • 31 Aaron Rozek
  • 41 Curtis Taylor

Catchers

Infielders

Outfielders

  •  1 Yoyner Fajardo
  •  8 DaShawn Keirsey Jr.
  • 44 Armani Smith
  •  0 Alerick Soularie

Manager

  • 23 Ramon Borrego

Coaches

  • 52 D.J. Engle (pitching)
  • 26 Takashi Miyoshi (bench)
  •  4 Shawn Schlechter (hitting)
  • 58 Dan Urbina (pitching)

60-day injured list

7-day injured list
* On Minnesota Twins 40-man roster
~ Development list
# Rehab assignment
∞ Reserve list
‡ Restricted list
§ Suspended list
† Temporarily inactive list
Roster updated June 15, 2023
 Transactions
→ More rosters: MiLB • Texas League
 → Minnesota Twins minor league players

References

  1. ↑ Hill, Benjamin (November 13, 2019). "It's a breeze: Wind Surge blow into Wichita". PCLBaseball.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
  2. ↑ Albracht, Jacob (May 13, 2021). "Wind Surge GM Jared Forma no longer with team". KWCH. Retrieved June 6, 2021. Bob Moullette... will take on Forma's primary duties of facility operation right now. A search for Forma's replacement is underway.
  3. ↑ Lefler, Dion (September 11, 2018). "Wichita OKs $81 Million for New Stadium Project, $2.2 Million for Wingnuts to Go". The Wichita Eagle. Retrieved October 6, 2018.
  4. ↑ Lefler, Dion (December 11, 2018). "City Hall Picks Team to Design, Build Wichita's New Minor League Baseball Park". The Wichita Eagle. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
  5. ↑ "Wichita Wind Surge the official new team name of Wichita Baseball". KSN-TV. Nexstar Media Group. November 13, 2019. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
  6. ↑ Perez Tobias, Suzanne (November 14, 2019). "Wind Scourge: Wichita's New Baseball Team Name Doesn't Blow Us Away". The Wichita Eagle.
  7. 1 2 "Petition Aims to Change the Name of Wichita's Baseball Team". Retrieved November 14, 2019.
  8. ↑ "Round Rock Express 2020 Schedule". Round Rock Express. Minor League Baseball. Retrieved October 8, 2019.
  9. ↑ "2020 Home Schedule" (PDF). Wichita Baseball. Minor League Baseball. Retrieved October 7, 2019.
  10. ↑ "A Message From Pat O'Conner". Minor League Baseball. March 13, 2020. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  11. ↑ "2020 Minor League Baseball Season Shelved". Minor League Baseball. June 30, 2020. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  12. ↑ Reynolds, Shelby (Jul 29, 2020). "Wind Surge Owner Lou Schwechheimer, 62, Dies from COVID Complications". Wichita Business Journal.
  13. ↑ Eldridge, Taylor (1 December 2020). "Wichita's baseball team will drop to Double-A, source says; no MLB announcement yet". Wichita Eagle. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
  14. ↑ E Neal III, La Velle (1 December 2020). "Twins' new affiliates in St. Paul and Wichita will be announced this week". Minneapolis Star Tribune. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
  15. ↑ Mayo, Jonathan (February 12, 2021). "MLB Announces New Minors Teams, Leagues". Major League Baseball. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
  16. ↑ "Wind Surge vs. Cardinals Box Score 05/04/21". Minor League Baseball. May 4, 2021. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
  17. ↑ "2021 Double-A Central". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved October 8, 2021.
  18. ↑ Heneghan, Kelsie (July 1, 2021). "Playoffs Return to the Minor Leagues". Minor League Baseball. Retrieved October 8, 2021.
  19. ↑ Horrorbin, Jordan (September 25, 2021). "Hicklen's Slam Powers Northwest Arkansas to Title". Minor League Baseball. Retrieved October 8, 2021.
  20. ↑ "Postseason All-Stars". Minor League Baseball. Archived from the original on October 8, 2021. Retrieved October 8, 2021.
  21. ↑ "Historical League Names to Return in 2022". Minor League Baseball. March 16, 2022. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
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