New names revealed for Lexington’s baseball stadium and second minor league team
On Tuesday morning, Lexington officially became a two baseball team town.
The Kentucky Wild Health Genomes was unveiled as the city’s second baseball team in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball — an official partner league of Major League Baseball — joining the Lexington Legends, who won the Atlantic League championship in October.
The Genomes previously used the placeholder name “The Kentucky Professional Baseball Team.”
In addition to the announcement of the Kentucky Wild Health Genomes name, the stadium formerly known as Lexington Legends Ballpark was officially renamed Wild Health Field.
Wild Health, which will have its name both on the stadium and as part of the new team name, is a genomics-based medical clinic located in Lexington.
Located near Lexington’s Brucetown neighborhood, Wild Health Field has been the home of the Legends minor league baseball franchise since it opened in 2001 and will now house both the Legends and Genomes for the 2022 Atlantic League season.
The ballpark — which will also host the 2022 Ohio Valley Conference college baseball tournament from May 25-28 — will have its grass surface converted to artificial turf.
Both of the independent minor league baseball teams in Lexington operate under the same ownership group.
Lexington-based Stands LLC, which owns the Lexington Legends, will also oversee the Genomes.
Stands LLC CEO Andy Shea said Tuesday that it was “partly coincidence, partly fun and almost good timing” that Wild Health got its name on both the stadium and the team name.
When asked by the Herald-Leader what the length of the naming rights agreement with Wild Health is for the stadium, Shea said, “it’s semi-fluid.”
“Hopefully it will be until the end of time, but it’s something that we’re all constantly talking about and making sure that it’s A1, beneficial both (for) community as well as economically for both of us,” Shea said.
How the Genomes fit
The Genomes will be managed by Mark Minicozzi, while P.J. Phillips, the brother of former MLB all-star and Legends player and part-owner Brandon Phillips, will return as manager of the Legends.
Minicozzi managed the Atlantic League’s Charleston Dirty Birds last season.
With the addition of the Genomes, the Atlantic League will feature 10 teams for the 2022 season, which will be the 24th season of the league.
The Legends’ championship win in October came in the team’s first season in the Atlantic League.
The upcoming Atlantic League season will include games between the Legends and the Genomes at Wild Health Field.
The eight teams that played in the Atlantic League during the 2021 season were: the Long Island (N.Y.) Ducks, the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs, the Lancaster (Pa.) Barnstormers, the York (Pa.) Revolution, the Lexington Legends, the High Point (N.C.) Rockers, the Gastonia (N.C.) Honey Hunters and the Charleston (W.Va.) Dirty Birds.
In addition to the Genomes, another new franchise in Staten Island, N.Y., the Staten Island Ferry Hawks, will also join the league this season.
Long Island, Southern Maryland, Lancaster, York and Staten Island will comprise the North Division. The Legends, the Genomes, High Point, Gastonia and Charleston will comprise the South Division.
Another new franchise in Hagerstown, Md., is scheduled to join the Atlantic League for the 2023 season.
When asked by the Herald-Leader if there are plans for the Genomes to play beyond the 2022 season, Shea said there “is nothing concrete . . . nothing set right now.”
When the addition of a second Atlantic League franchise in Lexington was announced in November, league President Rick White said the second franchise would provide travel advantages for the league’s scheduling.
Shea echoed these thoughts on Tuesday.
“With us in the process of going to artificial turf, I kind of raised my hand to (White) and said, ‘Hey, we’ve got an amazing market, we’ve got an amazing sports enthusiastic market, I think we could make it and make it do great,’” Shea said.
In 2019, the Atlantic League and MLB entered into an agreement that allows MLB to test experimental playing rules and equipment in the Atlantic League.
These have included an automated strike zone, 18-inch bases, defensive positioning restrictions and most recently an increased pitching distance.
The Atlantic League announced in January it would restore the pitching distance to 60 feet, 6 inches from home plate and also return strike zone judgment to umpires.
‘I want to win’
The Genomes have already made significant baseball history in Lexington.
It was announced earlier this month the new franchise will feature the first female coach, Lindsay Gardner, in Atlantic League history.
Gardner will work as the hitting development coordinator for the Genomes, an appointment that comes in connection with the Louisville Slugger Hitting Science Center.
Gardner played softball at the University of Texas, with the USA National team and in the National Pro Fastpitch league, and previously served as the head softball coach at St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas.
Gardner is also the founder of Just Dig In, a baseball and softball training company.
“For me, the first just means there’s going to be more. I’m very excited to be a part of that. I’ve got so much to learn,” Gardner told the Herald-Leader on Monday. “I don’t want to say I’m just happy to be here. That’s like just saying you’re happy to be at the World Series, like I want to win. I’m happy to be here, but I want to win.”
Gardner previously participated in Take The Field, an annual MLB program designed to promote women in baseball operations and on-field roles.
The 2022 Atlantic League season will begin for both Lexington-based clubs on April 21.
The Genomes’ first game at Wild Health Field will be May 3.
According to the online Atlantic League transaction tracker, the Genomes signed their first two players as free agents on Monday: Teodoro Martinez (outfielder) and Jimmy Paredes (designated hitter).
Paredes has nearly 1,000 combined at-bats in MLB from time spent with the Houston Astros, Baltimore Orioles, Kansas City Royals, Philadelphia Phillies and Toronto Blue Jays.
Paredes was an Atlantic League end-of-season all-star selection last season with Charleston.
The first games between the Legends and Genomes will be eight consecutive contests between the clubs from May 10-15. This stretch will include two doubleheaders between the teams.
From April to September, Wild Health Field will host more than 120 Atlantic League games.
This will be a single-season record for an Atlantic League stadium.
In addition to the new artificial turf surface, Shea said new LED ribbon-board signage and a new, larger video board are being added to the stadium.
This story was originally published February 8, 2022 at 11:57 AM.
