Burl Yarbrough Joins ‘From Phenom To The Farm:’ Episode 81

Image credit: Photo Credit: Reynaldo Holguin

Burl Yarbrough’s career in baseball, currently in its fourth decade, is proof that concrete access
to Minor League Baseball can create lifelong fans. Before MLB’s Rangers moved into
Arlington, Yarbrough got his first taste of professional baseball by watching his hometown
Dallas-Fort Worth Spurs of the Texas League.

 

 

“Really fell in love with the game, and also the minor leagues,” said Yarbrough. “Figured out
pretty early that I wasn’t going to be good enough to play for a living, but I certainly wanted to
be around sports.”

After earning a Master’s Degree in sports management, Yarbrough set out for his first job in
baseball with the Florence Blue Jays of the South Atlantic League, as assistant GM to Dan
Rajkowski, now the Chief Operating Officer for the Triple-A Charlotte Knights. He ended up
with a crash course in the do-it-all nature of MiLB in the ‘80s.

“Dan and I were a two-man staff back then,” said Yarbrough. “When you have a staff like two
people, you are absolutely doing everything from cooking hotdogs to rolling the tarp, to anything
else in-between. It really prepared me for San Antonio, and when I got here we probably had a
staff of six people, so I thought we were in pretty good shape.”

Yarbrough arrived in San Antonio in 1988, the same year Bull Durham was released, and right as
MiLB began an era of change and innovation. Early in his run as General Manager and Team
President he oversaw a San Antonio’s move into a brand new ballpark, Nelson W. Wolff
Stadium, which opened in 1994. In Yarbrough’s time in Military City, future stars aplenty have
worn a Missions uniform, from Paul Konerko, to Felix Hernandez, to Fernando Tatis Jr. As
coverage of MiLB and prospects has increased, Yarbrough has seen more awareness from fans
as to who is on the field.

“I’ve always said that people know who our mascot, Henry the Puffy Taco, is but don’t know
who our shortstop is,” said Yarbrough. “Back years ago, when people didn’t follow the minor
leagues like they do now, we’d have a guy come into town that unless you were just the most
avid baseball fan you’d have no idea who it was—but you’ll remember you saw him play in San
Antonio when he’s on TV in a couple years. That part of the business we’ve seen change over
the years (…) I think now with social media and everything, the better players are certainly
known as they progress up the minor league chain.”

He’s also witnessed the evolution of the business of MiLB, where the hospitality, family-friendly
focus is just as important as the on-field product. Clever promotions, theme nights, and food that
goes beyond typical ballpark munchies by incorporating local fare have become as much a part
of MiLB as top prospects ascending to the big leagues. At a Missions game, and every other
MiLB ballpark, you’ll find something for everyone.

“My philosophy has always been, if you’re not a baseball fan, I still think you should come to
Wolff Stadium and have a good time,” said Yarbrough. “And that’s the kind of show we try to put on, from the music, to the entertainment, to the between inning promotions. We hope you get
to see a win, but most of all we want you to go home and say, man that was a great time, I can’t
wait to get back.”

Even in his 35 th year with San Antonio, Yarbrough shows no signs of slowing down, and
certainly no desire to.

“I love my job, I tell people, I’ve never really felt like I had a job,” said Yarbrough. “I get to
come to a ballpark every day.”

On the latest episode of ‘From Phenom to the Farm,’ San Antonio Missions president Burl
Yarbrough joins to walk through is career in a MiLB front office.