KINGSPORT, Tenn. — The Kingsport Axmen baseball team's season has been called off after police said a former pitcher for the team threatened to kill people shortly after he was dismissed.
According to the Kingsport Police Department, officers were asked to come to Hunter Wright Stadium in Kingsport on Monday around 12:30 p.m. to stand by while management dismissed pitcher Matthew Taylor from the team and banned him from the premises.
Police said Taylor initially left the stadium without incident. About an hour and a half later, police were called back after Taylor reportedly made threats.
Police said they discovered he had sent messages on social media threatening to kill multiple people at the Axmen game scheduled for that evening.
Management cancelled the game after learning about the threat. Taylor was arrested at his home in Sullivan County and taken to the Kingsport Justice Center on charges of false reporting and harassment. He was later released after posting a $25,000 bond.
Following the incident, the Axmen's season was put on hiatus. On Thursday, USA Baseball announced the team's season was canceled in light of the unusual circumstances.
In a letter to fans Thursday evening, owner Boyd Sports called the incident "troubling and concerning," but said the former player has since been placed in the care of medical professionals.
Boyd Sports said it met with USA Baseball and the MLB to discuss how to move forward, saying it is assembling a travel team to complete the remaining road games so other teams are not impacted by the season's cancelation.
"After discussions regarding these unusual circumstances, USA Baseball made the decision to allow the players of the Kingsport Axmen to return home," Boyd Sports said. "We are in the process of assembling a travel team with a different group of players to complete the season, because a decision like this affects not only the Kingsport Axmen but every other team in the league’s schedule."
The Axmen are a summer collegiate team that plays in the Appalachian League -- competing against teams in Appalachian region of Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and North Carolina.