Dayton Dragons facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dayton Dragons Founded in 1988 in Rockford, Illinois Based in Dayton, Ohio since 2000
Team logo Cap insignia
Class-level
Current	High-A (2021–present)
Previous	Class A (2000–2020)
Minor league affiliations
League	Midwest League (1988–present)
Division	East Division
Major league affiliations
Current	Cincinnati Reds (1999–present)
Previous	Chicago Cubs (1995–1998) Kansas City Royals (1993–1994) Montreal Expos (1988–1992)
Minor league titles
League titles (0)	None
Division titles (6)	1988 1993 1994 2001 2011 2021
Second half titles (1)	2024
Team data
Nickname	Dayton Dragons (2000–present)
Previous names	Rockford Reds (1999) Rockford Cubbies (1995–1998) Rockford Royals (1993–1994) Rockford Expos (1988–1992)
Colors	Black, medium green, light gray, white
Mascots	Heater, Gem, Wink, and Blaze
Ballpark	Day Air Ballpark (2000–present)
Previous parks	Marinelli Field (1988–1999)
Owner(s)/ Operator(s)	Diamond Baseball Holdings
General Manager	Robert Murphy

The Dayton Dragons are a professional Minor League Baseball team. They play in the Midwest League. The team is connected to the Cincinnati Reds, a major league team. The Dragons are based in Dayton, Ohio. They play their home games at Day Air Ballpark.

In 2011, the Dragons set an amazing record. They had 815 games in a row that were completely sold out. This broke the record for any professional sports team. The previous record was held by the Portland Trail Blazers basketball team. The Dragons' sellout streak is still going strong today!

The Dragons team moved to Dayton in the year 2000. Before that, the team was located in Rockford, Illinois. It had different names over the years, like the Rockford Expos and Rockford Reds. In 2021, the team's league name changed temporarily. It was called the High-A Central. But in 2022, it went back to being the Midwest League.

Day Air Ballpark: Home of the Dragons

The Dragons play their home games at Day Air Ballpark in Dayton. This stadium was known as Fifth Third Field until 2020. In their first year, the Dragons set a new attendance record. Over 581,000 fans came to their games. They broke this record again in 2003, 2004, and 2010. The 2010 record of 597,433 fans is still the highest for a Class-A team.

The Dragons have had many fans over the years. They have averaged over 8,200 fans per game. They have been number one in attendance for their league every year. This includes all 24 years they have existed. In 2022, they had the highest average attendance. This was true for all 120 Minor League Baseball teams.

The team's sellout streak is truly special. On July 9, 2011, they reached 815 sold-out games in a row. This was a new record for all professional sports in the US. By May 10, 2014, the streak reached 1,000 games. On August 26, 2023, it hit 1,500 games. The team's website says every home game for their first 20 years was a sellout. The streak was paused in 2020 because the season was canceled. It was also paused in 2021 due to rules about fewer fans. As of late 2024, the streak is 1,573 games. This is an all-time record for sports in North America.

Team Ownership

In 2014, the original owners sold the team. A group called Palisades Arcadia Baseball LLC bought it. This group was led by Greg Rosenbaum, Nicholas Sakellariadis, and Michael Savit.

In March 2025, Palisades Arcadia announced a new sale. They agreed to sell the Dragons to Diamond Baseball Holdings. This company owns and runs many Minor League teams. The Dragons will stay in Dayton. They will also continue to be connected to the Cincinnati Reds. Robert Murphy and his team will keep running the club.

Dragons' Achievements and Awards

Elly De La Cruz playing for the Dayton Dragons in 2022.

The Dayton Dragons have achieved many great things. They have led the Midwest League in total attendance every season. They have also been the top team for attendance below the Triple-A level for many years.

Here are some of their notable achievements:

• In 2000 and 2012, Robert Murphy, the Dragons President, won an award. He was named the Midwest League Executive of the Year.
• In 2004, the Dragons won the Bob Freitas Award. This award recognizes the best Class-A baseball team.
• In 2007, Sports Illustrated magazine named the Dragons. They were called one of the "10 Hottest Tickets in Sports."
• On July 9, 2011, the Dragons set a new record. They had 815 consecutive sold-out games. This was a record for all professional sports. By the end of the 2023 season, the streak was 1,507 games.
• In 2011, Ballpark Digest named the Dragons the "Minor League Baseball Organization of the Year." This was a big year for them.
  • They set the all-time professional sports sellout streak (815 games).
  • They finished first in their division.
  • They had the best overall record in the Midwest League.
  • They set new team records for wins (83–57).
  • They also set records for stolen bases (224). Billy Hamilton stole 103 bases that year.
  • The team's pitching was excellent, setting records for ERA and strikeouts.
• In 2012, the Dragons were a finalist for "Professional Sports Team of the Year." This was from Sports Business Journal.
• Also in 2012, the Dragons won the John H. Johnson President's Trophy. This award is given to the best Minor League team. It recognizes stability, community contributions, and promoting baseball. Only two other Midwest League teams have won this award.
• In 2016, Forbes magazine listed the Dragons. They were the third-most valuable Minor League Baseball team. They were the most valuable Class A team.
• In 2016, Brandy Guinaugh won an award. She was named the Rawlings Woman Executive of the Year for Minor League Baseball.
• From 2016 to 2018, the Dragons were nominated for an award. It was the Charles K. Murphy Patriot Award. This award is for supporting the U.S. Armed Forces and Veterans.
• In 2018, the Dragons won another award. They were named the Miami Valley's Customer Service Business of the Year.
• Also in 2018, Robert Murphy was recognized again. He was named the Minor League Baseball Executive of the Year by Baseball America.

Dragons' Season Records

This table shows how the Dragons have performed each season:

Dragons Players Who Made it to the Major Leagues

Since 2000, 143 players from the Dayton Dragons have gone on to play in Major League Baseball. Here are some of the well-known players who played for the Dragons:

Managers and Coaches of the Dragons

The Dragons have had 12 different managers throughout their history:

Some past Dragons coaches are famous players. They are even in the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame:

• Chris Sabo (2005 Dragons hitting coach)
• Ken Griffey, Sr. (2010 Dragons hitting coach)
• Tom Browning (2012, 2015 Dragons pitching coach)

Dragons in the Media

You can follow the Dragons games through radio and television.

Radio Broadcasts

All Dragons home and away games are on the radio. You can listen on 980 WONE. Tom Nichols is the main announcer. You can also listen online at daytondragons.com and wone.com. There's also a Dragons mobile app. The games moved to WONE in 2011. Before that, they were on WING 1410 AM and WHIO 1290 AM. Tom Nichols has been the main announcer since 2008.

Television Broadcasts

The Dragons have televised 25 games each season since 2011. Tom Nichols is also the lead announcer for TV. In 2016, the games started airing on WBDT (Dayton's CW). This was the first time games were on a regular TV station. Since 2016, Jack Pohl has joined Nichols for the TV broadcasts. Before 2011, only 15 games were televised each season. Many former baseball players have been TV commentators for the Dragons. These include Joe Nuxhall and Ken Griffey Sr..

Current Team Roster

Amazing Player Moments in Dragons History

Dragons players have created many memorable moments:

• Austin Kearns hit home runs in eight games in a row. This happened from July 17–24, 2000.
• In 2002, Bobby Basham pitched three complete game shutouts in a row. He allowed only 11 hits and two walks in 27 innings.
• Donald Lutz was the first Dragons player to hit for the cycle. This means he hit a single, double, triple, and home run in one game. He did it on July 21, 2011.
• Billy Hamilton stole 103 bases in 2011. He was the first player in the Cincinnati Reds organization to steal over 100 bases in a season.
• Seth Mejias-Brean hit a "walk-off" grand slam on July 18, 2013. This means his home run won the game when his team was losing by three runs.
• On May 20, 2017, three Dragons pitchers combined for a no-hitter. Scott Moss, Carlos Machorro, and Brian Hunter did not allow any hits.
• On July 31, 2017, José Siri had a hitting streak of 36 games. This broke a Midwest League record from 1977. His streak eventually reached 39 games.