Right-Handed Pitcher Patrick Halligan began the 2026 season on the Portland Sea Dogs’ roster after signing a Minor League Free Agent deal with the Red Sox during the offseason. After recording four saves in five July outings, Halligan was recently assigned to the Triple-A Worcester Red Sox.
Halligan’s minor league journey began in 2021, when he was drafted 379th overall by the Kansas City Royals out of Pensacola State Junior College. Since then, he has reached as high as Triple-A in four different organizations, the Royals, the Braves, the Astros, and now the Red Sox. Halligan has suited up for eleven affiliated ballclubs, with additional offseason stints in the Puerto Rican Winter League and Arizona Fall League.
After spending time playing rookie ball for the Royals, Halligan was assigned to his first affiliated club, the Columbia Fireflies, the single-A affiliate of the Royals.
COLUMBIA FIREFLIES - A ROYALS
- Home Stadium: Segra Park
- Founded: 2016. The Savannah Sand Gnats, then-A affiliate of the New York Mets, moved to a recently constructed stadium in Columbia, SC.
- Historical Affiliates: New York Mets (2016-2020), Kansas City Royals (2021-present).
- Story behind the name: A public naming contest was held, and the team decided on the “Columbia Fireflies.” “Photuris Frontalis” are a particular breed of firefly that populate the nearby Congaree National Park. Every year for a few weeks, these fireflies synchronize their flashing lights every night, a rare spectacle.
- What they’re known for: Part of the team’s uniforms glow in the dark as a tribute to fireflies, their namesake. The stadium, Segra Park, is a public park that is open 365 days per year. The concourse doubles as a walking/running loop for locals, stretching about 0.3 miles.
Halligan continued his ascent up the Royals system in 2022, playing for the Fireflies, the High-A Quad Cities River Bandits, and the Triple-A Omaha Storm Chasers.
QUAD CITIES RIVER BANDITS - A+ ROYALS
- Home Stadium: Modern Woodmen Park
- Founded: 1960 as the Davenport Braves.
- Historical Affiliates: Milwaukee Braves (1960-1961), Chicago Cubs (1979-1984), California Angels (1962-1978, 1985-1992), Minnesota Twins (1999-2004), St. Louis Cardinals (2005-2012), Houston Astros (1993-1998, 2013-2020), Kansas City Royals (2021-present).
- Story behind the name: Fans chose the name in a 1992 naming contest, and rechose it again in 2007 in another naming contest. Their mascot is Rascal the Raccoon, whose “mask” of fur looks like a bandit.
- What they’re known for: History! The Quad Cities region between Iowa and Illinois has been a home to professional baseball since the late 1870s. They have a Ferris Wheel inside the park which runs during games, in addition to a carousel called the Kidz Koaster.
OMAHA STORM CHASERS - AAA ROYALS
- Home Stadium: Werner Park
- Founded: 1969 as the Omaha Royals. The only ever Triple-A affiliate of the Royals since their inception.
- Historical Affiliates: Kansas City Royals (1969-present)
- Story behind the name: Chosen in a naming contest to represent the “importance of weather in the metro area and across the state.” - Martie J. Cordaro, President and General Manager of the Storm Chasers.
- What they’re known for: Wiffle ball diamond and basketball court beyond center field for fan entertainment.
Halligan signed with the Braves as a free agent in 2023, before spending the season with their High-A affiliate, the Rome Braves, and their Double-A affiliate, the Mississippi Braves.
ROME BRAVES (Currently Rome Emperors) - A+ BRAVES
- Home Stadium: AdventHealth Stadium
- Previously known as: Rome Braves (2003-2023), Rome Emperors (2024-present)
- Founded: 2003
- Historical Affiliates: Atlanta Braves (2003-present)
- Story behind the name: Chosen from a naming contest because of its branding potential connecting to the city of Rome, which is named so because of the hills and rivers that make up its geography, similar to ancient Rome. Their mascot is Julius, an emperor penguin named after Julius Caesar. They chose a penguin for the kid-friendly aspect.
- What they’re known for: The city of Rome has a free transportation system called the Roman Chariot.
MISSISSIPPI BRAVES- AA BRAVES
- Home Stadium: Trustman Park
- Founded: 2005
- Historical Affiliates: Atlanta Braves (2005-2024)
- Story behind the name: Affiliation with the Braves.
- What they’re known for: Southern concessions, like their catfish basket, which includes french fries, cole slaw and hush puppies. They also have a full service restaurant, Farm Bureau Grill, overlooking the playing field in right field.
Halligan continued with the Braves in 2024, adding the Triple-A Gwinnett Stripers to the list of teams he played for.
GWINNETT STRIPERS - AAA BRAVES
- Home Stadium: Gwinnett Field (opened as Coolray field in 2009)
- Founded: 2009 (Richmond Braves relocated and established in Gwinnett)
- Historical Affiliates: Atlanta Braves (2009-present)
- Story behind the name: Refers to the striped bass which are fished in Lake Lanier nearby, and a general nod to the popularity of fishing and outdoor activity in the region.
- What they’re known for: Large berm seating area known as “The Bank,” and their southern fare. Various ballpark concessions stands feature BBQ plates, fried Vidalia onion rings, boiled peanuts, pimento cheese sandwiches, cornbread and more.
In 2025, the Mississippi Braves relocated to Columbus, Georgia and became the Columbus Clingstones, which is where Halligan began his season.
COLUMBUS CLINGSTONES - AA BRAVES
- Home Stadium: Synovus Park, formerly known as Golden Park, opened in 1926. It hosted softball during the 1996 Summer Olympic before its recent $50 million update.
- Founded: 2025
- Historical Affiliates: Atlanta Braves (2025-present)
- Story behind the name: Clingstones are one of the two primary categories of peaches, contrasting freestones. Freestone peaches separate easily from the pit, while clingstone peaches “cling” to the pit.
- What they’re known for: Their full peach-colored uniform with green accents, and the history of their ballpark! Babe Ruth played at Golden Park, and the revamped stadium still has elements of the original ballpark.
Soon after, he was traded to the Astros. He played for both the Double-A Corpus Christi Hooks and the Triple-A Sugarland Space Cowboys during the 2025 season.
CORPUS CHRISTI HOOKS - AA ASTROS
- Home Stadium: Whataburger Field
- Founded: 2005
- Historical Affiliates: Houston Astros (1991-present), New York Mets (1968-1990)
- Story behind the name: Decided in a 2004 name the team contest. The name represents the popularity of fishing in the area, and its mascots are Sammy the Seagull and Rusty the Fishhook.
- What they’re known for: Whataburger was founded in Corpus Christi, hence the stadium name. There is a section of tickets called Whataburger 4Topps, which allow fans to dine at Whataburger tables with Whataburger wait service. The roof of the stadium is painted with the well-known orange and white stripes of Whataburger memorabilia. There is a 1000 square foot whataburger restaurant on the concourse right behind home plate.
SUGAR LAND SPACE COWBOYS - AAA ASTROS
- Home Stadium: Constellation Field
- Founded: 2012 as an Atlantic League team.
- Historical Affiliates: Independent (2012-2020), Houston Astros (2021-present)
- Story behind the name: The Space aspect connects to the affiliation with the Astros and the proximity to NASA’s Johnson Space Center, as well as classic Texas/Western cowboy imagery.
- What they’re known for: The Kiddie Corral, a space themed playground on site. Their mascot, Orion, is a “cosmic canine rescued from the meteor-battered Saturn moon of Mimas by a benevolent Space Cowboy.” Sugar Land is named so because it was originally the company town for the Imperial Sugar Refinery, which closed in 2003.
Halligan signed a free agent deal with the Red Sox in the offseason, and found himself in Portland to begin his 2026 season, playing for the Double-A Sea Dogs.
PORTLAND SEA DOGS - AA RED SOX
- Home Stadium: Delta Dental Park at Hadlock Field
- Founded: 1994
- Historical Affiliates: Florida Marlins (1994-2002), Boston Red Sox (2003-present)
- Story behind the name: Selected in a “name the team” contest, team founder Charlie Eshbach called on his friend, Guy Gilchrist, who designed the Muppets comic strips! Once Gilchrist heard “Sea Dogs,” he immediately came up with a vision for Slugger the Sea Dog, the Sea Dogs logo, and it has stuck ever since.
- What they’re known for: Sea Dog biscuits, delicious ice cream sandwiches made with Maine’s own Gifford’s ice cream, and the Maine Monster in left field, an exact replica of Fenway’s Green Monster.
Halligan has played multiple short stints with Triple-A Worcester throughout July, marking the fourth Triple-A team Halligan has suited up for.
WORCESTER RED SOX - AAA RED SOX
- Home Stadium: Polar Park
- Previously known as: Pawtucket Red Sox (1973-2020)
- Founded: 2021
- Historical Affiliates: Boston Red Sox (2021-present)
- Story behind the name: Selected in a “name the team” contest, named after the big league affiliate with the “WooSox” nickname.
- What they’re known for: The mascot “Smiley Ball” pays tribute to Worcester’s history as the “birthplace of the smiley face” (created by Harvey Ball, a local advertising executive in 1963).
