MOOSIC, Pa. — The last stop before the Bronx is about to look different.
For 13 seasons, the Yankees’ Triple-A affiliate has been known as the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. The name has traveled with a generation of future big leaguers, hung banners at PNC Field and become a fixture of baseball in northeastern Pennsylvania.
Now it is going away. The RailRiders confirmed a decision that will reshape its identity heading into next season, closing one of the more memorable chapters in the organization’s minor league history.
The club announced Tuesday that it will drop the RailRiders name after the 2026 season and rebrand for 2027. A full unveiling of the new identity is planned for November. It marks the first complete rebrand of a Minor League Baseball club since before the 2026 season began, and it puts one of the Yankees’ most recognizable minor league brands on the clock.
A name born from a stadium rebuild
The RailRiders era began in 2013, but the franchise itself runs much deeper. The Triple-A club relocated to the Scranton area in 1989 as the affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies and played as the Red Barons through 2006.
The RailRiders’ relationship with the Yankees started in 2007. The team became the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees, keeping that name for five seasons. Then came an unusual year. The club spent the entire 2012 season on the road as the Empire State Yankees while its ballpark, then known as Lackawanna County Stadium, was torn down and rebuilt as PNC Field.
When the team returned home in 2013, it did so with a fresh name. The RailRiders branding nodded to the region’s railroad heritage, and it stuck for more than a decade.
What the team is saying about name change
The franchise framed the change as a forward-looking move rather than a break from its past. RailRiders president and general manager Shawn Reilly explained the reasoning in the club’s announcement, pointing to a desire for a lasting local identity.
“This rebrand is about building an identity that our community can rally around for generations to come,” Reilly said. “As we looked toward the future of baseball in NEPA, we saw an opportunity to create something that is deeply rooted in this region while honoring the incredible tradition of baseball that has defined this franchise for decades. We’re excited to share what’s next with our fans.”
The SWB RailRiders also stressed that its core mission would not change, even as the look does. In a statement posted to social media, the club tied its future to its role as the final rung on the ladder to the majors.
“While the club’s name and look will evolve, its commitment to delivering memorable experiences at PNC Field and serving as the final stop on the path to the Bronx will remain unchanged,” the team wrote.
A pipeline of Yankees talent
The RailRiders name is tied to a long list of players who became Yankees. The 2016 club, led by a 24-year-old prospect named Aaron Judge, won the International League title and the Triple-A National Championship. Judge is now a three-time American League MVP.
The affiliate has stayed central to the Yankees pipeline ever since. Last season’s roster included Cam Schlittler and Spencer Jones, and the team reached the International League Championship Series. This year, the Yankees’ No. 1 prospect, George Lombard Jr., hit .268 with six home runs, 21 RBIs and 10 stolen bases in 56 games at Triple-A RailRiders before his call-up to the Bronx.
PNC Field has also served as a rehab stop for injured stars. Judge, Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon and Giancarlo Stanton have all suited up for the affiliate while working back to the majors. Manager Shelley Duncan, who leads the club, was himself a Yankees outfielder from 2007 to 2009.
What comes next for the franchise
The RailRiders are trying to send off the name with a deep playoff run. The affiliate entered the week at 61-50, powered by a strong 24-13 mark in the second half after a .500 first half. A top finish in the International League would put the club in position to compete for another league championship.
The roster remains stocked with Yankees prospects. Right-hander Elmer Rodriguez owns a 2.85 ERA in 17 Triple-A starts and has already made his major league debut. Fellow prospects Carlos Lagrange and Kyle Carr are also at the level, though both are currently injured.
The business details of the new era are starting to take shape. The SWB RailRiders will open the 2027 season on the road on March 26, with a home opener set for April 6 at PNC Field. The schedule again features 150 games, split evenly between 75 home dates and 75 on the road. The top affiliates of the Red Sox, White Sox, Tigers, Marlins, Mets, Phillies and Blue Jays are all set to visit next season.
For now, the name stays the same through the end of this season. The new identity, and the reveal of what the Yankees’ top affiliate will be called next, is set to arrive in November.
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