Louisville Bats third baseman Cristian Santana (23) high fives first baseman Allen C rdoba (39) as Columbus Clippers right fielder Oscar Gonzalez (39) leaves the field following the Minor League Baseball game at Huntington Park in Columbus on April 27, 2022. The Bats won 7-5. Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Cincinnati Reds Triple-A Affiliate Releases Incredible New Logo Which Honors Past, Present

Originally posted on Minor League Baseball on SI
By Brady Farkas | Last updated Mar 2, 2025 12:04 PM ET

Heading into the 2025 season, the Louisville Bats will have a new logo that draws on the history of the franchise and the legacy of where they play - Louisville, Kentucky.

The Bats are the Triple-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds.

Drawing inspiration from the heart of Kentucky, the city of Louisville, and our RiverBats roots, this bold new design celebrates the past, present, and future of the Bats pic.twitter.com/B61zYiTibY
— Louisville Bats (@LouisvilleBats) February 27, 2025

The popular Sportslogos.net discussed more about the history of the franchise, and the above post discusses the meaning behind the new logo:

The Bats franchise debuted in 1982 as the Louisville Redbirds, a moniker they used through 1998. After a brief, three-season stint as the Louisville RiverBats from 1999 to 2001, the team dropped “River” from its name and went just with Bats. After more than a decade with a purple and black brand, the Bats adopted their current identity, created by SME Branding.

if you look at the new logo, the state of Kentucky is featured between the wing of the bat and the bat it is holding. Furthermore, there's this:

The new logo also incorporates a sneaky Fleur-de-Lis in the claws of the bat. The icon is included in the city’s official seal because it was the symbol of Louisville’s namesake, King Louis XVI of France.

The Reds figure to be one of the more interesting teams in baseball this season after hiring new manager Terry Francona to skipper the group. That means that several interesting players will also step foot in Louisville and fans will get the chance to see guys who could potentially contribute to a playoff roster.

The Bats open play on March 28.

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

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