Hickory Crawdads

The Hickory Crawdads are the Single-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers, playing in the Carolina League at L.P. Frans Stadium in Hickory, North Carolina. The franchise was established in 1993 when local businessmen Don Beaver, Luther Beaver, and Charles Young purchased the Gastonia Rangers and relocated them to Hickory, giving the foothills community its own professional baseball team.

The Crawdads have won three league championships across their history: in 2002 and 2004 as a Pittsburgh Pirates affiliate, and in 2015 under the Texas Rangers banner. The Rangers partnership, which began in 2009, has been the franchise's longest and most productive affiliation, with Hickory serving as a key development stop for future Texas stars.

L.P. Frans Stadium, named for local Pepsi bottler Lee Polk Frans, has been the team's only home since its inaugural 1993 season. The city-owned facility provides an intimate minor league experience in one of western North Carolina's most charming communities. The stadium sits against a backdrop of the Blue Ridge foothills, giving the ballpark a scenic setting that few minor league venues can match.

The Texas Rangers purchased the team from the Beaver family following the 2017 season, making the Crawdads a directly-owned affiliate. Under new manager Nick Janssen for 2026, the Crawdads continue to develop the next wave of Rangers talent while maintaining the small-town charm that has defined the franchise for over three decades.