From 1982 to 2019, the New York Mets sent their Minor League Professional Baseball Players to Kingsport. Kingsport won two Appalachian League Titles. The first one was in 1988 and the second was in 1995.
The combination of winning seasons, a strong fan base and dozens of former Major League stars that began their career in Kingsport made Hunter Wright Stadium a great Minor League attraction. This great success has seen dozens of Major League players have passed through Kingsport on their way to the Big Leagues. Most notable alumni include Darryl Strawberry, Dwight Gooden, Kevin Mitchell, Jose’ Reyes, David Wright, Lastings Milledge and A.J. Burnett.
The Axmen cruised to the 2022 Appalachian League West Division title before taking down the Burlington Sock Puppets, 5-2, in the championship game. Ryan Murphy was the MVP after holding the Sock Puppets to one run over five innings while Hunter Henry homered for Kingsport.