Press Release:
Arlington, TX – May 23, 2023 – The Texas Rangers today announced the sale of the Hickory Crawdads and Down East Wood Ducks to Diamond Baseball Holdings (DBH), an organization that owns and operates select Minor League clubs affiliated with Major League Baseball (MLB).
Pat Battle, Peter Freund, and the rest of the DBH team will be great partners to the Rangers organization through our ongoing affiliation with both clubs, and we have great confidence in their stewardship.”
“We are thrilled to welcome the Crawdads and Wood Ducks to the DBH family,” said Pat Battle and Peter Freund, Executive Chairman and CEO, respectively, of DBH.
“Thank you to the Texas Rangers for entrusting us with the continuing success and growth of both of these clubs. We look forward to our partnership with the Rangers organization.”
The Crawdads and Wood Ducks will maintain their current front office staffs, led by Crawdads General Manager Douglas Locascio and Wood Ducks General Manager Jon Clemmons, respectively.
Both clubs will remain affiliates of the Texas Rangers under the ownership of DBH. DBH aims to elevate fan and player experiences, deepen local and national engagement, and further the minor league baseball ecosystem through direct partnership with MLB on opportunities like sponsorship and merchandising as well as creating best-in-class facilities for player development.
The transaction has been reviewed and approved by MLB Professional Development Leagues and is expected to close promptly, subject to the satisfaction of other standard closing conditions.
The Hickory Crawdads have been a Texas Rangers minor league affiliate since 2009 in the South Atlantic League, first in Low-A and since 2021 in High-A. The Rangers purchased the franchise in October 2017.
The Down East Wood Ducks became a Rangers affiliate in 2017 in the High-A Carolina League after Texas purchased the team in August 2016, when that franchise was transferred from the California League. The Wood Ducks and the Carolina League were reclassified to Low-A in 2021.
The Rangers’ other minor league affiliates are the Triple-A Round Rock Express in the Pacific Coast League, the Double-A Frisco RoughRiders in the Texas League, and Rookie teams in the Arizona Complex and Dominican Summer Leagues.
About Texas Rangers Baseball Club
In 2022, the Texas Rangers celebrated their 50th anniversary since the franchise moved from Washington, D.C. to Arlington, Texas for the 1972 season.
The Rangers have advanced to post-season play eight times since 1996, winning seven American League West Division titles and advancing to the World Series in 2010 and 2011. In 2020, the Rangers opened beautiful Globe Life Field, which is not only the team’s home, but also a multipurpose sports and entertainment venue that includes capabilities for hosting numerous local, regional, and national events.
The $1.25 billon facility includes a 5.5-acre retractable roof, which provides for maximum comfort of guests throughout the year. The Rangers organization has also been instrumental in partnering with the City of Arlington, The Cordish Companies, and Loews Hotels & Co. on the development of the Arlington Entertainment District into a world-class sports and entertainment destination.
Rangers Baseball Express LLC became the sixth owner in Rangers history when it completed purchase of the club on August 12, 2010.
About Diamond Baseball Holdings
Diamond Baseball Holdings (DBH) was formed in 2021 to support, promote and enhance Minor League Baseball Clubs affiliated with Major League Baseball through professional management, best practices, innovation and investment. DiamondBaseballHoldings.com.
