Program 9: Issue 1

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On behalf of our entire team, I want to welcome you to Segra Park, home of the Columbia Fireflies!

We truly appreciate you choosing to spend some time with us at the ballpark during the 2025 season. It’s hard to believe that it has been 10 years since the ballpark opened in 2016, but as we all know, time flies when you’re having fun! Over the course of 10 years, we have welcomed over 2.4 million guests through those beautiful arched gateways into the ballpark for Fireflies games and so many other events. This season, we will welcome the 2 millionth fan to attend a Fireflies game, and I’m sure that we will do some celebrating when that special night happens. It has been a busy offseason for us with concerts, banquets, breakfasts and our newest annual tradition of Fireflies Holiday Lights. This year we added even more lights throughout the ballpark to take the total to more than 1.5 million LED lights! Nearly 42,000 guests joined us for the holiday light show extravaganza and enjoyed S’mores at our fire pits and of course sharing their wish list with Santa. If you haven’t had a chance to join us for Fireflies Holiday Lights over the past three years, I would really encourage you to check it out this year! www.FirefliesHolidayLights.com Last year was also a big year for us as an organization as we were recognized not once, but twice as the Single A Organization of the year. Both Major League Baseball and Baseball America honored our team with this prestigious award, and I couldn’t be any prouder of our team that makes it happen every day. From our full-time staff who put countless hours into planning and putting on a show each night to our gameday team who serves our fans so well at every game and event that we host. I am truly blessed to come to work every day with this amazing group of people! Here are a couple articles about the awards:

TABLE OF CONTENTS Fan Code of Conduct & Map.................. 4-5

Canine Club and Kids Club Info............

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2025 Fireflies Schedule............................

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Kansas City Royals System.....................

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Carolina League...........................................

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Fireflies Coaching Staff............................

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Baseball America: https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/columbia-fireflies- baseball-americas-2024-single-a-freitas-award-winner/

Fireflies Roster.............................................

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Major League Baseball: https://www.wistv.com/2024/10/24/columbia-fireflies- named-2024-single-a-organization-year/

2025 marks our fifth year working with the Kansas City Royals as their Single A affiliate and it has truly been an honor to work with such a great franchise. The 2024 season ended with the best overall record in Fireflies history and lots of future big leaguers making their way to Columbia including the Royals number two overall prospect, Blake Mitchell. No matter what happens on the field, we strive to make sure that every Fireflies game is a great experience from the moment you park your car until you drive away at the end of a great night. Our team is here to serve you, so please don’t hesitate to let one of our team members know if there is something that we can do to enhance

RiverDogs Roster........................................

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Ticket Information.......................................

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Top 7 Storylines for the Fireflies in 2025

your experience at the ballpark.

Homestand Highlights...............................

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On behalf of our entire team, we hope that you will have an unforgettable experience at Segra Park. Please come back and visit us again soon for another Fireflies game, Fireflies Holiday Lights or one of the numerous events that are hosted at Segra Park every year. This ballpark was built by the community, for the community, and we can’t wait to welcome you back!

Upcoming Homestand..............................

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BRAD SHANK President of the Columbia Fireflies

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FAN CODE OF CONDUCT The Columbia Fireflies are committed to creating a family-friendly and welcoming environment at the ballpark for all guests. As part of that commitment, we have adopted this written policy addressing fan behavior. The policy includes a Fan Code of Conduct, which is fan- facing and describes how fans are expected to behave. Fan Code of Conduct: In order to provide a welcoming experience for all, the Columbia Fireflies have implemented a Fan Code of Conduct. Out of respect for fellow guests, players, coaches, and ballpark staff, all guests are prohibited from: • Trespassing on the playing field at any time; • Interfering with baseballs that are in play; • Throwing or tossing objects; • Using foul, obscene or derogatory language (see below) or gestures; • Misusing or overconsuming alcohol, including, underage consumption; • Behaving in a manner that is disruptive, unruly, or abusive; • Accessing areas of the ballpark without a proper ticket, pass, or credential; • Misusing tickets, passes, or credentials in any way; or • Bringing prohibited items into the ballpark. • Only service dogs are allowed (outside of “Dog Days”) Derogatory language is defined as offensive language concerning a person’s race, ethnicity, gender, religion, disability, age, sexual orientation, or national origin, and anyone using such language is subject to automatic ejection from the ballpark. Violations of the Fan Code of Conduct will not be tolerated and may lead to ejection from the ballpark, a ban on attending future games, or other consequences. Guests who are found to have used derogatory language will be ejected from the ballpark. Guests are encouraged to report violations of the Fan Code of Conduct to the nearest ballpark staff member. This can be done in person, at the nearest Guest Services location, directly with Ballpark Security or by venuesafety@columbiafireflies.com.

SEGRA PARK MAP

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KANSAS CITY ROYALS MINOR LEAGUE SYSTEM

CAROLINA LEAGUE

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Special Events

Located in the heart of Columbia’s Bull Street District, Segra Park is a year round event venue. Our venue is perfect for corporate meetings, galas, weddings, holiday parties and more. It’s a multi-purpose venue that provides a unique backdrop for your next event.

CLUB LOUNGE

CONTACT SPECIAL EVENTS EVENTS@COLUMBIAFIREFLIES.COM SEGRAPARK.COM

MUSC HEALTH CONFERENCE ROOM

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2025 FIREFLIES COACHING STAFF

THE MASON JAR COLUMBIA FIREFLIES TEAM STORE Non-Game Days: Monday-Friday 10AM-5PM Saturday & Sunday CLOSED Game Days Monday - Saturday 10AM-4PM Gates open - 30 Minutes After Game Sundays Gates Open - 30 Minutes After Game

Taylor Bloye

David Noworyta

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Manager

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Ramon Castro

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2025 FIREFLIES ROSTER

CATCHERS

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PITCHERS CLICK FOR FULL ROSTER AND STATS

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C - Ramon Ramirez

C - Dionmy Salon

C - Hyungchan Um

INFIELDERS

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LHP - Dash Albus

RHP - Nick Conte

RHP - Josh Hansell

RHP - Dennis Colleran

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IF - Angel Acosta

IF - Colton Becker

IF - Derlin Figueroa

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RHP - Tanner Jones

RHP - Henson Leal

RHP - Yunior Marte

RHP - Ismael Michel

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IF - Jorge Hernandez

IF - Josi Novas

IF - Stone Russell

OUTFIELDERS

LHP - Mason Miller

RHP - Fraynel Nova

RHP - Elvis Novas

RHP - Yeri Perez

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OF - Roni Cabrera

OF - Asbel Gonzalez

OF - Brennon McNair

OF - Milo Rushford

OF - Giulliano Allende

RHP - Julio Rosario

RHP - Blake Wolters

LHP - Jordan Woods

RHP - Hiro Wyatt

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STREAM EVERY FIREFLIES GAME FOR FREE NO SUBSCRIPTION REQUIRED

2025 CHARLESTON RIVERDOGS Pitchers: 34 Alexander Alberto 15 Ryan Andrade 35 Noah Beal 10 Cade Citelli 4 Garrett Gainey 21 Trevor Harrison 19 Janzen Keisel 32 Jacob Kmatz 28 Dominic Niman 31 Trey Pooser 16 Andy Rodriguez 11 Jonalbert Rumbol 17 Ryan Schiefer 30 Owen Stevenson 29 Jose Urbina 25 Junior William Infielders: 8 Ricardo Gonzalez 7 Jack Lines 33 Brady Marget 1 Jose Monzon 6 Narciso Polanco Outfielders: 5 Nicandro Aybar 2 Connor Hujsak 26 Angel Mateo 12 Jose Perez 27 Wooyeoul Shin

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Catchers: 20 Nathan Flewelling 18 JD Gonzalez 9 Larry Martinez

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FIREFLIES TICKETS

FULL SEASON TICKETS

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$2,995/table

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Half Season (33 Games) HALF SEASON TICKETS

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Interested in Group Outings or Memberships? Call 803-726-4487 ext 2 or email sales@columbiafireflies.com

COLa

Attendees of groups of 20 or more in the Lexington Medical Center Be Well Picnic Pavilion, Palmetto Citizens Federal Credit Union All-Star or Gregory Technologies Reserved seating will take home a souvenir Fireflies group hat.

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and wrote a self-published book detailing the story titled The Pizza Guy Delivers in 2022.

Top 7 Storylines for the Fireflies in 2025 By John Kocsis Jr.

4.) How Will the Youth Movement Develop for the Fireflies? The Fireflies last wave of prospects, who have spent the last three years in the Carolina League have moved on. Daniel Vazquez and Austin Charles are up in Quad Cities and Lizandro Rodriguez and Erick Pena have moved on. With that, a new wave of the youth movement is headed to the soda city. This year’s Opening Day roster includes four 19-year-olds. Ramon Ramirez and Asbel Gonzalez are among the Royals’ top 30 prospects on MLB Pipeline. Roni Cabrera and Jorge Hernandez have built up high expectations and are being challenged with an aggressive assignment early. Ramon Ramirez is the top prospect of the group. Ramirez signed in January of 2023 prior to an All-Star campaign in the Dominican Summer League. He didn’t slow down at all last year in his first state-side assignment. The catcher has a career .298 average to pair with a .929 OPS and is ready to test out more advanced pitching in 2025. Asbel Gonzalez is another 2023 DSL All-Star and last year got a taste of some more advanced pitching as he played his final four games in Northwest Arkansas. The centerfielder is an elite defender who will try to take the torch from Erick Torres, who led- off, played center and set the franchise record for runs scored for Columbia in 2024. Jorge Hernandez broke out in 2024. He added some power to an already .300-career batting average as he slapped a trio of homers in 41 games. He’ll try to take that next step as he continues to grow into his frame. A bit more about Roni Cabrera in the next storyline. 3.) A First Look at the Other Half of the Aroldis Chapman Return The Royals signed Aroldis Chapman to a prove-it deal in 2023 and flipped him at the trade deadline to the Texas Rangers. The Rangers used him to propel the team to a World Series run to close out the year. The Royals received two players in return for Chapman: starter Cole Ragans, who last year was a Cy Young candidate as he held a 3.14 ERA through 186 innings for the Royals . The other half of that deal was 17-year-old Roni Cabrera. Cabrera hit .292 in the Dominican Summer League the year he was traded from Texas to Kansas City, who are frequent partners in the Spring Training Complexes located next to each other in Arizona. Then in 2024, Cabrera hit more homers (four) than any previous season he’s played despite playing in fewer games (28). The young outfielder has played just 103 career games, but Baseball America identified him as a “potential lottery ticket that will add depth to the Royals system.” Flipping an aging reliever for a Cy Young candidate and a future Major Leaguer would look great on the resume for Kansas City. The world will get their first look at him this summer. 2.) Derlin Figueroa Chasing Career Records Utility man Derlin Figueroa is another prospect the Royals acquired at a trade deadline— but this time for lefty Ryan Yarbrough. Figueroa had an up-and-down first season in Columbia, but when he was at his best, he was one of the top hitters in the Fireflies lineup. The Santo Domingo native held the Fireflies franchise’s second-longest hitting streak in 2024. Over the 13-game stretch, he went 20-49 (.408) with three homers and nine RBI. He also smacked 13 homers and tallied 157 total bases, showcasing a lot of pop. Figueroa enters the season tied for seventh in Fireflies franchise history with 13 homers. He trails Erick Pena who hit 29 across three seasons and is just two behind Brett Squires, who is in fifth all-time. If Figueroa has a similar season to 2024, he will also challenge Dash Winningham’s franchise total base record, which sits at 337. 1.) A New Saves King in the Soda City The back-half of the bullpen was highlighted earlier in the article, but it’s important to note that last year’s closer Elvis Novas starts the season just five saves back of Alex Palsha for the franchise saves record. Palsha had all 14 of his saves across the 2016 season, but Novas had nine saves in 10 opportunities after being placed on the roster in the second half of June last year. He’s just one save behind Trey Cobb to break into the franchise’s top-five save leaders and could climb the ladder quickly as Cooper McKeehan, Adonis Uceta and Allan Winans all had 11 saves in the neon and navy.

The Fireflies Opening Day roster is official and now it’s time to take a deep dive into the makeup of the team. Here’s an inside look at the biggest storylines and questions entering the 2025 campaign. 7.) How will Hyungchan Um and Brennon McNair look after dominating the Australian Baseball League this Winter? This Winter, the biggest story in the ABL involved a pair of Royals prospects who were Fireflies teammates the previous

summer. Brennon McNair was coming off a season where he hit .193 with a career-best eight home runs in 87 games for the Fireflies. Hyungchan Um made his full-season debut in Columbia, homering four times over 50 games to pair with a .205 average. McNair became just the fifth player in ABL history with 10 homers and 10 stolen bases in a season and paced the circuit in homers (11) and extra-base hits (18) while finishing top-five in slugging (.540), RBI (26) and stolen bases (11). Um wasn’t far behind. The backstop finished second with 10 homers and was top-five in RBI (24), slugging percentage (.561), hits (40) and extra-base hits (17). 6.) The Back Half of the Bullpen is Back. Can it Dominate Opponents Like it Did in 2024? Last year, when Fireflies starting pitchers handed the ball off to the bullpen with a lead, Columbia typically walked away with a win. The club finished 42-7 when leading after six innings. And that makes the news that Elvis Novas, Julio Rosario and Ismael Michel are returning even sweeter. Novas ended the campaign as Columbia’s closer, earning nine saves in 10 opportunities while holding opponents to a .202 opposing average and a 0.96 WHIP in 19 appearances. His shining moment came August 24, when he inherited a bases-loaded no out jam at Segra Park against the Fredericksburg Nationals. He retired the side without allowing a run to score, preserving a 4-0 win for the Fireflies. Michel didn’t allow a run over nine-consecutive appearances spanning 15.1 innings from July 21-August 22 for Columbia last season. He finished the season with a 1.42 ERA while holding opponents to a .167 opposing average over 31.2 innings. Rosario joined the club late in 2024, but went 2-0 with a 2.40 ERA with 16 strikeouts in 15 innings of work. He also registered a 4:1 K:BB ratio. 5.) Continuing the Legacy of Major League Fathers Like Manager David Noworyta, whose father, Steven Noworyta, is the Director of Minor League Operations for the Philidelphia Phillies, a few players have a Major League legacy of their own to live up to. Josh Hansell’s dad, Greg, pitched in the Majors from 1995- 1999 and had a 4-4 record with a 5.56 ERA through 106 games with the Dodgers, Twins, Brewers and Pirates. Greg Hansell was drafted in 1989 by the Boston Red Sox. Stone Russell also has a father who played in the Majors in the early 90s. John Russell played for the Phillies, Braves and Rangers from 1984-1993. He also managed the Pittsburgh Pirates from 2008-2010. The team had a 186-299 record under him. He is currently in his third season managing the Tacoma Rainiers. Seattle’s Triple-A club has a 159-141 record during his tenure. Last, but not least, Milo Rushford’s dad, Jim Rushford, fought his way through Independent and Minor League Baseball to get a cup of coffee with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2002. Jim worked a lot of side jobs to make ends meet during the journey and

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UPCOMING COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS OF THE GAME Please stop by their kiosks during the game and learn more about these important local organizations! 4/8 - Leukemia & Lymphoma Society 4/10 - Salvation Army of the Midlands 4/11 - Audubon 4/12 - Sew and Heal 4/13 - SAFY The Fireflies strive to give back to the community in which we all live. If you are interested in being a Community Organization of the Game, please contact Matt Chernesky at mchernesky@columbiafireflies.com

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