Yard Goats Named Winner of Driving Diversity Award from Minor League Baseball
EL Hartford Yard Goats

Yard Goats Named Winner of Driving Diversity Award from Minor League Baseball

Published on October 6, 2025 under Eastern League (EL)
Hartford Yard Goats News Release


Indianapolis, IN- The Hartford Yard Goats Baseball Club, the Double-A Eastern League Affiliate of the Colorado Rockies, was named winner of the "2025 Driving Diversity Award" by Minor League Baseball (MiLB). The announcement was made today at the Minor League Baseball Business Summit in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Yard Goats were selected among the 120 full-season affiliated teams across the U.S. and Canada across four levels: Triple-A, Double-A, High-A, and Single-A, and nominees from each league were selected by their peers. The "Driving Diversity Award" recognizes a club that demonstrates a concerted effort to welcome fans of all backgrounds to their ballpark through a variety of programming intended to reach minority groups in their community.

Showcasing featured groups like the Yard Goats Young Ambassador Program for high school-aged youths, the annual Black Business Expos, and the Bank of America Black-Owned Small Business Booth, the Yard Goats continued their commitment to ensuring that Dunkin' Park is for everyone.

The Yard Goats also host a variety of afterschool programs, such as Youth Theater, Vocational Training, and Dance Enrichment, that bring the community into the ballpark in meaningful ways. Additionally, the Community Drumline Performance welcomes local drumlines to showcase their talents at games throughout the season.

"We are incredibly proud to be the recipient of the Driving Diversity Award from Minor League Baseball," Yard Goats owner Josh Solomon said. "Ensuring our ballpark is home to all fans is our number one priority."

The Yard Goats' annual Celebration of the Negro Leagues and HBCU Games offer meaningful opportunities to honor and share powerful stories of history, diversity, and culture. This dedication to inclusion extends beyond the ballpark and into the community, symbolized by a newly erected sign featuring a quote from the late Congressman John Lewis: "We are one people, one family, the human family, and what affects one of us affects us all."

In addition to the several community programs at Dunkin' Park, the Yard Goats continued their tradition of playing a game as The Hartford Schoolboys, an alternate identity created as a tribute to the Negro Leagues, which honors Johnny "Schoolboy" Taylor, a Hartford native, who was a Negro League All-Star. Beyond that, the Yard Goats continued hosting the Black Business Expo, which gives opportunities for minority owned small businesses to get exposure from local leaders and experts. At every home game in 2025, the Yard Goats welcomed minority-owned small businesses to showcase their products and services to fans of all ages.

The Yard Goats have also continued their tradition to play some games as Chivos de Hartford with a strong focus on specific communities such as Puerto Rico, Cuba, Venezuela, Peru, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Colombia and others. The Yard Goats hold a clinic for children in the Latino community in partnership with the Roberto Clemente Foundation. All Yard Goats home games are broadcast in Spanish on Dinamica Radio.

The Yard Goats have introduced Heritage Games at Dunkin' Park where fans have the opportunity to celebrate unique culture. Jewish Heritage Night, Italian Heritage Night, Irish Night, and Portuguese Heritage Night are enhanced by performances and food to celebrate. The Yard Goats also hold two Pride Nights, Women in Sports Night, and Autism Awareness Night.

The Yard Goats open the 2026 season on Thursday, April 2nd against the Baltimore Orioles affiliate, the Chesapeake Baysox. Season tickets are now on sale on the website, yardgoatsbaseball.com. Individual tickets and promotions will be announced at a later date.

Check out the Hartford Yard Goats Statistics

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Eastern League Stories from October 6, 2025


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