The Frontier League (FL; French: Ligue Frontière, LF) is a professional baseball league in North America consisting of 18 teams – 15 in the United States and 3 in Canada. The FL is one of the four independent baseball leagues that is considered to be an MLB Partner League, and the level of play is comparable to the High-A level. The league is headquartered in Sauget, Illinois.
Current season, competition or edition: 2024 Frontier League season | |
 | |
| Classification | Independent baseball |
|---|---|
| Sport | Baseball |
| Founded | 1993 |
| Commissioner | Steve Tahsler |
| No. of teams | 18 |
| Country |
|
| Most recent champion(s) | Québec Capitales (2024) |
| Most titles | Schaumburg Boomers (4) |
| Official website | https://www.frontierleague.com/ |
25 distinct franchises had competed in the league. Its largest period of growth followed in 2020–21, when six teams from the ceased Can-Am and New York–Penn leagues joined alongside an expansion franchise. The Evansville Otters, the only one of the original eight franchises still playing today, is the longest tenured team in the league, while the Schaumburg Boomers have won the most championships.
The FL's regular season is typically held from May to September, with each team playing 96 games. Following the conclusion of the regular season, 8 teams advance to the playoffs, a three tournament that runs approximately two weeks to determine the league champion.
History
editThe Frontier League was founded in 1993. It initially struggled to retain franchises, with four of its eight founding teams folding within three seasons, though steadily grew to twelve teams within a decade. The first league champions were the Zanesville Greys. Eight teams have won more than one championship: Springfield in 1996 and 1998; Johnstown in 1995 (as the Steal) and in 2000 (as the Johnnies), Richmond Roosters in 2001 and 2002, Windy City in 2007 and 2008, the Joliet Slammers in 2011 and 2018, and the Evansville Otters in 2006 and 2016. With four titles, the Schaumburg Boomers have won the most league championships.
On June 20, 2000, Brian Tollberg debuted with the San Diego Padres, becoming the first player from the Frontier League to make it to the Majors. A week later, Morgan Burkhart made his debut with the Boston Red Sox.
Although the league does not have any teams located in the same city as Major League teams, it does nonetheless have teams located within the markets of Major League teams. The Chicago area has three teams (Joliet Slammers, Schaumburg Boomers and Windy City ThunderBolts), as does the New York area (New Jersey Jackals, Sussex County Miners, and New York Boulders), and St. Louis (Gateway Grizzlies), Cleveland (Lake Erie Crushers), Cincinnati (Florence Y'alls) and Pittsburgh (Washington Wild Things) each have one. The Wild Things, in particular, have been able to market themselves as a successful alternative to the Pittsburgh Pirates due to the latter franchise's long stretch of losing seasons, which lasted from the Frontier League's founding in 1993 until 2013 when the Pirates finished with a record of 94–68.[1]
2019–2020: Merger, MLB Partner League
editOn October 16, 2019, it was announced that the Frontier League would be merging with the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball, absorbing five of its teams to form the largest independent professional baseball league. This added the New Jersey Jackals, New York Boulders, Quebec Capitales, Sussex County Miners, and Trois-Rivieres Aigles to the league; the Ottawa Champions, the last remaining Can-Am League team, was not invited to participate.[2] The divisions were renamed, with the easternmost teams playing in the Can-Am Division and the westernmost in the Midwestern Division. The league had a partnership agreement with the California Winter League for player development.[3]
On September 24, 2020, Major League Baseball announced that it named the Frontier League an MLB Partner League.[4] This enables collaboration with MLB to jointly discuss marketing and promotional initiatives to grow, expand, and enhance the game of baseball.[5]
2021: New teams, border issues
editFor the 2021 season, the Frontier League announced it would be adding two new teams. The first announcement came around the same time as the announcement of the partnership with Major League Baseball, as Ottawa was granted an expansion franchise in the league. The team, as chosen by fans in a contest, was named the Titans and will play at RCGT Park.[6][7] Then, on January 8, 2021, after the reorganization of Minor League Baseball, the league added the Tri-City ValleyCats, which were one of several teams that were orphaned or disbanded when the New York-Penn League was folded. The Titans and ValleyCats joined the five former Can-Am League teams and Washington in the Can-Am Division; to even the divisions at seven teams, Lake Erie was moved to the Midwestern Division.[citation needed]
In April 2021, the league announced that the Québec Capitales, the Trois-Rivières Aigles, and the Ottawa Titans would not compete in the 2021 season due to the prolonged closure of the Canada–United States border as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The Titans, the Aigles and the Capitales later joined forces to form a new team that competed as a member of the Atlantic Division.[8] Known as Équipe Québec, they began the season as a traveling team, and starting on July 30, 2021, started sharing home games between Québec City and Trois-Rivières following a loosening in border restrictions.[9][10] 10 games were played in Québec City and 11 in Trois-Rivières. They did not play in Ottawa due to COVID-19 restrictions in Ontario.
On October 6, 2021, the owners of the Southern Illinois Miners, Jayne and John Simmons, announced they would be retiring from professional baseball to spend more time with family and the Miners would be ceasing operations and dropping out of the Frontier League.[11][12] As a result, the league formed the Empire State Greys, to compete as a traveling team with a roster of players from the Empire Professional Baseball League.[13]
2023: New England expansion
editIn September 2023, the league announced a new team, the New England Knockouts, were to play at Campanelli Stadium in Brockton, Massachusetts, beginning with the 2024 season. This brought the total number of permanent members of the league to sixteen teams.[14]
2024: Mississippi and North Carolina expansion
editIn September 2024, the league announced an expansion to Mississippi and North Carolina.[15][16] An as yet unnamed expansion franchise was awarded to Pearl, Mississippi, following the departure of the Atlanta Braves Double-A affiliate the Mississippi Braves.[15] The Down East Bird Dawgs, a new team in Kinston, North Carolina, will play in Grainger Stadium, which was formerly home of the Texas Rangers affiliated Down East Wood Ducks.[17][16][18]
The two new franchises bring the league to 18 teams, the largest total in its history. The expansion also marks the league's first expansion into the deep south, with the previous southernmost team being the Evansville Otters.[19] Commissioner Steven Tahsler announced a new scheduling format for the 2025 season. Instead of a two division model, the league will revert to the 2021 setup; 2 conferences with 4 divisions.[20] Mississippi will be playing in the West Division of the Midwest Conference while Down East will be in the East Division of the Atlantic Conference.[21]
Organization
editTeams in the Frontier League must recruit and sign their own players, who usually are undrafted college players or one-time prospects who have been released by their teams.
Frontier League rules limit teams to three "veterans" (Players older than 29 years as of October 1), while a minimum of ten of the 24-man roster are required to be rookies.
Typically, teams play a 96-game regular season from May to September.
The Frontier League uses a salary cap. As of the 2023 season, clubs had a maximum spend of US$365,000 on player compensation, with a minimum salary of $13,800 per player. Veterans could earn up to $22,800, and each team's highest-paid player could make as much as $27,300.[22] For players aged 23 and younger on standard contracts, only 50% of their salary counts towards the cap. There is also a separate salary cap for coaches and technical staff.
Teams
edit
Former teams
edit- Canton Coyotes (2002, became the Mid-Missouri Mavericks)
- Canton Crocodiles (1997–2002, became the Washington Wild Things)
- Chillicothe Paints (1993–2008, joined the Prospect League)
- Dubois County Dragons (2000–2002, became the Kenosha Mammoths)
- Empire State Greys (2022–2023, Temporary travel team)
- Équipe Québec (2021, Temporary travel team consisting of Canadian players from Trois-Rivières and Québec operated due to COVID-19 pandemic travel restrictions)
- Erie Sailors (1994, became the Johnstown Steal)
- Florence Freedom (2003–2019, became the Florence Y'alls)
- Johnstown Johnnies (1998–2002, became the Florence Freedom)
- Johnstown Steal (1995–1998, became the Johnstown Johnnies)
- Kalamazoo Kings (2001–2010, folded)
- Kalamazoo Kodiaks (1996–1998, became the London Werewolves)
- Kenosha Mammoths (2003, became the Springfield-Ozark Ducks)
- Kentucky Rifles (1993–1994, folded)
- Lancaster Scouts (1993–1994, became the Evansville Otters)
- London Rippers (2012, folded)
- London Werewolves (1999–2001, became the Canton Coyotes)
- Mid-Missouri Mavericks (2003–2005, folded)
- Midwest Sliders (2008–2009, became the Oakland County Cruisers)
- Normal CornBelters (2010–2018, joined the Prospect League)
- Newark Buffaloes (1994–1995, became the Kalamazoo Kodiaks)
- Oakland County Cruisers (2010–2011, became the London Rippers)
- Ohio Valley Redcoats (1993–1998, became the Dubois County Dragons; returned 2005, folded)
- Portsmouth Explorers (1993–1995, became the Springfield Capitals)
- Richmond Roosters (1995–2005, became the Traverse City Beach Bums)
- River City Rascals (1999–2019, folded)
- Rockford Aviators (2013–2015, folded)
- Rockford RiverHawks (2002–2009, moved to Northern League; returned 2011–2012, replaced by Rockford Aviators)
- Slippery Rock Sliders (2007, became the Midwest Sliders)
- Southern Illinois Miners (2007–2021, folded)
- Springfield Capitals (1996–2001, became the Rockford Riverhawks)
- Springfield-Ozark Ducks (2004, became the Ohio Valley Redcoats)
- Traverse City Beach Bums (2006–2018, folded)
- Tri-State Tomahawks (1993, folded)
- West Virginia Coal Sox (1993, folded)
- Zanesville Greys (1993–1996, became the River City Rascals)
Franchise timeline
edit
Champions
edit- 1993 Zanesville Greys
- 1994 Erie Sailors
- 1995 Johnstown Steal
- 1996 Springfield Capitals
- 1997 Canton Crocodiles
- 1998 Springfield Capitals
- 1999 London Werewolves
- 2000 Johnstown Johnnies
- 2001 Richmond Roosters
- 2002 Richmond Roosters
- 2003 Gateway Grizzlies
- 2004 Rockford Riverhawks
- 2005 Kalamazoo Kings
- 2006 Evansville Otters
- 2007 Windy City ThunderBolts
- 2008 Windy City ThunderBolts
- 2009 Lake Erie Crushers
- 2010 River City Rascals
- 2011 Joliet Slammers
- 2012 Southern Illinois Miners
- 2013 Schaumburg Boomers
- 2014 Schaumburg Boomers
- 2015 Traverse City Beach Bums
- 2016 Evansville Otters
- 2017 Schaumburg Boomers
- 2018 Joliet Slammers
- 2019 River City Rascals
- 2020 Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic[26]
- 2021 Schaumburg Boomers
- 2022 Québec Capitales
- 2023 Québec Capitales
- 2024 Québec Capitales
Records
editIndividual career records
editBatting
edit| Statistic | Record | Player |
|---|---|---|
| Games Played | 588 | Chris Sidick |
| At Bats | 2,225 | |
| Runs | 434 | |
| Hits | 725 | Santiago Chirino |
| Home Runs | 127 | Charlie Lisk |
| Runs Batted In | 442 |
Pitching
edit| Statistic | Record | Player |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 255 | Nick Kennedy |
| Games started | 98 | Aaron Ledbetter |
| Innings Pitched | 671.2 | |
| Wins | 51 | |
| Strikeouts | 522 | |
| Complete Games | 18 | |
| Saves | 74 | Zach Strecker |
Broadcasting
editOn February 24, 2022, the Frontier League announced that all games for the 2022 season would be available through the streaming platform FloSports.[27]
See also
editNotes
edit- ^ "Team History". Washington Wild Things. Archived from the original on July 11, 2011. Retrieved January 21, 2011.
- ^ "Frontier League, Can-Am League to Join Forces". Frontier League. October 16, 2019.
- ^ "California Winter League and Frontier League Extend Relationship into 2021" (Press release). California Winter League. August 27, 2020. Retrieved January 25, 2021.
- ^ "PressRelease". MLB. September 24, 2020. Retrieved September 30, 2020.
- ^ "American Association, Frontier League now MLB Partner Leagues". Ballpark Digest. August Publishing. September 24, 2020. Retrieved October 2, 2020.
- ^ Reichard, Kevin (September 25, 2020). "Frontier League returns to Ottawa in 2021". Ballpark Digest. August Publications. Retrieved September 26, 2020.
- ^ Baines, Tim (September 23, 2020). "PLAY BALL! Sam Katz confident baseball will be a hit in Ottawa when it returns next year". Ottawa Sun. Retrieved September 26, 2020.
- ^ "ÉQUIPE QUÉBEC UNVEILS BRANDING". Frontier League (Press release). April 27, 2021. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
- ^ "FRONTIER LEAGUE ADJUSTS 2021 SCHEDULE". Frontier League (Press release). April 17, 2021. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
- ^ "Retour du baseball professionnel au Québec". Québec Capitales (in Canadian French). July 21, 2021. Retrieved July 25, 2021.
- ^ "Jayne and John Simmons Announce Retirement from Professional Baseball in Marion, Illinois" (Press release). Southern Illinois Miners. October 6, 2021. Retrieved October 8, 2021.
- ^ Reichard, Kevin (October 7, 2021). "Southern Illinois Miners ceasing operations". Ballpark Digest. August Publishing. Retrieved October 8, 2021.
- ^ Reichard, Kevin (February 12, 2022). "New for 2022: Empire State Greys". Ballpark Digest. Retrieved March 3, 2022.
- ^ "Frontier League Awards Membership to New England". Frontier League (Press release). September 21, 2023. Retrieved October 11, 2023.
- ^ a b Simmons, Scott (September 9, 2024). "New baseball team coming to Trustmark Park as M-Braves leave". WAPT. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
- ^ a b Sartori, Gabby; Layton, Courtney (September 17, 2024). "Down East Wood Ducks reveal new team name and logo at Grainger Stadium". WNCT-TV. Retrieved September 17, 2024.
- ^ "Frontier League Adds Down East Bird Dawgs In Latest Expansion". Frontier League (Press release). September 17, 2024.
- ^ "Down East Bird Dawgs coming to Kinston's Grainger Stadium". WITN. September 17, 2024. Retrieved September 17, 2024.
- ^ "The Frontier League Announces Newest Expansion Team In Mississippi". Frontier League (Press release). September 9, 2024.
- ^ Reily, Ross (September 9, 2024). "What to know about new minor league team at Trustmark Park in Pearl? What is team name?". The Clarion-Ledger. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
- ^ "Frontier League Announces 2025 Season Schedule". Frontier League. October 27, 2024.
- ^ Cooper, J. J. (March 29, 2023). "MLB, Minor League Players Reach Deal On First MiLB CBA". College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects - Baseball America. Retrieved July 5, 2024.
- ^ "Grainger Stadium in Kinston, NC". MiLB.com. Archived from the original on September 17, 2024. Retrieved September 17, 2024.
- ^ Martin, Jean-Philippe (September 10, 2023). "Les Capitales l'emportent et forcent la tenue d'un match ultime" [The Capitals win and force a final match]. Radio-Canada (in Canadian French). Retrieved July 5, 2024.
- ^ "Stade Quillorama". Tourisme Trois-Rivières. Retrieved July 5, 2024.
- ^ Dugan, Chris. "Frontier League season canceled". Observer-Reporter. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
- ^ "Frontier League and FloSports Announce Landmark Streaming Rights Agreement". OurSports Central (Press release). Frontier League. February 24, 2022. Retrieved March 10, 2022.