The 2024 Minor League Baseball season will be the last campaign played at six facilities across the country, from legendary hometown diamonds to modern-day suburban stadiums. Let’s take a look at each of these soon-to-be vacant ballparks…

Smokies Stadium

Home of the Tennessee Smokies

Opened at the turn of the century to replace the aging Bill Meyer Stadium in Knoxville, Smokies Stadium is located about twenty miles east of the city in Kodak, Tennessee. The ballpark was strategically built along Interstate 40 near the tourist towns of Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg – the gateway to the Smoky Mountains – in an effort to draw larger crowds, but fans haven’t been turning out in the expected droves. The Tennessee Smokies are slated to return to Knoxville in spring 2025 and take up residence at a new downtown ballpark.

AT&T Field

Home of the Chattanooga Lookouts

Just down I-75, another Tennessee team is making a move. The Chattanooga Lookouts, who have played out of AT&T Field in downtown since 2000, are packing up and taking things to a new development just two miles south of their current digs. The Lookouts are hoping to revitalize the abandoned US Pipe site with their new ballpark, which will abut the Tennessee Riverwalk and is planned to be surrounded by a retail and entertainment district.

Grainger Stadium

Home of the Down East Wood Ducks

One of the most historic venues in all of the minor leagues will be once again without affiliated ball after this season. 75-year-old Grainger Stadium in Kinston, North Carolina is bidding farewell to the Down East Wood Ducks as they prepare to move to Spartanburg, South Carolina in time for the 2025 season. The team will rebrand as the Hub City Spartanburgers upon their arrival in the Palmetto State. Until then, the Texas Rangers’ Single-A affiliate is just the Down East Lame Ducks, though a Coastal Plain League team – with hopefully the same name – is anticipated to take their place once they leave for good.

Smith’s Ballpark

Home of the Salt Lake Bees

Out west, the Triple-A Salt Lake Bees are planning to depart downtown SLC for a new stadium in the southern suburbs. The Bees will christen America First Stadium in early 2025, a ballpark that’s expected to become an anchor for the planned Daybreak development in the city of South Jordan, 18 miles south of Salt Lake City. Meanwhile, Smith’s Ballpark – its epic outfield view of the Wasatch hanging in the balance – will either be converted or demolished.

Hillsboro Ballpark

Home of the Hillsboro Hops

Although its first game occurred just 11 years ago, Hillsboro Ballpark has been fast-tracked for replacement and will no longer host professional baseball after this season. Situated in the suburbs of Portland, Oregon, the ballpark has been the home of the Hillsboro Hops since their inception in 2013. But the team’s brand-new 6,000 stadium is currently under construction right across the street, so it will be a short hop indeed.

Trustmark Park

Home of the Mississippi Braves

Finally, the M-Braves will depart the Magnolia State for Columbus, Georgia following the conclusion of the 2024 season. The Braves have played at Trustmark Park, located just outside the state capital of Jackson in the city of Pearl, for exactly twenty years. Upon their arrival in Columbus, the Braves will settle in to Golden Park, a nearly century old facility that has been rehabilitated on several occasions.

Published by Jared Goodman

Avid traveler and photographer. For the last few years, I’ve written and shot for several organizations that have enabled me to experience live events at a variety of stadiums and arenas in every sport. In my travels, I've been fortunate enough to visit all 50 states and 3 countries, catching over 600 games at 350 venues and counting.

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