Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders

File:Scranton Wilkes-Barre RailRiders logo.svg Logo of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders
Company type	Minor League Baseball team
Industry	Professional baseball
Founded	1989
Headquarters	Moosic, Pennsylvania , United States
Area served	Scranton/Wilkes-Barre region
Products	Baseball games
Owner	Diamond Baseball Holdings
Parent	New York Yankees (Triple-A affiliate)
Website	www.milb.com/scranton-wb

The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (SWB RailRiders) compete in Minor League Baseball as members of the International League and function as the Triple-A team for the New York Yankees. Located in Moosic, Pennsylvania, they represent the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre region and derive their name from the historic trolley network that once operated in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Since 1989, their home games have been held at PNC Field.

Formed in 1989 as part of the International League, the franchise was initially known as the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons during their affiliation with the Philadelphia Phillies until 2006. The affiliation shifted in 2007 when they became the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees, aligning with New York, before adopting the RailRiders moniker in 2013. In 2021, they joined the Triple-A East, which reverted to its former International League name in 2022.

The RailRiders have captured two International League titles (2008, 2016) and earned one Triple-A National Championship, achieved in 2016.

Early professional baseball in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre

Professional baseball's roots in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (SWB) region of Pennsylvania extend back to the late 1800s. Scranton's teams were mainly recognized as the Scranton Miners, originally established as the Scranton Indians in 1886 and also known at various times as the Coal Heavers and Red Sox. The Miners' final season came in 1953 within the Eastern League; the franchise disbanded after unsuccessful attempts to obtain Major League Baseball support for the following year. Meanwhile, Wilkes-Barre’s squad, called the Barons (initially Coal Barons), also founded in 1886, continued until 1955 before financial difficulties forced a mid-season move to Johnstown.

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons (1989–2006)

Following a hiatus of approximately thirty years, Minor League Baseball returned to SWB when the Maine Phillies franchise relocated to Lackawanna County in 1989. After ownership by Northeast Baseball, Inc. (NBI) was secured in 1987 amid legal challenges, the team was renamed the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons, paying tribute to former local teams. As a Triple-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies, they competed in the International League and played home games at Lackawanna County Stadium—later renamed PNC Field—in Moosic, Pennsylvania.

The Red Barons faced early difficulties, recording losing seasons during their first three years. However, under manager Lee Elia in 1992, they clinched the Eastern Division title with an 84–58 record but were defeated by the Columbus Clippers in the league finals. The subsequent six seasons saw them return to sub-.500 performances.

Manager Marc Bombard took over in 1997 and led the team to four straight playoff berths from 1999 through 2002. During this stretch, they secured division crowns and wild card entries but fell short of winning a league championship each time. The 2001 postseason was notably interrupted by the September 11 attacks; Louisville was declared champion while leading that series. The Red Barons’ final playoff run as a Phillies affiliate occurred in 2006, concluding with a semifinal defeat to Rochester.

After concluding their partnership with SWB following the 2006 season, Philadelphia affiliated with Ottawa Lynx prior to that franchise’s relocation to Allentown as the Lehigh Valley IronPigs in 2008.

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees (2007–2012)

In 2007, the team established a new Triple-A affiliation with the New York Yankees and adopted the name Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees. This partnership yielded greater success than the previous association with the Phillies, as the club clinched the Northern Division title and reached the postseason for three consecutive years from 2007 through 2009. The 2007 squad was eliminated in the semifinals by the Richmond Braves. Under manager Dave Miley in 2008, the Yankees repeated as division champions with an 88–56 record. They advanced past Pawtucket in the semifinals and triumphed over the Durham Bulls in the finals to secure their inaugural IL championship. This victory earned them a spot in the Bricktown Showdown, a single-game contest against the Pacific Coast League champion to determine the overall Triple-A champion, where they were defeated 4–1 by the Sacramento River Cats. In 2009, SWB overcame the Gwinnett Braves 3–1 in the semifinals but were swept by Durham in the championship round. The 2010 team’s playoff run ended with a semifinal loss to Columbus.

In November 2010, ownership of the SWB Yankees was set to transfer when the Lackawanna County Multipurpose Stadium Authority approved a sale to Mandalay Baseball Properties, which planned a $40 million upgrade of PNC Field. However, protracted negotiations delayed completion of the transaction for over a year. The sale was consummated on April 26, 2012, when control passed to SWB Yankees LLC, a joint venture between Mandalay and the New York Yankees.

Empire State Yankees

During extensive renovations at PNC Field in 2012, the SWB Yankees temporarily relocated to Rochester, New York's Frontier Field, home of the Red Wings. The team played their full schedule on the road, frequently serving as the home team at opponents’ ballparks. Additional venues used included Dwyer Stadium (Batavia), Alliance Bank Stadium (Syracuse), Coca-Cola Field (Buffalo), Coca-Cola Park (Allentown, PA), and McCoy Stadium (Pawtucket, RI). For marketing purposes during this period, they were branded as the Empire State Yankees, although their official designation remained Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees. After missing postseason play in 2011, they captured the Northern Division crown in 2012 but were eliminated by Pawtucket in the semifinals.

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (2013–present)

Prior to returning to a revamped PNC Field for the 2013 season, a fan contest generated finalist names such as "Blast," "Black Diamond Bears," "Fireflies," "Porcupines," and "Trolley Frogs." Ultimately, "RailRiders" was selected, inspired by Northeastern Pennsylvania’s historic trolley system. Although RailRiders received the most first-place votes, "Porcupines" earned more total votes overall; as a result, a porcupine motif was incorporated into the team’s logo.

The RailRiders posted sub-.500 records in both 2013 and 2014 and failed to qualify for postseason play. In September 2014, Mandalay Baseball Properties sold its half ownership stake to SWB Investors LLC—consisting of David Abrams, David Blitzer, Grant Cagle, and Michael Hisler—for approximately $14 million. The team returned to playoff contention in 2015 by winning another Northern Division title but was swept by Indianapolis in the semifinals. That year marked the conclusion of Dave Miley’s nine-year managerial tenure, during which he guided SWB to six division titles and one league championship.

Al Pedrique assumed managerial duties in 2016. The RailRiders led the league with a franchise-best 91–52 record and secured another Northern Division title. They swept Lehigh Valley in the semifinals and captured their second Governors' Cup by defeating Gwinnett. This triumph qualified them for the Triple-A National Championship Game, where they defeated the El Paso Chihuahuas 3–1 to claim their second overall Triple-A championship.

In 2017, SWB again won their division and bested Lehigh Valley in semifinal play but fell short against Durham in the championship series. The following year, they earned a wild card berth; after advancing past Lehigh Valley once more, they were defeated by Durham in the finals. In 2019, tied for first place at 75–65 with the Syracuse Mets, SWB won a one-game playoff with a dramatic 14–13 scoreline to claim their division title but were swept by Durham in semifinal competition.

The entire 2020 season was postponed and ultimately canceled due to impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic. Following Major League Baseball’s reorganization of Minor League Baseball in 2021, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre joined the newly created Triple-A East. With no postseason tournament held that year, SWB finished third with a 68–49 record under manager Doug Davis, who had been on staff since 2017. A postseason event called the Triple-A Final Stretch then took place where all Triple-A teams competed for highest winning percentage; SWB finished sixth with a strong 7–3 record.

In December of that year, SWB Investors sold their remaining interest to Diamond Baseball Holdings. The Triple-A East reverted back to its traditional name—the International League—in 2022. During Davis’s second full season as manager, the RailRiders posted an 83–67 record and secured second place within the ten-team East Division.

Season-by-season records

Season-by-season records (most recent five years)

Season	League	Regular season					Playoffs			MLB affiliate	Ref.
		Record	Winning %	League standing	Division rank	Games behind	Record	Winning %	Outcome
2021	AAAE	75–52	.591	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	—	—		—	New York Yankees
2022	IL	83–67	.553	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	—	—	—	New York Yankees
2023	IL	73–75	.493	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	—	—	—	New York Yankees
2024	IL	89–60	.597	Template:Sort	Template:Sort	—	—	—	New York Yankees		-	2025	IL	87–60	' .592'	'Template:Sort'	'Template:Sort'	'Template:Sort'	'Template:Sort'	'Template:Sort' Secured second-half division title Defeated in IL championship by Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, series result 2–1	New York Yankees
Overall	—	407–314	Template:Winpct	—	—	—	Template:Sort	.333	—	—	—

Uniforms

The RailRiders' primary home attire consists of a white base adorned with navy blue pinstripes, mirroring the traditional look of the New York Yankees. The home jersey displays a downward-slanting "SWB" emblem set on train tracks on the left chest, while the right sleeve carries a navy interlocking Yankees "NY" insignia. Their home cap is navy, featuring a golden "R" positioned above railroad tracks. For away games, the uniform is gray with "RailRiders" scripted across the front, complemented by a navy cap showcasing a white interlocking "SWB" logo.

In 2022, the team unveiled an alternate jersey in solid navy, which bears a white interlocking "SWB" badge on the left chest and a white Yankees "NY" logo on the right sleeve. This alternate is paired with the navy "SWB" cap.

Radio and television

Kent Westling, who previously worked as a local television sportscaster, was the inaugural play-by-play announcer for SWB, covering over 2,000 games from 1989 until his retirement in 2007. He was succeeded by Mike Vander Woude from 2008 through 2012, followed by John Sadak between 2013 and 2017. Since 2018, Adam Marco has held the role as the official "Voice of the RailRiders."

Broadcasts of all home and away contests are carried by WICK across five frequencies in Northeastern Pennsylvania: 1400 WICK, 1440 WCDL, 93.5 FM, 106.7 FM, and 107.9 FM. Fans can access live audio streams through the team's official website as well as the MiLB First Pitch app. Video coverage for every game is available via MiLB.TV, with radio simulcasts providing simultaneous audio feeds.

Awards

Throughout their history in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, eight players, six managers, and two executives have been honored with International League awards.

International League awards

Award	Recipient	Season	Ref.
Most Valuable Player	Template:Sortname	2005
Most Valuable Player	Template:Sortname	2009
Most Valuable Player	Template:Sortname	2016
Most Valuable Pitcher	Template:Sortname	2001
Most Valuable Pitcher	Template:Sortname	2002
Pitcher of the Year Award	Template:Sortname	2022
Rookie of the Year	Template:Sortname	1998
Rookie of the Year	Template:Sortname	2001
Rookie of the Year	Template:Sortname	2009
Rookie of the Year	Template:Sortname	2015
Manager of the Year	Template:Sortname	1992
Manager of the Year	Template:Sortname	2002
Manager of the Year	Template:Sortname	2006
Manager of the Year	Template:Sortname	(2007, 2012)		-	Manager of the Year	Template:Sortname	(2016, 2017)		-	Manager of the Year	Template:Sortname	2025		-	Executive of the Year	Template:Sortname	1990		-	Executive of the Year	Template:Sortname	2017

Retired numbers

The RailRiders have honored three individuals by retiring their jersey numbers in recognition of their significant contributions to the franchise. In addition, number 42 was retired across all professional baseball in 1997 to commemorate Jackie Robinson, the pioneering African American player in modern Major League Baseball. On July 16, 2019, the team also intended to retire number 21 for Roberto Clemente as part of Minor League Baseball's Copa de la Diversión program. These distinguished numbers are showcased at PNC Field.

Number 14 pays tribute to Greg Legg, who was active with the team from 1989 through 1994. The number 11 was withdrawn in honor of Dave Miley, who managed the team from 2007 to 2015, coinciding with the franchise’s 25th anniversary celebration. Number 13 was retired on May 31, 2019, recognizing Marc Bombard, who led the Red Barons to back-to-back International League titles during his eight non-consecutive managerial seasons (1997–2001, 2001–2004).

Retired numbers

Dave Miley	Marc Bombard	Greg Legg	Jackie Robinson
Manager 2007–2015 Retired June 8, 2014	Manager 1997–2001, 2001–2004 Retired May 31, 2019	Second baseman 1989–1994 Retired June 8, 1998	Retired throughout professional baseball on April 15, 1997

Hall of Famers

The National Baseball Hall of Fame includes one former Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRider: shortstop Derek Jeter, who was inducted in 2020. During the 2013 campaign, Jeter made rehabilitation appearances for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre while recuperating from an injury sustained with the New York Yankees. Additionally, managers Dave Miley and Marc Bombard have been honored in the International League Hall of Fame, inducted in 2014 and 2015 respectively.

Ownership

Diamond Baseball Holdings currently owns the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. This entity operates as a subsidiary of investment firm Silver Lake, having acquired the team from previous owner Endeavor Group Holdings.

Prior to this transition, ownership rested with SWB Yankees LLC, a partnership between Yankee Global Enterprises—which owns the parent club, the New York Yankees—and SWB Investors LLC, a local consortium responsible for day-to-day management. Mandalay Baseball Properties formerly held a stake in SWB Yankees LLC before divesting to SWB Investors LLC. The joint venture’s name reflects the team’s former designation as the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees.

Ownership was equally divided between Yankee Global Enterprises and SWB Investors LLC (formerly Mandalay Baseball Properties’ share), each holding a fifty percent interest. Among the investors was former Major League pitcher Andy Ashby, who participated as an owner.

External links

• Comprehensive statistics at Baseball-Reference