Yuba-Sutter High Wheelers baseball team rebrands as the Freebirds

Marysville's independent professional baseball team, the High Wheelers, is rebranding.

The 2024 Pioneer League champions announced their name change on Thursday. As of the upcoming season, the High Wheelers will now play as the Freebirds.

"It's fearless, it's fun, and it doesn't take itself too seriously, while still being competitive and proud of where we come from," said General Manager Harrison Shapiro in a statement.

Willy the Wild Chicken will serve as the team's new mascot. CBS News Sacramento covered these wild chickens back in 2024.

"They're such cute little mascots. They roam the streets. They walk across the street with reckless abandon, and the community has really embraced them," Shapiro said.

The Freebirds brand is also an homage to the community's history and to Beale Air Force Base.

"There's a long tradition of freedom and love of freedom and independence. Freebirds means a lot to our community in terms of our mascot, but also in terms of the agricultural tradition and also our focus on military and the pride we have in our community," said Lon Hatamiya, co-owner of the Yuba-Sutter Freebirds.

The team started play as the High Wheelers in 2024, winning the championship in their inaugural season. At the time, they played their home games at UC Davis' Dobbins Stadium.

For the 2025 season, the team moved to Marysville's Bryant Field, which also underwent renovations last year. The team's management hopes to bring baseball back to the area in a big way and build out a loyal fan base.

"We went for whimsical and fun, and again, it's about understanding the community and I hope they feel that connection that we've sought so hard to try to achieve," Shapiro said.

The Freebirds' 2026 season is set to kick off on May 19.