KINSTON — With the recent departure of the Down East Wood Ducks, baseball fans in Kinston didn’t have to wait long for the arrival of a new team.

On Tuesday, the announcement of Kinston’s newest professional baseball team, the Down East Bird Dawgs was made at Grainger Stadium.

The Bird Dawgs, an expansion team, will be an independent team and member of the Frontier League.

Cam McRae, leader of the investment group behind the Bird Dawgs, was also instrumental in bringing the Kinston Indians to town in 1994.

Shari Massengill will serve as general manager of the Bird Dawgs.

Like McRae, Massengill has been associated with professional baseball in North Carolina and the Kinston ballclub since the 1990s.

Massengill began as an office manager for the Indians before being promoted to general manager, where she served until 2010.

She then served as the assistant general manager of the Gwinnett Stripers, the Triple-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves, for nearly a decade. Massengill’s accolades in baseball include winning the Calvin Falwell Award as the top executive in the Carolina League as well as being named the Rawlings Woman Executive of the Year in 2007.

Grainger Stadium will serve as the home of the Bird Dawgs in 2025.

First opened in 1949, Grainger Stadium has hosted professional and collegiate baseball for over 75 years and remains one of the oldest and most historic ballparks in professional baseball.

The stadium also hosts the annual Freedom Classic series between Navy and Air Force.

Steve Tahsler, Commissioner of the Frontier League said several factors were considered when choosing Kinston. Tahsler said everyone he talked to seemed to share the same community pride and a strong investment group led by McRae were key factors in coming to Kinston.

“We are excited to welcome the Down East Bird Dawgs to the Frontier League,” said Tahsler. “Beginning with our first visit to Kinston this spring, we have been overwhelmed with the passion and commitment from Cam McRae, Bill Ellis, Susan Barrett, and Scott Alston to keep professional baseball in Grainger Stadium. Sheri Massengill has a great baseball background and will be a quality addition to our roster of general managers.”

The Bird Dawgs are expected to begin playing in Kinston in the 2025 season.

With the addition of the Bird Dawgs, the Frontier League has 18 franchises across the United States and Canada.