The Kingsport Mets are a minor league baseball

Minor league baseball

Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...

 team based in Kingsport

Kingsport, Tennessee

Kingsport is a city located mainly in Sullivan County with some western portions in Hawkins County in the US state of Tennessee. The majority of the city lies in Sullivan County...

, Tennessee

Tennessee

Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...

, United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. The team, which plays in the Appalachian League

Appalachian League

The Appalachian League is a Rookie-class minor league that began play in 1937 with one year of inactivity in 1956. From 1937 to 1962, it was a Class D League. Teams are located in the Appalachian regions of Virginia, North Carolina, West Virginia and Tennessee...

, is a Rookie League affiliate of Major League Baseball's

Major League Baseball

Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...

 New York Mets

New York Mets

The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...

.

Once housed at a local high school, Dobyns-Bennett High School, the Kingsport Mets now play their home games at Hunter Wright Stadium

Hunter Wright Stadium

Hunter Wright Stadium is a minor league baseball facility in Kingsport, Tennessee, named for the popular muli-term former mayor. Built in 1995, it seats 2,500...

. In 1983 while Dobyns-Bennett's field was being renovated, the team temporary moved to Sarasota, Florida

Sarasota, Florida

Sarasota is a city located in Sarasota County on the southwestern coast of the U.S. state of Florida. It is south of the Tampa Bay Area and north of Fort Myers...

 and played in the Gulf Coast League

Gulf Coast League

The Gulf Coast League is a minor league baseball league which operates in Florida. It is a Rookie League, with a season running from mid-June to late August. The season is 60 games long and teams in the league are divided into three divisions, East, North and South...

.

Former Mets players Darryl Strawberry

Darryl Strawberry

Darryl Eugene Strawberry is a former American Major League Baseball outfielder who is well-known both for his play on the field and for his controversial behavior off it...

, Dwight Gooden

Dwight Gooden

Dwight Eugene Gooden , nicknamed "Doc Gooden" or "Dr. K", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He was one of the most dominant and feared pitchers in the National League in the middle and late 1980s.-Career:...

, and Kevin Mitchell as well as current stars José Reyes, David Wright, Lastings Milledge

Lastings Milledge

Lastings Darnell Milledge is an American professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent. He was the youngest player in the National League during the 2006 season.-Early life:Milledge was born in Bradenton, Florida...

, and AJ Burnett made their professional debut in Kingsport. In addition former National League MVP Dale Murphy

Dale Murphy

Dale Bryan Murphy is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and first baseman. During an 18-year baseball career, 1976–1993, he played for three different teams, but is noted for his time with the Atlanta Braves...

 and Cy Young Award Winner Steve Bedrosian

Steve Bedrosian

Stephen Wayne Bedrosian, is an American former baseball player. Nicknamed "Bedrock", he played from 1981 to 1995 with the Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, San Francisco Giants and Minnesota Twins...

 played in Kingsport when they were a Braves

Atlanta Braves

The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....

 affiliate from 1974-80. Al Cowens

Al Cowens

Alfred Edward Cowens, Jr. was a right fielder in Major League Baseball. From through , Cowens played for the Kansas City Royals , California Angels , Detroit Tigers and Seattle Mariners . He batted and threw right-handed.A native of Los Angeles, California, Cowens was a product of the Kansas...

 and U.L. Washington were notable players when the Royals

Kansas City Royals

The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...

 were in town from 1969-73.

The team won the Appalachian League titles in 1988 and 1995.

All Silver Anniversary Team (Named in 2005)

• Position Players
• C-Brook Fordyce
  Brook Fordyce
  Brook Alexander Fordyce born is a former Major League Baseball catcher who played for the New York Mets , Cincinnati Reds , Chicago White Sox , Baltimore Orioles , and Tampa Bay Devil Rays ....
  
  
• 1B-Gregg Jefferies
  Gregg Jefferies
  Gregory Scott "Gregg" Jefferies is a retired infielder/outfielder in Major League Baseball who had a 14-year career from 1987 to 2000.-New York Mets:...
  
  
• 2B-Quilvio Veras
  Quilvio Veras
  Quilvio Alberto Veras Perez is a former Major League Baseball second baseman. He is currently a roving coach for the Kansas City Royals....
  
  
• 3B-David Wright
• SS-Jose Reyes
• LF-Kevin Mitchell
• CF-Preston Wilson
  Preston Wilson
  Preston James Richard Wilson is a retired professional baseball outfielder. He played in the major leagues from 1998-2007. He is both the nephew and stepson of former New York Mets star Mookie Wilson...
  
  
• RF-Darryl Strawberry
  Darryl Strawberry
  Darryl Eugene Strawberry is a former American Major League Baseball outfielder who is well-known both for his play on the field and for his controversial behavior off it...
  
  
• DH-Terrence Long
  Terrence Long
  Terrence Deon Long is a former outfielder in Major League Baseball. Long batted and threw left-handed....
  
  
• UTIL-Brian Daubach
  Brian Daubach
  Brian Michael Daubach is a retired Major League Baseball player and current minor league baseball manager. During his playing career Daubach served as a first baseman, outfielder, and designated hitter...
  
  
• Pitchers
• RHP-Dwight Gooden
  Dwight Gooden
  Dwight Eugene Gooden , nicknamed "Doc Gooden" or "Dr. K", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He was one of the most dominant and feared pitchers in the National League in the middle and late 1980s.-Career:...
  
  
• LHP-Pete Schourek
  Pete Schourek
  Peter Alan Schourek is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher who played for the New York Mets, Cincinnati Reds, Houston Astros, Boston Red Sox, and Pittsburgh Pirates from 1991 to 2001...
  
  
• RP-Randy Myers
  Randy Myers
  Randall Kirk Myers is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. During a 14-year baseball career, he pitched from 1985-1998 for the New York Mets, Cincinnati Reds, San Diego Padres, Chicago Cubs, Baltimore Orioles, and Toronto Blue Jays.-Career:Myers first began his major league career with...
  
  
• RP-Jason Isringhausen
  Jason Isringhausen
  Jason Derik Isringhausen is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher.-New York Mets:Isringhausen was chosen as a draft-and-follow prospect by the New York Mets in the 44th round of the 1991 Major League Baseball Draft...
  
  
• Manager
• MGR-John Gibbons
  John Gibbons
  John Michael Gibbons was the manager of the Toronto Blue Jays in Major League Baseball from 2004 to 2008...
  
  

External links

• Official Kingsport Mets website