In 2004, the City Council of Martinsville approved an effort to return baseball to Hooker Field with a city-owned franchise in the Coastal Plain League.

Hankins solicited public suggestions for a team name, drawing over 200 different responses and narrowing the list to six finalists.

Using focus groups and community research, the list of potential mascots was narrowed to two: the Mallards or the Mustangs.

In 2010, the Mustangs hired Jim Taipalus, the former operations director for the Yuma Scorpions under the ownership of Dave Kaval, current president of the Athletics of Major League Baseball.

Through Jim's leadership and creativity at the end of the 2011 season, the Martinsville Mustangs achieved their highest game day revenue in the franchises eight year history.