Frederick Keys, set to return as Orioles affiliate, unveil new logos

With the return of affiliated baseball to Frederick, the Keys unveiled updated logos Thursday.

Five years after the contraction of Minor League Baseball stripped one of Maryland’s largest cities of an Orioles affiliate, the Keys are replacing the Aberdeen IronBirds as Baltimore’s High-A squad.

The new logos, unveiled via a video on X, feature literal keys rather than a likeness of Francis Scott Key, the author of “The Star-Spangled Banner” and a Frederick County native who is the organization’s namesake. A traditional logo for the Keys included three fireworks with baseballs above the lettering.

In an email sent to fans, the Keys wrote that the script used in the primary Frederick Keys logo mirrors that of the iconic Orioles script. Another logo features an ‘F’ with a key in the cross stroke.

“These logos aren’t just graphics — they’re a reflection of the spirited and rich traditions of Frederick and its enduring love for baseball,” said Greg Baroni, founder and CEO of Attain Sports and owner of the Frederick Keys, in a statement.

The IronBirds will continue as a lower-level MLB Draft League squad, which is the role Frederick held after their exclusion from minor league ball. In effect, the IronBirds and Keys will swap places.

The Keys noted that Younts Design Inc. of Baltimore helped direct the logo changes. According to the company’s Instagram account, they also worked with the Chesapeake Baysox, the Orioles’ Double-A affiliate, on their redesign.