Former Cardinal Adam Wainwright is throwing his fans a new kind of pitch—this time, with names like A-flat and E major.
Wainwright released his debut country music album, Hey Y’all, in April 2024, and has since opened for artists including Luke Bryan and Zac Brown Band. Now, nearly two years into life after the big leagues, Wainwright has even bigger dreams in mind. He wants to use his music in a deeper way—to serve others.
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Later this month, he’ll get the chance to do so locally. Wainwright is headlining the Big League Bash at The Factory on July 27, the first-ever fundraising concert hosted by his 12-year-old nonprofit Big League Impact. Proceeds generated from this boot-stompin’, country-croonin’ affair will go toward the organization’s supported causes, including hunger relief and pediatric medical care.
The evening will begin with a tailgate party, featuring appearances from current Cardinals Ryan Helsley and Steven Matz, among others. Fredbird will show off his feathers, with a silent auction before opening artists Austin Bohannon and Joanna Cotten take the stage. Finally, Wainwright will steady his spot at the microphone and tune-up his guitar (while likely donning some sort of hat, be it baseball or cowboy).
The events team at Big League Impact considered hosting the bash in a music hub like Nashville, but ultimately settled on the metro area where Wainwright spent 18 seasons on the mound.
“The fans and people of St. Louis have just supported our foundation so well through the years. We felt like it would be a great way to honor them,” Wainwright says. “Being a part of such a legendary organization, it was all about passing that baton down and upholding that tradition.”
Wainwright knows something about passing the baton. His Big League Impact charity works to connect other professional baseball players with the causes closest to their hearts. While Wainwright spent his entire big league career with the Cardinals, a reality of Major League Baseball is that most players are constantly on the move. This results in “guys being able to pass the story [of Big League Impact] along,” Wainwright says. Most recently, he reports raising $30,000 to help victims of the May 16 tornado.
Wainwright takes pride in not only getting major league players who have partnered with his foundation on mission trips to places like Haiti and Honduras, but also getting them to the backyards of the cities they play in, home and away; this is done via Big League Impact’s Mission 3:18 campaign, which offers one-day service opportunities for players while they’re on the road. Giving back can take many different forms. “Sometimes,” Wainwright says, “guys just need a hug. Sometimes little kids just need a high five, or sometimes they need a sandwich.”
Meanwhile, he’s loving his artistic second act. The parallels of a sold-out theater and a sold-out home opener are obvious in the electric hum in the air, the decked-out fans and their expectant faces. Playing for a large crowd is “as close a feeling in the world to running onto the field,” Wainwright says.
Even so, Wainwright stays grounded. He uses the iPhone notes app to jot down song ideas, whether they’re brilliant or basic. And like any parent, his focus is clear: “The thing that I’m most concerned about is being a great husband and a great dad to these kids,” he says, speaking fondly of his wife, Jenny, and their five children—daughters Baylie, Morgan, Macy, and Sadee, and son Caleb.
“That’s kind of how it started, and that’s where I thought it was going to end,” Wainwright says, “just being able to have a couple of cool songs to share with my kids or open mic night, but not make a record. It’s truly by God’s blessings that I’ve been able to to have these opportunities”
Wainwright says he draws songwriting inspiration from his own experiences, while also receiving advice from fellow musicians, including Garth Brooks. In that spirit, Wainwright understands the difference a little help can make.
The first-ever Big League Bash takes place on July 27. Tickets can be purchased here.
