The Funnville Nine

Prior to the 2025 season and the final year of professional baseball at The Diamond, fans voted for the All-Diamond Team, celebrating their favorite players who have come through Richmond over the last 40 years on their way to MLB stardom. One of the three outfield picks was David Justice, who played for the Richmond Braves from 1988-1990. Justice was back in Richmond along with members of the 1989 Richmond Braves team for a reunion celebrating their Governors' Cup championship run during the Richmond Flying Squirrels' final series at The Diamond. While he was in town, Justice sat down with Flying Squirrels broadcaster Trey Wilson to chat about his time in Richmond before going on to a 14-year major league career with the Atlanta Braves, Cleveland Indians, New York Yankees and Oakland Athletics.

For today's pregame conversation, Richmond Flying Squirrels relief pitcher Tyler Vogel sat down with broadcaster Trey Wilson to discuss hit path to Double-A, from growing up in Florida to heading off play JUCO baseball, Jacksonville University, being drafted and more.

For today's pregame conversation, Richmond Flying Squirrels pitcher Marques Johnson chats with broadcaster Trey Wilson about his journey through baseball to this point, growing up in Southern California before spending two years playing junior college baseball and then two years at Long Beach State. Johnson talked about being drafted by the Red Sox, traded to the Giants and climbing up to Double-A with Richmond this season.

As the Richmond Flying Squirrels celebrate the 40th anniversary of The Diamond and the ballpark's final season, fans voted for the All-Diamond Team, recognizing the best Richmond players who have come through The Diamond over the last four decades on their way to MLB stardom. One of the fans' picks for starting pitcher on the All-Diamond Team was John Smoltz, who played for the Richmond Braves in 1987 and 1988 before starting his Hall of Fame career in the majors.  Smoltz was back in Richmond and sat down with Flying Squirrels broadcaster Trey Wilson to discuss the trade that brought him to Richmond and the Braves organization, his memories of The Diamond, getting called up to the majors and more.

For today's pregame conversation, Richmond Flying Squirrels broadcaster Trey Wilson caught up with outfielder Scott Bandura, who helped lift the team to a comeback win with a walk-off hit on Sunday evening. Bandura is having a breakout year in his second full professional season after starting the year in High-A with the Eugene Emeralds and earning a promotion to Double-A in July. Bandura chatted about growing up in Philadelphia playing for the Anderson Monarchs, his run with the Taney Dragons in the 2014 Little League World Series, heading off to play college baseball at Princeton University and more.

For the latest installment in our Debut Stories series, Richmond Flying Squirrels broadcaster Trey Wilson caught up with 2024 Richmond outfielder Grant McCray, who debuted with the San Francisco Giants on August 14, 2024. They chatted recently about McCray's surge in Double-A that led to him getting called up to Triple-A Sacramento in June of 2024, how he found out a couple months later that he was getting called up to the majors for the first time, his first couple days in the big leagues and more.

Richmond Flying Squirrels broadcaster sat down with pitcher Trystan Vrieling, who was traded over to the San Francisco Giants on Thursday just ahead of the MLB trade deadline as part of the deal for Camilo Doval. The Flying Squirrels are in Bridgewater, New Jersey this week to face the Somerset Patriots, and Vrieling made his final New York Yankees organization appearance against Richmond on Wednesday afternoon before being traded the next day. They chatted about the trade, his background and more. 

Richmond Flying Squirrels broadcaster Trey Wilson sat down with Hall of Fame broadcaster Jon Miller to chat about the 1994 Governors Cup, when the Richmond Braves beat the Syracuse Chiefs to win the International League title. With MLB players on strike in 1994, Miller, Joe Morgan and the ESPN baseball crew carried minor league games throughout the end of the summer, including that year's Governors' Cup. Miller reflected on his visit to The Diamond that September for Game 3 of the title series.

For today's pregame conversation, Richmond Flying Squirrels broadcaster Trey Wilson sat down with infielder Diego Velasquez (with interpreting help from fundamentals coach Lipso Nava). Velasquez is 21 years old, one of the youngest players in the Eastern League, and he's ranked near the top of the league in hits, walks and on-base percentage as Richmond's leadoff hitter. They talked about switch-hitting, working on his defense at second base, growing up playing baseball in Venezuela and more.

This year, The Diamond in Richmond hosts its 40th and final season. The Richmond Flying Squirrels are rolling out the All-Diamond Team, showcasing the fans' choices for their favorite players who came through Richmond since 1985 on their way to MLB stardom. Their choice first first baseman was Ryan Klesko, who played for the Richmond Braves in 1992 and 1993.  Klesko joined Flying Squirrels broadcaster Trey Wilson on April 4, 2019, while he was in town for the team's home opener at The Diamond. We have pulled some clips from that interview where Klesko talked about his time playing in Richmond. 

Richmond Flying Squirrels broadcaster Trey Wilson sat down with infielder Justin Wishkoski to chat about his journey from Houston, Texas, off to JUCO, to Sam Houston and into professional baseball when he was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in 2023. They also talked about playing all over the field defensively this year and more. 

Former Richmond Braves pitcher Peter Moylan returned to The Diamond as part of the Flying Squirrels' Diamond Through the Decades series. During his visit, he sat down with Flying Squirrels broadcaster Trey Wilson to chat about his time playing in Richmond in 2006 and 2007 and his incredible journey that led him to a 12-year MLB career with the Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers and Kansas City Royals.

Richmond Flying Squirrels relief pitcher Evan Gates sat down with broadcaster Blaine McCormick to chat about his strong month of May, what he's been working on, the team's trip to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown a few weeks ago, chatting with Justin Verlander this spring and more.

Richmond Flying Squirrels broadcaster Trey Wilson sits down with pitcher Michael Stryffeler to chat about his journey from NCAA DII Lake Erie College to independent baseball, signing with the Seattle Mariners, being traded to the San Francisco Giants, missing almost two years with an injury and more.

Richmond Flying Squirrels broadcaster Trey Wilson sat down with pitcher Cameron Cotter to discuss his journey from Greensboro, North Carolina to NC State and then off to independent baseball before signing with the San Francisco Giants and more.

Richmond Flying Squirrels broadcaster Trey Wilson sat down with lefty pitcher Joe Whitman to chat about his journey through baseball to this point, from growing up near Akron, Ohio to heading off to college at Purdue and later back near home at Kent State. They chatted about getting drafted in the second round by the San Francisco Giants, some of his standout performances in Double-A so far this season and more.

The Richmond Flying Squirrels visited the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York this week. Broadcaster Trey Wilson caught up with Trent Harris, Sabin Ceballos, Evan Gates, Dylan Cumming and Braxton Roxby to talk about their experience in Cooperstown. 

For today's pregame conversation, Richmond Flying Squirrels broadcaster Trey Wilson sat down with first baseman Bryce Eldridge. They chatted about his start to this season after missing time with a wrist injury this spring, about his progress defensively at first base, about the clip of "Wait a Minute" by The Seldom Scene and his grandfather, Bluegrass Hall of Fame inductee Ben Eldridge, playing when he homers at The Diamond and more. 

For today's pregame conversation, Richmond Flying Squirrels broadcaster Trey Wilson sat down with pitcher Braxton Roxby. They chatted about Roxby growing up near Johnstown, Pennsylvania, heading to Pitt-Johnstown, playing in the AAABA, joining the Cincinnati Reds, being traded to the San Francisco Giants and more.

Richmond Flying Squirrels pitcher Seth Lonsway sat down with broadcaster Trey Wilson to chat about missing the end of the 2024 season after his appendix ruptured, growing up playing ball in Ohio, heading to Ohio State, the start of his professional career and more.