Modesto's New Baseball Team is the Roadsters
Published on November 24, 2025 under Pioneer League (PL)
Modesto Roadsters News Release
MODESTO, CALIFORNIA - At the American Graffiti museum in Modesto, Main Street Baseball, owners of Modesto's new Pioneer Baseball League franchise, announced this morning that the team's new primary identity is the Modesto Roadsters. The team's mascot, a kit fox, will be called "Cruiser." The team also unveiled the club's bright new logos and cap designs - including one featuring a San Joaquin Valley kit fox wearing a black leather jacket and sunglasses driving a 1960s-era roadster.
The new name represents a change from the announcement two weeks ago that the team would be called the Modesto Glow Riders. The Glow Riders will serve as the team's alternate identity, with the club taking the field as the Glow Riders once each week to highlight local Latino-owned businesses and celebrate the music, art, and fashion rooted in California's lowrider culture.
"This new team will be an integral part of Stanislaus County and the Central Valley for decades to come, so it was really important that we get the name exactly right," said Roadsters owner Dave Heller. "After the Glow Riders were announced, we did a lot of listening and learned a lot about this community, its culture, and its people. I was blown away by the passion and the pride people here have for baseball, their team and their history. We owed it to them to hit a home run with the new primary identity, and with the Modesto Roadsters we've hit a grand slam!"
The new name incorporates the neon and bright colors of the American Graffiti diner culture, as well as the community's history with -and love for - classic cars and classic music. It also incorporates the San Juaquin kit fox, an animal native to the region. The team's primary colors are candy apple red, egg cream malt, and neon diner blue, in addition to orange and black- a nod to Roadsters' new manager and six-time gold glove winner J.T. Snow.
"I love the new name and the bright, colorful logo; it really speaks to me" said Snow. "My Dad drove a candy apple red Corvette in the late '60s when he played for the Los Angeles Rams, and we always loved that car. We always felt so cool riding in it. The Roadsters name and logo conveys that same sense of pride. The colors are also especially meaningful to me because every team I played on as a child, from Little League through college all the way to the Angels had red, white and blue as their colors. I especially love the orange and black kit fox mascot, though I'm a little partial to orange and black."
The Roadsters' colorful new logos were designed by Modesto's own Andie Kat and Greg Gallup of Slightly Obsessed Studios. The new Glow Riders logo was designed by Francis Santaquilani of FS Design, who in 2008 collaborated with Roadsters owner Dave Heller on the award-winning Quad Cities River Bandits logo.
"Partnering with Dave Heller on the Roadsters identity has been an incredible privilege," said Greg Gallup of Slightly Obsessed Studios. "His passion for Modesto and his commitment to getting this right guided every step of the creative process. Our goal was to honor the city's history, its cruising culture, and its bright spirit while bringing his vision to life with creativity and care. We are grateful to God for the chance to use our gifts for our community and to help create an identity that truly celebrates Modesto and the people who make it special."
The Roadsters are committed to creating an exciting and fun fan experience, giving back by supporting local charities and nonprofits, and building strong, lasting connections across the Central Valley.
Pioneer League Stories from November 24, 2025
- Modesto's New Baseball Team is the Roadsters - Modesto Roadsters
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