Top 10 Minor League Baseball Caps

There's something about a good baseball cap—please don't call it a hat.

Looking to support the affiliates of my favorite Major League team, I decided to purchase the caps of each of the ball clubs.

It started with the Rochester Red Wings. I was surprised by the sheer volume of caps available, not just for my favorite teams, but for all of the minor league baseball clubs.

I delved into the minor leagues looking for (in my opinion) the best baseball caps out there.

I was equally surprised by some of the names of the teams.

There were plenty of dogs and cats: Charleston River Dogs, Sacramento River Cats, New Britain Rock Cats, and the Midland Rock Hounds to name a few.

There were some dirty animals as well—Carolina Mudcats, Toledo Mudhens, and Bativia Muckdogs.

And some truly unusual mascots: Modesto Nuts, Montogomery Biscuits, Hickory Crawdads, and the Jamestown Jammers.

The list includes teams from Rookie League to Class AAA.

No. 10—Erie Seawolves

The Erie Seawolves are the Double-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers.

Their homes games are played at Jerry Uht Park.

They are currently 42-63 in the Western Division of the Eastern League.

One of their top hitters is left fielder Andy Dirks. In 95 games he has 10 home runs and a .277 batting average.

Thad Weber leads the team in innings pitched and has a 7-11 record and a 4.07 ERA.

No, 9 —Richmond Flying Squirrels

I couldn't help but wonder, where's the Moose?

The Richmond Flying Squirrels are the Double-A affiliate for the San Francisco Giants.

Their stadium is simply known as The Diamond.

Also playing in the Western Division of the Eastern League, they are 49-55.

Left fielder Thomas Neal has played in 102 games this season. He has nine home runs and a .289 batting average.

David Mixon has pitched 127 innings and leads the team with 10 wins. His record is 10-6, and he has a 3.69 ERA and 92 strikeouts.

No. 8—Inland Empire 66ers

This cap has a nice retro look to it.

The Inland Empire 66ers are the Class-A club for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Their home field is Arrowhead Credit Union Park located in San Bernardino, Calif.

They play in the South Division of the Advanced Class-A California League.

They are currently 42-61.

Second baseman Travis Denker has a .332 batting average in 72 games and has hit 21 doubles.

Pitcher Ethan Martin leads the team with a 9-8 record and a 5.23 ERA with 85 strikeouts in 93 innings.

No. 7—Toledo Hud Hens

The Mud Hens are the Triple-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers.

The Mud Hens call Fifth Third Field home.

Playing in the West Division of the International League, they have a record of 53-52.

As the top club for the Tigers, some Mud Hens will be making appearances this year as part of the September call-ups.

Second baseman Scott Sizemore, who has seen some action in the majors this year, is currently batting .329 with six home runs in 41 games.

Alfredo Figaro leads the Mud Hens with 106 innings pitched. He is 9-6 with 93 strikeouts.

No. 6—Orem Owlz

The Owlz play in Orem, Utah, in the South Division of the Pioneer League.

Their home field is simply known as Orem Owlz Ballpark.

They are the rookie club for the Los Angeles Angels.

They are currently 18-18.

Center fielder Travis Witherspoon leads the team with 34 games played. He is batting .296 with six home runs.

Max Russell's 4-0 record leads the team. He has a 3.41 ERA in 31.2 innings with 31 strikeouts.

No. 5—Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

Here are the top five!

The Timber Rattlers play in Appleton, Wisc., at the Fox Cities Stadium as part of the Midwest League.

They are the Class-A club for the Milwaukee Brewers.

Their record is 41-58.

Ryan Gennett has a .324 average having played 93 games at second base.

Jake Odorizzi leads the club with a 6-1 record and a 2.98 ERA. He averages better than a strikeout per inning with 111 Ks in 90.2 innings pitched.

No. 4—Savannah Sand Gnats

Gnats themselves, may not be very intimidating, but a swarm can wreck havoc.

The Sand Gnats are the class A affiliate of the New York Mets.

They play at Grayson Stadium in the South Division of the South Atlantic League and are currently 55-47.

Center fielder Pedro Zapata leads the team with 365 AB in 84 games. He's batting .298 with 15 doubles and seven triples, and he has stolen 27 bases.

Pitcher James Fuller leads the team with a 1.93 ERA and has an 8-3 record and 95 Ks in 102.1 innings.

No. 3—Winston-Salem Dash

This cap screams speed!

The Dash are the class A affiliate for the Chicago White Sox.

Their home field is BB&T Ballpark.

They are currently 60-42 in the South Division of the Carolina League.

Third baseman Jon Gilmore leads the team with 426 at bats in 100 games. He is hitting .333 with 19 doubles.

Pitcher Charles Leesman leads the team with a 9-4 record. His ERA is a little high at 5.10, and he has some wildness with hit 11 batters and 44 walks in 84.2 innings pitched.

No. 2—Mahoning Valley Scrappers

This is a great cap—it reminds me of the bulldog from the old Tom and Jerry cartoons.

The Scrappers' home is Eastwood Field in Niles, Ohio.

They are the Class-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians and play in the New York-Penn League.

They are currently 14-24.

Outfielder Jonathan Burnette leads the team with 136 at-bats in 35 games. He currently has a .294 average and leads the team with four home runs.

Alex Kaminsky leads the team in pitching with a 4-2 record and a 1.96 ERA in 41.1 innings pitched.

No. 1 - Quad Cities River Bandits

Just something about a masked animal wearing a mask!

The QC River Bandits are a Class A club of the St. Louis Cardinals.

Playing at Modern Woodman Park in Davenport, Iowa, the River Bandits are currently 60-38 in the Midwest League.

With a batting average of .305, first baseman Matthew Adams leads the team in games played (92), at-bats (348), home runs (14), and runs batted in (61).

Deryk Hooker has a 5-4 record with 88 strikeouts and a 2.83 ERA in 70 innings pitched.

Honorable Mention —Jamestown Jammers

I wasn't sure what a Jammer was until I went to the website.

Now I know what happens when an angry bunch of grapes comes after you!

Popular Opinion—Lake Elsinore Storm

The "eyes" have it—another great cap!

Another Honarable Mention—Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs

Thanks to Steven for his suggestion.

The Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs are the Triple-A affiliate to the Philadelphia Phillies and play their home games at Coca-Cola Park in Allentown, Pennsylvania. 

Another great cap with some "angry eyes!"