9-725: The Kingsport Axmen are a summer collegiate baseball team of the Appalachian League . They are located in Kingsport, Tennessee , and play their home games at Hunter Wright Stadium . The team was known as the Kingsport Road Warriors for a brief period late in the 2021 season. Professional baseball was first played in Kingsport, Tennessee , by the Kingsport Indians in the Appalachian League from 1921 to 1925. The team went dormant for 12 years before it returned to
18-533: The United States and Canada featuring players who have attended at least one year of college and have at least one year of athletic eligibility remaining. Generally, they operate from early June to early August. In contrast to college baseball , which allow aluminum or other composite baseball bats , players in these leagues use only wooden bats, hence the common nickname of these leagues as "wood-bat leagues". Collegiate summer leagues allow college baseball players
27-647: The 1983 season when the New York Mets temporarily relocated the team to Sarasota, Florida , as the Gulf Coast League Mets , while their home ballpark was being renovated. In conjunction with a contraction of Minor League Baseball beginning with the 2021 season, the Appalachian League was reorganized as a collegiate summer baseball league , and the Kingsport Mets were replaced by a new franchise in
36-642: The Kingsport Axmen's 2021 season after a player was arrested for making threats "to kill multiple people." A new team, called the Kingsport Road Warriors, was assembled to fill the Axmen's remaining schedule, which was to consist of only road games. Two weeks later, the team was cleared to return to Hunter Wright Stadium and resume use of the Axmen moniker. Collegiate summer baseball Collegiate summer baseball leagues are amateur baseball leagues in
45-584: The ability to compete using professional rules and equipment, giving them experience and allowing professional scouts the opportunity to observe players under such conditions. To find a collegiate summer team, players work with their college coaches and prospective teams' general managers. They report to summer leagues after completing their spring collegiate season with their NCAA , NAIA , NJCAA , CCCAA , and NWAC teams. Some players arrive late due to their college team's postseason play, which sometimes runs into early June. In some cases, players are drafted during
54-729: The circuit as the Kingsport Cherokees from 1938 to 1955—with the exception of the 1942 season as the Kingsport Dodgers and as members of the Mountain States League in 1953 and 1954. The club was later known as the Kingsport Orioles (1957), Kingsport Pirates (1960–1963), Kingsport Royals (1969–1973), and Kingsport Braves (1974–1979). The Kingsport Mets were members of the Appy League from 1980 to 2020, except for
63-486: The collegiate summer season. These draftees can remain with their collegiate summer team until they sign a professional contract. During the season, players are housed by volunteer host families and bussed to and from road games. The leagues vary greatly in their attendances, quality of play, and ability to attract scouts. The Alaska Baseball League (ABL) and the Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL) are considered
72-509: The revamped league designed for rising college freshmen and sophomores. The new team became known as the Kingsport Axmen. The nickname was in reference to frontiersman Daniel Boone , who began the Wilderness Road in Kingsport. The Axmen play their home games at Hunter Wright Stadium . Boyd Sports oversees the day-to day operations of the team. On July 15, USA Baseball canceled the rest of
81-413: The two premier collegiate summer leagues. This list is organized by federation. Source: Chicago Suburban Baseball League Alaska Baseball League The Alaska Baseball League ( ABL ) is an amateur collegiate summer baseball league based entirely in southern Alaska . Players in the league must have attended one year of college and must have one year of NCAA eligibility remaining. In
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