View source for Kingsport Mets

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox Minor League Baseball
| name             = Kingsport Mets
| firstseason      = 1921
| lastseason       = 2020
| city             = Kingsport, Tennessee
| logo             = Kingsport Mets logo.svg
| uniformlogo      = K-Mets.PNG
| class level      = {{plainlist|
*[[Rookie league|Rookie]] (1963, 1969–1982, 1984–2020)
*[[Class D (baseball)|Class D]] (1957, 1960–1962)
*Class D (1955)
*[[Class C (baseball)|Class C]] (1954)
*Class D (1921–1925, 1938–1953)
}}
| league           = {{plainlist|
*[[Appalachian League]] (1955, 1957, 1960–1963, 1969–1982, 1984–2020)
*[[Mountain States League (1948–54)|Mountain States League]] (1953–1954)
*[[Appalachian League]] (1921–1925, 1938–1952)
}}
| majorleague      = {{plainlist|
*[[New York Mets]] (1980–1982, 1984–2020)
*[[Atlanta Braves]] (1974–1979)
*[[Kansas City Royals]] (1969–1973)
*[[Pittsburgh Pirates]] (1960–1963)
*[[Baltimore Orioles]] (1957)
*[[New York Giants (NL)|New York Giants]] (1952)
*[[Chicago White Sox]] (1948)
*[[Washington Senators (1901–60)|Washington Senators]] (1943, 1946–1947)
*[[Brooklyn Dodgers]] (1942)
}}
| leaguenum        = 7
| leaguechamps     = {{hlist|1944|1945|1951|1973|1977|1988|1995}}
| divnum           = 5
| divisionchamps   = {{hlist|1973|1977|1988|1995|1996}}
| nickname         = {{plainlist|
*Kingsport Mets (1980–1982, 1984–2020)
*Kingsport Braves (1974–1979)
*Kingsport Royals (1969–1973)
*Kingsport Pirates (1960–1963)
*Kingsport Orioles (1957)
*Kingsport Cherokees (1943–1955)
*Kingsport Dodgers (1942)
*Kingsport Cherokees (1938–1941)
*Kingsport Indians (1921–1925)
}}
| colors           = Blue, orange, white<br/>{{Color box|#012E72}} {{Color box|#FF5910}} {{Color box|#FFFFFF}} 
| mascot           = 
| ballpark         = {{plainlist|
*[[Hunter Wright Stadium]] (1995–2020)
*[[Dobyns-Bennett High School]] (1969–1982, 1984–1994)
}}
}}

The '''Kingsport Mets''' were a [[Minor League Baseball]] team of the [[Appalachian League]] from 1921 to 2020. They were located in [[Kingsport, Tennessee]], and were last named for the team's major league affiliate, the [[New York Mets]]. The team played its home games at [[Hunter Wright Stadium]] which opened in 1995. The Mets previously played at [[Dobyns-Bennett High School]]. In 1983, while Dobyns-Bennett's field was being renovated, the team temporarily moved to [[Sarasota, Florida]], and played in the [[Gulf Coast League]] as the [[Gulf Coast League Mets]].

==History==
The first professional team to hail from Kingsport was the Kingsport Indians who played in the [[Appalachian League]] from 1921 to 1925. From 1938 to 1941, the Kingsport team was known as the Cherokees, but changed to the Dodgers in 1942 when the team became a [[farm team]] of [[Major League Baseball]]'s [[Brooklyn Dodgers]]. They reverted to the Cherokees name in 1943 and continued to play under this moniker through 1955. The Kingsport Cherokees competed in the [[Mountain States League (1948–54)|Mountain States League]] from 1953 to 1954, before returning to the Appalachian League in 1957 as the Kingsport Orioles after two years of dormancy. After another two years on hiatus, Kingsport returned as the Pirates from 1960 to 1963. From 1969 to 1970, they competed as the Kingsport Royals. Notable players during this period include [[Al Cowens]] and [[U L Washington]].

From 1974 to 1979, they were known as the Braves. As an [[Atlanta Braves]] affiliate, multiple future major leaguers played for them, including [[Matt Sinatro]], [[Rick Behenna]], [[Jose Alvarez (baseball, born 1956)|Jose Alvarez]], [[Steve Bedrosian]], [[Paul Runge (infielder)|Paul Runge]], [[Brad Komminsk]], [[Milt Thompson (baseball)|Milt Thompson]], [[Brook Jacoby]], and [[Mike Payne (baseball)|Mike Payne]]. Additionally, [[National League MVP]] [[Dale Murphy]] and [[Cy Young Award]] winner [[Steve Bedrosian]] played in Kingsport.

In 1980, the team became known as the Kingsport Mets, the name under which the team has competed since then—with the exception of playing the 1983 season in [[Sarasota, Florida]], as the [[Gulf Coast League Mets]] while their home stadium underwent renovations. Players [[Darryl Strawberry]], [[Dwight Gooden]], [[Kevin Mitchell (baseball)|Kevin Mitchell]], [[José Reyes (infielder)|José Reyes]], [[David Wright]], [[Lastings Milledge]], and [[A. J. Burnett]] made their professional debuts in Kingsport. The Mets won the Appalachian League Championship in 1988 and 1995.

The start of the 2020 season was postponed due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]] before ultimately being cancelled on June 30.<ref>{{cite web|title=A Message From Pat O'Conner|url=https://www.milb.com/milb/news/message-from-minor-league-baseball-president-ceo-pat-o-conner-313052288|website=Minor League Baseball|date=March 13, 2020|access-date=May 5, 2020}}</ref><ref name=2020can>{{cite web|title=2020 Minor League Baseball Season Shelved|url=https://www.milb.com/news/2020-minor-league-baseball-season-shelved|website=Minor League Baseball|date=June 30, 2020|access-date=July 1, 2020}}</ref> In conjunction with a contraction of Minor League Baseball beginning with the 2021 season, the Appalachian League was reorganized as a [[Collegiate summer baseball|collegiate summer baseball league]], and the Mets were replaced by a new franchise in the revamped league designed for rising college freshmen and sophomores.<ref>{{cite web|title=MLB, USA Baseball Announce New Format for Appalachian League|url=https://www.mlb.com/press-release/press-release-mlb-usa-baseball-announce-new-format-for-appalachian-league|website=Major League Baseball|date=September 29, 2020|access-date=September 29, 2020}}</ref>
[[File:1921 Kingsport Indians.jpg|thumb|1921 Kingsport Indians]]

== All Silver Anniversary Team ==
In 2005, the team selected 14 former players and a manager for its All Silver Anniversary Team in commemoration of 25 years as a Mets affiliate.
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
! width="110px"|Position !! width="110px"|Player
|-
|[[Catcher]]
|{{sortname|Brook|Fordyce}}
|-
|[[First baseman]]
|{{sortname|Gregg|Jefferies}}
|-
|[[Second baseman]]
|{{sortname|Quilvio|Veras}}
|-
|[[Shortstop]]
|{{sortname|José|Reyes|dab=infielder}}
|-
|[[Third baseman]]
|{{sortname|David|Wright}}
|-
|[[Left fielder]]
|{{sortname|Kevin|Mitchell|dab=baseball}}
|-
|[[Center fielder]]
|{{sortname|Preston|Wilson}}
|-
|[[Right fielder]]
|{{sortname|Darryl|Strawberry}}
|-
|[[Designated hitter]]
|{{sortname|Terrence|Long}}
|-
|[[Utility player]]
|{{sortname|Brian|Daubach}}
|-
|[[Pitcher|Right-handed pitcher]]
|{{sortname|Dwight|Gooden}}
|-
|[[Pitcher|Left-handed pitcher]]
|{{sortname|Pete|Schourek}}
|-
|[[Relief pitcher]]
|{{sortname|Randy|Myers}}
|-
|[[Relief pitcher]]
|{{sortname|Jason|Isringhausen}}
|-
|[[Manager (baseball)|Manager]]
|{{sortname|John|Gibbons}}
|}

==Year-by-year record==
{{unreferenced section|date=January 2023}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
! Year !! Record !! Win % !! Finish !! {{Abbr|GB|games behind}} !! Manager !! Postseason
|-
| 1974 || 31–39–1 || .443 || 7th || 21.5 || [[Hoyt Wilhelm]] || —
|-
| 1975 || 33–33 || .500 || 6th || 7 || [[Gene Hassell]] || —
|-
| 1976 || 25–42 || .373 || 8th || 23.5 || [[Bobby Dews]] || —
|-
| 1977 || 43–26 || .623 || 1st || — || [[Bob Didier]] || League Champions
|-
| 1978 || 33–37 || .471 || 5th || 8.5 || [[Eddie Haas]] || —
|-
| 1979 || 39–31 || .557 || 2nd || 15.5 || [[Gene Hassell]] || —
|-
| 1980 || 35–35–1 || .500 || 3rd || 11 || [[Chuck Hiller]]  || —
|-
| 1981 || 21–49 || .300 || 6th || 25 || [[Al Jackson]] || —
|-
| 1982 || 28–40 || .412 || 7th || 4.5 || Ed Olsen || —
|-
| 1984 || 31–38 || .449 || 7th || 9 || [[Dan Radison]] || —
|}

==Playoffs==
*1988: Defeated [[Burlington Royals|Burlington]] 2–0 to win league championship.
*1995: Defeated [[Bluefield Orioles|Bluefield]] 2–1 to win league championship.
*1996: Lost to [[Bluefield Orioles|Bluefield]] 2–1 in finals.
*2013: Lost to [[Greeneville Astros|Greeneville]] 2–1 in semifinals.
*2015: Lost to [[Greeneville Astros|Greeneville]] 2–1 in semifinals.
*2018: Lost to [[Elizabethton Twins|Elizabethton]] 2–1 in semifinals.

==Notable alumni==
[[File:Hoyt-wilhelm.jpg|thumb|180px|[[Hoyt Wilhelm]]]]
{{div col|colwidth=25em}}
[[Baseball Hall of Fame]] alumni 
* [[Hoyt Wilhelm]] (1974, MGR) Inducted, 1985

Notable alumni
* [[Steve Bedrosian]] (1978) MLB All-Star; 1987 NL Cy Young Award
* [[Heath Bell]] (1998) 3 x MLB All-Star
* [[Bruce Benedict]] (1976) 2 x MLB All-Star
* [[Steve Blass]] (1960) MLB All-Star
* [[Dick Bosman]] (1963) 1969 AL ERA Leader
* [[A. J. Burnett]] (1996) MLB All-Star
* [[Rick Camp]] (1974)
* [[Joey Cora]] (2001, MGR) MLB All-Star
* [[Al Cowens]] (1969)
* [[Jacob deGrom]] (2010) 3 x MLB All-Star; 2014 NL Rookie of the Year; 2018 and 2019 NL Cy Young
* [[Steven Matz]] (2012)
* [[Mike Difelice]] (2009-2010, MGR)
* [[Tim Foli]] (1998, MGR)
* [[Dwight Gooden]] (1982) 4 x MLB All-Star; 1984 NL Rookie of the Year; 1985 NL Cy Young Award
* [[Carlos Gómez (baseball)|Carlos Gomez]] (2004) 2 x MLB All-Star
* [[Glenn Hubbard (baseball)|Glenn Hubbard]] (1975-1976) MLB All-Star
* [[Jason Isringhausen]] (1992) 2 x MLB All-Star
* [[Brook Jacoby]] (1979) 2 x MLB All-Star
* [[Gregg Jeffries]] (1985) 2 x MLB All-Star
* [[Dennis Leonard]] (1972)
* [[Jerry May (baseball)|Jerry May]] (1961)
*[[Kevin Mitchell (baseball)|Kevin Mitchell]] (1981) 2 x MLB All-Star; 1989 NL Most Valuable Player
* [[Dale Murphy]] (1974) MLB All-Star; 2 x NL Most Valuable Player (1982-1983)
* [[Daniel Murphy (baseball)|Daniel Murphy]] (2006) 3 x MLB All-Star
* [[Randy Myers]] (1982) 4 x MLB All-Star
* [[Angel Pagan]] (2000)
* [[José Reyes (infielder)|Jose Reyes]] (2000) 3 x MLB All-Star; 2011 NL Batting Title
*[[Josh Satin]] (2008)
*[[Pete Schourek]] (1987)
* [[Darryl Strawberry]] (1980) 8 x MLB All-Star; 1983 NL Rookie of the Year
* [[Milt Thompson]] (1979)
* [[U.L. Washington]] (1973)
* [[Mookie Wilson]] (2003-2004, MGR)
* [[Preston Wilson]] (1993) MLB All-Star
* [[David Wright]] (2001-2002) 7 x MLB All-Star

{{div col end}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.kmets.com Official Kingsport Mets website]
*[http://www.thebaseballcube.com/teams/teampage.asp?T=10266 Statistics at TheBaseballCube.com]
*[https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/team.cgi?city=Kingsport&state=TN&country=US&empty=0 Statistics at Baseball-Reference.com]

[[Category:Defunct Appalachian League teams]]
[[Category:Baseball teams established in 1921]]
[[Category:Baseball teams disestablished in 2020]]
[[Category:Professional baseball teams in Tennessee]]
[[Category:Sports in Kingsport, Tennessee|Mets]]
[[Category:New York Mets minor league affiliates]]
[[Category:Atlanta Braves minor league affiliates]]
[[Category:Kansas City Royals minor league affiliates]]
[[Category:Pittsburgh Pirates minor league affiliates]]
[[Category:New York Giants minor league affiliates]]
[[Category:Baltimore Orioles minor league affiliates]]
[[Category:Brooklyn Dodgers minor league affiliates]]
[[Category:Washington Senators (1901–1960) minor league affiliates]]
[[Category:Chicago White Sox minor league affiliates]]
[[Category:Former Mountain States League (1948–1954) teams]]
[[Category:1921 establishments in Tennessee]]
[[Category:2020 disestablishments in Tennessee]]