HAGERSTOWN, Md. — When the Hagerstown Flying Boxcars gathered for their first mandatory workout of the season at Meritus Park in April, new manager Mark Minicozzi didn’t shy away from discussing a franchise that had finished with the Atlantic League’s worst record in each of its first two seasons.
Instead, he made a promise.
“We’re going to win this year,” he said.
Less than three months later, the Boxcars have delivered.
Hagerstown clinched the Atlantic League North Division’s first-half championship Saturday, capturing the franchise’s first postseason berth. The Boxcars are 39-21 and hold a four-game lead over the Long Island Ducks with three games remaining before the second half begins.
By winning the first half, Hagerstown secured one of the North Division’s two playoff spots.
“It’s awesome to see it come together so quickly,” Minicozzi said. “I think everyone aspires to do what we did.”
The turnaround has been dramatic.
The Flying Boxcars went 36-89 in their inaugural season in 2024 before slipping to 31-95 last year. Just 60 games into the 2026 season, Hagerstown has already surpassed its win totals from each of its first two years.
Minicozzi said he knew the franchise had the ingredients to become a winner long before he accepted the job.
Now in his sixth season as an Atlantic League manager, Minicozzi spent the previous two seasons with the Staten Island FerryHawks, making regular trips to Meritus Park.
“There was a big reason for coming here,” he said. “I’d been in this league for five years and had spent two years coming to Hagerstown. Me and Aharon Eggleston, who was my hitting coach, said, ‘Man, what this place could be. This could be a dynasty.’
“I knew going in that we could make a lot of changes really quick. It’s nice to see that already starting and seeing guys wanting to be here. It should be a real fun time for not just this season, but years to come.”
The roster underwent a complete overhaul.
None of the players who appeared for the Flying Boxcars during the franchise’s first two seasons remain on the current roster. Minicozzi said changing the clubhouse culture was just as important as upgrading the talent.
“I’m all about culture,” he said. “I’m all about guys wanting to be here and guys playing selflessly, playing for the team. We needed to change that culture, bring a winning culture — guys who want to get here early, get work in and want to develop and become better players.
“It’s about learning how to win and learning how to play together. You see this with this group. These guys battle every day. That’s the culture these guys bring and the leadership they have in that clubhouse. Those guys keep each other accountable. It makes our job a lot easier when the players hold each other accountable and have fun together.”
Minicozzi pointed to Sunday’s 7-3 road victory over the Lexington Legends, one day after the Boxcars celebrated clinching the first-half title, as another example of the team’s mindset.
“Sunday was a huge testament to this team,” he said. “You celebrate on Saturday, you win the first half, Sunday doesn’t really matter. You have a long road trip, and the guys go out, make diving plays and win a game. That’s just the group of guys. That’s the culture these guys bring.”
Now that a playoff berth is secure, Minicozzi said the Boxcars have the luxury of looking beyond simply winning the next game.
“We’ll be able to solidify our roster for the playoffs,” he said. “The day-to-day decisions aren’t as grueling as, ‘Must win today.’ We want to win every game we possibly can, but pitchers will get adequate rest, we’ll be able to rotate guys and give guys days off to keep them fresh.”
The Atlantic League playoffs begin Sept. 15 with a best-of-five division series. As the North Division’s first-half champion, Hagerstown expects to exercise its option of hosting Games 3, 4 and 5, if necessary, giving the city a weekend of playoff baseball at Meritus Park.
