Tacoma Rainiers Employee Michael Huie Wins Groundskeeper of the Year Honor
The Seattle Mariners minor league farm is one of the most well-regarded in the league.
The Mariners development season is responsible for drafting and improving four pitchers in what was considered by many the best starting rotation in baseball in 2024.
Seattle also had eight prospects ranked in Baseball America's top 100 list at the end of the season, more than any other club in the MLB. Two of the Mariners minor league affiliates, Low-A Modesto Nuts and Double-A Arkansas Travelers, won league championships in 2024. The organization's top prospect, Colt Emerson, was named an Arizona Fall League "Fall-Star" despite being pulled 13 games in due to an injury.
Turns out, the Mariners minor league excellence wasn't limited to just the players and the development staff. And one staff member of the team's Triple-A affiliate, the Tacoma Rainiers, is reaping the benefits.
The Rainiers' Director of Field Operations, Michael Huie, was named the Pacific Coast League and Triple-A Groundskeeper of the Year, it was announced on Tuesday.
Congratulations to R Director of Field Operations, Michael Huie, for being named the Pacific Coast League and Triple-A Groundskeeper of the Year! #WeRTacoma https://t.co/WUu0uldh4x pic.twitter.com/CafIEdgzYx
— Tacoma Rainiers (@RainiersLand) November 12, 2024
Tacoma plays at the 6,500-seat Cheney Stadium. Huie has been a part of the team for eight years.
According to a news release, it's the first time a Pacific Coast League team has won the award since the Spokane Indians did in 2015.
“Industry standards are only on the rise. Maintaining a quality playing surface is essential and goes far beyond the aesthetics,” Huie said in the news release. “The priority is to protect the players that come out to compete day in and day out.
The field is all grass and is deep in left, right and center field. The left and right field walls are both 325 feet with the center field wall measuring out at 425 feet.
Given the fact that Cheney stadium is the Triple-A ballpark, a lot of players who compete feature fringe-major league players or athletes nearing a major league call up. There are added expectations for the Triple-A field to be in top shape.
“I may have won the award, but there is a tremendous cast that is dedicated to putting out the final product that we do,” Huie said in the news release. “Bring on 2025.”
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