📍 Reno, Nevada
⚾ Home of the Reno Aces

Reno, Nevada touts itself as the “Biggest Little City In The World” and, while it’s not quite Vegas, Reno definitely has its own party town flair. During the summer, that party happens nightly at Greater Nevada Field, the home ballpark of the Reno Aces.

Opened in 2009, Greater Nevada Field has hosted Triple-A ball since its inception. The Aces moved from Tucson that year, marking the return of Minor League Baseball to the Reno-Sparks region, and becoming the area’s first team since the departure of the Silver Sox in 1992.

At approximately 4,500 feet above sea level, a fact that’s evidenced by the snowy Sierra Nevadas that you can glimpse from the seats, Greater Nevada Field is one of the highest MiLB facilities around. Though not quite as high in elevation as Coors Field in Denver, the baseballs in Reno must also be placed in the specially constructed humidor in order to help reduce the number of dingers that get sent into the cool Nevada night.

The ballpark sits on the banks of the Truckee River, which rages just over the fence in the right field corner. That area also has a lot of little nooks and crannies, as well as a grassy berm, for general admission seating. Behind home plate on the concourse is some strange group area that isn’t exactly marked as such, so be careful.

Despite its relatively young age, the stadium almost seems to be past its prime, showing signs of lackluster upkeep and abandoned social areas. The Freight House District on the third base side, intended to host live-music and a couple of eateries, now sits abandoned and empty. While still a fairly decent Triple-A facility, it’s evident that the park’s heyday has come and gone. Perhaps some improvements and refreshed spaces can help glitz up the stadium a bit more.

But hey, let’s talk about something you’ll see at a Reno Aces game that you just can’t find anywhere else: Mr. Baseball. Prior to the 7th inning stretch, a gigantic inflatable baseball appears in a cloud of smoke over the batter’s eye, where he then proceeds to sing along to Take Me Out to the Ballgame. The enormous baseball with eyes (and hands) is quite honestly terrifying, especially if you’re not expecting his arrival, but there’s no doubt that it’s one of the coolest – and strangest – features in the minor leagues. Well done, Reno.