What’s in a nickname?

When it comes to minor league baseball, plenty.

Some exude toughness, others not so much. Some make sense based on location, others make no sense at all.

Seneca Valley graduate Cory Mazzoni has had a taste of the major leagues with the San Diego Padres this season, but has spent the bulk of the summer playing in El Paso, Texas — for the Chihuahuas.

Not the most intimidating of animals, to be sure. But it could be worse.

Mazzoni, a pitcher, could be toeing the rubber for the Akron RubberDucks, Biloxi Shuckers or Pensacola Blue Wahoos.

The Montgomery Biscuits or Cedar Rapids Kernels are tasty choices as well.

If you’re into the sea, there’s the Hickory Crawdads, West Michigan Whitecaps, Erie SeaWolves, Lakewood BlueClaws, Charlotte Stone Crabs or Jupiter Hammerheads, to name a few. The Delmarva Shorebirds and Savannah Sand Gnats hang out there as well.

The NFL’s San Francisco 49ers don’t have a copyright on numbers. The Inland Empire 66ers, the Angels’ Class A affiliate, are named after the famous Route 66. The Las Vegas 51’s, the Blue Jays’ Class AA team, are named after Area 51 in Rachel, Nev., where a number of UFO sightings have been reported.

If you’re into aggression, you might become a fan of the Vermont Lake Monsters, Quad Cities River Bandits, Frisco RoughRiders, Kannapolis Intimidators or Salem-Keizer Volcanoes.

If you’re a little more laid back, checking out the Asheville Tourists, Everett AquaSox or Colorado Springs SkySox might be more your thing.

Looking for a religious experience? The Fort Myers Miracle or San Antonio Missions may answer the call.

Want to hit the road? Try the Arkansas Travelers or Bowling Green Hot Rods.

Some nicknames simply make sense. The Tennessee Smokies, Omaha Storm Chasers, Reno Aces, Nashville Sounds, Jackson Generals, Tulsa Drillers and Louisville Bats aren’t hard to figure out.

The ultimate goal of any minor league team should be coming up with a nickname that makes it easy to produce a marketable logo.

The Toledo Mud Hens, Greensboro Grasshoppers, State College Spikes, Tri-City Dust Devils, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, Richmond Flying Squirrels and Lansing Lugnuts should have no trouble in that regard.

Finally, we come to my personal favorite, my favorite nickname of any baseball team anywhere.

The Lehigh Valley IronPigs.

The Phillies’ Class AAA affiliate is doing it right.

My goal for years has been to attend an IronPigs game. When it happens, rest assured I’ll be returning home with the T-shirt and cap. A unique logo can go a long way — into one’s wallet or pocketbook.

John Enrietto is sports editor of the Butler Eagle.