More than 300 players attended the 2024 Frontier League Tryout at Washington Wild Things Park in Washington, Penn. (Photo courtesy: Frontier League)
Jason Barnes
Staff Writer
WASHINGTON, PA — Day 1 of the 2024 Frontier League tryouts wrapped up Monday with more than 300 players taking their shot at impressing coaches, scouts, and general mangers from all over baseball, hoping for a chance to be added to a team — possibly in the Frontier League or one of the others — to play professional baseball this summer.
The two-day event continues here on Tuesday at Washington Wild Things Park. Players have been showcasing their talents non-stop and will do so today as well, before the Frontier League teams will meet this evening to hold their annual Draft.
“The annual Frontier League draft is a golden opportunity for players to show what they can do in hopes of getting signed to professional baseball contract for the 2024 season,” Frontier League Commissioner Steve Tahsler said.
312 players participated in Monday’s workouts, representing 36 states, four Canadian provinces, and four different countries. 175 of those players were invited back for more tryout work on Day 2, which will be followed by the Frontier League Draft at 4 p.m.
The Draft usually lasts three or four rounds, with teams selecting players they were impressed by during the workouts. The selected players are offered contracts to play for their respective teams and invited to join those clubs for training camp, which for most teams will begin sometime this week.
The Gateway Grizzlies will begin training camp on Thursday, with their eyes set on their preseason opener, next Tuesday, April 30 at Grizzlies Ballpark against the Evansville Otters.
The Grizzlies will play at least two preseason games, before opening up the 2024 Frontier League regular season on May 10 against the Lake Erie Crushers.
Gateway’s home opener is set for Friday, May 17, against the Windy City ThunderBolts.