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Modesto Nuts

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Modesto Nuts
Team logo Cap insignia
Minor league affiliations
Class
LeagueCalifornia League (1946–1964, 1966–2025)
Major league affiliations
Team
Minor league titles
League titles (11)
  • 1950
  • 1954
  • 1959
  • 1966
  • 1972
  • 1982
  • 1984
  • 2004
  • 2017
  • 2023
  • 2024
Division titles (5)
  • 2004
  • 2012
  • 2017
  • 2023
  • 2024
First-half titles (1)
  • 2024
Second-half titles (1)
  • 2023
Team data
Name
  • Modesto Nuts (2005–2025)
  • Modesto A's (1975–2004)
  • Modesto Reds (1966–1974)
  • Modesto Colts (1962–1964)
  • Modesto Reds (1946–1961)
MascotsAl The Almond
Wally The Walnut
Shelley The Pistachio
BallparkJohn Thurman Field
Websitemilb.com/modesto

The Modesto Nuts were a Minor League Baseball team of the California League, most recently the Single-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. They were located in Modesto, California, and were named for the several types of nuts grown in the Central Valley. They played their home games at John Thurman Field, which opened in 1955.

The team was known as the Modesto Athletics (or A's) from 1975 to 2004. The club was also known as the Modesto Reds (1966–1974 and 1946–1961) and Modesto Colts (1962–1964).

The Nuts were expected to leave Modesto following the 2024 season after the city and the Mariners were unable to agree on paying for ballpark improvements that Major League Baseball required. However, a deal was reached to keep the team in Modesto through at least the 2025 season. After the 2024 season, the Mariners sold the team to Diamond Baseball Holdings, who immediately announced that the 2025 season would be the last in Modesto. For the 2026 season, as part of a shuffle of Diamond-owned team relocations, the Nuts franchise will relocate to San Bernardino as a new incarnation of the Inland Empire 66ers.

History

[edit]

On June 2, 2006, manager Chad Kreuter resigned to become the head baseball coach of the University of Southern California. Kreuter replaced his father-in-law, Mike Gillespie. Hitting coach Glenallen Hill was named the new Nuts manager.[1]

On June 21, 2011, the Modesto Nuts hosted the 2011 California League/Carolina League All-Star Game.[2] The California League won, with Jedd Gyorko and Rey Navarro named MVPs.[3]

In 2011, the Nuts set their attendance record for five straight seasons and were honored as back-to-back California League Organization of the Year for 2010 and 2011.[4]

Following the 2016 season, the Seattle Mariners purchased a majority share of the Nuts, and the teams entered into a player development contract making Modesto a Mariners affiliate. HWS Baseball IV continued to manage the team's day-to-day operations.[5]

The Nuts won the California League championship in 2017, sweeping both the division series and the league series and winning nine games in a row dating back to the last three games of the regular-season.[6] This was the Nuts' ninth league title and the first as part of the Mariners organization.

In conjunction with Major League Baseball (MLB)'s restructuring of Minor League Baseball in 2021, the Nuts were organized into the Low-A West where they continued as a Mariners affiliate at the Low-A classification.[7] In 2022, Low-A West was renamed the California League, the name historically used by the regional circuit prior to the 2021 reorganization, and was reclassified as a Single-A circuit.[8] In 2023, Modesto won the California League championship.[9]

After the city of Modesto and the Mariners were unable to come to terms on who would pay for the roughly $32 million in improvements to John Thurman Field mandated by MLB, the Nuts planned to leave Modesto after the 2024 season.[10] However, the city and the Nuts came to an agreement in August 2024 to keep the team in Modesto for another year. The Nuts were to pay an annual rent of $600,000, and an additional $75,000 went towards improving the field. A long-term lease agreement had to be reached by April 1, 2025, or the team could leave following the season.[11] A month after it was announced the Nuts would stay in Modesto for another year, they won their second straight California League title.[12]

The team was sold to Diamond Baseball Holdings on December 12, 2024.[13] Diamond, the largest owner of MiLB teams, planned a "musical chairs" format in the aftermath of the purchase that will take effect in the 2026 season. The Nuts will move to San Bernardino and assume the Inland Empire 66ers nickname, but keep the Mariners' affiliation, reuniting the two for the first time since 2006. The 66ers will relocate to Rancho Cucamonga and assume the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes nickname, and will be affiliated with the Los Angeles Angels for the first time since 2010. The Quakes will move to Ontario and a new 10,000-seat stadium being built there to become the Ontario Tower Buzzers.[14]

The Nuts played their final home game on August 31, 2025, losing to the Stockton Ports, 5–4, with 2,295 people in attendance.[15] Their final game was played on September 8 against the San Jose Giants at Excite Ballpark, winning 9–6 in 10 innings.[16]

Josh Suchon was the team's radio play-by-play broadcaster in 2007.[17] Greg Young was the team's play-by-play broadcaster from 2008 to 2011.[18] He was replaced by Alex Margulies for 2012 and 2013.[19] Keaton Gillogly did play-by-play from 2014 to 2022.[20][21] Mario Ramos, who had been the PA announcer, was the team's final play-by-play broadcaster.[22][23]

Mascots

[edit]

The Modesto Nuts had three mascots: Al the Almond, Wally the Walnut, and Shelley the Pistachio.[24][25]

Roster

[edit]
Modesto Nuts roster
Players Coaches/Other

Pitchers

  •  9 Yensy Bello
  • 35 Gage Boehm
  • 13 Aiden Butler
  • 40 Andrew Carson
  • 22 Gleiner Diaz
  • 23 Reid Easterly
  • -- German Fajardo Injury icon
  • 19 Walter Ford
  • 38 Trevor Long
  • 37 Aneury Lora
  • 25 Reese Lumpkin
  • 48 Isaac Lyon
  • 32 Harold Melenge
  • 36 Daniel Ouderkirk
  • 33 Anyelo Ovando Injury icon
  • 36 Adrian Quintana
  • 22 Jose Romero
  • 23 Justin Sanchez
  • 20 Colton Shaw
  • 27 Chia-shi Shen
  • 15 Matt Tiberia Injury icon
  • 29 Jesse Wainscott
  • 31 Jose Zerpa

Catchers

Infielders

  • 14 Starlin Aguilar
  • 23 Nick Becker Injury icon
  • 30 Ricardo Cova Injury icon
  • 16 Dustin Crenshaw
  • 48 Dalton Davis
  •  7 Austin St. Laurent
  •  6 Dervy Ventura

Outfielders

  •  3 Korbyn Dickerson Injury icon
  • 43 George Feliz
  • 18 Carlos Jimenez
  • 17 Ryan Picollo
  •  4 Cesar Quintas
  • 10 Aidan Taurek

Manager

  • 12 Luis Caballero

Coaches

  • 21 Josh Morgan (bench)
  • 27 Brock Stassi (hitting)
  • 41 Jakob Witt (pitching)

60-day injured list

  • -- Tyler Gough (full season)
  • 23 Harrison Kreiling (full season)
  • -- Will Riley (full season)
  • -- Jack White (full season)

Notable alumni

[edit]

Years with the Nuts are listed in parentheses.

Baseball Hall of Fame alumni

[edit]

Other notable alumni

[edit]

The following players all were MLB All-Stars or league leaders

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Glenallen Hill takes over as Nuts Manager" (Press release). Modesto Nuts. 2006-06-02. Retrieved 2025-10-29 – via OurSports Central.
  2. ^ "Nuts to host All-Star Game in 2011". MiLB.com (Press release). January 8, 2011.
  3. ^ Martinez, Chris. "Gyorko, hurlers give Cal another win". MiLB.com. Retrieved 2025-10-29.
  4. ^ Reichard, Kevin (2011-09-22). "Gorrasi, Nuts honored by Cal League". Ballpark Digest. Retrieved 2025-10-29.
  5. ^ Divish, Ryan (September 20, 2016). "Mariners purchase Modesto Nuts of Class A Cal League, sign 4-year player development contract". Seattle Times. Retrieved September 21, 2016.
  6. ^ Cortez, Joe (September 16, 2017). "Modesto Nuts sweep way to California League pennant". Modesto Bee. Retrieved October 4, 2017.
  7. ^ Mayo, Jonathan (February 12, 2021). "MLB Announces New Minors Teams, Leagues". Major League Baseball. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
  8. ^ "Historical League Names to Return in 2022". Minor League Baseball. March 16, 2022. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
  9. ^ Rodgers, Del (2023-09-20). "Modesto Nuts win California League Championship". KCRA. Retrieved 2023-11-24.
  10. ^ Valine, Kevin (July 10, 2024). "Nuts Are Playing Their Last Baseball Season in Modesto, Team Says. Here's Why". The Modesto Bee. Retrieved July 19, 2024.
  11. ^ Nobert, Matthew (August 28, 2024). "Modesto Nuts Gets Another Year of Play with City Council Decision". Fox 40. Retrieved August 29, 2024.
  12. ^ Avallone, Michael (September 18, 2024). "Mariners' Single-A affiliate takes home second straight Cal League title". MLB.com. Retrieved December 7, 2024.
  13. ^ Jude, Adam (December 12, 2024). "Mariners announce sale of their Class A affiliate, the Modesto Nuts". The Seattle Times. Retrieved December 12, 2024.
  14. ^ Brazil, Brodie (December 14, 2024). "The Modesto Nuts are LEAVING, following sale". YouTube. Retrieved December 15, 2024.
  15. ^ "Gameday: Ports 5, Nuts 4 Final Score (08/31/2025)". Minor League Baseball. August 31, 2025. Retrieved September 15, 2025.
  16. ^ "Nuts Close Out Final Chapter with Extra-Inning Win, Thank Fans for the Memories". Modesto Nuts. Minor League Baseball. September 8, 2025. Retrieved September 15, 2025.
  17. ^ Shugar, Mark (July 20, 2007). "Nuts' Suchon savors broadcasting". MiLB.com. Retrieved 2025-10-29.
  18. ^ "Greg Young". Greg Young. Retrieved 2025-10-29.
  19. ^ "Resume". Alex Margulies. Retrieved 2025-10-29.
  20. ^ "Keaton Gillogly Named Director of Broadcasting". MiLB.com. Retrieved 2025-10-29.
  21. ^ "Keaton Gillogly Joins Bobcats as Play-by-Play Voice". Learfield. August 17, 2022.
  22. ^ Modesto Nuts [@modestonnuts]; (April 5, 2024). "Nuts fans, give a warm welcome to our new broadcaster for the 2024 season Mario Ramos!" – via Instagram.
  23. ^ Farkas, Brady (August 29, 2025). "Modesto Nuts Broadcaster Mario Ramos on the Final Homestand as MiLB Affiliate". Refuse to Lose - a Seattle Mariners Podcast (Podcast).
  24. ^ "Mascot Appearances". MiLB.com. Archived from the original on 2025-05-19. Retrieved 2025-05-02.
  25. ^ Caputo, Paul (2014-04-12). "The Story Behind the Modesto Nuts: Now with More Nuts!". SportsLogos.Net News. Retrieved 2025-05-02.
[edit]
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