Columbia Fireflies: Roster Moves and Game Notes 8.26
Published on August 26, 2025 under Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
The Kansas City Royals have made the following roster moves affecting the Columbia Fireflies active roster.
RHP Blake Wolters has been activated off the IL and placed on the active roster
RHP Julio Rosario has been placed on the development list
Wolters will wear jersey #37.
The Fireflies active roster now sits at 30. Updated roster attached.
-----------------------------
Columbia kicks off their series with the Hickory Crawdads tonight at Segra Park at 7:05 pm. LHP David Shields (3-1, 1.43 ERA) takes the ball for Columbia and Hickory counters with RHP Enrique Segura (1-3, 4.19 ERA).
Tonight is Pack the Park for Non-Profits at Segra Park! When fans buy their tickets through this link, the Midlands' non-profit of their choice will receive $5 per ticket sold. It's also a Miller Lite $2 Tuesday where fans can enjoy hot dogs, popcorn, fountain sodas and 12 oz cans of Miller Lite for $2. Buy your tickets now at FirefliesTickets.com.
-----------------
FIREFLIES CHURN AHEAD 6-5 IN EXTRAS: The Fireflies won a back-and-forth contest against the Augusta GreenJackets 6-5 in 10 innings to close out their final series of 2025 against Augusta at SRP Park. The Fireflies took five of six games from the GreenJackets and won the season series 12-9. The Fireflies head into 2026 having won 107 of 213 contests against the GreenJackets. The Fireflies got one in the top of the 10th. Ramon Ramirez and Yandel Ricardo hit back-to-back singles to start the inning to plate Luke Nowak to push Columbia in front 6-5. In the home half, Augusto Mendieta (S, 4) worked a scoreless frame around a hit to earn the save. Columbia took the lead in the top of the eighth inning. Luke Nowak started the frame with his seventh double of the season. Next, Ramon Ramirez clobbered his 11th homer of the season to tie the game 4-4. The bats weren't done there. Yandel Ricardo legged out a triple to set the table and then Stone Russell hit a sacrifice fly to right that scored Ricardo to give Columbia a 5-4 lead.
THE YOUTH MOVEMENT: David Shields put together another good start for the Fireflies Tuesday. The southpaw worked 5.1 frames without surrendering an earned run. The Pennsylvania native hasn't allowed an earned run since July 9 over 26.1 innings. It is the fourth-longest streak (by innings) without allowing an earned run in franchise history. Ryan Ramsey owns the record (30.2 innings), which he accomplished from June 24-August 3, 2023.
ONE FOR THE RECORD BOOKS: Saturday night, Gonzalez broke the Fireflies career steals record in one season. Jean Ramirez had 68 steals from 2021-23 with the Fireflies. Gonzalez currently has the league lead with 70 steals. Columbia's center fielder also now owns the single-season runs scored record for the Fireflies. August 21 he scored his 71st run of the season to pass Erick Torres' 2024 mark.
NUMBERS BEHIND THE CLINCH: The Fireflies finished the first-half 36-30 to win the South Division Title for the first time in team history. It is the Fireflies first playoff berth in team history. The club will play their first home playoff game September 11 at Segra Park.
NOWAK RUNNING OUT OF THE GATE: Luke Nowak is officially through his first week with the Fireflies and the outfielder started things off with a bang. He closed out his first series with a four-hit game vs the Pelicans Sunday. It was the Fireflies second four-hit game of the series. Nowak went 7-14 overall against Myrtle Beach at Segra Park. He kept the hot stretch going against the Augusta GreenJackets. He currently has the fourth-longest hitting streak for a Fireflies player in the 2025 season. Nowak has hit safely in nine-straight contests and is 15-32 (.469) with four RBI and an additional eight walks, which has boosted his on-base percentage to .585 over the run.
ROCKING RAMIREZ: Last week, Ramon Ramirez clobbered the Augusta GreenJackets at SRP Park. The righty went 8-23 with two doubles, two triples and a homer. The backstop drove in four runs and stole one base on the ride. He slashed .348/.348/.739 during the series.
THE BIG PICTURE: The Fireflies have 12 games remaining in the 2025 season. They'll close out the year with six at home against Hickory before six on the road at Myrtle Beach. The final series of the year could serve as a playoff preview.
Carolina League Stories from August 26, 2025
- RiverDogs Rally Past Augusta in Series Opener - Charleston RiverDogs
- Russell's Career Night Powers Columbia to 11-2 Win - Columbia Fireflies
- FredNats Lose Third Straight, Lynchburg Steals Series Opener 3-2 - Fredericksburg Nationals
- Power Pitching Pushes Fayetteville Past Myrtle Beach in Shutout Win - Fayetteville Woodpeckers
- Shorebirds Come from Behind to Steal Game One from Mudcats - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Delmarva Takes Series Opener from Mudcats - Carolina Mudcats
- Fayetteville Blanks Myrtle Beach 1-0 in Series Opener - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Hillcats Strand Nats; Win 3-2 - Lynchburg Hillcats
- Columbia Fireflies: Roster Moves and Game Notes 8.26 - Columbia Fireflies
- Carra Added from ACL Brewers; Tobias to IL - Carolina Mudcats
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
