Big things are happening in Springfield, Mo. Last September, the Springfield Cardinals won the Texas League Championship. In May, the Springfield Cardinals rechristened their ballpark Route 66 Stadium.
What's next?
The Double-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals will have a new name -- a whole new identity -- for the 2027 season. The Springfield Cardinals, in continuous operation with that moniker since 2005, announced on Tuesday evening that a new identity for the club will be unveiled on Oct. 6.
In a press release, the team affirmed that it will maintain its relationship with the parent club in St. Louis and that it will continue to call Springfield home. In fact, the club's strong connection to its city and region appears to be a factor in the decision to rebrand.
“Professional Baseball has a long history in the Ozarks dating back to 1905. We’ll always cherish the Springfield Cardinals era and we are excited to open this new chapter," general manager Dan Reiter said.
"This rebrand is about becoming uniquely us and representing Southwest Missouri with pride and joy.”
The Double-A Cards have had success with alternate identities in recent years. The Springfield Cashew Chickens were a finalist for Best Alternate Identity at the inaugural MiLB Awards in 2023, and this season gained attention with an Ozarks Snipe Hunters identity. An FAQ posted on the team's website on Wednesday points to those identities specifically as temporary rebrands, limited-time alternates, as opposed to the permanent identity being revealed in October.
The Springfield franchise can be traced back to the El Paso Diablos, a Texas League fixture from 1974-2004. Taking on the name and look of the St. Louis organization for the 2005 season, the Springfield Cardinals of the 21st century echoed history. Throughout the 1930s and into the '40s, the Class C Western Association featured a team named the Cardinals (which was owned by the big league Cardinals) in Springfield, Mo. Springfield, Ill., and Springfield, Ohio, have also had Minor League teams called the Springfield Cardinals at various points in the 20th century.
Today's Springfield Cardinals, having been the Double-A affiliate of the Cardinals for more than 20 years, boast an impressive alumni list. It includes the likes of Trevor Rosenthal and Jack Flaherty, as well as recent sensations such as Jordan Walker, Masyn Winn, JJ Wetherholt and Joshua Báez. St. Louis greats such as Yadier Molina and Adam Wainwright have played for Springfield on rehab assignment. Rainiel Rodriguez (MLB's No. 18 prospect) is currently on the roster.
The name change is in line with a broader trend in the Minor League Baseball landscape. When the Springfield Cardinals debuted in 2005, there were 22 Minor League teams that shared the name of their parent club. In 2027, there will be a maximum of eight.