Swimming Pool Splash Hits in MiLB

All home runs are exciting, but there are arguably no home runs that are more of a thrill than splash hits. This type of home run — for the unacquainted, a baseball that soars over the fence and lands in a body of water — is most notable at two major league parks: Oracle Park in San Francisco and PNC Park in Pittsburgh. It takes a good shot to reach the water at either venue, but this generally happens several times a year. At Oracle, a hitters needs a blast of about 365 feet to get to San Francisco Bay. At PNC, a 456-bomb to right field is enough to enter the Allegheny River.

As I’ve traveled the minor leagues, I’ve encountered several different water features inside certain ballparks, which has made me wonder how far a player has to hit a baseball to get a splash hit — potentially into the middle of a group enjoying a casual soak while watching a game.

Thanks to Google’s Measurement Tool, I now know. And you can, too.

Here’s a look at six water features at minor league ballparks and an estimate of what it takes to achieve a splash hit.

Frisco RoughRiders | Riders Field

Riders Field in Frisco, TX, has perhaps the most unique water feature in all of baseball — a 174-foot lazy river that snakes its way around an elevated deck above the right field fence. The lazy river opened in 2016 and holds 68,000 gallons of water, which is eight times the capacity of the pool at Arizona’s Chase Field. If a player were to lift a ball down the right field line, just staying fair, the ball could reach the lazy river in about 342 feet from home plate. A home run to the dead center of the lazy river would require a 376-foot blast.

New Hampshire Fisher Cats | Delta Dental Stadium

Technically, New Hampshire’s Delta Dental Stadium doesn’t have a water feature — but the Hilton Garden Inn hotel, which sits just beyond the fence in left-center field has a hot tub. (The hotel also is home to one of my favorite field-facing hotel rooms.) Even better, it’s home plate shaped. The hotel’s hot tub sits directly behind the ballpark’s batter’s eye, which may make it a little hard to reach. A player would need a 434-foot home run, and one with lots of height to clear the batter’s eye, to reach the hot tub.

Round Rock Express | Dell Diamond

The swimming pool at Dell Diamond in Round Rock, TX, is set farther back from the outfield fence than the pools at several other parks. A large grass berm and concourse separate the 20 x 50-foot pool from the field, but the pool might be reachable with a big enough home run swing. The closest part of the pool is about 412 feet from home plate; the nearby hot tub would be reachable with a 421-foot home run.

Corpus Christi Hooks | Whataburger Field

Whataburger Field in Corpus Christi, TX, has all sorts of attractions for fans beyond the outfield fence. Kids will enjoy the miniature baseball diamond and basketball court, while groups can soak in the pool directly behind right field. A batter would need a 350-foot blast to reach the front edge of the pool or a 383-foot shot to hit the hot tub that sits at the pool’s rear. Want to be silly for a minute? If a player were able to hit a 513-foot home run, his ball would land in the upper part of the water slide at Hurricane Alley Waterpark, which sits immediately behind Whataburger Field.

Reading Fightin Phils | FirstEnergy Stadium

FirstEnergy Stadium in Reading, PA, might seem like an unlikely candidate to have a pool. After all, Reading doesn’t exactly get the hot, dry climate of Texas. But immediately behind the fence in right-center field, you’ll find a 1,000-square-foot pool that is part of a party deck. A home run down the right field line can enter the pool in just 332 feet from home plate.

Sugar Land Space Cowboys | Constellation Field

Constellation Field in Sugar Land, TX, has the lone left field swimming pool on this list. A large awning covers the pool to help provide shade from the Texas sun, but a home run that leaves the ballpark at just the right angle has the potential to enter the pool in approximately 337 feet down the left field line.

Note: Las Vegas Ballpark, home of the Pacific Coast League’s Aviators, has a swimming pool behind the outfield fence. Unfortunately, the Google Maps satellite view of the property doesn’t show the completed ballpark. I’m not able to provide a splash hit estimate just yet, but will do so when I can.