Columbia Fireflies

The Columbia Fireflies are a Minor League Baseball team based in Columbia, South Carolina and are one of the two Class A South Atlantic League affiliates for the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball, the other being the Quad Cities River Bandits. Their home stadium is Segra Park. The team was previously known as the Savannah Sand Gnats (1995–2015); they relocated from Savannah, Georgia, after the 2015 season. They are the only professional baseball team in Columbia, and the first since the Capital City Bombers moved to Greenville, South Carolina, after the 2004 season.

Columbia Fireflies
Founded in 2016
Columbia, South Carolina
Team logoCap insignia
Minor league affiliations
ClassClass A
LeagueSouth Atlantic League (2016–present)
DivisionSouthern Division
Major league affiliations
TeamKansas City Royals (2021–present)
Previous teamsNew York Mets (2016–2020)
Team data
Name
  • Columbia Fireflies (2016–present)
  • Savannah Sand Gnats (1996–2015)
  • Savannah Cardinals (1984–1995)
ColorsNavy blue, neon yellow, neon green, silver, white
       
MascotMason The Firefly (2016–present)
BallparkSegra Park (2016–present)
Owner(s)/
Operator(s)
Hardball Capital LLC
ManagerTBD

Team history

Minor league baseball in Columbia dates back to 1982. The Capital City Bombers moved from Columbia, South Carolina, to Greenville, South Carolina, after the 2004 season. The city of Columbia approved plans to build a stadium in 2014, with the goal of attracting a Minor League Baseball team. Spirit Communications, a local telecommunications company, purchased the naming rights for the stadium.[1] In May 2015, the Savannah Sand Gnats of the Class A South Atlantic League, an affiliate of the New York Mets, announced that it would move to Columbia in time for the 2016 season.[2][3]

After receiving over 2,300 submissions in a public contest to name the team, it chose to call itself the "Columbia Fireflies". The name was inspired by the Photinus frontalis in the nearby Congaree National Park which was outlined in an article entitled “Synchronized fireflies putting on show at Congaree National Park” by The State, a local newspaper.[4] Portions of the team's uniforms glow in the dark as a tribute to the team's name.

Columbia earned their first ever victory as the Fireflies on April 9, 2016. In the game, three pitchers (Thomas McIlraith, Alex Palsha, and Johnny Magliozzi) combined to throw a no-hitter in a 9–0 shutout victory over the Charleston RiverDogs. The no-hitter was the Fireflies' third game. In their first ever home game, on April 14, 2016, the Fireflies defeated the Greenville Drive, 4–1, in front of 9,077 people.[5]

In conjunction with Major League Baseball's reconfiguration of the minors in 2021, the Mets discontinued their affiliation with Columbia.[6] On December 9, 2020, Major League Baseball announced that the Fireflies' new parent club would be the Kansas City Royals beginning with the 2021 season and beyond, and that they, along with the Quad Cities River Bandits, would serve as the Royals' two Class A affliates.[7]

Roster
Columbia Fireflies roster
Players Coaches/Other

Pitchers

  • 40 Ted Cillis
  • -- Garrett Davila
  • 28 Daniel Duarte
  • 29 C.J. Eldred
  • 11 Tyler Gray
  • 33 Zach Haake
  • 16 Jon Heasley
  • 14 Jaret Hellinger
  • 34 Carlos Hernandez
  • 24 Kyle Hinton
  • 27 Daniel James
  • 22 Brandon Marklund
  • 14 Emilio Marquez
  • 31 Charlie Neuweiler
  • 36 Andres Nunez
  • 19 Evan Steele

Catchers

  • 15 Chris Hudgins
  • 30 Nick Hutchins
  • 25 Chase Vallot

Infielders

  •  1 Brhet Bewley
  •  8 Nathan Eaton
  •  7 Jeison Guzman
  •  2 Rubendy Jaquez
  • 21 Reed Rohlman
  •  4 Bruce Steel

Outfielders

  •  3 Eric Cole
  •  9 Jackson Lueck
  • 12 Rudy Martin
  •  6 John Rave

Manager

Coaches

  • 44 Jesus Azuaje (hitting)
  • -- Jason Goldstein (development)
  • 17 Glenn Hubbard (bench)
  • -- Carlos Martinez (pitching)


7-day injured list
* On Kansas City Royals 40-man roster
# Rehab assignment
∞ Reserve list
‡ Restricted list
§ Suspended list
† Temporary inactive list
Roster updated November 10, 2020
 Transactions
→ More rosters: MiLB • South Atlantic League
 → Kansas City Royals minor league players

References
  1. Callahan, Carolyn (December 3, 2014). "Bull Street Ball Park to Be Named `Spirit Communications Park`". WIS. Columbia, South Carolina. Retrieved April 11, 2016.
  2. White, Neil (May 21, 2015). "It's Official: Savannah Baseball Team Moving to Columbia". The State. Columbia, SC. Retrieved July 15, 2015.
  3. Dial, Steven; Santaella, Tony (March 25, 2015). "Savannah Baseball Team Moving to Columbia". WLTX. Columbia, SC. Retrieved July 15, 2015.
  4. Ransdell, Aaron (August 4, 2015). "Columbia Fireflies Named as New Baseball Name". The State. Columbia, South Carolina. Retrieved April 11, 2016.
  5. Fitzgerald, Kevin (April 15, 2016). "9,077 See Fireflies Win Spirit Communications Park Opener". Minor League Baseball. Retrieved April 16, 2016.
  6. Cooper, J.J. (November 10, 2020). "Binghamton, Brooklyn Survive As Mets Announce Affiliates". Baseball America. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
  7. "Columbia Fireflies invited to become Kansas City Royals affiliate". ABC Columbia. 2020-12-09. Retrieved 2020-12-09.
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