# Cedar Rapids Kernels

The Cedar Rapids Kernels are a Minor League Baseball team of the Midwest League and the High-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. They are located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and play their home games at Veterans Memorial Stadium. The Kernels are owned by Cedar Rapids Ball Club, Inc. (also known as Cedar Rapids Baseball Club, Inc.).

## Cedar Rapids baseball history

Cedar Rapids first began play in 1890 and have played 110 seasons through 2015. The franchise has been a member of various leagues preceding the Midwest League. They have been a member of the Central Association (1949), Western League (1934–1937), Mississippi Valley League (1922–1932), Central Association (1913–1917), Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League (1901–1909, 1920–1921, 1938–1942, 1950–1961), Western Association (1896–1899), Eastern Iowa League (1895) and the Illinois–Iowa League (1890–1891). The team also had numerous nicknames prior to joining the Midwest League: Cedar Rapids Braves (1958–1962), Cedar Rapids Raiders (1953–1957), Cedar Rapids Indians (1950–1952), Cedar Rapids Rockets (1949), Cedar Rapids Raiders (1934–1942), Cedar Rapids Red Raiders (1963–1964), Cedar Rapids Bunnies (1904–1932), Cedar Rapids Rabbits (1896–1903) and Cedar Rapids Canaries (1890–1891).
When Cedar Rapids was awarded a Midwest League franchise in 1962, the franchise switched back to the Red Raiders (1962–1964) nickname. Subsequently, the team used the name of the major league franchise it affiliated with: the Cardinals (1965–1972), the Astros (1973–1974), the Giants (1975–1979), and the Reds (1980–1992). The team adopted the current "Kernels" nickname before the 1993 season. On the field, the franchise won Midwest League championships in 1988, 1992, 1994, and 2023.
In conjunction with Major League Baseball's restructuring of Minor League Baseball in 2021, the Kernels were organized into the High-A Central. In 2022, the High-A Central became known as the Midwest League, the name historically used by the regional circuit prior to the 2021 reorganization.

## Ballpark

The team's first home ballpark was Belden Hill Park, followed by the original Veterans Memorial Stadium, which opened in 1949. In August 2000 voters approved a referendum to build a new ballpark adjacent to the old one, which was demolished after the 2001 season. The new Veterans Memorial Stadium was completed in time for the opening of the 2002 season, and the Kernels set a franchise attendance record of 196,066 in the new park's inaugural year.

## Notable alumni

Baseball Hall of Fame alumni
* Lou Boudreau (1938) Inducted, (1970)
* Trevor Hoffman (1991) Inducted, (2018)
* John McGraw (1891) Inducted, (1937)
* Ted Simmons (1967) Inducted, (2020)
Notable alumni
* Barney Pelty (1903)
* Bill Wambsganss (1913)
* Bill Zuber (1932)
* Allie Reynolds (1940–41) 5 x MLB All-Star; 1952 AL ERA Leader
* Rocky Colavito (1952) 6 x MLB All-Star; 1959 AL Home Run Leader; 1965 AL RBI Leader
* John Roseboro (1955) 4 x MLB All-Star
* Denis Menke (1958–59) 2 x MLB All-Star
* Tony Cloninger (1959)
* Tommie Aaron (1960)
* Ron Hunt (1960–61) 2 x MLB All-Star
* Nate Colbert (1965) 3 x MLB All-Star
* Pedro Borbon (1966)
* Jerry Reuss (1967) 2 x MLB All-Star
* Ken Reitz (1969) GG; MLB All-Star
* Bob Forsch (1970)
* Jerry Mumphrey (1972) MLB All-Star
* Larry Herndon (1972)
* Joe Sambito (1974) MLB All-Star
* Bob Brenly (1977) MLB All-Star; MGR: 2001 World Series Champions – Arizona Diamondbacks
* Chili Davis (1978) 3 x MLB All-Star
* Rob Deer (1979)
* Eric Davis (1982) 2 x MLB All-Star
* Paul O'Neill (1982) 5 x MLB All-Star
* Chris Sabo (1983) 3 x MLB AS; 1988 NL Rookie of the Year
* Kal Daniels (1983)
* Kurt Stillwell (1984) MLB All-Star
* Rob Dibble (1985) 2 x MLB All-Star
* Reggie Sanders (1990) MLB All-Star
* Bengie Molina (1994–95)
* Jason Dickson (1995) MLB All-Star
* Jarrod Washburn (1995)
* Ramón Ortiz (1997)
* Ken Hill (1998) MLB All-Star
* John Lackey (2000) MLB All-Star; 2007 AL ERA Leader
* Bobby Jenks (2001) 2 x MLB All-Star
* Mike Napoli (2001–02) MLB All-Star
* Ervin Santana (2002) 2 x MLB All-Star
* Casey Kotchman (2002)
* Jeff Mathis (2002)
* Joel Peralta (2002)
* Joe Saunders (2002) MLB All-Star
* Alberto Callaspo (2003)
* Erick Aybar (2003) MLB All-Star
* Howie Kendrick (2004) MLB All-Star; 2019 World Series Champion – Washington Nationals
* Sean Rodriguez (2004)
* Alexi Casilla (2004–05)
* Miguel González (2005)
* Nick Adenhart (2006) Died Age 22
* Darren O'Day (2006) MLB All-Star
* Mark Trumbo (2006–07) MLB All-Star
* Jordan Walden (2008) MLB All-Star
* Mike Trout (2009–10) 8 x MLB All-Star; 2012 AL Rookie of the Year; 3 x AL Most Valuable Player (2014, 2016, 2019)
* Garrett Richards (2010)
* Jean Segura (2010) MLB All-Star
* Patrick Corbin (2010) 2 x MLB All-Star; 2019 World Series Champion – Washington Nationals
* Mike Clevinger (2012)
* Byron Buxton (2013)
* Joe Mauer (2014) 6 x MLB All-Star; 3 x AL Batting Title (2006, 2008, 2009); 2009 AL Most Valuable Player; MLB Hall of Fame
* Ricky Nolasco (2015)