We’ve already geeked out over Minor League Baseball’s Copa de la Diversión alternate hats, but a bunch of minor league teams have other alternative logos, names, and uniforms that they use throughout the year as well.
Similar to before, we each ranked our five favorites, assigning five points for every first place vote, four points for every second place vote, and so on and so forth, and the following 11 teams all received at least one vote. But if your local team missed the cut, you can still find all of the hats here.
#1: Montgomery Bacon Biscuits
Usual name: Montgomery Biscuits
It’s the Year of Bacon down at Riverwalk Stadium, as the Montgomery Biscuits are celebrating Chinese New Year in their own, fun way. The Biscuits announced Thursday that their upcoming season would be full of bacon-related food, bacon-themed merchandise, bacon-themed giveaways, and much more.
2: Salem (VA) Beer Mongers
Usual name: Salem Red Sox
General Manager Allen Lawrence added, “Craft beer has taken off here locally and across the entire state with the number of breweries increasing for less than 50 in 2011 to over 200 today. We thought it was appropriate to recognize the growth of the craft beer industry and the importance that it plays in our local economy.”
3: Scranton Wilkes-Barre Melonheads
Usual name: Scranton Wilkes-Barre RailRiders
“We all grew up playing great games like wiffle ball or Backyard Baseball,” Melonheads Team President and General Manager Josh Olerud said. “It is time that the likes of Justus Sheffield, Chance Adams and Clint Frazier suit up like Pablo Sanchez, Dante Robinson and Angela Delvecchio.”
The jerseys worn by the Melonheads that night will be auctioned off to benefit the Boys & Girls Club of NEPA, who build character through everyday leadership and guidance in behavior and attitude. Young people of all nationalities and races come together in wholesome recreation and companionship.
4. Derby City Mint Juleps
Usual name: Louisville Bats
The Mint Juleps uniform, which was unveiled by the Bats and Four Roses at today’s press conference, features a vibrant, fun, and friendly logo-a perfect representation of Louisvillians during Derby season. The nickname “Derby City” is widely used to describe Louisville, making it the perfect pairing with Mint Juleps, Louisville’s specialty Bourbon drink.
The Juleps’ color scheme celebrates the festivities that have taken place every May in Louisville since 1875. Two shades of mint are complemented with hot pink and purple and rounded out with gold accents and a silver julep cup. Argyle sleeves on the jersey pay homage to jockey silks-a stand-out visual of horse racing. From head to toe, everything comes together with a two-toned mint and purple cap featuring the Mint Julep mascot.
5. Omaha Sizzle
Usual name: Omaha Storm Chasers
For five games this season, Omaha’s minor league team will become the Omaha Sizzle. The black and red uniforms include a hat featuring a chunk of steak in the shape of Nebraska with a Storm Chasers logo grilled into it. The steak appears to be rare.
6. Charleston Boiled Peanuts
Usual name: Charleston RiverDogs
Before they roast the Greenville Drive, the Dogs — er, Nuts — plan to honor the official state snack as well as late fan favorite Anthony Wright, a.k.a. “Tony the Peanut Man,” by serving up a fresh logo, piping hot special jerseys for the night, and hosting a delicious peanut festival before the game on the concourse.
“We knew that if we were going to supplant our long-time namesake for a game, we wanted to choose something that holds significance to our fans and the region and the ‘Boiled Peanuts’ to us does just that,” said RiverDogs President and General Manager Dave Echols. “We hope this is a night to celebrate a Charleston tradition and continue to pay tribute to Tony and his family.”
7. Reading Pretzels
Usual name: Reading Fightin Phils
Reading, Pennsylvania, also known as “The Pretzel City” and “The Pretzel Capital of the World,” is home to a number of pretzel bakeries, including the fifth-generation Tom Sturgis Pretzel Company, a direct descendant of the first American pretzel bakery founded in 1861.
8. Fresno Tacos
Usual name: Fresno Grizzlies
The Fresno Tacos, first introduced at the annual Taco Truck Throwdown event in 2015, and on the field for each “Taco Tuesday” home game since 2016, have played in a different uniform design each season. For 2019, the Tacos’ look will more resemble the new Grizzlies’ on-field look, as the club re-branded to a new scarlet, black and cream color scheme in January. While the Kelly green in the Fresno Tacos’ uniform remains, the orange and yellow has been swapped out for red and cream. The Tacos cap and jersey logos remain unchanged in design, despite the new colors.
9. Corpus Christi Blue Ghosts
Usual name: Corpus Christi Hooks
This Saturday marks the 75th anniversary of the commissioning of the USS Lexington CV-16. To commemorate the occasion, your Hooks will defend Whataburger Field as the Corpus Christi Blue Ghosts June 21-23, team general manager Wes Weigle announced Thursday.
“The USS Lexington is a national treasure that lives in our backyard,” Weigle said. “She holds more records than any other Essex Class carrier in the history of naval aviation, and we are privileged to pay her homage. By taking the field as the Blue Ghosts, we salute her crew’s sacrifice during WWII, as well as show solidarity with all the past and present servicemen and women who call the Coastal Bend home. It’s going to be a great weekend.”
10. Fayetteville Woodpeckers (Black Ops Theme)
Usual name: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (but their mascot isn’t usually a damn skeleton)
11. Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (Miami Vice Theme)
Usual name: Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (Normal, lamer theme)