Nashville Xpress all-time roster

The Nashville Xpress Minor League Baseball team played two seasons in Nashville, Tennessee, from 1993 to 1994 as the Double-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. In those seasons, a total of 60 players competed in at least one game for the Xpress. The 1993 roster included a total of 35 players, while 38 played for the team in 1994. There were 13 players who were members of the team in both seasons. Of the 60 all-time Xpress players, 22 also played in at least one game for a Major League Baseball (MLB) team during their careers.^[2][3]

Eddie Guardado, a pitcher for the 1993 Xpress, was called up after 10 starts to make his MLB debut with the Minnesota Twins on June 13, 1993.^[1]

After the 1992 baseball season, Charlotte, North Carolina, home of the Double-A Southern League's Charlotte Knights, acquired a Triple-A expansion team in the International League, leaving the Southern League franchise in need of a new home.^[4] Larry Schmittou, president of the Triple-A Nashville Sounds, offered Herschel Greer Stadium as a temporary home for the displaced team until owner George Shinn could find a permanent home for his club.^[5] Upon the league's approval, the franchise relocated to Nashville and became the Nashville Xpress.^[6] In order to accommodate two teams at Greer, the Xpress' games were scheduled for during the Sounds' road trips.^[6]

As no other solution could be reached for 1994, Schmittou allowed the franchise to remain at Greer for a second season.^[7] Meanwhile, in October 1993, Dennis Bastien purchased the Xpress with the intention of moving the club to Lexington, Kentucky, for the 1995 season,^[8] but those plans fell through when he was unable to broker a financial deal with the city to build a ballpark.^[7][9] Bastien later arrived at terms to relocate to Springfield, Missouri, in 1997.^[10] The Xpress left Nashville after the 1994 campaign to play on an interim basis in Wilmington, North Carolina, where they were known as the Port City Roosters in 1995 and 1996.^[11] The team, however, never made it to Springfield after the city was unable to secure federal funding for a ballpark.^[12] The forlorn franchise was subsequently sold and placed in Mobile, Alabama, as the Mobile BayBears in 1997.^[12]

Nashville pitcher Oscar Múñoz and outfielder Rich Becker were selected for the 1993 Double-A All-Star Game.^[13] Becker was also named to the Southern League's postseason All-Star team.^[14] Múñoz was chosen to receive the 1993 Southern League Most Outstanding Pitcher Award.^[15] In 1994, Xpress pitchers LaTroy Hawkins and Marc Barcelo were selected for the Double-A All-Star Game,^[16] and right-hander Brad Radke was named to the league's postseason All-Star squad.^[14]

Three players went on to be selected to play in Major League Baseball All-Star Games after their stints in Nashville: Eddie Guardado (2002 & 2003),^[17] Damian Miller (2002),^[18] and Brad Radke (1998).^[19] In 1995, Marty Cordova was voted the American League Rookie of the Year.^[20] Three Xpress players also played for the Nashville Sounds: LaTroy Hawkins (2010–11),^[21] Todd Ritchie (1999),^[22] and Scott Cepicky (1993—one season before playing for the Xpress).^[23]

Table key

Position(s)	The player's primary fielding position(s)[n 1]
Notes	Statistics shown only for playing time with the Xpress
MLB	Indicates that a player played in at least one game for a major league team
†	Player was an MLB award winner or All-Star after playing for the Xpress

Players

LaTroy Hawkins, who pitched for the 1994 Xpress, went on to appear in 1,042 big league games over his 21-year MLB career.^[24]

After retiring as a player, catcher Scott Stricklin of the 1994 Xpress began coaching college baseball in 1998.^[25]

Rich Garcés led the 1994 Xpress pitching staff with a 1.000 fielding percentage in 40 appearances.^[3]

Name	Season(s)	Position(s)	Notes	MLB	Ref.
Marc Barcelo	1993–1994	Pitcher	12–6 record 2.72 earned run average 158 strikeouts	No	[26]
Rich Becker	1993	Outfielder	.287 batting average 15 home runs 66 runs batted in	Yes	[27]
Jayson Best	1993	Pitcher	1–0 record 11.81 earned run average 7 strikeouts	No	[28]
Anthony Byrd	1994	Outfielder	.236 batting average 7 home runs 38 runs batted in	No	[29]
Scott Cepicky	1994	First baseman/designated hitter	.225 batting average 8 home runs 32 runs batted in	No	[23]
Ted Corbin	1993–1994	Shortstop	.222 batting average 2 doubles 14 runs batted in	No	[30]
Marty Cordova†[MLB 1]	1993	Outfielder	.250 batting average 19 home runs 77 runs batted in	Yes	[31]
Mike Daniel	1994	Catcher	.236 batting average 6 home runs 16 runs batted in	No	[32]
Adell Davenport	1994	First baseman/third baseman	.236 batting average 20 home runs 71 runs batted in	No	[33]
Javy DeJesus	1994	Pitcher	0.00 earned run average 2 innings pitched 2 strikeouts	No	[34]
Rex De La Nuez	1993	Outfielder	.236 batting average 8 home runs 43 runs batted in	No	[35]
Andres Duncan	1994	Shortstop	.254 batting average 9 home runs 46 runs batted in	No	[36]
Steve Dunn	1993	First baseman	.262 batting average 14 home runs 60 runs batted in	Yes	[37]
Mike Durant	1993	Catcher	.243 batting average 8 home runs 57 runs batted in	Yes	[38]
Mike Fernandez	1994	Third baseman	.000 batting average 1 strikeout 4 plate appearances	No	[39]
Gus Gandarillas	1994	Pitcher	2–2 record 3.16 earned run average 29 strikeouts	Yes	[40]
Rich Garcés	1994	Pitcher	4–5 record 3.72 earned run average 76 strikeouts	Yes	[41]
Sean Gavaghan	1993–1994	Pitcher	9–5 record 1.78 earned run average 93 strikeouts	No	[42]
Ed Gerald	1994	Outfielder	.272 batting average 13 home runs 52 runs batted in	No	[43]
Pedro Grifol	1993–1994	Catcher	.187 batting average 6 home runs 33 runs batted in	No	[44]
Eddie Guardado†[MLB 2]	1993	Pitcher	4–0 record 1.24 earned run average 57 strikeouts	Yes	[1]
LaTroy Hawkins	1994	Pitcher	9–2 record 2.33 earned run average 53 strikeouts	Yes	[21]
Steve Hazlett	1994	Outfielder	.293 batting average 14 home runs 54 runs batted in	No	[45]
Jon Henry	1993–1994	Pitcher	12–3 record 2.87 earned run average 66 strikeouts	No	[46]
Denny Hocking	1993	Shortstop	.267 batting average 8 home runs 50 runs batted in	Yes	[47]
Tom Houk	1993	Third baseman	.229 batting average 2 home runs 29 runs batted in	No	[48]
Greg Johnson	1993	Pitcher	3–1 record 2.80 earned run average 54 strikeouts	No	[49]
Jason Klonoski	1993	Pitcher	4–6 record 3.16 earned run average 56 strikeouts	No	[50]
Dom Konieczki	1993	Pitcher	2–6 record 6.66 earned run average 39 strikeouts	No	[51]
Andrew Kontorinis	1994	First baseman	.161 batting average 1 home run 2 runs batted in	No	[52]
Jeff Mansur	1993–1994	Pitcher	11–17 record 5.01 earned run average 111 strikeouts	No	[53]
Dan Masteller	1993	First baseman/outfielder	.273 batting average 3 home runs 16 runs batted in	Yes	[54]
Bob McCreary	1993	Pitcher	3–8 record 5.31 earned run average 42 strikeouts	No	[55]
Mike McDonald	1993	Outfielder	.257 batting average 7 home runs 31 runs batted in	No	[56]
Damian Miller†[MLB 3]	1993–1994	Catcher	.269 batting average 8 home runs 35 runs batted in	Yes	[57]
Travis Miller	1994	Pitcher	0–0 record 2.84 earned run average 4 strikeouts	Yes	[58]
Mike Misuraca	1993–1994	Pitcher	14–10 record 3.74 earned run average 160 strikeouts	Yes	[59]
Tim Moore	1994	Outfielder	.248 batting average 18 home runs 67 runs batted in	No	[60]
William Mota	1993	First baseman	.234 batting average 2 home runs 26 runs batted in	No	[61]
Scott Moten	1994	Pitcher	0–1 record 3.86 earned run average 4 strikeouts	No	[62]
Oscar Múñoz	1993–1994	Pitcher	14–4 record 2.70 earned run average 160 strikeouts	Yes	[63]
Dan Naulty	1994	Pitcher	0–7 record 5.89 earned run average 29 strikeouts	Yes	[64]
Alan Newman	1993	Pitcher	1–6 record 6.03 earned run average 35 strikeouts	Yes	[65]
Joe Norris	1994	Pitcher	6–8 record 4.22 earned run average 83 strikeouts	No	[66]
Brian Raabe	1993	Second baseman/third baseman	.286 batting average 6 home runs 52 runs batted in	Yes	[67]
Brad Radke†[MLB 4]	1993–1994	Pitcher	14–15 record 3.23 earned run average 199 strikeouts	Yes	[68]
Todd Ritchie	1993–1994	Pitcher	3–4 record 3.84 earned run average 50 strikeouts	Yes	[22]
David Rivera	1993	Second baseman	.237 batting average 3 home runs 33 runs batted in	No	[69]
Brett Roberts	1994	Pitcher	2–1 record 6.75 earned run average 11 strikeouts	No	[70]
Bob Robinson	1993	Pitcher	2–4 record 5.16 earned run average 26 strikeouts	No	[71]
Paul Russo	1994	Third baseman	.227 batting average 10 home runs 40 runs batted in	No	[72]
Erik Schullstrom	1993–1994	Pitcher	2–2 record 3.17 earned run average 54 strikeouts	Yes	[73]
Mitch Simons	1994	Second baseman	.317 batting average 3 home runs 48 runs batted in	No	[74]
Scott Stahoviak	1993	Third baseman	.272 batting average 12 home runs 56 runs batted in	Yes	[75]
Scott Stricklin	1994	Catcher	.237 batting average 4 doubles 1 run batted in	No	[76]
Dennis Sweeney	1994	Pitcher	1–2 record 7.09 earned run average 25 strikeouts	No	[77]
Kenneth Tirpack	1994	First baseman/designated hitter	.220 batting average 1 home runs 13 runs batted in	No	[78]
Ricky Ward	1994	Second baseman	.187 batting average 6 home runs 20 runs batted in	No	[79]
Scott Watkins	1993–1994	Pitcher	1–1 record 5.51 earned run average 28 strikeouts	Yes	[80]
Bill Wissler	1993	Pitcher	10–10 record 3.95 earned run average 115 strikeouts	No	[81]

Notes

Table keys

1. Players are listed at a position if they appeared in 30% of their games or more at that position during their Xpress career, as defined by Baseball-Reference.

MLB award winners and All-Stars

1. Marty Cordova: American League Rookie of the Year (1995)^[20]
2. Eddie Guardado: American League All-Star (2002 & 2003)^[17]
3. Damian Miller: National League All-Star (2002)^[18]
4. Brad Radke: American League All-Star (1998)^[19]