The Yankees’ Triple-A affiliate in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre has “announced the Highlanders as its new team identity,” according to Robert Tomkavage of the Scranton TIMES-TRIBUNE. Team President & GM Shawn Reilly noted that “a bunch of names were tossed around before officials landed on the one that made the most sense.” Officials in August outlined plans to rebrand the team’s identity, bringing a new nickname, color scheme and approach to Montage Mountain. The team’s primary colors “are light blue, navy blue and white, with a touch of green.” The home jersey also “includes the traditional New York Yankees pinstripes.” The SWB Highlanders name “carries a dual meaning rooted in both place and baseball history.” It reflects “the NEPA terrain, where PNC Field sits surrounded by wooded hills, trails and the natural beauty that shapes life in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area, while also honoring the earliest identity in Yankees history.” The N.Y. Highlanders played at Hilltop Park from 1903 to 1912 before the franchise adopted the Yankees moniker. The franchise started as the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons in 1989 and served as the Triple-A affiliate for the Phillies until the end of the 2006 season. From the 2007 season to the present, the franchise has been the top affiliate of the Yankees. The team name was originally changed to the Yankees in December 2006 before switching to the RailRiders in November 2012 (Scranton TIMES-TRIBUNE, 11/7).
