Hagerstown Suns

The Hagerstown Suns were a minor league club based in Hagerstown, Maryland, that competed in the South Atlantic League. From 2007 through 2020, they served as the Class A affiliate of the Washington Nationals. Their home field was Municipal Stadium, a venue that first opened in 1930 and could hold 4,600 spectators. The team’s mascot was Woolie, a giant woolly bear caterpillar.

Toronto Blue Jays (1993–2000)

The franchise’s modern era began after the previous Double-A Hagerstown Suns moved to Bowie, Maryland, to become the Bowie Baysox. To keep baseball in Hagerstown, Winston Blenckstone relocated his Myrtle Beach Hurricanes—a Class A South Atlantic League team—to the city following the 1992 season, renaming them the Suns. The 1993 squad was competitive. Mike Coolbaugh led the offense with 16 home runs, while D.J. Boston hit .315 with 13 homers and 93 RBIs.

Outfielders Rickey Cradle and Jose Herrera also contributed; Herrera batted .317 in 95 games, and Cradle hit 13 home runs. On the mound, Brad Cornett posted a 2.40 ERA over 172.1 innings, and Silva went 12–4 with a 2.52 ERA and 161 strikeouts in 142.2 innings. In 1994, the Suns reached the playoffs for the first time since 1991. Former first-round pick Shannon Stewart hit .324 with four homers and 25 RBIs in an injury-shortened season.

Tom Evans returned from the previous year, batting .273 with 13 homers and 48 RBIs in 95 games. Power came from Lorenzo Delacruz (19 homers) and Ryan Jones (18 homers, team-leading 72 RBIs). Edwin Hurtado went 11–2 with a 2.95 ERA in 33 appearances (16 starts). The bullpen featured Steve Sinclair (nine wins, 105 innings, one start) and closer Dave Sinnes, who tied for the league lead with 37 saves.

The 1995 team was led by veteran Jeff Ladd, who hit 19 homers in 95 games before a promotion to Double-A Knoxville—his final professional season. Bobby Llanos added 17 homers and a team-high 63 RBIs. Catcher Julio Mosquera hit .291 in 108 games. Brian Smith went 9–1 with 21 saves and 101 strikeouts in 104 relief innings.

Doug Meiners was the top starter, going 8–4 with a 2.99 ERA in 18 starts, and Tom Davey went 4–1 with a 3.38 ERA in eight starts. The 1996 season marked the Suns’ first losing campaign in the SAL.