Spartanburgers to compete in High-A, join same division as Drive

SPARTANBURG, S.C. (WSPA) – The Hub City Spartanburgers are one step closer to reviving its Upstate legacy with the announcement the team will compete in the High-A South Atlantic League (SAL) when it makes its 2025 debut.

“We announced today that we will be the High ‘A’ Affiliate of the Texas Rangers and that means that we get to play in the same league as the Greenville Drive and the Asheville Tourists and some of the other teams down here in the south” said Tyson Jeffers, General Manager of the Hub City Spartanburgers.

The Spartanburgers will play at Fifth Third Park in 2025, which is currently under construction in downtown Spartanburg.

“The construction is going really well, knock on wood somewhere. Everyone is saying that it is on time. The expectation is that we are going to get the keys in early 2025 and we will start to move in a be ready open the gates in April of 2025 and start playing baseball,” Jeffers added.

The Spartanburgers join the minors as the Texas Rangers’ High-A affiliate and take over for the Hickory Crawdads in the SAL after the 2024 season. Jeffers said the Spartanburgers joining the SAL will make for some exciting local rivalries.

“I am really excited for what this means for our fans and for our community”, said Jeffers. “The Sally League hosts and develops some of the best young baseball players in the game, and I can’t wait to welcome them to Fifth Third Park. Beyond that, I am looking forward to developing a healthy and fun rivalry with our friends in Greenville and throughout the Carolinas.”

It is also a chance to connect the two neighboring cities.

“With us playing multiple times throughout each season, hopefully there are people from Spartanburg going to Greenville to see a game and there are people from Greenville going to Spartanburg to see a game,” Jeffers said.

Fifth Third Park will host year-round events on top of the 66 home baseball games.

Jeffers said the team schedule will be released in a couple of weeks, and individual ticket sales will follow in the coming months.

Also in the SAL are the Winston-Salem Dash, Rome Emperors and Bowling Green Hot Rods. The North Division includes the Aberdeen IronBirds, Brooklyn Cyclones, Greensboro Grasshoppers, Hudson Valley Renegades, Jersey Shore BlueClaws and Wilmington Blue Rocks.

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