MERIDIAN, Miss. (Queen City Newsfeed) – Meridian will soon have a new team to cheer for, as city leaders on Wednesday announced the arrival of an independent league baseball franchise set to begin play in 2026.
The team, named the Meridian Blues, will compete in the Mid-America League, an independent baseball league that features players from across the United States with a wide range of professional and collegiate experience. The announcement was made during a morning press conference at the Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience, where team officials also unveiled the Blues’ logo and jersey designs.
Mayor Percy Bland said the addition of the Blues is expected to provide a significant economic boost for the Queen City by attracting visitors and creating new activity downtown.
“If we put a competitive team out there and we put players out there who people want to see, there’s going to be more activity of people coming to our games for our home team and also those that are visiting the other teams coming,” Bland said. “That’s going to mean more people in our hotels, more people in our restaurants, and more overall activity in the city of Meridian, which brings in more tax revenue.”
The Meridian Blues will play their inaugural season at Scaggs Field on the campus of Meridian Community College, making MCC Mississippi’s first host site for a Mid-America League team. MCC President Tom Huebner said the college is prepared to support the team through a comprehensive lease agreement.
“We’re able to provide a lease agreement to use our field, and that agreement covers everything from marketing and advertising to the use of specific facilities,” Huebner said. “We’re also going to be providing some dormitory rooms or student housing for some of the visiting athletes.”
League officials said the Blues will officially join the Mid-America League in May 2026, marking the return of professional-style baseball to Meridian and giving local fans a new team to rally behind.
