On October 11, 2023, the Appalachian League announced that the
Princeton WhistlePigs would be ceasing operations, effective immediately, leaving an open spot in the 10 team league. On November 16, the league announced that Marshall University would host an Appalachian League team beginning with the 2024 season, marking the first time Huntington hosted Appalachian League baseball since 1994, when the
Huntington Cubs played at
St. Cloud Commons. On February 1 and 8 of 2024, it was announced that former MLB player
Tommy Gregg and former
Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher
Salomón Torres were hired as the manager and pitching coach respectively. On February 15, the team name was announced as the Tri-State Coal Cats, honoring the tri-state area of Huntington, West Virginia, Southern Ohio and Northeast Kentucky, with their color scheme identical to the
Marshall Thundering Herd. Huntington, West Virginia has a long history with professional baseball, dating back to the early 20th century. The city fielded teams in several minor leagues, including the
Virginia Valley League (1910),
Mountain States League (1911–1912, 1937–1942),
Ohio State League (1913–1916), and the
Middle Atlantic League (1931–1936). In the 1990s, Huntington became home to an
Appalachian League franchise for six seasons. From 1990 to 1994, the Huntington Cubs served as the
Chicago Cubs’ Rookie-level affiliate, playing their home games at St. Cloud Commons. In 1995, following the Cubs’ departure, Huntington fielded a co-op team known as the River City Rumblers, which was composed of players from the remaining nine MLB organizations. One notable figure to pass through Huntington was future NFL defensive back
Jason Sehorn. Signed by the Chicago Cubs out of American Legion baseball at age 19, Sehorn played for the inaugural Huntington Cubs team in 1990. While he showcased impressive speed—going 9-for-10 in stolen base attempts—he struggled offensively, finishing with a .184 batting average, one home run, 10 RBIs, and 52 strikeouts in 141 plate appearances. After his brief baseball career, Sehorn transitioned to football, playing at junior college and then
USC. He went on to enjoy a 10-year NFL career with the
New York Giants (1994–2002) and
St. Louis Rams (2003), and played in
Super Bowl XXXV as a cornerback for the Giants. The Coal Cats were not listed on the Appalachian League schedule for 2026. ==Season-by-season results==