© 2024 KRCU Public Radio
90.9 Cape Girardeau | 88.9-HD Ste. Genevieve | 88.7 Poplar Bluff
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Cape Girardeau To Join Collegiate Baseball League In 2019

Lindsey Grojean/KRCU

The city of Cape Girardeau will be joining the Prospect League, a summer collegiate wood bat league, as a new team next year.

Today, city mayor Harry Rediger made the announcement at the Cape Girardeau Sportsplex while reminiscing on the history of baseball in the community. He thanked the Capaha field committee, led by the Jess Bolen family, for being instrumental in bringing Capaha field, where the team will play, from a dirt track to a quality playing field. He also thanked the partnership established between the city and Southeast Missouri State University, which made the turf field possible.

“Those two things caught Dennis Bastien, the commissioner of the prospect league, and I.” said Rediger.  And if we wouldn’t have had those two through the years in history, more currently the turf field, we probably wouldn't have had that invite.”

Prospect League is expanding to 16 teams, and will play a 60-game schedule beginning in June, 2019. Retired Redhawks head coach Mark Hogan will function as the team’s general manager, and says further improvements will “make the fan experience amazing.”

The community will be asked for their input on names, logos, and mascots, and players will be asked to come in through recruitment efforts.

Many former players and coaches of the Prospect league have made their way up to the Major Leagues. According to the league’s website, they provide “family friendly, affordable baseball entertainment” in their teams’ communities, a summer baseball program to give players competitive experience, and a “venue to allow MLB Scouts to watch collegiate prospects using wood bats against live pitching in competition.”

For more information, visit www.prospectleague.com.