The Delmarva Shorebirds retired the #44 jersey of Ryan Minor, former player and manager, as the first-ever Shorebirds number retired Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, at Perdue Stadium in Salisbury, Maryland. Lauren Roberts/Salisbury Daily Times / USA TODAY NETWORK

Baltimore Orioles' Single-A Affiliate Becomes Latest Minor League Team to Get New Identity

Originally posted on Minor League Baseball on SI
By Brady Farkas | Last updated Feb 26, 2025 2:40 PM ET

The Delmarva Shorebirds are the Single-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles, and they are the latest minor league team to get an alternate identity for the 2025 season.

The Shorebirds will become the Delmarva Wild Ponies for their game on May 17 of this season. Alternate identities have become extremely popular among organizations and fans, with those games becoming some of the most attended across a team's calendar.

Introducing the Delmarva Wild Ponies!

The #Orioles Single-A affiliate has introduced a new alternate identity with its roots in nearby Assateague Island, which is home to an estimated 150 wild ponies: https://t.co/fDDcq5rTj4 pic.twitter.com/f9e6HqFmL4
— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) February 26, 2025

According to a press release, here's the story behind the new name:

The Delmarva Shorebirds will take the field on Saturday, May 17 as the Delmarva Wild Ponies in a special identity that pays tribute to the historic Wild Ponies that inhabit Assateague Island. As part of this special identity, the Wild Ponies brand will feature on-field jerseys and hats, Wild Ponies branded merchandise, and a whole night devoted to celebrating this historic fixture in our Delmarva community.

The Wild Ponies currently settle on Assateague Island, a 38-mile long strip that is split between Virginia and Maryland on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. The two herds live on the island divided by a fence at the Maryland-Virginia state line where there are estimated to be about 150 ponies roaming the island between the two herds.

The Orioles have one of the best farm systems in baseball, so fans who flock to Delmarva are likely to see one of the next wave of O's future stars. Jackson Holliday played in Delmarva during the 2022 and 2023 seasons while Gunnar Henderson spent part of 2021 there.

This article first appeared on Minor League Baseball on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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