The Nashville Xpress Minor League Baseball team played two seasons in Nashville, Tennessee, from 1993 to 1994 as the Double-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. In those seasons, a total of 60 players competed in at least one game for the Xpress. The 1993 roster included a total of 35 players, while 38 played for the team in 1994. There were 13 players who were members of the team in both seasons. Of the 60 all-time Xpress players, 22 also played in at least one game for a Major League Baseball (MLB) team during their careers.
After the 1992 baseball season, Charlotte, North Carolina, home of the Double-A Southern League's Charlotte Knights, acquired a Triple-A expansion team in the International League, leaving the Southern League franchise in need of a new home. Larry Schmittou, president of the Triple-A Nashville Sounds, offered Herschel Greer Stadium as a temporary home for the displaced team until owner George Shinn could find a permanent home for his club. Upon the league's approval, the franchise relocated to Nashville and became the Nashville Xpress. In order to accommodate two teams at Greer, the Xpress' games were scheduled for during the Sounds' road trips.
As no other solution could be reached for 1994, Schmittou allowed the franchise to remain at Greer for a second season. Meanwhile, in October 1993, Dennis Bastien purchased the Xpress with the intention of moving the club to Lexington, Kentucky, for the 1995 season, but those plans fell through when he was unable to broker a financial deal with the city to build a ballpark. Bastien later arrived at terms to relocate to Springfield, Missouri, in 1997. The Xpress left Nashville after the 1994 campaign to play on an interim basis in Wilmington, North Carolina, where they were known as the Port City Roosters in 1995 and 1996. The team, however, never made it to Springfield after the city was unable to secure federal funding for a ballpark. The forlorn franchise was subsequently sold and placed in Mobile, Alabama, as the Mobile BayBears in 1997.
Nashville pitcher Oscar Múñoz and outfielder Rich Becker were selected for the 1993 Double-A All-Star Game. Becker was also named to the Southern League's postseason All-Star team. Múñoz was chosen to receive the 1993 Southern League Most Outstanding Pitcher Award. In 1994, Xpress pitchers LaTroy Hawkins and Marc Barcelo were selected for the Double-A All-Star Game, and right-hander Brad Radke was named to the league's postseason All-Star squad.
Three players went on to be selected to play in Major League Baseball All-Star Games after their stints in Nashville: Eddie Guardado (2002 & 2003), Damian Miller (2002), and Brad Radke (1998). In 1995, Marty Cordova was voted the American League Rookie of the Year. Three Xpress players also played for the Nashville Sounds: LaTroy Hawkins (2010–11), Todd Ritchie (1999), and Scott Cepicky (1993—one season before playing for the Xpress).
Table key Position(s)The player's primary fielding position(s)NotesStatistics shown only for playing time with the XpressMLBIndicates that a player played in at least one game for a major league teamPlayer was an MLB award winner or All-Star after playing for the Xpress
Players
NameSeason(s)Position(s)NotesMLB1993–1994Pitcher 12–6 record 2.72 earned run average 158 strikeoutsNo1993Outfielder .287 batting average 15 home runs 66 runs batted inYes1993Pitcher 1–0 record 11.81 earned run average 7 strikeoutsNo1994Outfielder .236 batting average 7 home runs 38 runs batted inNo1994First baseman/designated hitter .225 batting average 8 home runs 32 runs batted inNo1993–1994Shortstop .222 batting average 2 doubles 14 runs batted inNo1993Outfielder .250 batting average 19 home runs 77 runs batted inYes1994Catcher .236 batting average 6 home runs 16 runs batted inNo1994First baseman/third baseman .236 batting average 20 home runs 71 runs batted inNo1994Pitcher 0.00 earned run average 2 innings pitched 2 strikeoutsNo1993Outfielder .236 batting average 8 home runs 43 runs batted inNo1994Shortstop .254 batting average 9 home runs 46 runs batted inNo1993First baseman .262 batting average 14 home runs 60 runs batted inYes1993Catcher .243 batting average 8 home runs 57 runs batted inYes1994Third baseman .000 batting average 1 strikeout 4 plate appearancesNo1994Pitcher 2–2 record 3.16 earned run average 29 strikeoutsYes1994Pitcher 4–5 record 3.72 earned run average 76 strikeoutsYes1993–1994Pitcher 9–5 record 1.78 earned run average 93 strikeoutsNo1994Outfielder .272 batting average 13 home runs 52 runs batted inNo1993–1994Catcher .187 batting average 6 home runs 33 runs batted inNo1993Pitcher 4–0 record 1.24 earned run average 57 strikeoutsYes1994Pitcher 9–2 record 2.33 earned run average 53 strikeoutsYes1994Outfielder .293 batting average 14 home runs 54 runs batted inNo1993–1994Pitcher 12–3 record 2.87 earned run average 66 strikeoutsNo1993Shortstop .267 batting average 8 home runs 50 runs batted inYes1993Third baseman .229 batting average 2 home runs 29 runs batted inNo1993Pitcher 3–1 record 2.80 earned run average 54 strikeoutsNo1993Pitcher 4–6 record 3.16 earned run average 56 strikeoutsNo1993Pitcher 2–6 record 6.66 earned run average 39 strikeoutsNo1994First baseman .161 batting average 1 home run 2 runs batted inNo1993–1994Pitcher 11–17 record 5.01 earned run average 111 strikeoutsNo1993First baseman/outfielder .273 batting average 3 home runs 16 runs batted inYes1993Pitcher 3–8 record 5.31 earned run average 42 strikeoutsNo1993Outfielder .257 batting average 7 home runs 31 runs batted inNo1993–1994Catcher .269 batting average 8 home runs 35 runs batted inYes1994Pitcher 0–0 record 2.84 earned run average 4 strikeoutsYes1993–1994Pitcher 14–10 record 3.74 earned run average 160 strikeoutsYes1994Outfielder .248 batting average 18 home runs 67 runs batted inNo1993First baseman .234 batting average 2 home runs 26 runs batted inNo1994Pitcher 0–1 record 3.86 earned run average 4 strikeoutsNo1993–1994Pitcher 14–4 record 2.70 earned run average 160 strikeoutsYes1994Pitcher 0–7 record 5.89 earned run average 29 strikeoutsYes1993Pitcher 1–6 record 6.03 earned run average 35 strikeoutsYes1994Pitcher 6–8 record 4.22 earned run average 83 strikeoutsNo1993Second baseman/third baseman .286 batting average 6 home runs 52 runs batted inYes1993–1994Pitcher 14–15 record 3.23 earned run average 199 strikeoutsYes1993–1994Pitcher 3–4 record 3.84 earned run average 50 strikeoutsYes1993Second baseman .237 batting average 3 home runs 33 runs batted inNo1994Pitcher 2–1 record 6.75 earned run average 11 strikeoutsNo1993Pitcher 2–4 record 5.16 earned run average 26 strikeoutsNo1994Third baseman .227 batting average 10 home runs 40 runs batted inNo1993–1994Pitcher 2–2 record 3.17 earned run average 54 strikeoutsYes1994Second baseman .317 batting average 3 home runs 48 runs batted inNo1993Third baseman .272 batting average 12 home runs 56 runs batted inYes1994Catcher .237 batting average 4 doubles 1 run batted inNo1994Pitcher 1–2 record 7.09 earned run average 25 strikeoutsNo1994First baseman/designated hitter .220 batting average 1 home runs 13 runs batted inNo1994Second baseman .187 batting average 6 home runs 20 runs batted inNo1993–1994Pitcher 1–1 record 5.51 earned run average 28 strikeoutsYes1993Pitcher 10–10 record 3.95 earned run average 115 strikeoutsNo
Notes Table keys
MLB award winners and All-Stars
References Specific
General