The Gateway Grizzlies will begin the 2026 Frontier League season on May 7. (Photo: Thomas Grove)
SAUGET, IL — The Gateway Grizzlies announced on Monday that they made a three-team trade with the Sussex County Miners and Lake Country DockHounds of the American Association. As part of the trade, Gateway will acquire right-handed pitcher Alec Sparks, while sending outfielder Edwin Mateo to the Sussex County.
Sparks comes to the Grizzlies with solid numbers from last year, both in the MLB Draft League and at Nicholls State University, where he played his final year of college ball, after sitting out the 2024 season due to injury.
The Gateway Grizzlies added right-handed pitcher Alec Sparks in a three-team deal made late Monday evening. (Photo courtesy: FrontierLeague.com)
With the State College Spikes in the MLBDL last summer, the 6-foot-3, 215-pound right-hander made eight starts and had a 2.63 ERA, 37 strikeouts, and 18 walks in 41 innings pitched. As a senior at Nicholls State, Sparks made 12 starts, and posted a 3.63 ERA, 66 strikeouts, and just 28 walks in 72 innings pitched.
Sparks also pitched one season at Louisiana Tech and two years at Meridien Community College in Mississippi before transferring to Nicholls. At the JUCO level, he went 14-4 over the two seasons with a 3.42 ERA and 138 strikeouts in 131 2/3 innings.
Former Grizzlies outfielder Edwin Mateo has been traded to the Sussex County Miners. (Photo: Thomas Grove)
Mateo played two seasons with the Grizzlies and totaled eight home runs and 76 RBIs during his time in Sauget.
Last year was his best season. The 6-foot-1, 190-pounder, who mostly played left field and right field, hit .291 with six home runs, 18 doubles, 92 hits, and a career-high 59 RBIs, along with 11 stolen bases in 86 games played.
Mateo initially join up the Grizzlies after spending 2023 and parts of the 2022 and 2024 campaigns with Sussex County. His best year there was in 2023, the one full season he played with the Miners, where he was a Frontier League all-star, who hit .323, with seven homers, 43 RBIs, 82 runs scored, and 39 stolen bases.
The Grizzlies will begin the 2026 Frontier League season on May 7, with a road game against the Mississippi Mud Monsters. Gateway’s first home game will come days later, on May 12, when it will host the Joliet Slammers.
2026 GATEWAY GRIZZLIES BASEBALL SCHEDULE
| Date | Time | Opponent | Location |
| May 7 (Thursday) | 6:30 pm | Mississippi Mud Monsters | Trustmark Park / Pearl, MS |
| May 8 (Friday) | 6:30 pm | Mississippi Mud Monsters | Trustmark Park / Pearl, MS |
| May 9 (Saturday) | 6:01 pm | Mississippi Mud Monsters | Trustmark Park / Pearl, MS |
| May 12 (Tuesday) | 6:30 pm | Joliet Slammers | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| May 13 (Wednesday) | 10:45 am | Joliet Slammers | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| May 14 (Thursday) | 6:30 pm | Joliet Slammers | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| May 15 (Friday) | 6:30 pm | Windy City ThunderBolts | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| May 16 (Saturday) | 6:30 pm | Windy City ThunderBolts | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| May 17 (Sunday) | 1:05 pm | Windy City ThunderBolts | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| May 19 (Tuesday) | 6:35 pm | Evansville Otters | Bosse Field / Evansville, IN |
| May 20 (Wednesday) | 6:35 pm | Evansville Otters | Bosse Field / Evansville, IN |
| May 21 (Thursday) | 6:35 pm | Evansville Otters | Bosse Field / Evansville, IN |
| May 22 (Friday) | 6:30 pm | Lake Erie Crushers | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| May 23 (Saturday) | 6:30 pm | Lake Erie Crushers | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| May 24 (Sunday) | 1:05 pm | Lake Erie Crushers | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| May 26 (Tuesday) | 6:30 pm | Evansville Otters | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| May 27 (Wednesday) | 6:30 pm | Evansville Otters | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| May 28 (Thursday) | 6:30 pm | Evansville Otters | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| May 29 (Friday) | 6:35 pm | Joliet Slammers | Slammers Stadium / Joliet, IL |
| May 30 (Saturday) | 6:05 pm | Joliet Slammers | Slammers Stadium / Joliet, IL |
| May 31 (Sunday) | 1:05 pm | Joliet Slammers | Slammers Stadium / Joliet, IL |
| June 2 (Tuesday) | 9:35 am | Washington Wild Things | EQT Park / Washington, PA |
| June 3 (Wednesday) | 5:05 pm | Washington Wild Things | EQT Park / Washington, PA |
| June 4 (Thursday) | 6:05 pm | Washington Wild Things | EQT Park / Washington, PA |
| June 5 (Friday) | 6:30 pm | Mississippi Mud Monsters | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| June 6 (Saturday) | 6:30 pm | Mississippi Mud Monsters | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| June 7 (Sunday) | 6:05 pm | Mississippi Mud Monsters | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| June 9 (Tuesday) | 6:30 pm | Schaumburg Boomers | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| June 10 (Wednesday) | 10:45 am | Schaumburg Boomers | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| June 11 (Thursday) | 6:30 pm | Schaumburg Boomers | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| June 12 (Friday) | 6:30 pm | Florence Y’alls | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| June 13 (Saturday) | 6:30 pm | Florence Y’alls | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| June 14 (Sunday) | 6:05 pm | Florence Y’alls | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| June 16 (Tuesday) | 6 pm | Brockton Rox | Campanelli Stadium / Broxton, MA |
| June 17 (Wednesday) | 6 pm | Brockton Rox | Campanelli Stadium / Broxton, MA |
| June 18 (Thursday) | 6 pm | Brockton Rox | Campanelli Stadium / Broxton, MA |
| June 19 (Friday) | 6:05 pm | New Jersey Jackals | Hinchliffe Stadium / Paterson, NJ |
| June 20 (Saturday) | 5:35 pm | New Jersey Jackals | Hinchliffe Stadium / Paterson, NJ |
| June 21 (Sunday) | 1:05 pm | New Jersey Jackals | Hinchliffe Stadium / Paterson, NJ |
| June 23 (Tuesday) | 6:30 pm | Florence Y’alls | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| June 24 (Wednesday) | 6:30 pm | Florence Y’alls | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| June 25 (Thursday) | 6:30 pm | Florence Y’alls | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| June 26 (Friday) | 6:35 pm | Windy City ThunderBolts | Ozinga Field / Crestwood, IL |
| June 27 (Saturday) | 6:05 pm | Windy City ThunderBolts | Ozinga Field / Crestwood, IL |
| June 28 (Sunday) | 1:05 pm | Windy City ThunderBolts | Ozinga Field / Crestwood, IL |
| June 30 (Tuesday) | 6:30 pm | Mississippi Mud Monsters | Trustmark Park / Pearl, MS |
| July 1 (Wednesday) | 11 am | Mississippi Mud Monsters | Trustmark Park / Pearl, MS |
| July 2 (Thursday) | 6:30 pm | Mississippi Mud Monsters | Trustmark Park / Pearl, MS |
| July 3 (Friday) | 7:05 pm | Québec Capitales | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| July 4 (Saturday) | 7:05 pm | Québec Capitales | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| July 5 (Sunday) | 6:30 pm | Québec Capitales | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| July 7 (Tuesday) | 6:30 pm | Evansville Otters | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| July 8 (Wednesday) | 10:45 am | Evansville Otters | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| July 9 (Thursday) | 6:30 pm | Evansville Otters | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| July 10 (Friday) | 6:30 pm | Schaumburg Boomers | Wintrust Field / Schaumburg, IL |
| July 11 (Saturday) | 6:30 pm | Schaumburg Boomers | Wintrust Field / Schaumburg, IL |
| July 12 (Sunday) | 1 pm | Schaumburg Boomers | Wintrust Field / Schaumburg, IL |
| July 14 (Tuesday) | 7 pm | Frontier League All-Star Game | Thomas More Stadium / Florence, KY |
| July 17 (Friday) | 7 pm | Lake Erie Crushers | ForeFront Stadium / Avon, OH |
| July 18 (Saturday) | 7 pm | Lake Erie Crushers | ForeFront Stadium / Avon, OH |
| July 19 (Sunday) | 1 pm | Lake Erie Crushers | ForeFront Stadium / Avon, OH |
| July 21 (Tuesday) | 6:52 pm | Florence Y’alls | Thomas More Stadium / Florence, KY |
| July 22 (Wednesday) | 10:35 am | Florence Y’alls | Thomas More Stadium / Florence, KY |
| July 23 (Thursday) | 6:54 pm | Florence Y’alls | Thomas More Stadium / Florence, KY |
| July 24 (Friday) | 6:30 pm | Lake Erie Crushers | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| July 25 (Saturday) | 6:30 pm | Lake Erie Crushers | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| July 26 (Sunday) | 1:05 pm | Lake Erie Crushers | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| July 28 (Tuesday) | 6:30 pm | Windy City ThunderBolts | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| July 29 (Wednesday) | 6:30 pm | Windy City ThunderBolts | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| July 30 (Thursday) | 6:30 pm | Windy City ThunderBolts | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| July 31 (Friday) | 7:03 pm | Florence Y’alls | Thomas More Stadium / Florence, KY |
| August 1 (Saturday) | 6:36 pm | Florence Y’alls | Thomas More Stadium / Florence, KY |
| August 2 (Sunday) | 1:07 pm | Florence Y’alls | Thomas More Stadium / Florence, KY |
| August 4 (Tuesday) | 6:30 pm | Schaumburg Boomers | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| August 5 (Wednesday) | 6:30 pm | Schaumburg Boomers | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| August 6 (Thursday) | 6:30 pm | Schaumburg Boomers | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| August 7 (Friday) | 6:30 pm | Joliet Slammers | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| August 8 (Saturday) | 6:30 pm | Joliet Slammers | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| August 9 (Sunday) | 6:05 pm | Joliet Slammers | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| August 11 (Tuesday) | 6:35 pm | Evansville Otters | Bosse Field / Evansville, IN |
| August 12 (Wednesday) | 6:35 pm | Evansville Otters | Bosse Field / Evansville, IN |
| August 13 (Thursday) | 6:35 pm | Evansville Otters | Bosse Field / Evansville, IN |
| August 14 (Friday) | 6:30 pm | Ottawa Titans | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| August 15 (Saturday) | 6:30 pm | Ottawa Titans | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| August 16 (Sunday) | 1:05 pm | Ottawa Titans | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| August 18 (Tuesday) | 6:35 pm | Joliet Slammers | Slammers Stadium / Joliet, IL |
| August 19 (Wednesday) | 6:35 pm | Joliet Slammers | Slammers Stadium / Joliet, IL |
| August 20 (Thursday) | 6:35 pm | Joliet Slammers | Slammers Stadium / Joliet, IL |
| August 21 (Friday) | 6:35 pm | Windy City ThunderBolts | Ozinga Field / Crestwood, IL |
| August 22 (Saturday) | 6:05 pm | Windy City ThunderBolts | Ozinga Field / Crestwood, IL |
| August 23 (Sunday) | 1:05 pm | Windy City ThunderBolts | Ozinga Field / Crestwood, IL |
| August 25 (Tuesday) | 6:30 pm | Washington Wild Things | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| August 26 (Wednesday) | 6:30 pm | Washington Wild Things | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| August 27 (Thursday) | 7:15 pm | Washington Wild Things | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| August 28 (Friday) | 6:30 pm | Schaumburg Boomers | Wintrust Field / Schaumburg, IL |
| August 29 (Saturday) | 6:30 pm | Schaumburg Boomers | Wintrust Field / Schaumburg, IL |
| August 30 (Sunday) | 1 pm | Schaumburg Boomers | Wintrust Field / Schaumburg, IL |
| September 1 (Tuesday) | 6:05 pm | Washington Wild Things | EQT Park / Washington, PA |
| September 2 (Wednesday) | 5:05 pm | Washington Wild Things | EQT Park / Washington, PA |
| September 3 (Thursday) | 6:05 pm | Washington Wild Things | EQT Park / Washington, PA |
| September 4 (Friday) | 6:30 pm | Mississippi Mud Monsters | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| September 5 (Saturday) | 6:30 pm | Mississippi Mud Monsters | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
| September 6 (Sunday) | 6:05 pm | Mississippi Mud Monsters | Arsenal BG Ballpark / Sauget, IL |
This guy was hurt twice in college… He’s got a big league arm, but he can’t stay healthy.
If he can get through this season, he might be on the Cardinals next yr… He’s that good… But he can’t ever stay healthy.
I like this move. The Grizzlies have hitters, power, speed, all of that. Another good, quality pitcher will help this team win.