Tri-State Coal Cats
| Tri-State Coal Cats | |
|---|---|
| Information | |
| League | Appalachian League (East Division) |
| Location | Huntington, West Virginia |
| Ballpark | Jack Cook Field |
| Founded | 2024 |
| Colors | Marshall green, coal black, white, cool gray[1] |
| Ownership | Marshall University Kindred Communications |
| Management | CC Baseball Club |
| Manager | Tommy Gregg |
| Website | Official website |
The Tri-State Coal Cats are a summer collegiate baseball team of the Appalachian League. They are located in Huntington, West Virginia, and play their home games at Jack Cook Field on the campus of Marshall University.[2]
History
On October 11, 2023, the Appalachian League announced that the Princeton WhistlePigs would be ceasing operations, effective immediately, leaving an open spot in the 10 team league.[3] On November 16, the league announced that Marshall University would host an Appalachian League team beginning with the 2024 season, marking the first time Huntington hosted Appalachian League baseball since 1994, when the Huntington Cubs played at St. Cloud Commons.[4] On February 1 and 8 of 2024, it was announced that former MLB player Tommy Gregg and former Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Salomón Torres were hired as the manager and pitching coach respectively. On February 15, the team name was announced as the Tri-State Coal Cats, honoring the tri-state area of Huntington, West Virginia, Southern Ohio and Northeast Kentucky, with their color scheme identical to the Marshall Thundering Herd.[5]
Logos and uniform
In 2025, the Tri-State Coal Cats adopted an alternate identity for every Saturday home game, playing as the Huntington Slaw Dogs. Under this alias, they debut a neon green version of their uniform and a new logo featuring a West Virginia-style hot dog.[6]
References
- ^ "TSCC Visual Brand Identity" (PDF). February 15, 2024. Retrieved February 17, 2021.
- ^ Hill, Benjamin (February 15, 2024). "Huntington's Appalachian League team unveils Tri-State Coal Cats name, logos". MLB. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
- ^ Owens, Charles (October 11, 2023). "Princeton will no longer have a Minor League Baseball team". Bluefield Daily Telegraph. Retrieved October 16, 2023.
- ^ "Appalachian League returns to Huntington, W.Va., for 2024 season". Appalachian League. November 16, 2023. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
- ^ "Huntington-based Appalachian League team will go by Tri-State Coal Cats, don green and black". WV MetroNews. February 15, 2024. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
- ^ Tri-State Coal Cats. May 15, 2025. Retrieved July 6, 2025 – via WSAZ.