The Kansas City Chiefs are not the only sports franchise relocating to Kansas in the near future, following an announcement from the now former Kansas City/Iola Hormigas.
After splitting time between Kansas City, Mo., and Iola, Hormigas officials announced the baseball team will leave Kansas City’s Satchell Paige Stadium and permanently relocate to Iola, where they utilize the campus of Allen Community College as their base of operations with games taking place at Alumni Park.
According to a post on social media pages associated with the Pecos League and the Hormigas, the Hormigas will be stationed in Iola for 2026. The post further stated that all Kansas City, Mo., references will be removed from their branding.
The Hormigas will still wear red and black uniforms to match their home ballpark’s theme.
The announcement comes on the heels of a significant realignment of teams in the Pecos League and a few new opponents on next season’s schedule.
The Hormigas will return to the Mountain League and likely play once again in the Mountain North Division along with the Blackwell, Okla., Fly Catchers and the North Platte, Neb., 80s.
Barring any further adjustments, the Trinidad, Colo., Triggers, Santa Fe, N.M., Fuego, Pecos, Texas Bills and Alpine, Texas Cowboys will make up the Mountain South League.
The post said the Hormigas were originally slated to be based in Kansas City, Mo., and that Iola did a great job welcoming the Hormigas to Southeast Kansas.
Last summer, the Hormigas split time between Kansas City and Iola. They played at KC’s Satchell Paige Stadium on weekends, then at ACC for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday contests. Players stayed in the ACC dorms and practiced at Alumni Park when not on the road.
Along with the announcement, in order to reflect the newly aligned league, Pecos League officials released a new schedule.
The Hormigas will host the North Platte 80s for opening day Wednesday, May 27, then another game Thursday before traveling to Nebraska for a three-game series the following Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Iola will host 24 of 54 scheduled games.
Along with playing in the Pecos League, the Hormigas also serve as a minor league system for Bravos De Leon, owned by retired multiple-time MLB all-star Miguel Tejada, of the Mexican League or Liga de Beisbol.
Last year’s roster included Bravos de Leon holdovers Miguel Tejada Jr., Antuan Franco, Julio Zamora, Tommy Carr Jr. and Jesus Alduves. Tejada Jr., pitcher Jacob Slocumb and catcher Nicholas “Chavo” Chavez represented the Mountain League in the 2025 Pecos League All-Star Game.
They missed the postseason by a handful of games after finishing with a 13-24 record.
