Smokies to open 2026 season versus Barons, son of Hall of Fame manager

Knoxville will open its 2026 season Friday against Birmingham at Covenant Health Park in Knoxville, Tennessee. First pitch between the Smokies and Barons is slated for 7 p. m.

EDT as Knoxville, a Double-A affiliate of the Cubs, will open its second season at Covenant Health Park. Birmingham, a Double-A affiliate of the White Sox, is managed by Pat Leyland. He is the son of former Major League Baseball manager and Hall-of-Fame inductee Jim Leyland.

Jim Leyland managed Pittsburgh (1986-96), Florida (1997-98), Colorado (1999) and Detroit (2006-13) in MLB. He also served as a coach for the White Sox (1982-85) and was a three-time Manager of the Year (1990, 1992, 2006). Jim Leyland guided the Marlins to a 1997 World Series championship and was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York in 2024.

His jersey number is also retired by the Tigers, while being a member of the Pirates Hall of Fame and the Marlins Legends Hall of Fame. Pat Leyland was selected by Detroit in the 2010 MLB draft during the eighth round. He managed Winston-Salem (Single-A) in 2025 and began his minor league coaching career in the Orioles' organization.