The Glacier Range Riders are an independent baseball team of the Pioneer League, an MLB Partner League, who began play in 2022. They are located in Kalispell, Montana, and play their home games at Glacier Bank Park.
| Glacier Range Riders | |||||
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| Minor league affiliations | |||||
| Class | Independent (from 2021) | ||||
| League | Pioneer League | ||||
| Team data | |||||
| Colors | Red, black, olive, sienna, white | ||||
| Mascots | Cliff & Huck | ||||
| Ballpark | Glacier Bank Park | ||||
Owner(s)/ Operator(s) | Ridge Run Baseball LLC | ||||
| President | Marty Kelly | ||||
| General manager | Erik Moore | ||||
| Manager | Stu Pederson | ||||
The Range Riders are named for nearby Glacier National Park, established in 1910. The team chose to reveal their name on January 19 at 10:00 am to commemorate its founding.[1]
History
editWith the contraction of Minor League Baseball in 2021, the Pioneer League was converted from an MLB-affiliated Rookie Advanced league to an independent baseball league and granted status as an MLB Partner League.[2]
With the transition, the Pioneer League added the Boise Hawks, a former member of the Northwest League, for the 2021 season.[3] To keep the league at eight teams, the Northern Colorado Owlz (formerly the Orem Owlz) sat out 2021. With the return of the Owlz for 2022, a tenth team was needed to balance the schedule, and on August 16, 2021, Ridge Run Baseball LLC was awarded an expansion team to begin play in 2022.[4]
The announcement also revealed that a new ballpark would be constructed alongside U.S. Route 93 north of Kalispell. Glacier Bank Park,[5] originally known as Flathead Field, seats 2,500 and features artificial turf.
The franchise debuted on May 23, 2022, against the Rocky Mountain Vibes, and they hosted their first home game on June 14 against the Billings Mustangs.[6]
Roster
edit| Active (25-man) roster | Coaches/Other | |||
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Pitchers
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Catchers
Infielders
Outfielders
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Manager
Coaches
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References
edit- ^ "Pioneer League's Glacier Range Riders pay homage to National Park". SportsLogos.net. January 19, 2022. Retrieved January 19, 2022.
- ^ "Pioneer League named MLB Partner League". Baseball America. November 30, 2020. Retrieved November 30, 2020.
- ^ Wustrow, John. "Boise Hawks lose minor league affiliation, join Pioneer League". Idaho Press. Idaho Press. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
- ^ Drew, Micah (16 August 2021). "Flathead Valley Gains Minor League Baseball Team". Flathead Beacon. Flathead Beacon.
- ^ "Ridge Run Baseball and Glacier Bank come to terms on naming rights for ballpark". Glacier Range Riders Official Team Site. Press Release, April 5, 2023. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
- ^ "Pioneer Baseball League Announces 2022 Schedule". Pioneer Baseball League. Minor League Baseball. Retrieved 23 January 2022.