Baseball By Design: Stories of Minor League Logos and Nicknames

The brand-new Hill City Howlers, Single-A affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians, base their brand on a series of classic movie monsters. The team, formerly the Lynchburg Hillcats, play in a ballpark adjacent to a cemetery, setting the spooky scene. Guests include:

• Dylan Narang, Owner, Hill City Howlers
• Jim Christopher, Ballpark Nation, YouTube @ballparknation
• Dan Simon, Studio Simon: www.studiosimon.net, Insta @studio_simon

The newest team in the Pioneer League celebrates the natural and cultural diversity of Long Beach, California, not to mention the town's signture 11 miles of coastline. The text-based identity is a departure from the trends in minor league baseball branding.

Guests include:

• Ena Patel, President, Long Beach Coast
• David Sauer, Musician, One High Five
• Dan Simon, Studio Simon: www.studiosimon.net, Insta @studio_simon

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From 1994 to 2016, the Brevard County Manatees graced the fields of the Florida State League with a logo based on one of the ocean's most endearing animals. Guests include:

• JP Brooker, Ocean Conservany, jpbrooker.com
• Dan Simon, Studio Simon: www.studiosimon.net, Insta @studio_simon

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The Salem RidgeYaks, Single-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, are the latest affiliated Minor League Baseball team to move away from a name based on their parent club to one that celebrates an aspect of the local community. The nickname pays tribute to outdoor recreation in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Guests include:

• Allen Lawrence, General Manager, Salem RidgeYaks
• Dr. Chris Mayer, Professor of Recreation Studies
• Dan Simon, Stu...

The collegiate summer level Davie Crocketts based their identity on wordplay centered around the name of the North Carolina county where they play. Guests include:

• Greg Sullivan, Chairman, Blue Ridge League
• Brittain Peck, Illustrator
• Dan Simon, Studio Simon: www.studiosimon.net, Insta @studio_simon

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• Bluesky @baseballbyde...

The Single-A Palm Beach Cardinals are named for their parent club in St. Louis, but their first foray into a fun alternate identity proved to be a rousing success. The Frozen Iguanas pay tribute to a quirk of Florida wildlife that lends itself to some great logos.

This week on the podcast:

• Sophia Monteleone, In-Game Entertainment/Media Relations Coordinator, Palm Beach Cardinals
• Ryan Fooser, Fooser Sports Design, Insta @fooser...

Sports design royalty Todd Radom joins from his home in Philadelphia to talk about sports design heritage in the 215. We talk Phillies maroon, a font called Scriptwurst, Eagles kelly green, the Phanatic, Gritty, and more.

Guests include:

• Todd Radom, Todd Radom Design toddradom.com
• Mitchell Kramer, Historian, bfranklin.org
• Dan Simon, Studio Simon, studiosimon.net

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The newest Pioneer League team encountered some bumps in the road en route to coming up with a new brand. After a false start as the Glow Riders, the team announced that it would be the Modesto Roadsters, a brand based on the movie American Graffiti. This week on the podcast:

• Dave Heller, Owner, Modesto Roadsters
• Greg Gallup, Slightly Obsessed Studios
• Jim Christopher, Ballpark Nation, YouTube @ballparknation
• Dan Simon, Studio ...

One of Minor League Baseball's most prolific designers took the time to categorize all 120 affiliated teams and 82 independent professional team, and at long last, we break down Dan's spreadsheet on this New Years episode of Baseball By Design!

This week on the podcast:

• Dan Simon, Studio Simon: www.studiosimon.net, Insta @studio_simon

Find the Baseball By Design podcast online:

• Instagram @baseballbydesign
• Threads @b...

The collegiate summer level Victoria HarbourCats play in British Columbia, home to a natural landscape that features, among much else, harbor seals and other wildlife. This week on the podcast:

• Jim Swanson, Owner, Victoria HarbourCats
• Ranger Amy Burnett, Insta @therealrangeramy
• Dan Simon, Studio Simon: www.studiosimon.net, Insta @studio_simon

Find the Baseball By Design podcast online:

• Instagram @baseballbydesign
• Th...

There have been four Major League Baseball All Star games hosted by the Philadelphia Phillies, including 2026, and all four of them have featured the Liberty Bell in the logo. Designer and sports design historian Todd Radom and living history interpreter Mitchell Kramer stop by to discuss why this iconic symbol is so inextricably tied to Philadelphia.

Guests include:

• Todd Radom, Todd Radom Design toddradom.com
• Mitchell Kramer,...

The Yakima Valley Pippins reflect the significance of agriculture to the state of Washington and the people who live and work there. The summer level team plays in the collegiate summer level West Coast League. Guests include:

• Jordan Rowland, GM, co-owner, Yakima Valley Pippins
• Dan Simon, Studio Simon: www.studiosimon.net, Insta @studio_simon
• Jon DeVaney, President, Washington State Tree Fruit Association

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The Windy City ThunderBolts have played on Chicago's Southside for two decades, and just recently unveiled an electric new brand. Guests include:

• Mike VerSchave, Windy City ThunderBolts, wcthunderbolts.com
• Jay Becker, BLDG Design, www.bldgbrands.com
• Dr. Chris Mayer, folksy Chicago native
• Dan Simon, Studio Simon: www.studiosimon.net, Insta @studio_simon

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Baseball By Design host Paul Caputo was invited to be a guest on a meeting of Chicago chapter of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR). The meeting was hosted by John Racanelli, vice chair for the Emil Rothe (Chicago) SABR Chapter, founder and co-chair of the SABR Baseball Landmarks Research Committee, and the world’s foremost photographer of triple peanuts at ball parks. Guests this week include:

• John Racanelli, S...

The Richmond Flying Mummies are the newest team in the collegiate summer level Northwoods League. Their brand plays off the aviation heritage and two of the town's most famous 3,000-year-old residents. Guests include:

Guests this week include:

• Trevor Amerson, General Manager, Richmond Flying Mummies
• John Worthen, Worthen Design
• Dan Simon, Studio Simon: www.studiosimon.net, Insta @studio_simon

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The Altoona Curve's brand is based on a railroad engineering marvel—the tightest hairpin turn in North America. The Curve are Double-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Guests this week include:

• Nate Bowen, General Manager, Pensacola Blue Wahoos
• Jason Klein, Brandiose, brandiose.com
• Dan Simon, Studio Simon: www.studiosimon.net, Insta @studio_simon

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• Instagram @baseballbyd...

Minor league baseball is full of alternate brands based on local foods. Stadium Food Girl stops by to discuss a few favorites! Guests include:

• Valerie Ruiz, Stadium Food Girl, Insta @stadiumfoodgirl
• Dan Simon, Studio Simon: www.studiosimon.net, Insta @studio_simon

Find the Baseball By Design podcast online:

• Instagram @baseballbydesign
• Threads @baseballbydesign
• Bluesky @baseballbydesign.bsky.social
• linktr.ee/Baseball...

The Illinois Valley Pistol Shrimp, a collegiate summer-level team in the Prospect League, made headlines with their first-ever alternate identity. Just in time for Halloween, the team announced they'll play as the Illinois Valley Radioactive Shrimp—a wink and a nod to a recent viral news event. Guests include:

• Lucas Burris, Assistant GM/Broadcaster, Illinois Valley Pistol Shrimp
• Ranger Amy Burnett, Insta @therealrangeramy
• Dan ...

The independent Normal CornBelters pay tribute to an iconic crop in their home state of Illinois. Their logo, equal parts ear of corn and Bill the Cat from Bloom County, has been around for almost two decades. Guests include:

• Jarrett Rodgers, GM, Illinois CornBelters
• Lynn Smith, MiLB super fan, Insta @iaskiheho
• Dan Simon, Studio Simon: www.studiosimon.net, Insta @studio_simon

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