The Lehigh Valley IronPigs finished 68-81 in 2026, going 35-40 in the first half and 33-41 in the second. The season also brought a change in the dugout. Manager Anthony Contreras was elevated to the Phillies’ third base coach after the Phillies fired Rob Thomson, and Tank Adamson took over as IronPigs manager for the rest of the year.
Lehigh Valley ended the season on September 20 with a 5-4, 11-inning win at Syracuse, snapping a six-game losing streak. Colby Thomas and Raider Tello hit back-to-back home runs in the fourth. Tello had homered in his IronPigs debut earlier that week. Tello also made a diving stop at shortstop in the 10th to keep the winning run from scoring. Otto Kemp‘s RBI single and Paul McIntosh‘s run-scoring double decided it in the 11th, and Mitch Neunborn earned the win.
Felix Reyes: Player of the Year
Felix Reyes was the overwhelming choice as the IronPigs’ Player of the Year, even though his season ended early. On April 18 he made his big league debut and homered in his first at-bat, becoming the second IronPig to do so after Weston Wilson in 2023. His season ended on August 14 when a pitch fractured his wrist. At the time, he ranked in the International League’s top 10 in home runs, RBIs, slugging and total bases.
Reyes still led the IronPigs in batting average (.287), hits (102), home runs (21), RBIs (70), extra-base hits (38), total bases (182) and slugging (.511) in 85 games. He had joined Lehigh Valley late in 2025 after winning Eastern League MVP honors at Reading.
Chuck King: Pitcher of the Year
Right-hander Chuck King was named Pitcher of the Year. He began the season with three games at Reading, then became the most consistent member of the Lehigh Valley rotation. King led the staff with 10 wins (10-7) and 121.1 innings and struck out 96.
Other Offensive Leaders
Otto Kemp was second on the club with 17 home runs, drove in 54 runs, and tied for the team lead with 66 runs scored. He was also hit by 27 pitches, a new franchise record. Robert Moore hit 15 home runs. Bryan De La Cruz added 12 homers, 56 RBI and an .806 OPS. Keaton Anthony hit .282 with 11 home runs, 50 RBI and an .821 OPS. Carter Kieboom had 101 hits, 21 doubles and 50 RBI.
Christian Cairo drew 90 walks for a .378 on-base percentage, led the team with 25 stolen bases, and tied Kemp with 66 runs. Lehigh Valley designated him for assignment on September 13, and the Mets claimed him off waivers. He drove in a run against the IronPigs in the season finale. Dylan Moore added 20 stolen bases.
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Pitching Leaders
Alan Rangel led the staff with 107 strikeouts in 108 innings and was named International League Pitcher of the Week in early August. Tucker Davidson threw 100.1 innings with 84 strikeouts, and Drake Fellows threw 95 innings. In the bullpen, Lou Trivino led the team with eight saves and a 2.60 ERA. Seth Johnson posted a 2.17 ERA with six saves and 40 strikeouts in 29 innings. Kirby Snead went 6-3 with a 2.76 ERA, and Kyle Backhus posted a 2.67 ERA. Pitching was a problem overall, as the staff finished with a 5.24 team ERA.
Rehab Stops and Big League Traffic
Allentown was a regular stop for Phillies pitchers on rehab assignments. Zack Wheeler made three starts, and Andrew Painter made five. Nestor Cortes and Orion Kerkering also pitched for the IronPigs. McFarlane made four scoreless appearances with Lehigh Valley before his July promotion to Philadelphia. The crowded Triple-A roster also pushed players such as Pedro Leon and Caleb Ricketts back to Reading, where they helped win the Eastern League title.
Attendance Crown for the Fourth Straight Year
Lehigh Valley led all of Minor League Baseball in total attendance for the fourth straight season. The IronPigs drew 559,602 fans, averaged 7,772 per game, and recorded 28 sellouts, 15 of them at full capacity. They are the first team since the IronPigs’ 2008 debut to lead the minors in attendance four years in a row. It was the 10th time in 18 seasons that the franchise led the minors in total or average attendance. The IronPigs also drew more fans than any other minor league club when home and road games are combined (961,416). All-time franchise attendance now stands at 10,652,089.
The ballpark was renamed Jefferson Park this year. In the spring, USA Today readers named it the No. 1 ballpark in Minor League Baseball.
Looking Ahead
Lehigh Valley opens 2027 on March 26 at Norfolk. The home opener is March 30 against Worcester at Jefferson Park, in the franchise’s 20th year of existence.
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