Double-A · Southern League · Knoxville, Tennessee, US · Covenant Health Park
Knoxville Smokies
After 25 years in suburban Kodak as the Tennessee Smokies, the Chicago Cubs' Double-A affiliate returned to downtown Knoxville in 2025 with a new name, a stunning new ballpark in Covenant Health Park, and a franchise coming off the best season in its history.
The Knoxville Smokies are the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs, playing in the Southern League at Covenant Health Park in downtown Knoxville, Tennessee. The franchise relocated from suburban Kodak, where it had played as the Tennessee Smokies since 2000, returning to Knoxville for the first time in a quarter century when the new ballpark opened in April 2025.
Covenant Health Park, a $114 million downtown stadium that won the 2025 Ballpark of the Year award, represents a transformative investment by owner Randy Boyd in both the franchise and the city of Knoxville. The ballpark has immediately become a centerpiece of Knoxville's growing entertainment district, drawing sellout crowds and bringing Double-A baseball back to the heart of East Tennessee.
The franchise has been affiliated with the Cubs since 2007, serving as one of the most productive development stops in Chicago's system. The 2024 team, still playing as the Tennessee Smokies in Kodak, posted a franchise-record 87-50 season under manager Lance Rymel, capping a remarkable final year at the old location. The inaugural Knoxville season in 2025 saw the team go 69-67, establishing the new ballpark as a premier venue.
Rymel returns for his third season as manager in 2026, joined by hitting coach Joe Dillon and pitching coaches George Thanopoulos and Jose Zapata. The Smokies continue to develop Cubs talent while building a new legacy in their downtown Knoxville home.