The Gateway Grizzlies will begin the 2025 Frontier League season on Thursday, May 8, with a game against the Evansville Otters. (Photo: Thomas Grove)
Cedric Williams
Senior Editor
SAUGET, IL — With opening day less than a week away, the Gateway Grizzlies made a number of moves to trim down its roster.
The Grizzlies played exhibition games on Tuesday and Wednesday, and following those games, the club released six players and made a trade.
The six players released were OF Robert Chayka, LHP Brayan De Paula, LHP Kaleb Hill, RHP Elvis Jerez, RHP Zan Rose, and RHP Gio Rivera. Rivera getting cut was a surprise. Gateway had just him up in the 2025 Frontier League Draft last week.
The trade the Grizzlies made involved 3B Tyler Shelnut. He was sent to the Oakland Ballers of the Pioneer League for a player to be named later.
Shelnut is entering his second season as a pro, after playing collegiately at Florida.
As a rookie, Shelnut played in just 11 games for Gateway due to injury. In those games, he had seven hits in 40 at-bats (.175 batting average), with one home run and four RBIs. In his two seasons at Florida, Shelnut helped lead the Gators to the College World Series twice.
As a senior, he hit .261 with 16 home runs, 52 RBIs, and 19 doubles in 65 games. In his junior year, Shelnut hit .278 with seven homers, 13 doubles, and 28 RBIs in 53 games.
Former Grizzlies player Tyler Shelnut was traded to the Oakland Ballers on Friday. (Photo: Thomas Grove)
The Grizzlies are expected to make a number of other roster moves in the coming days. The team’s roster must be trimmed to 28 players by Opening Day, which is set for May 8.
Gateway will begin the season on the road, with a three-game series against the Evansville Otters.
The Grizzlies’ home opener will be on Friday, May 16, when the team will host the Trois-Rivières Aigles.
2025 GATEWAY GRIZZLIES BASEBALL SCHEDULE
| Date | Time | At | Opponent | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 8, 2025 (Thursday) | 6:35 pm | Away | Evansville Otters | Evansville, IN / Bosse Field |
| May 9, 2025 (Friday) | 6:35 pm | Away | Evansville Otters | Evansville, IN / Bosse Field |
| May 10, 2025 (Saturday) | 6:35 pm | Away | Evansville Otters | Evansville, IN / Bosse Field |
| May 13, 2025 (Tuesday) | 6:30 pm | Away | Mississippi Mud Monsters | Pearl, MS / Trustmark Park |
| May 14, 2025 (Wednesday) | 6:30 pm | Away | Mississippi Mud Monsters | Pearl, MS / Trustmark Park |
| May 15, 2025 (Thursday) | 6:30 pm | Away | Mississippi Mud Monsters | Pearl, MS / Trustmark Park |
| May 16, 2025 (Friday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Trois-Rivières Aigles | Grizzlies Ballpark |
| May 17, 2025 (Saturday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Trois-Rivières Aigles | Grizzlies Ballpark |
| May 18, 2025 (Sunday) | 1:05 pm | Home | Trois-Rivières Aigles | Grizzlies Ballpark |
| May 20, 2025 (Tuesday) | 6:40 pm | Away | Florence Y’alls | Florence, KY / Thomas More Stadium |
| May 21, 2025 (Wednesday) | 6:40 pm | Away | Florence Y’alls | Florence, KY / Thomas More Stadium |
| May 22, 2025 (Thursday) | 6:40 pm | Away | Florence Y’alls | Florence, KY / Thomas More Stadium |
| May 23, 2025 (Friday) | 6:30 pm | Away | Schaumburg Boomers | Schaumburg, IL / Wintrust Field |
| May 24, 2025 (Saturday) | 3 pm | Away | Schaumburg Boomers | Schaumburg, IL / Wintrust Field |
| May 25, 2025 (Sunday) | 6:30 pm | Away | Schaumburg Boomers | Schaumburg, IL / Wintrust Field |
| May 27, 2025 (Tuesday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Florence Y’alls | Grizzlies Ballpark |
| May 28, 2025 (Wednesday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Florence Y’alls | Grizzlies Ballpark |
| May 29, 2025 (Thursday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Florence Y’alls | Grizzlies Ballpark |
| May 30, 2025 (Friday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Sussex County Miners | Grizzlies Ballpark |
| May 31, 2025 (Saturday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Sussex County Miners | Grizzlies Ballpark |
| June 1, 2025 (Sunday) | 1:05 pm | Home | Sussex County Miners | Grizzlies Ballpark |
| June 3, 2025 (Tuesday) | 6:35 pm | Away | Windy City ThunderBolts | Crestwood, IL / Ozinga Field |
| June 4, 2025 (Wednesday) | 6:35 pm | Away | Windy City ThunderBolts | Crestwood, IL / Ozinga Field |
| June 5, 2025 (Thursday) | 6:35 pm | Away | Windy City ThunderBolts | Crestwood, IL / Ozinga Field |
| June 6, 2025 (Friday) | 6:35 pm | Away | Joliet Slammers | Joliet, IL / Duly Health Care Field |
| June 7, 2025 (Saturday) | 6:05 pm | Away | Joliet Slammers | Joliet, IL / Duly Health Care Field |
| June 8, 2025 (Sunday) | 1:05 pm | Away | Joliet Slammers | Joliet, IL / Duly Health Care Field |
| June 10, 2025 (Tuesday) | 6:30 pm | Away | Tri-City Valley Cats | Albany, NY / Bruno Stadium |
| June 11, 2025 (Wednesday) | 10 am | Away | Tri-City Valley Cats | Albany, NY / Bruno Stadium |
| June 12, 2025 (Thursday) | 6:30 pm | Away | Tri-City Valley Cats | Albany, NY / Bruno Stadium |
| June 13, 2025 (Friday) | 6 pm | Away | New York Boulders | Pomano, NY / Clover Stadium |
| June 14, 2025 (Saturday) | 5:30 pm | Away | New York Boulders | Pomano, NY / Clover Stadium |
| June 15, 2025 (Sunday) | 12 pm | Away | New York Boulders | Pomano, NY / Clover Stadium |
| June 17, 2025 (Tuesday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Schaumburg Boomers | Grizzlies Ballpark |
| June 18, 2025 (Wednesday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Schaumburg Boomers | Grizzlies Ballpark |
| June 19, 2025 (Thursday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Schaumburg Boomers | Grizzlies Ballpark |
| June 20, 2025 (Friday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Mississippi Mud Monsters | Grizzlies Ballpark |
| June 21, 2025 (Saturday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Mississippi Mud Monsters | Grizzlies Ballpark |
| June 22, 2025 (Sunday) | 5:30 pm | Home | Mississippi Mud Monsters | Grizzlies Ballpark |
| June 24, 2025 (Tuesday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Evansville Otters | Grizzlies Ballpark |
| June 25, 2025 (Wednesday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Evansville Otters | Grizzlies Ballpark |
| June 26, 2025 (Thursday) | 10:45 am | Home | Evansville Otters | Grizzlies Ballpark |
| June 27, 2025 (Friday) | 6:30 pm | Away | Lake Erie Crushers | Avon, OH / Crushers Stadium |
| June 28, 2025 (Saturday) | 6:30 pm | Away | Lake Erie Crushers | Avon, OH / Crushers Stadium |
| June 29, 2025 (Sunday) | 6:30 pm | Away | Lake Erie Crushers | Avon, OH / Crushers Stadium |
| July 1, 2025 (Tuesday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Washington Wild Things | Grizzlies Ballpark |
| July 2, 2025 (Wednesday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Washington Wild Things | Grizzlies Ballpark |
| July 3, 2025 (Thursday) | 7:05 pm | Home | Washington Wild Things | Grizzlies Ballpark |
| July 4, 2025 (Friday) | 7:05 pm | Home | Lake Erie Crushers | Grizzlies Ballpark |
| July 5, 2025 (Saturday) | 7:05 pm | Home | Lake Erie Crushers | Grizzlies Ballpark |
| July 6, 2025 (Sunday) | 5:30 pm | Home | Lake Erie Crushers | Grizzlies Ballpark |
| July 8, 2025 (Tuesday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Joliet Slammers | Grizzlies Ballpark |
| July 9, 2025 (Wednesday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Joliet Slammers | Grizzlies Ballpark |
| July 10, 2025 (Thursday) | 10:45 am | Home | Joliet Slammers | Grizzlies Ballpark |
| July 11, 2025 (Friday) | 6:35 pm | Away | Evansville Otters | Evansville, IN / Bosse Field |
| July 12, 2025 (Saturday) | 6:35 pm | Away | Evansville Otters | Evansville, IN / Bosse Field |
| July 13, 2025 (Sunday) | 5:05 pm | Away | Evansville Otters | Evansville, IN / Bosse Field |
| July 16, 2025 (Wednesday) | 6 pm | Neutral | Frontier League All-Star Game (hosted by Tri-City Valley Cats) | Albany, NY / Bruno Stadium |
| July 18, 2025 (Friday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Schaumburg Boomers | Grizzlies Ballpark |
| July 19, 2025 (Saturday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Schaumburg Boomers | Grizzlies Ballpark |
| July 20, 2025 (Sunday) | 5:30 pm | Home | Schaumburg Boomers | Grizzlies Ballpark |
| July 22, 2025 (Tuesday) | 6:35 pm | Away | Joliet Slammers | Joliet, IL / Duly Health Care Field |
| July 23, 2025 (Wednesday) | 10:05 am | Away | Joliet Slammers | Joliet, IL / Duly Health Care Field |
| July 24, 2025 (Thursday) | 6:35 pm | Away | Joliet Slammers | Joliet, IL / Duly Health Care Field |
| July 25, 2025 (Friday) | 6:35 pm | Away | Windy City ThunderBolts | Crestwood, IL / Ozinga Field |
| July 26, 2025 (Saturday) | 6:05 pm | Away | Windy City ThunderBolts | Crestwood, IL / Ozinga Field |
| July 27, 2025 (Sunday) | 1:05 pm | Away | Windy City ThunderBolts | Crestwood, IL / Ozinga Field |
| July 29, 2025 (Tuesday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Joliet Slammers | Grizzlies Ballpark |
| July 30, 2025 (Wednesday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Joliet Slammers | Grizzlies Ballpark |
| July 31, 2025 (Thursday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Joliet Slammers | Grizzlies Ballpark |
| August 1, 2025 (Friday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Windy City ThunderBolts | Grizzlies Ballpark |
| August 2, 2025 (Saturday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Windy City ThunderBolts | Grizzlies Ballpark |
| August 3, 2025 (Sunday) | 5:30 pm | Home | Windy City ThunderBolts | Grizzlies Ballpark |
| August 5, 2025 (Tuesday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Mississippi Mud Monsters | Grizzlies Ballpark |
| August 6, 2025 (Wednesday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Mississippi Mud Monsters | Grizzlies Ballpark |
| August 7, 2025 (Thursday) | 10:45 am | Home | Mississippi Mud Monsters | Grizzlies Ballpark |
| August 8, 2025 (Friday) | 6:05 pm | Away | Washington Wild Things | Washington, PA / EQT Park |
| August 9, 2025 (Saturday) | 6:05 pm | Away | Washington Wild Things | Washington, PA / EQT Park |
| August 10, 2025 (Sunday) | 4:35 pm | Away | Washington Wild Things | Washington, PA / EQT Park |
| August 12, 2025 (Tuesday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Lake Erie Crushers | Grizzlies Ballpark |
| August 13, 2025 (Wednesday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Lake Erie Crushers | Grizzlies Ballpark |
| August 14, 2025 (Thursday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Lake Erie Crushers | Grizzlies Ballpark |
| August 15, 2025 (Friday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Windy City ThunderBolts | Grizzlies Ballpark |
| August 16, 2025 (Saturday) | 7:15 pm | Home | Windy City ThunderBolts | Grizzlies Ballpark |
| August 17, 2025 (Sunday) | 5:30 pm | Home | Windy City ThunderBolts | Grizzlies Ballpark |
| August 19, 2025 (Tuesday) | 6:30 pm | Away | Schaumburg Boomers | Schaumburg, IL / Wintrust Field |
| August 20, 2025 (Wednesday) | 6:30 pm | Away | Schaumburg Boomers | Schaumburg, IL / Wintrust Field |
| August 21, 2025 (Thursday) | 6:30 pm | Away | Schaumburg Boomers | Schaumburg, IL / Wintrust Field |
| August 22, 2025 (Friday) | 7:05 pm | Away | Florence Y’alls | Florence, KY / Thomas More Stadium |
| August 23, 2025 (Saturday) | 6:35 pm | Away | Florence Y’alls | Florence, KY / Thomas More Stadium |
| August 24, 2025 (Sunday) | 1:05 pm | Away | Florence Y’alls | Florence, KY / Thomas More Stadium |
| August 26, 2025 (Tuesday) | 6:30 pm | Away | Mississippi Mud Monsters | Pearl, MS / Trustmark Park |
| August 27, 2025 (Wednesday) | 11 am | Away | Mississippi Mud Monsters | Pearl, MS / Trustmark Park |
| August 28, 2025 (Thursday) | 6:30 pm | Away | Mississippi Mud Monsters | Pearl, MS / Trustmark Park |
| August 29, 2025 (Friday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Evansville Otters | Grizzlies Ballpark |
| August 30, 2025 (Saturday) | 6:30 pm | Home | Evansville Otters | Grizzlies Ballpark |
| August 31, 2025 (Sunday) | 6:05 pm | Home | Evansville Otters | Grizzlies Ballpark |
| September 3-6, 2025 | TBD | TBD | Frontier League Wild Card Round | TBD |
| September 9-14, 2025 | TBD | TBD | Frontier League Divisional Championship Series | TBD |
| September 16-21, 2025 | TBD | TBD | Frontier League Championship Series | TBD |