A new era of professional baseball has officially begun in central Mississippi.
Local officials in Rankin County joined Mississippi Mud Monsters staffers on Tuesday for a ceremonial ribbon cutting, marking a new beginning at Trustmark Park in Pearl. Following the announcement that the Mississippi Braves, a Double-A affiliate of Atlanta’s MLB club, were leaving the Magnolia State after 20 years of action on the diamond, a massive void was left to be filled.
Nonetheless, it did not take long for leadership in Pearl and the surrounding region to work on finding a new team to occupy the ballpark that would have otherwise been left vacant. Last September, officials with the Frontier League, a partner of the MLB, gathered in Trustmark Park to announce the new club. Within a handful of months, fans voted on a club name — the Mississippi Mud Monsters — and a mascot’s identity was also chosen by the public.
The Mississippi Mud Monsters have officially cut the ribbon on their inaugural season. First pitch for the state’s newest professional baseball team is set for Thursday night
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“Rankin County is one of the best places in the world. It’s a place where, when they really want something, they work together,” Mud Monsters Assistant General Manager David Kerr told SuperTalk Mississippi News. “Anywhere else you go, county government, local government, and state government are almost always at odds when planning different things. Right here in Rankin County, seeing the city, the county, and the state all get together without blinking, saying, ‘This is how we move forward,’ is a reflection of the people here. They wanted this, and they made it happen.”
Within that timeframe, the Mud Monsters rounded out their front office, coaching staff, and signed a litany of players ready to showcase their talents. And on top of that, the club made it a mission to prioritize adding individuals with Mississippi ties with each hire from the top down.
Now, the moment fans have been waiting for will finally come to fruition. The famous two words we all know so well in Mississippi, “Play Ball!” will be uttered on Thursday night as the Mud Monsters gear up to host the Florence Y’alls out of Kentucky.
“I’ve seen players who are ridiculously fast. I’ve seen defense that is crazy good. I also see things that you don’t see at baseball stadiums anywhere else. We have a 7-foot-2 Australian pitcher, and I’ve watched him have pinpoint command,” Kerr said of the roster. “The South is a baseball hotbed, and there is not another team like us anywhere across the South.”
On top of the baseball that will be played, visitors can expect to interact with the club’s mascot while enjoying other family-friendly activities, and of course, catfish will be on the menu. Weather permitting, first pitch for Thursday night’s battle is set for 6:30 p.m. Ticket information can be found here.
