What to know as the Atlantic League returns — with two teams — for new season in Lexington
Baseball is back in Lexington.
The city is set to host two teams in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball for the 2022 season: The Lexington Legends and the Kentucky Wild Health Genomes.
The Legends are the defending champions in the Atlantic League, which is an official partner league of Major League Baseball, while the Genomes are one of two new teams in the 10-team league.
Both the Legends and Genomes will play this season at the recently renamed Wild Health Field in Lexington.
Wild Health, which will have its name both on the stadium and as part of the Genomes team name, is a genomics-based medical clinic located in Lexington.
Lexington-based Stands LLC, which owns the Lexington Legends, will also oversee the Genomes.
Stands LLC CEO Andy Shea said that this offseason, more investment and renovations were applied to Wild Health Field than in any other offseason in the 21-year history of the stadium.
Offseason improvements at the ballpark have included the installation of a new synthetic turf field to help accommodate the more than 120 Atlantic League games that will be played there from April to September, as well as upgrades to concessions stands, lighting and more.
With the first Atlantic League game in Lexington this season scheduled for Thursday night — a Legends game against the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs — here’s what you need to know as Lexington gets set to host two professional baseball teams for the first time.
Defending the title
The Legends won the 2021 Atlantic League Championship Series, three games to one, over the Long Island (N.Y.) Ducks, in October.
This brought a title back to Lexington in the Legends’ first season in the Atlantic League, but it continued a recent dynasty for the ball club.
The Legends have won three championships in a row, dating back to a pair of South Atlantic League titles won in 2018 and 2019.
The 2020 South Atlantic League season was called off due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Legends moved to the independent Atlantic League after losing their affiliation with Major League Baseball.
Now, the Legends will be looking to string together a fourth consecutive title.
P.J. Phillips, the younger brother of former MLB and Cincinnati Reds star second baseman Brandon Phillips, will again serve as manager for the Legends.
P.J. became the first Black manager to win an Atlantic League championship last season.
Brandon, who is a part-owner of the Legends and has played with the team in recent seasons, was not listed on the Opening Day roster, but tweeted earlier this week that he was on his way to Lexington.
Genomes begin
The Genomes were born out of necessity in November.
While the distinct team name wasn’t revealed until February, it was known that having a second Atlantic League team in Lexington would provide scheduling and travel advantages for the league, according to Atlantic League President Rick White.
The addition of a second Lexington-based team gives the Atlantic League 10 teams for this season.
Lexington’s newest baseball team spent its offseason creating baseball history.
Lindsay Gardner was hired as the team’s hitting development coordinator, becoming the first female coach in Atlantic League history.
Alexis “Scrappy” Hopkins was selected by the Genomes during the Atlantic League’s annual player draft in March. In doing so, it’s believed Hopkins became the first female position player ever drafted by an American pro baseball team for an on-field role.
Hopkins will begin the season as the Genomes’ bullpen catcher.
The team will be managed by Mark Minicozzi, who managed the Charleston Dirty Birds in the Atlantic League last season.
Shea, who helps oversee the Legends and Genomes, also helps oversee the Dirty Birds.
Minicozzi said he “fully intends” for Hopkins to play this season.
Shea described the Genomes roster as being more local, with former players from nearby universities and high schools.
This year’s Genomes roster currently features more than 10 players with past MLB experience, five who played at Kentucky, two who played at Western Kentucky and one each who played at Eastern Kentucky and Lindsey Wilson College.
Additionally, alums of Lexington Christian Academy, Lafayette High School and Tates Creek High School are on the 2022 roster.
“It’ll be our mission as long as we are here that having the highest quality talent, and having local, community ties is essential as we’re putting together our roster,” Shea said of the Genomes.
This may be the only season with multiple Atlantic League teams in Lexington, though.
Another Atlantic League franchise in Hagerstown, Md., is scheduled to join for the 2023 season, which would give the league an unbalanced 11 teams if the Genomes continued to exist.
When asked by the Herald-Leader in February if there are plans for the Genomes to play beyond the 2022 season, Shea said there “is nothing concrete … nothing set right now.”
The Genomes will begin their first season on the road Thursday night at the High Point (N.C.) Rockers.
The Genomes’ first game in Lexington will be May 3.
Ballpark upgrades
The most notable change at Wild Health Field this season — beyond the name — comes with the installation of a synthetic turf surface, which will make hosting so many baseball games possible.
In addition to the more than 120 Atlantic League games that will be played from April to September during the regular season, Wild Health Field will also host the Ohio Valley Conference college baseball tournament in late May.
Upgraded concessions stands and new LED field lights, LED ribbon-board signage and a new video board in right field are also in place.
The video board is more than two-and-a-half times larger than the previous video board.
Shea has also said the stadium will be able to create LED light shows that have become commonplace across the sports landscape.
“From a fan’s perspective, it will be absolutely noticeable from the second you walk in through the end of the game,” Shea said.
Some of the weekly promotions for both Legends and Genomes games this season include: Free hot dogs on Tuesdays, day games on Wednesdays, Thirsty Thursdays, giveaways on Fridays, fireworks or light shows on Saturdays and kids club and player autographs on Sundays.
Thursday
Southern Maryland Blue Crabs at Lexington Legends
What: Season-opening game for the Legends in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball.
Where: Wild Health Field in Lexington
When: 6:35 p.m.
Series: The Legends and Blue Crabs will play a four-game series at Wild Health Field. Thursday (6:35 p.m.), Friday (6:35 p.m.), Saturday (6:35 p.m.) and Sunday (2:05 p.m.).
This story was originally published April 19, 2022 at 2:06 PM.
