With the wealth of exceptional minor league ballparks to visit in North Carolina, I get the impression that one facility in the state is sometimes overlooked. That park, Five County Stadium, home of the Carolina Mudcats, should be on your radar.
Not only is the ballpark fun to visit, but the clock is starting to tick. The Mudcats franchise will reportedly relocate to Wilson, NC, in time for the 2026 season. This means there’s no time like the present to reflect on my favorite things about this ballpark — and tell you to think about visiting this facility in Zebulon, NC, while there’s still time.
This is the 10th edition of my “5 Things I Love” series, which looks at a short list of random things that I love about each ballpark I’ve visited. This is a series that celebrates the sometimes subtle things that make ballpark experiences enjoyable and memorable, and hopefully encourages you to think about your favorite features at each park you visit.
Here are five things I love about Five County Stadium, home of the Carolina Mudcats:
1. The Mudcats Water Tower
One of my favorite things about Five County Stadium is visible as you approach the ballpark on Hwy. 39 or Old Hwy. 264. It’s the Mudcats-themed water tower that stands less than 500 feet from the ballpark’s left field fence. I love team-branded water towers (including the one in Kinston, NC), and the one near Five County Stadium is particularly appealing because it’s shaped like a baseball. It features the stylized Mudcats name and red stitching, with “Zebulon” written vertically down the column of the tower. The water tower is visible from many areas throughout the park, and you can enjoy a great view of it from the parking lot on the ballpark’s third base side.
2. The Premium Seats
On my travels, I’m always on the lookout for unique seating sections. A lot of ballparks have a fairly generic approach to seating, so it’s a thrill to encounter something that stands out. At Five County Stadium, the Premium seating section is particularly noteworthy. This section encompasses the seats at field level behind home plate, running between the dugouts. They’re unique because they’re just four full rows deep, with four or five seats that make up a fifth row at the top of each section. At most parks, the field-level seats feature many more rows. Sitting in any Premium seat at Five County Stadium offers a unique and intimate feeling at an affordable price. For 2024, these seats only cost about $15 each.
3. The Second Deck Steepness
As soon as you climb to the second deck of Five County Stadium, you’ll likely notice the steepness of the seats. The steepness is impossible to overlook, and I think it’s one of the park’s most endearing features. Steep seats might seem a little queasy for some people, but the big benefit of this design is that anyone who sits in the second deck will feel close to the action. When the second deck seats are gently sloped, fans in the upper rows will feel very far away from the field. One thing that’s neat about the design of the second deck is that from certain areas, you’re unable to see the field-level seats in front of you. This further helps to support your feeling of being extremely close to the field.
4. The Name
Ballpark names aren’t something I think about a lot, but I know a good one when I see it. In an era in which there are far too many “Insert Bank Name Here Park” names throughout baseball, it’s always fun to find a non-corporate one. The Five County Stadium name is particularly appealing because it pays tribute to the county in which it’s located, as well as the four surrounding counties. The ballpark is situated in Wake County, the most populous county in the state. Wake County includes Raleigh, the state capital. The four surrounding counties are Franklin, Johnson, Nash, and Wilson. I’d like to think baseball fans in these counties feel a sense of pride in their local minor league park. I know I certainly would if I were a resident.
5. The Sky Lounge
Swanky restaurant/club areas at the norm at MLB stadiums, and you’ll even find them at several Triple-A facilities. As you get lower in the ranks of the minor leagues, however, it’s rare to come across such an amenity. As such, I was surprised to encounter the DRB Homes Sky Lounge during my visit to Five County Stadium. The space, which was known as Cattails Restaurant at the time of my visit in 2019, offers fans a high-end buffet and various seating options. Although the space is geared toward group bookings, single-game tickets are sold for it on select days throughout the season. The lounge is expansive and offers a great view of the field from its position above the first base line.
What are your favorite things about Five County Stadium?