Parkview Field, home of the Fort Wayne Tincaps

FORT WAYNE – Another season at Parkview Field is on the horizon for the Fort Wayne TinCaps, and the team is expecting bigger things for the ultra-successful minor league franchise.

The club made the Midwest League playoffs in 2015, falling to Western Michigan but posted a 77-61 overall mark, the third-best in franchise history. The playoff appearance for Fort Wayne was the seventh straight season, which is the longest active streak in minor league baseball.

Parkview Field itself has garnered numerous awards, not just locally within the Midwest League, but across professional baseball from pure baseball to amenities.

TinCaps players file into Fort Wayne following arrival this weekend. (Photo courtesy the Fort Wayne TinCaps)

Voted the No. 1 Ballpark Experience by Stadium Journey, Parkview Field also had the top grounds crew in the Midwest League as well as a top-five theme night (Saturday Night Live). Team President Mike Nutter was named Midwest League Executive of the Year, and the organization was given the John H. Moss Community Service Award.

Fans have continued to make Parkview Field and the TinCaps a priority in the Summit City. The team drew 402,889 fans overall, marking the sixth time in seven seasons that 400,000 fans have passed through the Parkview Field gates. Fourth of July at Parkview in 2015 saw 9,193 fans attend, a franchise attendance record for a single game.

The future for the San Diego Padres, the TinCaps Class A affiliate, had center fielder Michael Gettys named the Best Defensive Outfielder by Baseball America and pitcher Taylor Cox tabbed a Minor League Baseball Stars of Tomorrow Scholarship recipient.

For 2016, the San Diego Padres announced nine of the Padres’ Top 30 Prospects, according to MLB.com’s rankings, will start in Fort Wayne. The roster also includes six players who’ve previously played for the TinCaps.

Among the lot are No. 4 prospect shortstop Ruddy Giron, who starred with Fort Wayne last season. Giron hit .285 with nine homers and 49 RBIs and was fifth on the club with 110 hits in 96 games.

Gettys, the No. 11 prospect, returns after posting 114 hits, 20 stolen bases and 62 runs scored. Luis Tejada and River Stevens also return to the offense.

Three of the top pitching prospects in the San Diego organization are in Fort Wayne to start the season, with right-handed pitchers Austin Smith (No. 8) and Jacob Nix (No. 10) as well as lefty Logan Allen (No. 9). Taylor Cox and Walter Lockett return to Fort Wayne after service with the club in 2015.

“Things are shaping up for this to be a fantastic season both on the field and off,” TinCaps President Mike Nutter said. “Of course at this level it’s especially difficult to predict how things will pan out, but it seems like the Padres have provided a bevy of exciting young players for fans to come see at Parkview Field this season.”

As announced in January, former 2008 Fort Wayne Wizards infielder Anthony Contreras is the TinCaps’ new manager.

Fort Wayne’s roster could also be further bolstered midway through the season as the Padres own three of the first 25 picks in June’s MLB Draft. Moreover, San Diego has six of the top 85 selections.

The TinCaps open the 2016 season this Thursday, April 7 (6:30 p.m.) on the road against the Lake County Captains (Cleveland Indians). Opening Night at Parkview Field, featuring a Parkview Health magnet schedule giveaway and postgame fireworks presented by Auto Care on the Go, is Saturday, April 9 (6:05 p.m.).