New-look Salt Lake Bees have thoughts on team's new, soon-to-be completed stadium

SOUTH JORDAN — Bryce Teodosio has played in many ballparks throughout his baseball career, including a few new stadiums, but he hadn't experienced anything like what he encountered when he stepped onto The Ballpark at America First Square for the first time this week.

"I haven't played in a construction zone," the Salt Lake Bees outfielder said, standing on the field while crews were hard at work trying to get the team's new stadium ready for their Daybreak debut on April 8. "It's cool to see the process with these guys, and how hard they're working to get it ready."

The Ballpark is very much a work in progress, even with two weeks left before the home opener. While the stadium's seats aren't fully finished and many of the fan amenities have yet to be completed, Bees players and coaches are eager to start playing in their new digs.

The stadium's bowl-like feel will bring fans closer to the action, which Teodosio said could lead to a better environment with more energy than Smith's Ballpark, which the team departed after the 2024 season.

Both he and catcher Zach Humphreys are also thrilled with the recently-completed batting cages, weight room and clubhouse. With the newest equipment, Humpreys said the player facilities might compete with facilities at major league stadiums.

"It's going to be one of the best parks in the (Pacific Coast League), if not in the entire minor leagues for sure," he said of the new ballpark. "The amenities are great; the clubhouse is unbelievable. You can't ask much more — especially as a minor league baseball player — it's state-of-the-art."

The players have already found appreciation with a new batter's eye, which Bees manager Keith Johnson said could help reduce glares that caused problems in the old ballpark. The team held its first batting practice on Wednesday, where they got their first chance to see how the ball flies and caroms, which should help identify any little stadium quirks.

Yet, there's one element that players and coaches seemed to talk about the most: The mountains. Smith's Ballpark was revered for its mountain backdrop by fans and players alike. The Ballpark at America First Square provides a view of more mountains, but it's not as up and close as the old stadium. That, Johnson said, is just one element of change.

Wrapping up construction

Construction of the new stadium began in October 2023. While Bees general manager Ty Wardle said there is still "tons of tons of activity going on," even though the 2025 season starts this weekend.

Thankfully, the team's season starts with a three-game slate in El Paso on Friday before six games in Albuquerque next week. Steve Starks, CEO of Larry H. Miller Company, the team's owner, told KSL.com that everything is still on pace for the stadium to be ready in two weeks, although the same cannot be said about the rest of America First Square.

"People will have to pardon our dust because there's a lot of construction taking place around," he said.

The April 8 tilt versus Reno is already sold out. While the stadium seats 8,000 with its outfield berm full — almost half of Smith's Ballpark — Starks adds that interest in season and single-day tickets has been "incredibly strong." The team's first-day ticket sales tripled last year's output.

A new-look team

A new ballpark is just one of a handful of notable offseason events for the Salt Lake Bees. The team unveiled new uniforms with a series of new logos in November, while there were also many roster moves.

Jordyn Adams, Davis Daniels, Kenny Rosenberg and Eric Wagaman were among the Bees mainstays in recent years who the Los Angeles Angels either released or non-tendered over the offseason. Other former Bees who spent more time in the majors last season, like Griffin Canning, Patrick Sandoval and Matt Thaiss, also departed over the offseason as the big league club made wholesale changes.

Humphreys and Teodosio are among the few Bees carryovers from last season on the team's potential opening day roster, while pitcher Chase Silseth has bounced back and forth between the majors and Triple-A a few times in recent years largely because of injuries.

They're tentatively slated to be replaced by newcomers whose names might be familiar to MLB fans, such as pitchers Carl Edwards Jr., Dakota Hudson and Touki Toussaint, as well as infielders and outfielders like J.D. Davis, Carter Kieboom and Scott Kingery. Toussaint previously appeared in nine games for the Bees in 2022.

It's unclear how many will remain on the opening day roster or even on the roster come April 8 because of how rapid-paced major league transactions are. For example, two-time MLB All-Star Tim Anderson will not be on the Bees' opening day roster because Los Angeles selected his minor league contract on Tuesday after the team released former first overall draft pick Mickey Moniak in a somewhat surprising move.

Fans aren't the only ones who had to keep up with the changes. Humphreys said he tries not to think much about baseball in the offseason so he can reset his mind, but that also meant having to learn new teammates during spring training. That often involves getting to know players who used to be competitors.

"You could have played against someone three years ago and you can have bad blood with them because ... maybe you got hit by a pitch. And then you're on the same team as him now, and it's like, 'Oh, this is a great guy. I have no issues,'" he explained. "You learn a new side of the guys."

Johnson sees benefits from it, though. The veteran cast, he says, should allow for entertaining action, while helping younger prospects hone their skills.

The new-look roster just proves how 2025 continues to be a year of change for the Salt Lake Bees.

"It's new beginnings," he said. "New logos, new team, new year, new everything."

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