South Atlantic League
The South Atlantic League, often informally called the Sally League, is a Minor League Baseball league with teams predominantly in states along the Atlantic coast of the United States from New York to Georgia. A Class A league for most of its ...
Maimonides Park
Maimonides Park (formerly MCU Park and KeySpan Park) is a minor league baseball stadium on the Riegelmann Boardwalk in Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York City. The home team and primary tenant is the New York Mets-affiliated Brooklyn Cyclones of ...
, just off the Coney Island Boardwalk. From their founding in 2001 through 2020, the Cyclones competed in the
Class A Short Season
Class A Short Season (officially Short-Season A) was a level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States from 1965 through 2020. In the hierarchy of minor league classifications, it was below Triple-A, Double-A, Class A-Advanced (cre ...
New York–Penn League
The New York–Penn League (NYPL) was a Minor League Baseball league that operated in the northeastern United States from 1939 to 2020. Classified as a Class A Short Season league, its season started in June, after major-league teams signed the ...
(NYPL).
Brooklyn won six division titles and two NYPL championships. In 2001, the Cyclones were declared co-league champions with the
Williamsport Crosscutters
The Williamsport Crosscutters are a collegiate summer baseball team of the MLB Draft League. They are located in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, and play their home games at Muncy Bank Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field. From 1994 to 2020, they wer ...
, being forced to prematurely end their championship series due to the September 11 attacks, despite the Cyclones leading the series one game to none. Their second NYPL championship came in 2019, representing the first title for a professional sports team based in Brooklyn since the 1955
Brooklyn Dodgers
The Brooklyn Dodgers were a Major League Baseball team founded in 1884 as a member of the American Association before joining the National League in 1890. They remained in Brooklyn until 1957, after which the club moved to Los Angeles, Califor ...
.
History
The Cyclones began as the
St. Catharines, Ontario
St. Catharines is the largest city in Canada's Niagara Region and the sixth largest urban area in the province of Ontario. As of 2016, it has an area of , 136,803 residents, and a metropolitan population of 406,074. It lies in Southern Ontario ...
,
St. Catharines Blue Jays
The St. Catharines Blue Jays were a minor league baseball team which played at Community Park in St. Catharines, Ontario. They were the Short-Season A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays in the New York–Penn League.
History
The team began play ...
(later
St. Catharines Stompers
The St. Catharines Blue Jays were a minor league baseball team which played at Community Park in St. Catharines, Ontario. They were the Short-Season A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays in the New York–Penn League.
History
The team began pla ...
) in 1986 as a team in the
New York–Penn League
The New York–Penn League (NYPL) was a Minor League Baseball league that operated in the northeastern United States from 1939 to 2020. Classified as a Class A Short Season league, its season started in June, after major-league teams signed the ...
. They were named for their parent club, the Toronto Blue Jays. In 1995, the team was sold by the city of Toronto to a group of local investors which included former Toronto catcher Ernie Whitt.
In 1999, New York Mayor
Rudolph Giuliani
Rudolph William Louis Giuliani (, ; born May 28, 1944) is an American politician and lawyer who served as the 107th Mayor of New York City from 1994 to 2001. He previously served as the United States Associate Attorney General from 1981 to 19 ...
announced a deal that would bring two minor league baseball teams to the boroughs outside Manhattan. New ballparks would be constructed for the Staten Island Yankees and the Cyclones. Prior to the 2000 season, the team was bought and moved to Queens, becoming known as the
Queens Kings
The Queens Kings were the Toronto Blue Jays' Short-Season A classification team in the New York–Penn League in the 2000 season. The team was formerly the St. Catharines Stompers and was sold by the Blue Jays and relocated to Queens, New York ...
. The club played its 2000 season at
Jack Kaiser Stadium
Jack Kaiser Stadium, originally known as The Ballpark at St. John’s, is a baseball stadium located on the campus of St. John's University in the neighborhood of Hillcrest near the neighborhoods of Jamaica and Fresh Meadows in New York City. Fo ...
on the St. John's University campus in Jamaica, in the borough of Queens, remaining a Blue Jays affiliate for one last season.
A "name-the-team" contest was held to determine a new name for the franchise. The winning selection, Cyclones, refers to the famous
Coney Island Cyclone
The Cyclone, also the Coney Island Cyclone, is a wooden roller coaster at Luna Park in Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York City. Designed by Vernon Keenan, it opened to the public on June 26, 1927. The roller coaster is on a plot of land at the ...
roller coaster
A roller coaster, or rollercoaster, is a type of amusement ride that employs a form of elevated railroad track designed with tight turns, steep slopes, and sometimes inversions. Passengers ride along the track in open cars, and the rides are ...
at nearby
Astroland
Astroland was a amusement park in Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York City that first opened in 1962. It was located at 1000 Surf Avenue (at the corner of West 10th Street) on the boardwalk. It ceased operations on September 7, 2008.
History
Astro ...
amusement park
An amusement park is a park that features various attractions, such as rides and games, as well as other events for entertainment purposes. A theme park is a type of amusement park that bases its structures and attractions around a central ...
on
Coney Island
Coney Island is a peninsular neighborhood and entertainment area in the southwestern section of the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The neighborhood is bounded by Brighton Beach and Manhattan Beach to its east, Lower New York Bay to the s ...
. The team's new park, which was then called
KeySpan Park
Maimonides Park (formerly MCU Park and KeySpan Park) is a minor league baseball stadium on the Riegelmann Boardwalk in Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York City. The home team and primary tenant is the New York Mets-affiliated Brooklyn Cyclones of ...
, was completed in time for the 2001 season. Brooklyn had been without professional baseball since the
Brooklyn Dodgers
The Brooklyn Dodgers were a Major League Baseball team founded in 1884 as a member of the American Association before joining the National League in 1890. They remained in Brooklyn until 1957, after which the club moved to Los Angeles, Califor ...
left
Ebbets Field
Ebbets Field was a Major League Baseball stadium in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn, New York. It is mainly known for having been the home of the Brooklyn Dodgers baseball team of the National League (1913–1957). It was also home to five pr ...
for Los Angeles, California in 1958. After approximately three weeks of play, additional seats had to be added to the stadium to accommodate fans.
The Cyclones managed by Edgar Alfonzo played well in their opening season with the best record in the league (52–24), where they led the NY Penn-League with a 2.35 team ERA. They defeated the Staten Island Yankees in a classic NYPL opening playoff round. The deciding game won by the Cyclones 4–1 featured trickery by Catcher Brett Kay who faked giving up on a play only to receive a laser throw from John Toner to tag out a runner at the plate. advancing to the championship series against the
Williamsport Crosscutters
The Williamsport Crosscutters are a collegiate summer baseball team of the MLB Draft League. They are located in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, and play their home games at Muncy Bank Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field. From 1994 to 2020, they wer ...
Williamsport, Pennsylvania
Williamsport is a city in, and the county seat of, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States. It recorded a population of 27,754 at the 2020 Census. It is the principal city of the Williamsport Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has a popula ...
, winning the series opener on September 10, 2001 by a score of 8–4. The potential championship clincher was scheduled for September 11 in Brooklyn. However, due to the September 11 attacks, all minor league baseball playoffs were canceled. The Cyclones and Crosscutters were declared co-champions.
The 2002 season was filled with inconsistent play and questionable pitching decisions by manager Howard Johnson leading to a .500 season. Scott Kazmir pitched to a 0.50 ERA in five starts and had 34 strikeouts in only 18 innings pitched.
In 2003, the Cyclones managed by
Tim Teufel
Timothy Shawn Teufel (born July 7, 1958) is an American former professional baseball second baseman and current coach. He played Major League Baseball from to , most notably as a member of the New York Mets with whom he won a world championship ...
won the McNamara division title with brilliant pitching led by starters, soon to be major leaguers,
Matt Lindstrom
Matthew Raymond Lindstrom (born February 11, 1980) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Florida Marlins, Houston Astros, Colorado Rockies, Baltimore Orioles, Arizona Diamondbacks and ...
and
Brian Bannister
Brian Patrick Bannister (born February 28, 1981) is an American director of pitching for the San Francisco Giants. He is a former professional baseball starting pitcher who played for the New York Mets and Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseb ...
and by relievers Robert Paulk and Carlos Muñiz. Despite a drop in run production, the Cyclones pitching staff willed their way into the playoffs, beating the Oneonta Tigers 2 games to 1 only to lose in the NYPL Championship to the Williamsport Crosscutters 2 games to none.
The 2004 season brought the most complete Cyclones team ever. Managed by Tony Tijerina, three batters hit over .300 and five starting pitchers made their starts in rotation for the last 55 games of the season except one game. The Cyclones won the McNamara division title only to lose to the Tri-City ValleyCats in controversial fashion. With the series tied, the Cyclones were leading 3–0 in the 3rd inning when the games was held up and eventually cancelled by rain, which wiped out the score. After another rainout, Game 3 was played from the beginning where the Cyclones lost the deciding game 7–1. A new rule was placed by the NY-Penn League that any games suspended because of rain, if a team or teams have scored runs in the game, the suspended game will be picked from the inning when the game was called.
The 2005 season managed by
Mookie Wilson
William Hayward "Mookie" Wilson (born February 9, 1956) is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder and coach remembered as the Met who hit the ground ball that rolled through Bill Buckner's legs in the bottom of the 10th inning of g ...
was hampered by inconsistent relief pitching that hampered games in the later innings despite a good offense. The Cyclones finished third and missed the playoffs. On August 23, 2005, The Cyclones and KeySpan Park hosted the first-ever New York–Penn League All-Star Game, which was won by the
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team s ...
-affiliated team. The winning pitcher was Bobby Parnell. Also that year, the Cyclones became a major partner of Brooklyn's High School of Sports Management, a small school located down the block from KeySpan Park on West 19th Street and Mermaid Ave.
The 2006 season managed by George Greer mirrored the team name. A 7-game losing streak to start the season was followed by a 10-game winning streak which led the streaky Cyclones to the NYPL Playoffs in a dramatic extra-inning victory against the Vermont Lake Monsters in the final game of the season. The Cyclones would lose to the SI Yanks in the NYPL opening playoff round 2 games to none. On July 20, 2006, the Cyclones and the
Oneonta Tigers
The Oneonta Tigers were a minor league baseball team located in Oneonta, New York. They were members of the New York–Penn League. The Tigers were the Short-Season A classification affiliate of the Detroit Tigers, and played their home games at ...
took part in the longest game in the history of the New York–Penn League, a 26-inning marathon that the Cyclones lost, 6–1. The game took 6 hours and 40 minutes to complete. The Cyclones scored their lone run in the first inning; Oneonta tied the game in the fourth and then did not score again until they scored five runs in the top of the 26th inning. Cyclones manager George Greer was ejected from the contest in the first inning for arguing an umpire's call on a force play at second base.Smith, Daren "Tigers win longest NYPL game." Minor League Baseball. July 20, 2006. Retrieved on November 14, 2008.
The 2007 season managed by Edgar Alfonzo had the second most successful season in team history with a 49–25 record. With a consistent offense, great pitching and the best defense in the league, the Cyclones powered their way to winning its fourth McNamara division title and sweeping the SI Yankees in two straight games in the NYPL opening playoff round. Game One produced the best road win in team history when the Cyclones beat the SI Yanks, 8–4. However, the Cyclones went on to getting swept in disappointing fashion by the Auburn Doubledays for the NYPL Championship. After giving up a leadoff home run to shortstop Matt Bouchard, future Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Brett Cecil pitched one hit ball in 7 innings as the Doubledays won the game 4–1. On September 7, 2007, during the final regular season game (a 5–4 victory over the Lowell Spinners), the Cyclones set an all-time single-game attendance record of 10,073—2,573 more than the stadium's seating capacity in 2001. That season, the team won its fourth McNamara division title.
The 2008 season, managed again by Edgar Alfonzo, was marred by a poor start but recovered with a torrid finish at 45–30, narrowly missing the playoffs after losing the final game of the season to the Aberdeen Ironbirds 5–3 in extra innings. The team produced major leaguers and future New York Mets Ike Davis and Jenrry Mejía. But the team was marred with an inconsistent offense with less than average results with runners in scoring position.
On August 23, 2009, Cyclones pitcher Brandon Moore threw a 7-inning
no-hitter
In baseball, a no-hitter is a game in which a team was not able to record a hit. Major League Baseball (MLB) officially defines a no-hitter as a completed game in which a team that batted in at least nine innings recorded no hits. A pitcher w ...
in the first game of a doubleheader against the
Aberdeen IronBirds
The Aberdeen IronBirds are a Minor League Baseball team based in the city of Aberdeen in Harford County, Maryland. They are the High-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles and compete in the South Atlantic League. They were previously members of the ...
, 5–0, at
Ripken Stadium
Leidos Field at Ripken Stadium is the home of the Aberdeen IronBirds, an affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles in the South Atlantic League. The stadium is located in Aberdeen, Maryland. The 6,300-seat Ripken Stadium held its first game on June 18, 2 ...
. Moore walked three and hit one batter, with only one IronBird reaching second base. This came seven years to the day Miguel Pinango threw a nine-inning one-hitter for the Cyclones, pitching innings of no-hit ball.
On February 4, 2010, the team announced that the new name of their home would be called Municipal Credit Union (MCU) Park, replacing KeySpan as the naming right sponsor, which had held the naming rights from the opening of the stadium in 2001. In addition to the naming rights, MCU and the Cyclones entered into a comprehensive 11-year marketing partnership that launches the Cyclones’ 10th season in Brooklyn. The partner agreement is scheduled to last until 2020.
The 2010 season saw the Cyclones, under the leadership of Wally Backman, lead the league with a record of 52-24, but the Cyclones fell in the Championship series to Tri-City ValleyCats. The Cyclones would make the playoffs as the wild card team in 2011 and 2012, but would not make it out of the semifinals. The Cyclones failed to make the playoffs in 2013 and lost a tie-breaker in 2014 on and missed the playoffs on the last day of the season.
Since 2014, the Cyclones have dedicated one night a year as a tribute to the popular sitcom '' Seinfeld'', featuring various show tributes such as an "
Elaine Benes
Elaine Marie Benes () is a fictional character on the American television sitcom ''Seinfeld'', played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Elaine's best friend in the sitcom is her ex-boyfriend Jerry Seinfeld, and she is also good friends with George Costanz ...
dancing contest", determining if a fan had either picked or scratched their nose, the Cyclones wearing "Puffy Shirt"-styled jerseys, appearances from former actors and giveaways honoring the show. This game has since become one of the Cyclones' most popular events, regularly selling out in advance and drawing fans of both baseball and ''Seinfeld'' from near and far.
The 2015 season was the first time in franchise history the Brooklyn Cyclones finished below .500. The Cyclones would go on to have losing records in 2016 and 2017, but lost the tie-breaker and once again missed out on the playoffs on the last day of the season in 2018.
The Brooklyn Cyclones returned to the New York-Penn League playoffs in 2019, thanks to a strong finish to end the season, which included a series sweep of the Staten Island Yankees in what would be the final match-up between the longtime rivals. In the semi-finals, the Cyclones faced division rival and wild card winner in the Hudson Valley Renegades. The Cyclones fell to the Renegades 5-4 in Game 1. The Cyclones took Game 2 in Brooklyn by a score of 1-0, thanks to a solo homer from Jed Lowrie, who was on a rehab assignment from the Mets. The Cyclones won Game 3 on a walkoff double from Ranfy Adon, sending them to the New York-Penn League Championship.
The Cyclones faced the Lowell Spinners in a series that was dubbed "An MiLB Rematch of
1986
The year 1986 was designated as the International Year of Peace by the United Nations.
Events January
* January 1
**Aruba gains increased autonomy from the Netherlands by separating from the Netherlands Antilles.
** Spain and Portugal ent ...
", as the Spinners were a Red Sox farm team. The Cyclones took Game 1 in Lowell by a score of 2-1, before dropping game 2 in Brooklyn by a score of 3-1. Game 3 saw the Cyclones take a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the 2nd, but the Spinners tied it up the next half inning. After a solo homer by Marino Campana in the Top of the 7th put Lowell up 3-2, the Cyclones staged a rally to take a 4-3 lead, en route to winning the 2019 New York-Penn League Championship. The Cyclones were managed by former Met
Edgardo Alfonzo
Edgardo Antonio Alfonzo (born November 8, 1973), nicknamed Fonzie, is a Venezuelan former professional baseball player and coach. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as an infielder from to , most notably as a member of the New York Mets, wi ...
, whose brother, Edgar, managed the Brooklyn Cyclones in 2001. Other coaches on the team included Pitching Coach Josue Matos, Hitting Coach
Delwyn Young
Delwyn Rudy Young (born June 30, 1982) is an American former professional baseball utility player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Pittsburgh Pirates. He is currently the manager of the State College Spike ...
and Bench Coach Endy Chavez
The Cyclones would be the final New York-Penn League champions, as the COVID-19 Pandemic cancelled the 2020 season and the ensuing MiLB realignment led to the dissolving of the New York-Penn League.
In October 2020, Steve Cohen bought the New York Mets, Syracuse Mets,
St. Lucie Mets
The St. Lucie Mets are a Minor League Baseball team of the Florida State League and the Single-A affiliate of the New York Mets. They are located in Port St. Lucie, Florida, and play their home games at Clover Park. The Mets have been members ...
& Brooklyn Cyclones from the Wilpon family. This has led to a unique situation, as the longtime Vice President of the Brooklyn Cyclones is also named Steve Cohen, but unrelated to the new owner.
The Cyclones' main rivals prior to the 2021 restructuring of Minor League Baseball were the Staten Island Yankees, a rivalry often called the "Battle of the Boroughs", after the boroughs of Brooklyn and Staten Island, or the "Battle for the Bridge", after the
Verrazano-Narrows Bridge
The Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge ( ) is a suspension bridge connecting the New York City boroughs of Staten Island and Brooklyn. It spans the Narrows, a body of water linking the relatively enclosed New York Harbor with Lower New York Bay and ...
which separated the two teams. Only apart, the two teams had the closest proximity in the Minor Leagues. The two teams generally sold out the games which pitted them against each other. A major contribution to this intense rivalry was the fact that both parent teams were also based in New York (the
Mets
The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major league ...
in Queens, and the
Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one ...
Tri-City ValleyCats
The Tri-City ValleyCats (often shortened to Cats) are a professional independent baseball team based in Troy, New York. The Tri-City name refers to the three nearby cities of Albany, Schenectady, and Troy which make up New York State's Capital D ...
.
In conjunction with Major League Baseball's restructuring of Minor League Baseball in 2021, the Cyclones were organized into the 12-team
High-A East
The South Atlantic League, often informally called the Sally League, is a Minor League Baseball league with teams predominantly in states along the Atlantic coast of the United States from New York to Georgia. A Class A league for most of its h ...
.
Alumni
The first Cyclone to break into the major leagues was infielder Danny Garcia, who made his debut with the New York Mets on September 2, 2003 at
Shea Stadium
Shea Stadium (), formally known as William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, was a multi-purpose stadium in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park, Queens, New York City.Scott Kazmir, who played with Brooklyn in 2002, made his major league debut with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 2004. Still with the Rays in 2008, Kazmir was tagged with the
loss
Loss may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Music
* ''Loss'' (Bass Communion album) (2006)
* ''Loss'' (Mull Historical Society album) (2001)
*"Loss", a song by God Is an Astronaut from their self-titled album (2008)
* Losses "(Lil Tjay son ...
in Game 1 of the
2008 World Series
The 2008 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2008 season. The 104th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff between the National League (NL) champion Philadelphia Phillies and the Ameri ...
. He is the first former Cyclone to reach the
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, contested since 1903 between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winner of the Wor ...
, though
Lenny DiNardo
Leonard Edward DiNardo (born September 19, 1979) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2004 through 2009, with the Boston Red Sox, Oakland Athletics, and Kansas City Royals. Listed at ...
, who pitched with the Cyclones in 2001, won a
World Series ring
A World Series ring is an award given to Major League Baseball players who win the World Series. Since only one Commissioner's Trophy is awarded to the team, a World Series ring is an individual award that players and staff of each World Series ...
with the
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's ei ...
in
2004
2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and its Abolition (by UNESCO).
Events January
* January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 60 ...
while on the Disabled List.
Mike Jacobs Mike Jacobs may refer to:
*Mike Jacobs (first baseman) (born 1980), American baseball player; first North American in professional sports to be tested positive for HGH
* Mike Jacobs (shortstop) (1877–1949), played for the Chicago Cubs
*Mike Jacob ...
, who was a member of the inaugural 2001 Cyclones team, made his Mets debut on August 21, 2005, hitting a three-run pinch-hit home run off Washington Nationals pitcher Esteban Loaiza. In 30 games with 100 at bats for the Mets, Jacobs hit 11 home runs and had 23 RBI before being traded to the
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The club's home ballpark is LoanDepot Park.
The franc ...
after the season.
In April 2006,
Brian Bannister
Brian Patrick Bannister (born February 28, 1981) is an American director of pitching for the San Francisco Giants. He is a former professional baseball starting pitcher who played for the New York Mets and Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseb ...
became the first Cyclone pitcher to make his debut with the Mets in a game against the Washington Nationals at Shea. The following April, sidearm reliever Joe Smith, who pitched for the Cyclones in 2006, made his major league debut on opening day for the Mets against the St. Louis Cardinals. Smith pitched a scoreless third of an inning in the Mets win. First baseman/outfielder Nick Evans was called up on May 24, 2008 as an injury replacement. Evans, who played with the Cyclones in 2005, had 3 doubles in his first major league game. Ike Davis played for the Cyclones in 2008. In 2012, Davis led the Mets with 32 home runs. Daniel Murphy made his Mets debut in 2008. In 2015, Murphy was the NLCS MVP in the Mets series victory against the Chicago Cubs. Juan Lagares was called up by the Mets in 2013 and won a Gold Glove in 2014. In 2015,
Michael Conforto
Michael Thomas Conforto (born March 1, 1993), nicknamed "Scooter", is an American professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Mets. After he played college baseball for the ...
was called up by the Mets and hit two home runs in Game 4 of the 2015 World Series, becoming the third youngest player to hit two home runs in a World Series game. The Mets would lose the World Series as former Cyclone Wilmer Flores struck out to make the final out. The strike out was caught by former Cyclone
Drew Butera
Andrew Edward Butera (; born August 9, 1983) is an American former professional baseball catcher who is currently on the coaching staff of the Los Angeles Angels. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Minnesota Twins, Los Angeles Dodge ...
of the Royals. Pete Alonso made his Mets debut in 2019. Alonso broke the rookie home run record with 53 home runs and won the NL Rookie of the Year.
As of 2022, the Cyclones had sent 60 players to the Major Leagues. The current major leaguers who are former Brooklyn Cyclones are:
* Pete Alonso, first baseman for the New York Mets
* Matt Bowman, pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds
*
Drew Butera
Andrew Edward Butera (; born August 9, 1983) is an American former professional baseball catcher who is currently on the coaching staff of the Los Angeles Angels. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Minnesota Twins, Los Angeles Dodge ...
, catcher for the Colorado Rockies
* Robinson Canó, second baseman for the Atlanta Braves
*
Juan Centeno
Juan Carlos Centeno ( ; born November 16, 1989) is a Puerto Rican professional baseball catcher in the Arizona Diamondbacks organization. He previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Mets, Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins ...
, catcher for the Boston Red Sox
*
Luis Cessa
Luis Enrique Cessa (born April 25, 1992) is a Mexican professional baseball pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played in MLB for the New York Yankees.
Professional career New York Mets
Cessa signed with ...
, pitcher for the New York Yankees
*
Michael Conforto
Michael Thomas Conforto (born March 1, 1993), nicknamed "Scooter", is an American professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Mets. After he played college baseball for the ...
, free agent outfielder
* Wilmer Flores, infielder for the San Francisco Giants
* Phillip Evans, infielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates
*
John Gant
John Michael Gant (born August 6, 1992) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves, St. Louis Cardi ...
, pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals
*
Robert Gsellman
Robert John Gsellman ( ; born July 18, 1993) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Yokohama DeNA BayStars of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He has played in Major League Baseball for the New York Mets and Chicago Cubs.
Early ...
, pitcher for the Chicago Cubs
*
Eric Hanhold
Eric Dru Hanhold (born November 1, 1993) is an American professional baseball pitcher in the San Diego Padres organization. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Mets and Baltimore Orioles.
Amateur career
Hanhold attended ...
, pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles
*
Adam Kolarek
Adam John Kolarek (born January 14, 1989) is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization. He previously played for the Tampa Bay Rays, Los Angeles Dodgers and Oakland Athletics. He played college baseball fo ...
, pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers
* Juan Lagares, center fielder for the San Diego Padres
* Jed Lowrie, infielder for the New York Mets
*
Seth Lugo
Jacob Seth Lugo (born November 17, 1989), nicknamed "Quarterrican", is an American professional baseball pitcher for the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the New York Mets. Lugo made his MLB ...
, pitcher for the New York Mets
*
Collin McHugh
Collin Alexander McHugh (born June 19, 1987) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played for the New York Mets, Colorado Rockies, Houston Astros and Tampa Bay Rays. List ...
, pitcher for the Boston Red Sox
* Rafael Montero, pitcher for the Texas Rangers
* Tomás Nido, catcher for the New York Mets
*
Brandon Nimmo
Brandon Tate Nimmo (born March 27, 1993) is an American professional baseball outfielder for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball (MLB). He was drafted by the Mets in the first round of the 2011 MLB draft, and made his MLB debut with them ...
, outfielder for the New York Mets
* Corey Oswalt, pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies
* Tim Peterson, pitcher for the New York Mets
*
Yusmeiro Petit
Yusmeiro Alberto Petit (; born November 22, 1984) is a Venezuelan professional baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Florida Marlins, Arizona Diamondbacks, San Francisco Giants, Wash ...
, pitcher for the Oakland Athletics
*
Kevin Plawecki
Kevin Jeffrey Plawecki (; born February 26, 1991) is an American professional baseball catcher who is a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Mets, Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox and Texas Ranger ...
, catcher for the Boston Red Sox
*
T.J. Rivera
Thomas Javier Rivera (born October 27, 1988) is an American former professional baseball infielder and current coach. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Mets. Rivera is a native of New York City, and went Major League Base ...
, infielder for the Washington Nationals
*
Hansel Robles
Hansel Manuel Robles (born August 13, 1990) is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Mets, Los Angeles Angels, Minnesota Twins and the Boston Red Sox ...
, pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
* Amed Rosario, shortstop for the Cleveland Guardians
*
Paul Sewald
Paul Stanton Sewald (born May 26, 1990) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played in MLB for the New York Mets. Sewald played college baseball for the San Diego Tore ...
, pitcher for the Seattle Mariners
* Joe Smith, pitcher for the Houston Astros
*
Wilfredo Tovar
Wilfredo José Tovar Soto (born August 11, 1991) is a Venezuelan professional baseball shortstop for the Rieleros de Aguascalientes of the Mexican League. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for Los Angeles Angels and New York Mets.
Ca ...
, infielder for the Minnesota Twins
*
Brad Wieck
Bradley Michael Wieck (; born October 14, 1991) is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Chicago Cubs organization. He previously played for the San Diego Padres and Cubs.
Career New York Mets
Wieck attended San Jacinto Christian Acade ...
, pitcher for the Chicago Cubs
Yearly results, managers & coaches
NOTES:
* Bob Ojeda, Howard Johnson, Tim Teufel, Mookie Wilson, and Wally Backman all played on the 1986 World Champion NY Mets.
* Frank Viola, Edgardo Alfonzo, Royce Ring, Marlon Anderson & Endy Chavez played for the Mets during their careers.
* Bobby Malek, Yunir Garcia, Sean Ratliff, Rafael Fernandez & Luis Rivera played for the Brooklyn Cyclones.
* Edgar Alfonzo & Edgardo Alfonzo are brothers & the only managers to lead the Brooklyn Cyclones to NYPL championships.
*
Leon Lee
Leon Lee (born December 4, 1952, in Sacramento, California) is a former professional baseball player and manager, primarily known for his career in Japan. He played first base, third base, and catcher during his career, batting and throwing right- ...
was named Manager for the 2004 season, but resigned during Spring Training due to an indecent exposure incident.
* Tom Signore left the team in July 2014 due to a concussion & was replaced by Dave LaRoche. Signore was named the pitching coach for 2015, but was forced to miss the season due to the concussion and LaRoche filled in.
* David Davalillo joined the Cyclones late in the 2014 season after the DSL Mets finished their season.
Retired and honored numbers
A total of 10 numbers hang on the press level of Maimonides Park.
Brooklyn Dodgers: 4: Duke Snider; 14: Joan & Gil Hodges 17:
Carl Erskine
Carl Daniel Erskine (born December 13, 1926) is a former right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played his entire career for the Brooklyn / Los Angeles Dodgers from 1948 through 1959. He was a pitching mainstay on Dodger tea ...
Jackie Robinson
Jack Roosevelt Robinson (January 31, 1919 – October 24, 1972) was an American professional baseball player who became the first African American to play in Major League Baseball (MLB) in the modern era. Robinson broke the baseball color line ...
Brian Bannister
Brian Patrick Bannister (born February 28, 1981) is an American director of pitching for the San Francisco Giants. He is a former professional baseball starting pitcher who played for the New York Mets and Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseb ...
; 20:
Dillon Gee
Dillon Kyle Gee (born April 28, 1986) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Mets, Kansas City Royals, Texas Rangers and Minnesota Twins. In addition, Gee pitched for the C ...
; 35:
Ángel Pagán
Ángel Manuel Pagán (born July 2, 1981) is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball for the Chicago Cubs, New York Mets, and San Francisco Giants.
Pagán's original contract in Major League Base ...
;
NOTE: A Cyclones player may still wear these numbers, with the exception of 14, & 42. Additionally, no Cyclone may wear 31 (
Mike Piazza
Michael Joseph Piazza ( ; born September 4, 1968) is an American former professional baseball catcher who played 16 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), from 1992 to 2007. He currently serves as the manager of the Italian national baseball te ...
), 37 (
Casey Stengel
Charles Dillon "Casey" Stengel (; July 30, 1890 – September 29, 1975) was an American Major League Baseball right fielder and Manager (baseball), manager, best known as the manager of the championship New York Yankees of the 1950s and later, th ...
Jerry Koosman
Jerome Martin Koosman (born December 23, 1942) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Mets, Minnesota Twins, Chicago White Sox, and Philadelphia Phillies between and . Koos ...
) due to the numbers being retired by the Mets.
On August 22, 2011, the Brooklyn Cyclones also honored
Pia Toscano
Pia Toscano (born October 14, 1988) is an American singer. Toscano placed ninth on the tenth season of ''American Idol''. In 2016, she released the EP ''Belong''. Her debut album ''I'm Good'' was released on October 14, 2022.
Early life
Toscano ...
, who sang the anthem prior to a game in 2003 by putting a plaque on the press level.
On August 15, 2014, the Cyclones added Joan Hodges, the widow of Gil Hodges, to the ring of Honored Numbers.
Mascots
The Cyclones have two mascots, Sandy the Seagull and Pee-Wee. Sandy, the primary mascot, has been with the team since the inaugural Cyclones season in 2001. Pee-wee was introduced in 2003 as Sandy's adopted son. Sandy is named for Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Sandy Koufax, while Pee-Wee was named after
Brooklyn Dodgers
The Brooklyn Dodgers were a Major League Baseball team founded in 1884 as a member of the American Association before joining the National League in 1890. They remained in Brooklyn until 1957, after which the club moved to Los Angeles, Califor ...
Hurricane Sandy
Hurricane Sandy (unofficially referred to as ''Superstorm Sandy'') was an extremely destructive and strong Atlantic hurricane, as well as the largest Atlantic hurricane on record as measured by diameter, with tropical-storm-force winds spann ...
damaged MCU Park and Coney Island, the Cyclones kept the name Sandy on their mascot.
In 2006, the team introduced a new unnamed mascot: a blow-up "
ZOOperstars!
ZOOperstars! is a traveling inflatable entertainment act, based in Louisville, Kentucky who utilizes comedy, acrobatics, tricks and maneuvers accompanied by synchronized dancing to entertain. The name ZOOperstars! is derived from the "pun-based ani ...
" type pelican. Despite a contest to name the character, it was never given an official name. The Pelican has not made an appearance since the 2006 season. In 2008, Maverick the Wonder Dog was introduced. He was a real Chocolate Labrador Retriever who was owned by one of the Cyclones staff members. The goal was to have Maverick learn tricks like picking up baseballs and bats. Like the Pelican, Maverick lasted only one season.
A Hot Dog race is held at every game at Maimonides Park, which is sponsored by Nathan's Famous. The first Nathan's store is located two blocks away from the ballpark. The three hot dogs currently racing are Ketchup, Mustard, and Relish. For many years Relish has become the loveable loser because he either wins very few races or none at all during the season.
On field entertainers
MCs
2001–2003: "Party Marty" Haber, a member of the Cyclones front office.
2003–2019, 2022: King Henry A local entertainer. In 2013, King Henry became the main on field entertainer. He was not brought back for the 2021 season before returning in 2022.
2007–2010: Jay Moran, who had served as PA Announcer in 2006.
2011: Jason Negron
2012: Dan Pecoraro, a member of the Cyclones front office.
2021: Christina Moore, a member of the Cyclones front office.
In 2013, Bucky the Buccaneer was introduced. Every time the Brooklyn Cyclones would score a run, this pirate themed mascot would run around the field from one dugout to the next, waving his rally flags in excitement. Bucky was played by a first year intern, Daniel DePasquale. He worked with the Brooklyn Cyclones for 2 seasons.
Beach Bums and Surf Squad
The original "Cyclones Beach Bums" were a promotional team of men and women who entertained the ballpark from 2003 through 2008, were seen all over the ballpark dancing, interacting with fans, and handing out promotional items. In 2009, the team decided to hire an all women dance team to replace the Beach Bums, but still retaining the Beach Bum name. The dance team is similar to that of the New York Knicks,
New York Dragons
The New York Dragons were a professional arena football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Dragons participated in the Arena Football League's (AFL) National Conference as a member of the Eastern Division. The team was founded in ...
and New York Islanders.
Following the 2016 season, the all women's dance team was done away with & the team was reverted to what it was in the past. The team was rebranded as the Surf Squad.
Public address announcers
2001–2005: Dom Alagia.
2006: Sean Howard for 1 month, replaced by Jay Moran a PA Announcer at St. John's.
2007 – July 2010: David Freeman, who had served as PA Announcer for the Queens Kings. Freeman left to become an MLB Scorer with the Mets & Yankees.
August 2010 – 2021: Mark Fratto, who also serves as the PA Announcer for NYCFC, the
Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are an American professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C. The Wizards compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Southeast Division. The team plays ...
, the
Westchester Knicks
The Westchester Knicks are an American professional basketball team in the NBA G League based in White Plains, New York, and are affiliated with the New York Knicks. The Knicks typically play their home games at Westchester County Center in Whit ...
& Sky Blue FC.
2021-Present: Colin Cosell, who also serves as the New York Mets PA Announcer.
Media
WKRB
WKRB (90.3 FM) is an FM radio station licensed to Brooklyn, New York. It is a music based station based at and controlled by Kingsborough Community College, with a transmitter in Manhattan Beach. It also is the official station of the Brooklyn ...
(90.3 FM) was the official radio station of the Cyclones. It served as radio home for every Cyclones season through 2016, with the exception of 2012 when
WSOU
WSOU (89.5 FM) is a non-commercial, college radio station. The station broadcasts from the campus of Seton Hall University in South Orange, New Jersey. It is a student-run station with university administrator Mark Maben serving as its current ...
was the official radio station of the Cyclones. Cyclones games will air occasionally on BCAT & SNY.
2001–2011: Warner Fusselle and Reginald Armstrong served as radio voices of the Brooklyn Cyclones for the first two years and Warner continued until his death on June 10, 2012, a week prior to the 2012 Cyclones season.
2012: David Rind, Vincent Coughlin and Chris Paizis, who all called
Seton Hall
Seton Hall University (SHU) is a private Catholic research university in South Orange, New Jersey. Founded in 1856 by then-Bishop James Roosevelt Bayley and named after his aunt, Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, Seton Hall is the oldest diocesan u ...
baseball, split the broadcasting duties, with Rind serving as the road announcer.
2013: David Greenwald served as the radio voice of the Cyclones for 1 year on WKRB.
2014–2017: Stu Johnson. In addition to Brooklyn Cyclones games, Stu also announced Brooklyn Bolts games on WKRB. Jake Eisenberg joined Johnson in the booth for the 2017 season.
2018–Present: Keith Raad, along with Dom Savino (2018-2021) and Nick DeLuca (2022)
Print Media
2001–present: '' The Brooklyn Paper'' has covered every Cyclones game since the team's inception. Columnists for ''The Paper'' following the team through the years include
Gersh Kuntzman
Gersh Kuntzman is an American journalist.
Career Journalism
Kuntzman previously worked for the ''New York Post'', writing the column "MetroGnome," which ran during 1995–2004. He had a weekly column for ''Newsweek'' online that ran during 20 ...
and Ed Shakespeare. ''The Paper's'' Cyclones section is edited by Vince DiMiceli.