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Minor league baseball has a rich history in California, going back more than a century. But minor league baseball is changing. Like other professional sports, it has become a big-money game, attracting owners looking to cash in on rising team values. One Central Valley city is witnessing what that big-money game looks like firsthand, as its longtime team plays its last few home games, before moving to Southern California.

Modesto Nuts Wrap Up Last Season In The Central Valley

Minor league baseball has undergone major changes over the last five years. Major League Baseball took over and reorganized the minors in 2021, cutting ties with dozens of teams that had been affiliated with big league clubs. At the time, Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred cited several reasons for the decision — the need to fix older, rundown ballparks, improving training facilities for players, reducing the travel burden for teams and the fact that there are too many players that are drafted and signed who don’t have a realistic shot to make it to the majors. He said in a lot of cases, minor league teams wouldn’t agree to those changes.

At the same time, Diamond Baseball Holdings, a private equity firm, jumped into the minor league ownership game. They partnered with Major League Baseball to advise them on a new strategy for the minor leagues. That led to the purchase of several minor league clubs. Now, Diamond Baseball owns more than 40 minor league teams, including several in California.

In late 2024, Diamond Baseball Holdings announced the purchase of the Modesto Nuts, the Seattle Mariners Single-A affiliate. The team will be moving to San Bernardino.

Modesto has a long and storied history of minor league baseball, dating back to the 1940’s. The news has been devastating for longtime Modesto fans. “I have a daughter. She’s now 9. And the first thing she told me when the team was leaving is – they’re taking my second home from me,” said 15-year season ticketholder Robert Kanbara. Fellow season ticketholder Donald Nall said he’s not sure how he’s going to replace going to games at John Thurman Field. “This is my happy place. I come and just love being at the ball field,” he said. Fans we spoke with talked about the access to players and kid-friendly environment. But many have also made lifelong friends at Nuts’ games.

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There are still questions as to what role Diamond Baseball Holdings will play in the minor league landscape. The company didn’t respond to questions for this story. But they have stated that their main interest is promoting and growing the sport, with a focus on innovation and partnerships. Nola Agha is a Professor of Sports Management at the University of San Francisco. She said the company will have a leading role in trying to turn minor league baseball into a big-time attraction. “Diamond Baseball Holdings has been hired by Major League Baseball to sell title sponsorships. In some ways, this organization is benefiting all the minor league teams by developing national sponsors and maybe finding a national title sponsor for all of minor league baseball,” she said. And with the value of professional sports franchises skyrocketing, Diamond Baseball could also play a huge role in the future of franchise valuation.

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Modesto Loses Single-A Minor League Team

Modesto Loses Its Longtime Minor League Baseball Team