The Bluefield Ridge Runners beat the Kingsport Axmen, 11-3, in the 2025 Appalachian League Championship Game. The Ridge Runners never looked back after taking the lead with a six-run third inning and drew 13 walks to fuel their offense. Box Score>>
Twenty-eight former Appalachian League players were selected in the 2025 MLB Draft, which took place July 13-14 in Atlanta. The Boston Red Sox selected Marcus Phillips (ELZ '24) with the No. 33 overall pick, the highest picked Appy player this year. The River Riders led all Appy teams with seven selections in the 20-round draft.
The 2025 HOF class features two-time World Series Champion Yadier Molina and 2011 Appy League Manager of the Year Dennis Holmberg. Molina began his professional baseball career with the Johnson City Cardinals in 2001, while Holmberg served as the manager of the Bluefield Blue Jays for eight seasons from 2011-18. More>>
Coming on in relief for the Tampa Bay Rays on June 21, 2025, right-hander Paul Gervase joined Jordan Leasure as the second Appy League alum to debut in the Majors. Gervase played for the Bristol State Liners in 2022 and was drafted by the Mets that year in the 12th round, joining the Rays organization in a deadline deal in 2024.
In 2024, right-handed reliever Jordan Leasure made the Chicago White Sox's Opening Day roster, becoming the first Appalachian League player to reach the Major Leagues since the league rebranded as a summer collegiate league in 2021. The 2021 Elizabethton River Rider has recorded multiple saves in back-to-back seasons with the White Sox.
Appalachian League executives participated in the 29th annual MLK Day of Service in 2024, volunteering in communities across North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. Tabbed as a “day on, not a day off” to celebrate the life and legacy of the Civil Rights leader, MLK Day is the only federal holiday designated as a national day of service to encourage all Americans to volunteer to improve their communities.
The Appalachian League is a summer collegiate baseball league that is part of the MLB and USA Baseball Prospect Development Pipeline
2024 Pirates fifth-round selection Will Taylor (GRN ‘22) talks about playing in the Appy League after missing most of freshman year at Clemson.
Nationals No. 25 prospect Sam Petersen (KNG ‘22) talks about wanting to improve holes in his game following freshman year at Iowa.
2025 Cubs 17th-round pick Logan Poteet (KNG ‘22, TS ‘24) talks about how the Appy League is similar to professional baseball.
Rays prospect Andrew Lindsey (KNG ‘22) on how the Appy League helped him get connected with Tennessee after a year off from baseball.
