While the sun was shining bright on John Thurman Field in Modesto on Aug. 31, a cloud of uncertainty and sadness lingered over the heads of local baseball fans.
The day marked the final home game for the Modesto Nuts organization following 77 seasons as a minor league affiliate. In December of 2024, the Seattle Mariners — the parent club of the Nuts — sold the organization to Diamond Baseball Holdings. As a result, the club relocated to southern California
The question of whether professional baseball would continue to exist in Stanislaus County was answered roughly a week later, when the Modesto City Council approved an agreement with management company Main Street Baseball for the city and its iconic ballfield to host a Pioneer Baseball League expansion team. It was then that the Modesto Roadsters were on their way to continue the region’s rich baseball history.
The club played its first official game in Modesto on May 19 in front of a large crowd that experienced first-hand the newest era of baseball.
Behind the Brand
The Roadster name was announced in November, drawing inspiration from the American Graffiti era and the city’s connection to classic cars and cruising. The club’s mascot, Cruiser, is a San Joaquin kit fox that is native to the region. The team’s primary logos and visual identity, which include Cruiser rocking a leather jacket, slicked back hair and riding around in a convertible, were created by Modesto-based creatives Greg Gallup and Andie Kat of Slightly Obsessed Studios, in close collaboration with team owner Dave Heller. The brand identity is described as “a celebration of Modesto’s cruising culture, bright spirit and local pride.”
The stadium, built in 1955, has also received a makeover, with the grandstands, press box and outfield walls painted by Denair’s Lancaster Painting with the team’s primary colors of neon diner blue and candy apple red.
Leading the club in his first professional managerial role is J.T. Snow, a 16-year major league veteran best known for his years with the San Francisco Giants from 1997 to 2005. The first baseman won six straight Gold Gloves during his time in the Bay Area.
“I love the new name and the bright, colorful logo,” said Snow. “My dad (Jack) drove a candy apple red Corvette in the late ‘60s when he played for the Los Angeles Rams, and we always loved that car. We always felt so cool riding in it. The Roadsters name and logo conveys that same sense of pride. The colors are also especially meaningful to me because every team I played on as a child, from Little League through college all the way to the Angels, had red, white and blue as their colors.”
The John Thurman Field name itself was also dropped, renamed to Modern Woodmen Field as part of a 10-year, multi-million-dollar naming rights partnership with the fraternal financial services company, a deal that will provide free parking for fans at all games.
“The Roadsters exist to give Modesto a team that feels like home. A team that looks like this city. A team that sounds like this city. A team that belongs to this city,” reads the organization’s mission statement. “Baseball is the game, but the bigger mission is connection, pride, and unforgettable summer nights in Modesto.”
About the Team and the PBL
The Roadsters will play 96 regular season games this year, which includes 51 home games.
Serving as Snow’s pitching coach is Mike Leach, the current skipper at Modesto Junior College.
There is another local tie on the roster in Treven Crowley, a former standout for Hilmar High School. Crowley, a right-handed pitcher who played a season at Fresno State, was one of four players who were signed following an open tryout this spring.
As an expansion team, the Roadsters also had the first overall pick in the PBL Draft. They used it to select right-hander Joey Mazzetti of Corona, who played collegiately at the University of Northern Colorado and Colorado Mesa University.
This year will mark the first since 1948 that Modesto’s professional baseball team will not be affiliated with a major league club. Teams in the Pioneer Baseball League are independent, though there is an agreement in place with Major League Baseball to have players who have been scouted and signed to easily transfer to MLB farm systems.
While the teams are not directly owned or managed by MLB, they operate under an agreement with MLB and can easily transfer players to MLB organizations when scouts show interest.
Since the partnership in 2021, 60 players have signed contracts with MLB organizations, and two made it all the way to big leagues. Of the 60 players who have earned minor league contracts was Turlock native Coleton Horner in 2022, inking a minor league deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks following a strong stint with the PBL’s Ogden Raptors.
A Year of Promotions
Most night games will begin at 7:11 p.m. with Saturday games in May and June slated to get underway at 5:30 p.m. Sunday games will start at 11 a.m. so that folks can beat the heat.
“I could not be more excited to christen a new era of baseball in Modesto,” said Roadsters owner Dave Heller. “We’re not only offering lower ticket prices than what people in the Central Valley have seen before, we’re cutting food and drink prices dramatically and we’re combining that with the single biggest lineup of giveaways, discounts and fireworks this region has ever seen. The Roadsters are going full throttle to make John Thurman Field the center of affordable fun all summer long.”
The Roadsters have a full weekly promotional schedule. Every Tuesday will feature “$2 Tune-Up Tuesdays”, with $2 hot dogs, $2 pretzel bites, $2 sodas and a free pennant giveaway.
Fans are encouraged to collect all nine pennants to win a prize at the end of the season.
Fans will have another opportunity to collect a full set of Roadsters merchandise on “Wear It Wednesdays,” as the team gives away a different t-shirt before each Wednesday game. As with the pennants, anyone who collects all nine T-shirts will be highlighted with a special on-field experience at the end of the season.
Then there are “$3 Full Throttle Thursdays,” highlighted by $3 beers and $3 General Admission seats.
Fireworks follow every Friday home game, bringing baseball and fireworks together 10 times throughout the season. There will also be extended fireworks shows on both July 3 and 4.
Each Saturday night game will be topped off with an extraordinary post-game performance from Girls Smash Guitars in partnership with Rockit Production. The concert will feature guitar giveaways, exclusive gear and custom sticker drops. Premium giveaways will also take place on Saturdays, highlighted by nine giveaways, including a Hawaiian shirt, a handheld fan, a cowboy hat and four bobbleheads of former Giants stars Rich Aurelia, Rob Nenn, Hall of Famer Jeff Kent and, of course, Snow.
The fun concludes on Sundays for “Brunch with the Roadsters,” when all family members (including those on four legs) are welcomed to “Bark in the Park Family Sundays.” In addition to free admission for dogs, Sunday games will feature pre-game player autograph sessions, and kids can run the bases after the game.
“This is a big milestone for us, and we are ready to have some serious fun at the ballpark,” said general manager Michael Neis.
“We can’t wait to show this community what we have done to welcome Roadsters fans in our first season. From the time you park your car until the last firework has been fired, it’s going to be a blast.”
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
To view the full 2026 schedule or purchase tickets, head to www.modestoroadsters.com
or call the box office at (209) -572-4487.
Season tickets, groups and hospitality experiences are also available. Fans are encouraged to follow the Roadsters on social media at @ModRoadsters on Instagram and X, as well as at Modesto Roadsters on Facebook, to keep up with full promotional calendar releases, in addition to individual game giveaways and special offers.
