In this article, we explore baseball teams in North Carolina that play across a variety of different leagues and levels. 

Wherever you are in the state, you shouldn't have to go far to catch a game.

Baseball Teams in North Carolina

North Carolina is our home state. My family and I love it here, and we're not alone - North Carolina is one of the fastest growing states in the nation.

It's a beautiful place to be and it features a little bit of everything. The beach, the mountains and everything in between.

If you're a baseball fan in NC, you won't be disappointed. There are plenty of baseball teams across the state.

This article highlights those teams. In particular, we explore the different professional, semi-pro and college teams represented in North Carolina.

Keep scrolling to learn more…

How Many Baseball Teams in North Carolina Are There?

As of 2023, the state of North Carolina is home to 45 baseball teams that play at the minor league, independent league, NCAA Division 1 (D1) and summer college ball levels.

The reason we chose teams at these different levels is because they all represent very competitive, high-quality baseball that’s a lot of fun to watch.

In the following sections, we take a closer look at each of these NC teams, their locations, and some key facts about them.

List of Baseball Teams in North Carolina

As of 2023

Major League Baseball Teams in North Carolina

There are no Major League Baseball (MLB) teams in North Carolina. 

Not yet anyway.

There are rumors that Charlotte is a top candidate to get an MLB expansion team, if and when that ever happens.

And it makes perfect sense. Charlotte is one of the largest metropolitan areas in the US without an MLB franchise.

In fact, the city is the only one in the country with an NBA, NFL and MLS team - but no MLB club.

In addition to Charlotte, there's also an organized movement to bring a major league team to Raleigh, which is another large (and fast growing) city.

Will anything ever come of this? 

We sure hope so. Time will tell.

It’s our sincere hope that one day we will have a big league team in Charlotte or Raleigh.

Minor League Baseball Teams in North Carolina (as of 2023)

There's a rich legacy of minor league baseball (MiLB) in the state and current MiLB teams are well represented across NC's different regions.

As of 2023, there are 10 minor league baseball teams in North Carolina across three different leagues. 

Two teams are in the triple-A, four teams are in high-A and four teams are in single-A.

In the following section, we dig in and provide more detail on each minor league team in NC.

International League - Triple A (AAA)

The International League is one of two leagues at the highest level of the minor leagues, also called Triple A (AAA).

There are two AAA teams that play in North Carolina: the Charlotte Knights and the Durham Bulls. 

Charlotte Knights

• MLB Affiliation: Chicago White Sox

• City: Charlotte, NC

• Stadium Name: Truist Field

• Mascot Name: Homer the Dragon

 

Durham Bulls

• MLB Affiliation: Tampa Bay Rays

• City: Durham, NC

• Stadium Name: Durham Bulls Athletic Park (DBAP)

• Mascot Name: Wool E. Bull

 

South Atlantic League - High A (A)

The Tar Heel state has four minor league teams that play in the High A South Atlantic League. They are the Asheville Tourists, the Greensboro Grasshoppers, the Hickory Crawdads and the Winston-Salem Dash.

Asheville Tourists

• MLB Affiliation: Houston Astros

• City: Asheville, NC

• Stadium Name: McCormick Field

• Mascot Name: Ted E. Tourist and Mr. Moon

 

Greensboro Grasshoppers

• MLB Affiliation: Pittsburgh Pirates

• City: Greensboro, NC

• Stadium Name: First National Bank Field

• Mascot Name: Guilford Grasshopper

 

Hickory Crawdads

• MLB Affiliation: Texas Rangers

• City: Hickory, NC

• Stadium Name: L. P. Frans Stadium

• Mascot Name: Conrad the Crawdad

 

Winston-Salem Dash

• MLB Affiliation: Chicago White Sox

• City: Winston-Salem, NC 

• Stadium Name: Truist Stadium

• Mascot Name: Bolt

 

Carolina League - Single A (A)

There are four NC-based teams that play in the single A Carolina League. Those teams are: the Carolina Mudcats, the Down East Wood Ducks, the Fayetteville Woodpeckers and the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers.

Carolina Mudcats

• MLB Affiliation: Milwaukee Brewers

• City: Zebulon, NC 

• Stadium Name: Five County Stadium

• Mascot Name: Muddy the Mudcat

 

Down East Wood Ducks

• MLB Affiliation: Texas Rangers

• City: Kinston, NC

• Stadium Name: Grainger Stadium

• Mascot Name: DEWD

 

Fayetteville Woodpeckers

• MLB Affiliation: Houston Astros

• City: Fayetteville, NC

• Stadium Name: Segra Stadium

• Mascot Name: Bunker the Woodpecker

 

Kannapolis Cannon Ballers

• MLB Affiliation: Chicago White Sox

• City: Kannapolis, NC 

• Stadium Name: Atrium Health Ballpark

• Mascot Name: Boomer

 

Independent Professional Baseball Teams in NC

Pro baseball in the US that is not formally affiliated with the MLB is known as Independent League baseball.

There are a wide variety of independent leagues scattered across the country, and one of those leagues has a presence in the state of North Carolina - the Atlantic League.

There are two teams based in NC that are in the Atlantic League, as detailed below.

Atlantic League

Gastonia Honey Hunters

• City: Gastonia, NC

• Stadium Name: CaroMont Health Park

 

High Point Rockers

• City: High Point, NC

• Stadium Name: Truist Point Stadium

 

NCAA Division 1 Baseball Teams in North Carolina

If you’re like me, by the time February rolls around you’re itching to catch an in-person baseball game. The best way to do that is to go see a game played by one of North Carolina’s many NCAA baseball teams, all of which play between February and May (or later) of each year. 

Wherever you’re located in the state, you’re likely just a short drive from a college program at the NCAA’s most competitive level: Division 1, or D1. 

In fact, there are approximately 19 D1 baseball programs representing eight different conferences in the state. 

Our list below showcases all of these Division 1 baseball teams in North Carolina.

Appalachian State University

• Team Name: Mountaineers

• City: Boone, NC

• Conference Name: Southern Conference

 

Campbell University

• Team Name: Camels

• City: Buies Creek, NC

• Conference Name: Big South Conference

 

Davidson College

• Team Name: Wildcats

• City: Davidson, NC

• Conference Name: Atlantic 10

 

Duke University

• Team Name: Blue Devils

• City: Durham, NC

• Conference Name: Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) 

 

East Carolina University

• Team Name: Pirates

• City: Greenville, NC

• Conference Name: Conference USA

 

Elon University

• Team Name: Phoenix 

• City: Elon, NC

• Conference Name: Colonial Athletic Association (CAA)

 

Gardner Webb University

• Team Name: Bulldogs

• City: Boiling Springs, NC

• Conference Name: Big South Conference 

 

High Point University

• Team Name: Panthers

• City: High Point, NC

• Conference Name: Big South Conference 

 

North Carolina A&T University

• Team Name: Aggies

• City: Greensboro, NC

• Conference Name: Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC)

 

North Carolina Central University

• Team Name: Eagles

• City: Durham, NC

• Conference Name: Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) 

 

North Carolina State University

• Team Name: Wolfpack

• City: Raleigh, NC

• Conference Name: Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) 

 

Queens University of Charlotte

• Team Name: Royals

• City: Charlotte, NC 

• Conference Name: Atlantic Sun

 

UNC Greensboro

• Team Name: Spartans

• City: Greensboro, NC 

• Conference Name: Southern Conference 

 

UNC Wilmington

• Team Name: Seahawks 

• City: Wilmington, NC 

• Conference Name: Colonial Athletic Association (CAA)

 

UNC Asheville

• Team Name: Bulldogs

• City: Asheville, NC 

• Conference Name: Big South Conference 

 

UNC Charlotte

• Team Name: 49ers

• City: Charlotte, NC

• Conference Name: Conference USA 

 

University of North Carolina

• Team Name: Tar Heels

• City: Chapel Hill, NC

• Conference Name: Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC)

 

Wake Forest University

• Team Name: Demon Deacons

• City: Winston-Salem, NC

• Conference Name: Atlantic Coast Conference

 

Western Carolina University

• Team Name: Catamounts

• City: Cullowhee, NC

• Conference Name: Southern Conference

 

Please Note: there is other college baseball in North Carolina besides D1 teams. We encourage you to also check out the good baseball being played by DII, DIII and NAIA programs throughout the state. 

Summer Collegiate Baseball in NC

After the NCAA baseball season ends, summer collegiate leagues across the US kick into gear. 

If you’ve never been to a summer league game, we’d highly encourage you to attend. They’re fun, often played at a quaint stadium, and they’re an affordable way to watch competitive baseball in an environment that’s great for anyone in the family. 

North Carolina has its share of summer college teams, primarily represented by the Coastal Plain League, the Premier Collegiate League and the Southern Collegiate League. 

Each of those NC-based summer collegiate baseball teams are profiled below.  

Coastal Plain League

Holly Springs Salamanders

• Location: Holly Springs, NC 

 

Morehead City Marlins

• Location: Morehead City, NC

 

Wilmington Sharks

• Location: Wilmington, NC

 

Wilson Tobs

• Location: Wilson, NC

 

Asheboro ZooKeepers

• Location: Asheboro, NC 

 

Boone Bigfoots

• Location: Boone, NC

 

Forest City Owls

• Location: Forest City, NC

 

High Point-Thomasville HiToms

• Location: Thomasville, NC

 

 

Premier Collegiate League

Edenton Steamers

• Location: Edenton, NC

 

Outer Banks Daredevils

• Location: Kill Devil Hills, NC

 

Tarboro River Bandits

• Location: Tarboro, NC

 

Southern Collegiate Baseball League

Carolina Vipers

• Location: Charlotte, NC

 

Charlotte Crushers

• Location: Charlotte, NC

 

Concord Athletics

• Location: Concord, NC

 

Lake Norman Copperheads

• Location: Cornelius, NC

 

Lenoir Oilers

• Location: Lenoir, NC

 

Mooresville Spinners

• Location: Mooresville, NC

 

Teams by Location in NC

Baseball Teams in the Charlotte Metro

As the largest metropolitan area in both North and South Carolina, the Charlotte area has a ton of good baseball to watch. If you’re interested in visiting the area - from downtown Charlotte to a small town on the fringes - you will likely be close enough to catch a game during baseball season. 

Based on the list above, those NC teams that are in the Charlotte metro are as follows:

• Charlotte Knights (AAA)
• Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (A)
• Gastonia Honey Hunters (Independent)
• Davidson College (D1)
• Gardner Webb University (D1)
• Queens University of Charlotte (D1)
• UNC Charlotte (D1)
• Carolina Vipers (Summer Leagues)
• Charlotte Crushers (Summer Leagues)
• Concord Athletics (Summer Leagues)
• Lake Norman Copperheads (Summer Leagues)
• Mooresville Spinners (Summer Leagues)

 

Baseball Teams in the Triad

The Triad is the region around the Greensboro, Winston-Salem and High Point areas in the center of the state. 

Like Charlotte and Raleigh-Durham, there’s good baseball to be found in the Triad. If you’re in the area, be sure to check out a game!

The Triad-based baseball teams are listed below:

• Greensboro Grasshoppers (A)
• Winston-Salem Dash (A)
• High Point Rockers (Independent)
• Elon University (D1)
• High Point University (D1)
• North Carolina A&T University (D1)
• UNC Greensboro (D1)
• Wake Forest University (D1)
• Asheboro ZooKeepers (Summer League)
• High Point-Thomasville HiToms (Summer League)

 

Baseball Teams in the Triangle

Ah, the Triangle (aka Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill - and all points in between). 

It’s one of the fastest growing areas in the country and is home to the state capital, Research Triangle Park and a variety of excellent colleges and universities. 

There’s plenty of in-person baseball games to catch between February to September each year in the Triangle across teams in the minor leagues, NCAA D1 and summer collegiate leagues. 

Also in the Triangle is the USA Baseball complex in Cary, which plays host to lots of amateur and collegiate baseball talent throughout the year, including the MLB draft combine.

For specific teams located in the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill area, see the following list:  

• Durham Bulls (AAA)
• Carolina Mudcats (A)
• Campbell University (D1)
• Duke University (D1)
• North Carolina Central University (D1)
• North Carolina State University (D1)
• University of North Carolina (D1)
• Holly Springs Salamanders (Summer League)

 

Baseball Teams Near the NC Coast

The Tar Heel state has lots of small (and not so small) towns scattered along its large coastline on the Atlantic Ocean.

Whether you live near the coast or you’re on vacation there, there's a good chance that a baseball game is nearby!

Those teams identified earlier in this article that play in the coastal region of North Carolina are as follows:

• Down East Wood Ducks (A)
• East Carolina University (D1)
• UNC Wilmington (D1)
• Morehead City Marlins (Summer League)
• Wilmington Sharks (Summer League)
• Edenton Steamers (Summer League)
• Outer Banks Daredevils (Summer League)
• Tarboro River Bandits (Summer League)

 

Baseball Teams in Western NC

Western North Carolina is a beautiful part of the state framed by rolling hills the give way to large, green mountains. It’s a place we enjoy visiting, as it has lots to do outdoors and friendly people everywhere. 

If you’re in western NC, a great activity to do is… you guessed it, attend a baseball game!

Those teams in our article that are based in the western region of the state are listed here:

• Asheville Tourists (A)
• Hickory Crawdads (A)
• Appalachian State University (D1)
• UNC Asheville (D1)
• Western Carolina University (D1)
• Boone Bigfoots (Summer League)
• Forest City Owls (Summer League)
• Lenoir Oilers (Summer League)

 

That's a Wrap!

As you can see, there's lots of opportunities to watch baseball in the state of North Carolina.

While we highlight the most competitive leagues in the state, remember that there's even more baseball being played from the high school level on down!

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