Sport | Baseball |
---|---|
Founded | 2016 |
First season | 2016 |
Owner(s) | Andy Appleby |
CEO | Andy Appleby |
President | Dana Schmitt |
No. of teams | 4 |
Country | United States |
Venue(s) | Jimmy John's Field Utica, Michigan |
Continent | North America |
Most recent champion(s) | Utica Unicorns |
Most titles | Utica Unicorns (5) |
Official website | USPBL.com |
The United Shore Professional Baseball League (USPBL) is an independent baseball league in suburban Metro Detroit, Michigan, United States, started in May 2016. [1] Each team in the USPBL plays a 42-game regular season schedule from May through September, with a mid-season all-star game and a championship game at the conclusion of the regular season. [2] The games are played at Jimmy John's Field in Utica, Michigan. [3] Most of the games are broadcast live on the USPBL's YouTube channel, with select games airing on ESPN3.
The United Shore Professional Baseball League was founded by Andy Appleby, a former senior vice president of the Detroit Pistons and Palace Sports and Entertainment. Justin Orenduff, a former first round pick of the Los Angeles Dodgers, is the Director of Baseball Operations.
The league has four teams based in Metro Detroit, with all games being played at Jimmy John's Field in Utica, Michigan. [4] The $12 million ballpark has seating for 2,000 and a total capacity of 4,000. It was built on capped brownfield that previously served as an unlicensed dump for household waste. [5]
The league is aimed at 18- to 25-year-olds who either went undrafted out of college, or who have been released from prior minor league contracts. Their pay is expected to range from $600–$800 per month, with housing provided by host families. [6] It is meant to give players recently graduated from college or with limited minor league experience a chance to stay in baseball shape, and give them an opportunity to be signed to contracts with MLB affiliated minor league teams. League revenue comes primarily from sponsorship partners and other advertisements, ticket sales and ballpark concessions. Current managers in the league include former Major League Baseball players Jim Essian, Paul Noce, and Von Joshua.
Forty-five players from the USPBL have signed contracts with Major League Baseball organizations. During the 2019 season, pitcher Randy Dobnak became the first alum to advance all the way to the Major Leagues when he was called up to the Minnesota Twins on August 8, 2019. A second USPBL alum, Logan Gillaspie, was called up to the Baltimore Orioles on May 17, 2022. A third USPBL player, Jared Koenig, made his MLB debut with the Oakland Athletics during the 2022 season.
Season | Champion | Runner-up | Result |
---|---|---|---|
2016 | Utica Unicorns | Birmingham-Bloomfield Beavers | 5–0 [7] |
2017 | Birmingham-Bloomfield Beavers | Westside Woolly Mammoths | 5–2 |
2018 | Birmingham-Bloomfield Beavers | Eastside Diamond Hoppers | 9–3 |
2019 | Utica Unicorns | Westside Woolly Mammoths | 6–5 |
2020 | Utica Unicorns | Birmingham-Bloomfield Beavers | 11–9 |
2021 | Utica Unicorns | Eastside Diamond Hoppers | 6–5 |
2022 | Birmingham-Bloomfield Beavers | Utica Unicorns | 8–6 |
2023 | Utica Unicorns | Westside Woolly Mammoths | 3–1 |
The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central Division. Founded as part of the American Association in 1881 under the name Pittsburgh Alleghenys, the club joined the National League in 1887 and was a member of the National League East from 1969 through 1993. The Pirates have won five World Series championships, nine National League pennants, nine National League East division titles and made three appearances in the Wild Card Game.
The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB) is a professional independent baseball league based in the United States. It is an official MLB Partner League based in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern United States. The Atlantic League's corporate headquarters is located at Clipper Magazine Stadium in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
The New York–Penn League (NYPL) was a Minor League Baseball league that operated in the northeastern United States from 1939 to 2020. Classified as a Class A Short Season league, its season started in June, after major-league teams signed their amateur draft picks to professional contracts, and ended in early September.
Comerica Park is a baseball stadium located in Downtown Detroit. It has been the ballpark of Major League Baseball's Detroit Tigers since 2000, when the team left Tiger Stadium.
The Quad Cities River Bandits are a Minor League Baseball team of the Midwest League and the High-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. Their home games are played at Modern Woodmen Park in Davenport, Iowa, one of the Quad Cities.
The Clinton LumberKings are a collegiate summer baseball team of the Prospect League. They are located in Clinton, Iowa, and play their home games at NelsonCorp Field. From 1956 to 2020, they were members of Minor League Baseball's Midwest League. With Major League Baseball's reorganization of the minor leagues after the 2020 season, Clinton was not selected to continue in affiliated baseball.
The West Michigan Whitecaps are a Minor League Baseball team of the Midwest League and the High-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. They are located in Comstock Park, Michigan, a suburb of Grand Rapids, and play their home games at LMCU Ballpark.
The Aberdeen IronBirds are a Minor League Baseball team based in the city of Aberdeen in Harford County, Maryland. They are the High-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles and compete in the South Atlantic League. They were previously members of the New York–Penn League from 1977 to 2020, and of the High-A East in 2021.
The Kannapolis Cannon Ballers are a Minor League Baseball team of the Carolina League and the Single-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox. They are located in Kannapolis, North Carolina, and play their home games at Atrium Health Ballpark. The team was established in 1995 as the Piedmont Phillies. From 1996 to 2000, they were known as the Piedmont Boll Weevils. From 2001 to 2019, they were known as the Kannapolis Intimidators, after Kannapolis native NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt, who was known as "The Intimidator," purchased a share of the team before the 2001 season.
The Oneonta Tigers were a minor league baseball team located in Oneonta, New York. They were members of the New York–Penn League. The Tigers were the Short-Season A classification affiliate of the Detroit Tigers, and played their home games at Damaschke Field. The team was relocated to Norwich, Connecticut, for the 2010 season and became known as the Connecticut Tigers.
The Myrtle Beach Pelicans are a Minor League Baseball team in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and the Single-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. The Pelicans compete in the Carolina League. Home games are played at Pelicans Ballpark, which opened in 1999 and seats up to 6,599 people.
Cameron Keith Maybin is an American professional baseball broadcaster and former center fielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Detroit Tigers, Florida / Miami Marlins, San Diego Padres, Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Angels, Houston Astros, Seattle Mariners, New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs, and New York Mets. He was the tenth overall pick in the 2005 MLB draft by the Tigers and debuted with them in 2007. With the Astros, he won the 2017 World Series.
James Sarkis Essian, Jr. is an American former professional baseball player, coach, and manager. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a catcher for the Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago White Sox, Oakland Athletics, Seattle Mariners, and Cleveland Indians.
The Utica Blue Sox was the name of two minor league baseball teams based in Utica, New York.
Below is a partial list of minor league baseball players in the Detroit Tigers system.
Below is a partial list of minor league baseball players in the Colorado Rockies system and rosters of their minor league affiliates:
The Sugar Land Space Cowboys are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Houston Astros Major League Baseball club. They are located in Sugar Land, Texas, part of the Greater Houston metropolitan area, and play their home games at Constellation Field.
Matthew David Shoemaker is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Angels, Toronto Blue Jays, and Minnesota Twins and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Yomiuri Giants. Prior to beginning his professional career, he played college baseball at Eastern Michigan University (EMU). Shoemaker has also competed for the United States national baseball team.
Michael Tyler Hensley is an American former professional baseball pitcher. Hensley was a first round selection of the New York Yankees in the 2012 Major League Baseball draft, but never played in the major leagues after playing only five professional seasons.
Jimmy John's Field is a ballpark in Utica, Michigan, home to four teams that play in the United Shore Professional Baseball League (USPBL), an independent baseball league. It opened on May 30, 2016.