Frontier League Adds Down East Bird Dawgs in Latest Expansion

Official Frontier League News Release

Kinston, NC –The Frontier League is proud to announce that the Down East Bird Dawgs will be added for the 2025 season, expanding the league to 18 teams.

Cameron McRae, a business owner from North Carolina, will serve as the new team’s primary owner. McRae has been a part of Kinston baseball for over three decades, including being the original owner and primary investor of the Kinston Indians in 1994. His other business ventures include ownership and operation of 72 Bojangles’ Famous Chicken restaurants, a golf course, a convenience store, and many different management companies. 

Serving as the general manager will be Shari Massengill. Like McRae, Shari has been associated with professional baseball in North Carolina and the Kinston ballclub since the 1990s. She 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. 

"We are excited to welcome the Down East Bird Dawgs to the Frontier League,” said Frontier League Commissioner Steve 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.” 

About the Frontier League 

Founded in 1993, the Frontier League is the largest and longest running Major League Baseball Professional Partner League. The Frontier League broke its attendance record in 2024, marking its third consecutive year of audience growth. The Frontier League features 18 teams stretching from Mississippi to the Atlantic Ocean and through the Canadian provinces. More information is available atwww.frontierleague.com.