| Salem RidgeYaks | |||||
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| Minor league affiliations | |||||
| Class | Single-A (2021–present) | ||||
| Previous classes |
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| League | Carolina League (1968–present) | ||||
| Division | North Division | ||||
Previous leagues | Appalachian League (1955, 1957–1967) | ||||
| Major league affiliations | |||||
| Team | Boston Red Sox (2009–present) | ||||
| Previous teams |
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| Minor league titles | |||||
| League titles(7) |
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| Division titles(13) |
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| Team data | |||||
| Name | Salem RidgeYaks (2026–present) | ||||
Previous names |
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| Colors | Navy blue, light blue, tan, white | ||||
| Mascots | Mac and Mugsy | ||||
| Ballpark | Salem Memorial Ballpark (1995–present) | ||||
Previous parks | Kiwanis Field (1955, 1957–1994) | ||||
Owner/ Operator | Diamond Baseball Holdings[1] | ||||
| General manager | Allen Lawrence | ||||
| Manager | Ozzie Chavez[2] | ||||
| Website | milb.com/salem | ||||
TheSalem RidgeYaks are aMinor League Baseball affiliate of theBoston Red Sox ofMajor League Baseball (MLB), based inSalem, an independent city adjacent toRoanoke, Virginia.[a] The team competes at theSingle-A level in theCarolina League. Home games are played atCarilion Clinic Field at Salem Memorial Ballpark, a 6,300-seat facility opened in 1995.
The team first played in 1955, and then from 1957 to 1967, in theAppalachian League, initially at the now-defunctClass D level, and then at theRookie level starting in 1963. From 1968 through 2020, the team competed in the Carolina League, initiallyClass A and thenClass A-Advanced starting in 1990.
The team was known as theSalem Avalanche from 1995 through 2008, when it was affiliated with theColorado Rockies (1995–2002) andHouston Astros (2003–2008). Prior to 1995, the franchise played under several other names and affiliations. In 2009, the team rebranded as theSalem Red Sox before adopting the RidgeYaks identity for 2026.[4]
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The franchise debuted in 1955 and was initially known as the Salem Rebels, an affiliate of thePittsburgh Pirates.
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The franchise was owned from 1986 until 2006 by Kelvin Bowles, a cable television executive andscout inMajor League Baseball. Bowles, who scouted for theBoston Red Sox from 2002 to 2005, bought the team when it was in danger of moving from Salem. In 2006, the team was sold toHardball Capital fromAtlanta who also owned theFort Wayne Wizards. In December 2007, this group sold the team toFenway Sports Group, a subsidiary of the Boston Red Sox ownership group, preparing the team for an affiliation change after its Player Development Contract with theHouston Astros ended in 2008. As such, the Salem Red Sox were owned (until 2023) by the same parent company that managesLiverpool F.C. and the Boston Red Sox.
In 2006,Salem Memorial Ballpark hosted the All Star Game between theCarolina League andCalifornia League.
Since switching affiliation to Boston in 2009, the team has claimed four division titles (2009, 2013, 2016, 2019), has made five playoff appearances (each division title season, plus 2014 as awild card), and has won one league championship (2013). League and divisional titles are commemorated on the press box and sky boxes overlooking the Carilion Clinic Field Grandstand.
In conjunction with Major League Baseball's restructuring ofMinor League Baseball in 2021, the team moved from being the Red Sox'Class A-Advanced affiliate to being theirLow-A affiliate, and became a member of theLow-A East; in a corresponding move, theGreenville Drive moved from Class A toHigh-A.[5][6] At the time of the restructuring, the websiteBallpark Digest speculated that the Red Sox could look to move the Salem franchise toLowell, Massachusetts in time for the 2022 season.[7] In May 2021, Rick White, president of theAtlantic League of Professional Baseball, announced that Salem, along withStaten Island, New York, was "on board for 2022" as an expansion franchise location, further fueling speculation that Salem would lose their affiliation status to Lowell.[8][9] In 2022, the Low-A East became known as the Carolina League, the name historically used by the regional circuit prior to the 2021 reorganization, and was reclassified as a Single-A circuit.[10]
On March 17, 2023, it was announced that their owners,FSG, sold them toDiamond Baseball Holdings who also own the Red SoxDouble-A affiliate, thePortland Sea Dogs.[1]
While the team is located in a relatively small city (population circa 25,000) when compared to other teams of its classification, the Red Sox are strongly identified with theRoanoke Valley as a whole, drawing fans from neighboring cities and counties within the roughly 300,000-person metropolitan area. The connection with neighboring Roanoke was emphasized during the 2017 Carolina League All-Star Classic, hosted by Salem, that was represented by a logo featuring the iconicMill Mountain Star. Salem is also located in theBlue Ridge Mountains, which are featured prominently on the team's logo and are clearly visible over Carilion Clinic Field's outfield walls. This mountain view includes the aforementioned star, visible on clear nights over the left field wall.
Carilion Clinic Field at Salem Memorial Ballpark is located roughly 2 miles (3.2 km) from downtown Salem and is part of the James E. Taliaferro Sports and Entertainment Complex, which also includes theSalem Civic Center andSalem Football Stadium (former location of the annualStagg Bowl). The Red Sox share their stadium with theNCAA Division IIIRoanoke Maroons and have previously hosted the "Hokie-Smokey Classic" baseball series between theTennessee Volunteers and the nearbyVirginia Tech Hokies.
Given the teams' close proximity, their long-time histories in the league, and both competing in the Carolina League's North Division, Salem's chief rival is theLynchburg Hillcats. The regular matchups of these teams, known as the "460 Series", named forU.S. Route 460 which connects the cities, has occasionally feature day/nightdoubleheaders during which two games will be split between the two cities over the course of the same day.
Salem has competed in two different leagues and at four different classification levels:
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Note that while records in the below table are for entire seasons, the Carolina League has played a split-season schedule since 1970, except for 2020, when minor-league seasons were canceled, and 2021, when it operated asLow-A East. In years when a split-season was played, a team may have earned a division title by finishing first in either half of the season, despite not having the best overall record for the entire season. Alternately, a team may have had the best overall record for the entire season, but did not finish first in either half of the season, thus did not earn a division title.
| Season | Nickname | Affiliation | Record (win %) | Finish | Manager | Playoffs (games) | Attendance | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1955 | Rebels | Pittsburgh | 84–38 (.689) | 1st of 8 | Jack Crosswhite | defeatedKingsport Cherokees (2–0) no contest vs.Johnson City Cardinals[b] | 31,213 | [13] |
| 1956 | no team | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1957 | Rebels | Pittsburgh | 38–30 (.559) | 3rd of 6 | Lamar Dorton | none held | 18,007 | [14] |
| 1958 | Rebels | Pittsburgh | 42–29 (.592) | 3rd of 6 | Lamar Dorton | none held | 21,351 | [15] |
| 1959 | Rebels | Pittsburgh | 38–29 (.567) | 2nd of 6 | Lamar Dorton | none held | 36,128 | [16] |
| 1960 | Rebels | San Francisco | 28–39 (.418) | 6th of 6 | Jodie Phipps | none held | 38,929 | [17] |
| 1961 | Rebels | San Francisco | 31–35 (.470) | 7th of 8 | Jodie Phipps | none held | 34,125 | [18] |
| 1962 | Rebels | San Francisco | 31–39 (.443) | 5th of 6 | Alex Cosmidis | none held | 40,913 | [19] |
| 1963 | Rebels | San Francisco | 36–34 (.514) | 2nd of 6 | Alex Cosmidis | none held | 34,061 | [20] |
| 1964 | Rebels | Pittsburgh | 30–41 (.423) | 3rd of 4 | George Detore | none held | 36,184 | [21][12]: 527 |
| 1965 | Rebels | Pittsburgh | 43–27 (.614) | 1st of 6 | George Detore | (champions, no playoff) | 44,254 | [22][23] |
| 1966 | Rebels | Pittsburgh | 25–43 (.368) | 5th of 5 | George Detore | none held | 34,884 | [24][12]: 535 |
| 1967 | Rebels | Pittsburgh | 28–38 (.424) | 5th of 6 | Bob Pritchard | none held | 34,822 | [25][12]: 539 |
| 1968 | Rebels | Pittsburgh | 85–55 (.607) | 1st of 6 (West) | Don Hoak | lost toLynchburg White Sox (0–1) | 64,532 | [26] |
| 1969 | Rebels | Pittsburgh | 78–66 (.542) | 1st of 5 (West) | Chuck Hiller | defeatedHigh Point-Thomasville Royals (2–0) lost toBurlington Senators (0–2) | 63,248 | [27] |
| 1970 | Rebels | Pittsburgh | 60–80 (.429) | 7th of 8 | Billy Klaus | did not qualify | 50,076 | [28] |
| 1971 | Rebels | Pittsburgh | 65–71 (.478) | 6th of 8 | Tim Murtaugh | did not qualify | 37,872 | [29] |
| 1972 | Pirates | Pittsburgh | 79–58 (.577) | 1st of 6[c] | Tim Murtaugh | defeatedBurlington Rangers (2–1) | 43,910 | [30] |
| 1973 | Pirates | Pittsburgh | 66–72 (.478) | 5th of 6 | Steve Demeter | did not qualify | 45,915 | [31] |
| 1974 | Pirates | Pittsburgh | 87–50 (.635) | 1st of 6[d] | Johnny Lipon | (champions, no playoff) | 41,379 | [32] |
| 1975 | Pirates | Pittsburgh | 74–66 (.529) | 3rd of 4 | Johnny Lipon | did not qualify | 39,007 | [33] |
| 1976 | Pirates | Pittsburgh | 68–69 (.496) | 3rd of 4 | Steve Demeter | did not qualify | 30,387 | [34] |
| 1977 | Pirates | Pittsburgh | 66–72 (.478) | 3rd of 4 | Steve Demeter | did not qualify | 32,744 | [35] |
| 1978 | Pirates | Pittsburgh | 72–63 (.533) | 3rd of 6 | Jim Mahoney | did not qualify | 51,096 | [36] |
| 1979 | Pirates | Pittsburgh | 54–82 (.397) | 6th of 6 | Jim Mahoney | did not qualify | 43,036 | [37] |
| 1980 | Pirates | Pittsburgh | 79–60 (.568) | 2nd of 4 (Virginia) | Johnny Lipon | did not qualify | 102,456 | [38] |
| 1981 | Redbirds | San Diego | 66–74 (.471) | 3rd of 4 (North)[e] | Glenn Ezell | lost toHagerstown Suns (0–1) | 72,125 | [39] |
| 1982 | Redbirds | San Diego | 39–101 (.279) | 4th of 4 (North) | Jim Zerilla | did not qualify | 47,202 | [40] |
| 1983 | Redbirds | San Diego | 50–89 (.360) | 4th of 4 (North) | Steve Smith | did not qualify | 56,451 | [41] |
| 1984 | Redbirds | Texas | 64–74 (.464) | 3rd of 4 (North) | Bill Stearns | did not qualify | 61,623 | [42] |
| 1985 | Redbirds | Texas | 72–65 (.526) | 2nd of 4 (North) | Bill Stearns | did not qualify | 71,788 | [43] |
| 1986 | Redbirds | Texas | 45–93 (.326) | 4th of 4 (North) | Mike Bucci | did not qualify | 87,047 | [44] |
| 1987 | Buccaneers | Pittsburgh | 80–59 (.576) | 1st of 4 (North)[f] | Steve Demeter | defeatedHagerstown Suns (2–0) defeatedKinston Indians (3–1) | 111,661 | [45] |
| 1988 | Buccaneers | Pittsburgh | 73–66 (.525) | 2nd of 4 (North)[g] | Jay Ward | lost toLynchburg Red Sox (1–2) | 119,966 | [46] |
| 1989 | Buccaneers | Pittsburgh | 63–75 (.457) | 4th of 4 (North) | Rocky Bridges | did not qualify | 121,581 | [47] |
| 1990 | Buccaneers | Pittsburgh | 55–84 (.396) | 4th of 4 (North) | Stan Cliburn | did not qualify | 126,121 | [48] |
| 1991 | Buccaneers | Pittsburgh | 63–77 (.450) | 3rd of 4 (North) | Stan Cliburn | did not qualify | 131,582 | [49] |
| 1992 | Buccaneers | Pittsburgh | 64–76 (.457) | 4th of 4 (North) | John Wockenfuss | did not qualify | 159,316 | [50] |
| 1993 | Buccaneers | Pittsburgh | 61–79 (.436) | 4th of 4 (South) | Scott Little | did not qualify | 145,657 | [51] |
| 1994 | Buccaneers | Pittsburgh | 64–75 (.460) | 3rd of 4 (South) | Trent Jewett | did not qualify | 153,575 | [52] |
| 1995 | Avalanche | Colorado | 68–72 (.486) | 3rd of 4 (South) | Bill Hayes | did not qualify | 140,111 | [53] |
| 1996 | Avalanche | Colorado | 62–76 (.449) | 4th of 4 (South) | Bill McGuire | did not qualify | 173,703 | [54] |
| 1997 | Avalanche | Colorado | 63–75 (.457) | 2nd of 4 (South) | Bill McGuire | did not qualify | 188,023 | [55] |
| 1998 | Avalanche | Colorado | 62–78 (.443) | 3rd of 4 (South) | Jay Loviglio | did not qualify | 189,069 | [56] |
| 1999 | Avalanche | Colorado | 69–69 (.500) | 3rd of 4 (South) | Ron Gideon | did not qualify | 206,012 | [57] |
| 2000 | Avalanche | Colorado | 73–67 (.521) | 2nd of 4 (South) | Alan Cockrell | did not qualify | 200,863 | [58] |
| 2001 | Avalanche | Colorado | 70–68 (.507) | 3rd of 4 (South)[h] | Dave Collins | defeatedKinston Indians (2–1) defeatedFrederick Keys (3–2) | 203,375 | [60] |
| 2002 | Avalanche | Colorado | 74–66 (.529) | 3rd of 4 (South) | Stu Cole | did not qualify | 196,347 | [61] |
| 2003 | Avalanche | Houston | 73–65 (.529) | 1st of 4 (South)[i] | John Massarelli | did not qualify | 175,155 | [62] |
| 2004 | Avalanche | Houston | 65–74 (.468) | 4th of 4 (South) | Russ Nixon | did not qualify | 224,991 | [63] |
| 2005 | Avalanche | Houston | 67–74 (.475) | 3rd of 4 (South) | Iván DeJesús | did not qualify | 255,225 | [64] |
| 2006 | Avalanche | Houston | 76–61 (.555) | 2nd of 4 (South)[j] | Jim Pankovits | lost toKinston Indians (0–2) | 237,724 | [65] |
| 2007 | Avalanche | Houston | 79–60 (.568) | 2nd of 4 (South)[k] | Jim Pankovits | defeatedKinston Indians (2–1) lost toFrederick Keys (1–3) | 258,469 | [67] |
| 2008 | Avalanche | Houston | 56–84 (.400) | 4th of 4 (South) | Jim Pankovits | did not qualify | 235,823 | [68] |
| 2009 | Red Sox | Boston | 67–72 (.482) | 2nd of 4 (South)[l] | Chad Epperson | defeatedWinston-Salem Dash (3–0) lost toLynchburg Hillcats (0–3) | 231,186 | [70] |
| 2010 | Red Sox | Boston | 73–65 (.529) | 2nd of 4 (South) | Kevin Boles | did not qualify | 211,527 | [71] |
| 2011 | Red Sox | Boston | 64–75 (.460) | 4th of 4 (South) | Bruce Crabbe | did not qualify | 226,337 | [72] |
| 2012 | Red Sox | Boston | 68–69 (.496) | 3rd of 4 (South) | Billy McMillon | did not qualify | 178,730 | [73] |
| 2013 | Red Sox | Boston | 76–64 (.543) | 2nd of 4 (South)[m] | Billy McMillon | defeatedMyrtle Beach Pelicans (2–0) defeatedPotomac Nationals (3–0) | 172,293 | [75] |
| 2014 | Red Sox | Boston | 68–68 (.500) | 2nd of 4 (South)[n] | Carlos Febles | lost toMyrtle Beach Pelicans (1–2) | 220,782 | [77] |
| 2015 | Red Sox | Boston | 66–73 (.475) | 4th of 4 (South) | Carlos Febles | did not qualify | 228,120 | [78] |
| 2016 | Red Sox | Boston | 87–52 (.626) | 1st of 4 (South)[o] | Joe Oliver | lost toMyrtle Beach Pelicans (1–2) | 200,478 | [81] |
| 2017 | Red Sox | Boston | 87–52 (.626) | 2nd of 5 (North) | Joe Oliver | did not qualify | 215,244 | [82] |
| 2018 | Red Sox | Boston | 63–75 (.457) | 5th of 5 (North) | Joe Oliver | did not qualify | 192,621 | [83] |
| 2019 | Red Sox | Boston | 67–70 (.489) | 3rd of 5 (North)[p] | Corey Wimberly | lost toWilmington Blue Rocks (2–3) | 171,866 | [85] |
| 2020 | Red Sox | Boston | season canceled,COVID-19 pandemic | Corey Wimberly | — | |||
| 2021 | Red Sox | Boston | 71–49 (.592) | 1st of 4 (North)[q] | Luke Montz | did not qualify | 128,769 | [86] |
| 2022 | Red Sox | Boston | 64–66 (.492) | 4th of 6 (North) | Luke Montz | did not qualify | 181,287 | [87] |
| 2023 | Red Sox | Boston | 55–72 (.433) | 5th of 6 (North) | Liam Carroll | did not qualify | 177,083 | [88] |
| 2024 | Red Sox | Boston | 70–62 (.530) | 3rd of 6 (North) | Liam Carroll | did not qualify | 185,784 | [89] |
| 2025 | Red Sox | Boston | 56–74 (.431) | 5th of 6 (North) | Ozzie Chavez | did not qualify | 164,746 | |
Source:[12]
At least three inductees, most recently Dave Parker, to theNational Baseball Hall of Fame played for Salem;Orlando Cepeda, who played 26 games for the Rebels in 1955,[90] andLarry Walker, who played two rehabilitation games with the Avalanche in 1996.[91]
Tim Murtaugh was a player, manager, andplayer-manager for Salem; he played 38 games for the 1965 Rebels, he managed the 1971 Rebels, and he appeared in 10 games while managing the 1972 Pirates.[92]
Mario Mendoza played 136 games for Salem in 1972, registering a .221batting average,[93] slightly above theMendoza Line that is named for him.
Daisuke Matsuzaka made a rehabilitation start for Salem in September 2009, in a Carolina League playoff game against theWinston-Salem Dash,[94] and later made a regular-season rehabilitation start for Salem in 2012.[95]
For notable players who made appearances with Salem, see:
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In 2019,Melanie Newman joined Suzie Cool as part of the first all-female broadcast team in professional baseball when she served as play-by-play broadcaster for the Salem Red Sox.[96]
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Mac the Yak is the new mascot introduced with the 2026 rebrand to the Salem Ridge Yaks.[97][98]
Lefty and Righty, the team's newest mascots;[when?] two person-sized red socks, each wearing a Boston Red Sox hat; one has an "L" on its back, the other has an "R". These mascots were discontinued, leaving Mugsy as the team's lone mascot as of 2024.
Mugsy, aSt. Bernard mascot who made his rookie debut in professional baseball in 1997 with the Avalanche. According to the team's website, Mugsy descended from the passingHale-Bopp comet that raced across the Roanoke Valley sky on April 4, 1997.
Misty, a female saint bernard mascot who joined the team in 2005. As of 2021, Misty is no longer appearing at Red Sox games.
Big Mo, the Salem Avalanche's Kid's Club mascot; a giantabominable snowman.
The Baseball Nut, the Avalanche's first mascot, which resembled analmond. While the idea was original, the Baseball Nut proved to be unpopular. Lacking a cute or friendly appearance, the mascot intimidated children and was an object of derision by adult fans. Mugsy was developed as a replacement.
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