High Point Rockers 2019 Inaugural Season

Jamie Keefe (l.) and Frank Viola (r.) Autographed 2019 High Point Rockers Pocket Schedules

On August 7. 2017, the Bridgeport Bluefish announced that 2017 would be their last season. Close to one month later, it was announced that their franchise would be moving to High Point, NC. After a public-naming contest, it was announced July 12, 2018, that the team would be named the High Point Rockers in acknowledgement of the area’s history of furniture manufacturing.

A few months earlier, ground was broken on BB&T Point, the stadium that would house the new Atlantic League team. High Point University President Nido Qubein headed the team that would established the High Point franchise.

On May 2, 2019, the first home game was played in the stadium against the Sugar Land Skeeters.  Dante Bichette Jr. hit the first-ever home run in the new ballpark and had all 3 RBI’s in that night’s 3-0 win. Rockers starting pitcher Matt Sergey earned the first win in the new ballpark's history after going six, hitless innings in this inaugural game.

For the coaching staff of the Rockers, 790-win manager Jamie Keefe was brought in from managing the Rockland Boulders the year prior and Frank Viola was named pitching coach.

Viola, the St. John’s University alum, won the American League Cy Young Award in 1988, and the left hander was the Minnesota Twins World Series MVP in 1987.