Getting a few autographs at a Trenton Thunder game is usually an easy process. Like all MiLB parks, players sign around their dugouts before the game, and regardless of where your seat is located, you can get down to field level with ease. The gates at Waterfront Park open an hour before first pitch (1.5 hours for season ticket holders) and if autographs are your thing, get to field level as soon as you enter the park.
Decide which team you’ll target for autographs; the Thunder dugout is on the first base side and the crowds in this area are typically heavier. When you get to the dugout of your choice, stand directly behind the fence on either side of the dugout. The outfield side tends to be better for autographs, as players will walk past you when they go to the outfield to stretch. If you get in right when the gates open, the field might be devoid of players, but they’ll soon appear.
Remember that not everyone will sign, and some players who are happy to sign won’t do so until they’ve stretched. Be ready with your pen or marker and the item you want signed, especially if the crowds are thick. You should be able to get a handful of guys to sign without any difficulty.
As you’re planning your visit to Arm & Hammer Park, check the Thunder website to see if any prominent Yankees are down on a rehab stint. While it might be tempting to go to a game to try to get an MLB star to sign, remember that thousands of other fans are thinking the same thing. When Derek Jeter played for Trenton on a rehab assignment in 2011, the 6,341-capacity ballpark welcomed 9,212 fans – all of whom wanted to see the Yankees captain.