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The Cedar Rapids Kernels are a
Minor League Baseball Minor League Baseball (MiLB) is a professional baseball organization below Major League Baseball (MLB), constituted of teams affiliated with MLB clubs. It was founded on September 5, 1901, in response to the growing dominance of the National Le ...
team of the
Midwest League The Midwest League is a Minor League Baseball league established in 1947 and based in the Midwestern United States. A Class A league for most of its history, the league was promoted to High-A as part of Major League Baseball's 2021 reorganizat ...
and the
High-A High-A, officially Class High-A, formerly known as Class A-Advanced, and sometimes abbreviated "A+" in writing, is the third-highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States and Canada, below Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A and D ...
affiliate of the
Minnesota Twins The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis. The Twins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The team is named afte ...
. They are located in
Cedar Rapids, Iowa Cedar Rapids is a city in Linn County, Iowa, United States, and its county seat. The population was 137,710 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of cities in Iowa, second-most populous city in Iowa. The city lies o ...
, and play their home games at Veterans Memorial Stadium. The Kernels are owned by Cedar Rapids Ball Club, Inc. (also known as Cedar Rapids Baseball Club, Inc.).


Cedar Rapids baseball history

Cedar Rapids Cedar Rapids is a city in Linn County, Iowa, United States, and its county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in u ...
first began play in 1890 and have played 110 seasons through 2015. The franchise has been a member of various leagues preceding the Midwest League. They have been a member of the
Central Association The Central Association was an American minor league baseball league. The Central Association began play in 1908, evolving from the 1907 Iowa State League. The Central Association played continuously through 1917 before folding. The league reforme ...
(1949), Western League (1934–1937),
Mississippi Valley League The Mississippi Valley League (MVL) was a baseball Class D level minor league that operated from 1922 through 1933. Playing its last year as a Class B level league, the league franchises were based in Iowa and Illinois. Like many leagues at the ...
(1922–1932),
Central Association The Central Association was an American minor league baseball league. The Central Association began play in 1908, evolving from the 1907 Iowa State League. The Central Association played continuously through 1917 before folding. The league reforme ...
(1913–1917), Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League (1901–1909, 1920–1921, 1938–1942, 1950–1961),
Western Association The Western Association was the name of five different leagues formed in American minor league baseball during the 19th and 20th centuries. The oldest league, originally established as the Northwestern League in 1883, was refounded as the Wester ...
(1896–1899), Eastern Iowa League (1895) and the Illinois–Iowa League (1890–1891). The team also had numerous nicknames prior to joining the Midwest League: Cedar Rapids Braves (1958–1962), Cedar Rapids Raiders (1953–1957), Cedar Rapids Indians (1950–1952), Cedar Rapids Rockets (1949), Cedar Rapids Raiders (1934–1942), Cedar Rapids Red Raiders (1963–1964), Cedar Rapids Bunnies (1904–1932), Cedar Rapids Rabbits (1896–1903) and Cedar Rapids Canaries (1890–1891). When Cedar Rapids was awarded a Midwest League franchise in 1962, the franchise switched back to the Red Raiders (1962–1964) nickname. Subsequently, the team used the name of the major league franchise it affiliated with: the Cardinals (1965–1972), the Astros (1973–1974), the
Giants A giant is a being of human appearance, sometimes of prodigious size and strength, common in folklore. Giant(s) or The Giant(s) may also refer to: Mythology and religion *Giants (Greek mythology) * Jötunn, a Germanic term often translated as 'g ...
(1975–1979), and the Reds (1980–1992). The team adopted the current "Kernels" nickname before the 1993 season. On the field, the franchise won Midwest League championships in 1988, 1992, 1994, and 2023. In conjunction with
Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...
's restructuring of Minor League Baseball in 2021, the Kernels were organized into the
High-A Central The Midwest League is a Minor League Baseball league established in 1947 and based in the Midwestern United States. A Class A league for most of its history, the league was promoted to High-A as part of Major League Baseball's 2021 reorganizati ...
. In 2022, the High-A Central became known as the Midwest League, the name historically used by the regional circuit prior to the 2021 reorganization.


Ballpark

The team's first home ballpark was Belden Hill Park, followed by the original Veterans Memorial Stadium, which opened in 1949. In August 2000 voters approved a referendum to build a new ballpark adjacent to the old one, which was demolished after the 2001 season. The new Veterans Memorial Stadium was completed in time for the opening of the 2002 season, and the Kernels set a franchise attendance record of 196,066 in the new park's inaugural year.


Roster


Notable alumni

Baseball Hall of Fame The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame in Cooperstown, New York, operated by a private foundation. It serves as the central collection and gathering space for the history of baseball in the United S ...
alumni *
Lou Boudreau Louis Boudreau (July 17, 1917 – August 10, 2001), nicknamed "Old Shufflefoot", "Handsome Lou", and "the Good Kid", was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 15 seasons, primarily as a ...
(1938) Inducted, (1970) *
Trevor Hoffman Trevor William Hoffman (born October 13, 1967) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 18 years in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1993 to 2010. A long-time closer, he pitched for the Florida Marlins, San Diego Padres, ...
(1991) Inducted, (2018) *
John McGraw John Joseph McGraw (April 7, 1873 – February 25, 1934) was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) player and manager (baseball), manager who was for almost thirty years manager of the New York Giants (NL), New York Giants. He was also the ...
(1891) Inducted, (1937) * Ted Simmons (1967) Inducted, (2020) Notable alumni * Barney Pelty (1903) *
Bill Wambsganss Bill(s) may refer to: Common meanings * Banknote, paper cash (especially in the United States) * Bill (law), a proposed law put before a legislature * Invoice, commercial document issued by a seller to a buyer * Bill, a bird or animal's beak P ...
(1913) * Bill Zuber (1932) * Allie Reynolds (1940–41) 5 x MLB All-Star; 1952 AL ERA Leader * Rocky Colavito (1952) 6 x MLB All-Star; 1959 AL Home Run Leader; 1965 AL RBI Leader *
John Roseboro John Junior Roseboro (May 13, 1933 – August 16, 2002) was an American professional baseball player and coach. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball from 1957 until 1970, most prominently as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers. A four ...
(1955) 4 x MLB All-Star * Denis Menke (1958–59) 2 x MLB All-Star * Tony Cloninger (1959) * Tommie Aaron (1960) * Ron Hunt (1960–61) 2 x MLB All-Star * Nate Colbert (1965) 3 x MLB All-Star * Pedro Borbon (1966) * Jerry Reuss (1967) 2 x MLB All-Star * Ken Reitz (1969) GG; MLB All-Star * Bob Forsch (1970) * Jerry Mumphrey (1972) MLB All-Star * Larry Herndon (1972) * Joe Sambito (1974) MLB All-Star * Bob Brenly (1977) MLB All-Star; MGR: 2001 World Series Champions – Arizona Diamondbacks *
Chili Davis Charles Theodore "Chili" Davis (born January 17, 1960) is a Jamaican-American former professional baseball player. He played as an outfielder and designated hitter from to for the San Francisco Giants (1981–1987), California Angels (1988–19 ...
(1978) 3 x MLB All-Star * Rob Deer (1979) * Eric Davis (1982) 2 x MLB All-Star * Paul O'Neill (1982) 5 x MLB All-Star * Chris Sabo (1983) 3 x MLB AS; 1988 NL Rookie of the Year *
Kal Daniels Kalvoski Daniels (born August 20, 1963) is an American former professional baseball left fielder. He played seven seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1986 to 1992 for the Cincinnati Reds, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Chicago Cubs.Kurt Stillwell (1984) MLB All-Star * Rob Dibble (1985) 2 x MLB All-Star * Reggie Sanders (1990) MLB All-Star * Bengie Molina (1994–95) * Jason Dickson (1995) MLB All-Star * Jarrod Washburn (1995) * Ramón Ortiz (1997) * Ken Hill (1998) MLB All-Star * John Lackey (2000) MLB All-Star; 2007 AL ERA Leader * Bobby Jenks (2001) 2 x MLB All-Star * Mike Napoli (2001–02) MLB All-Star * Ervin Santana (2002) 2 x MLB All-Star * Casey Kotchman (2002) * Jeff Mathis (2002) * Joel Peralta (2002) * Joe Saunders (2002) MLB All-Star * Alberto Callaspo (2003) * Erick Aybar (2003) MLB All-Star * Howie Kendrick (2004) MLB All-Star; 2019 World Series Champion – Washington Nationals * Sean Rodriguez (2004) * Alexi Casilla (2004–05) * Miguel González (2005) * Nick Adenhart (2006) Died Age 22 * Darren O'Day (2006) MLB All-Star * Mark Trumbo (2006–07) MLB All-Star * Jordan Walden (2008) MLB All-Star *
Mike Trout Michael Nelson Trout (born August 7, 1991) is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball (MLB). Trout is an 11-time Major League Baseball All-Star Game, All-Star, three-time American League (A ...
(2009–10) 8 x MLB All-Star; 2012 AL Rookie of the Year; 3 x AL Most Valuable Player (2014, 2016, 2019) * Garrett Richards (2010) * Jean Segura (2010) MLB All-Star * Patrick Corbin (2010) 2 x MLB All-Star; 2019 World Series Champion – Washington Nationals * Mike Clevinger (2012) * Byron Buxton (2013) *
Joe Mauer Joseph Patrick Mauer (born April 19, 1983) is an American former professional baseball catcher and first baseman who spent his entire 15-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the Minnesota Twins. Regarded as one of the greatest contact h ...
(2014) 6 x MLB All-Star; 3 x AL Batting Title (2006, 2008, 2009); 2009 AL Most Valuable Player; MLB Hall of Fame * Ricky Nolasco (2015)


References


Sources

* Dinda, Joel (2003),
Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in the Midwest League
* Koolbeck, Mike, "History of Cedar Rapids Professional Baseball", published in the ''Cedar Rapids Kernels Souvenir Program'', 2001


External links

* * {{Authority control Baseball teams established in 1890 Sports in Cedar Rapids, Iowa Midwest League teams Minnesota Twins minor league affiliates Los Angeles Angels minor league affiliates Cincinnati Reds minor league affiliates San Francisco Giants minor league affiliates Houston Astros minor league affiliates St. Louis Cardinals minor league affiliates Milwaukee Braves minor league affiliates Brooklyn Dodgers minor league affiliates Chicago Cubs minor league affiliates Cleveland Guardians minor league affiliates Professional baseball teams in Iowa Central Association Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League teams 1890 establishments in Iowa Central Association teams High-A Central teams