The Gateway Grizzlies will open the 2026 Frontier League baseball season, Thursday night in Mississippi. (Photo: Thomas Grove)
The Gateway Grizzlies are ready for the 2026 Frontier League baseball season.
The team announced its final roster cuts on Tuesday, released its official 2026 roster on Wednesday, and will be on the field and ready to play its first game of the new season on Thursday.
Gateway will begin the new year with a road trip to the deep south, where it will to play its season-opening, three-game series against the Mississippi Mud Monsters on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
The Grizzlies, led by former player and new manager Kyle Gaedele, will host their 2026 home opener on Tuesday, May 12, at Arsenal BG Ballpark against the Joliet Slammers. First pitch that evening is set for 6:30 p.m.
Veteran lefty Claudio Galva will be back to lead the Gateway Grizzlies pitching staff in 2026. (Photo: Thomas Grove)
The 26-man Grizzlies roster will consist of 14 returning players and 12 newcomers, including four professional baseball rookies. Familiar names like veterans Claudio Galva and Greg Vailes will lead the pitching staff, while top hitters Jose Alvarez, Victor Castillo, Cole Brannen, Mark Shallenberger and Dale Thomas are expected to lead the offense.
Among the new faces on the Grizzlies’ roster this season will be pitcher Jack Hoeymans, a righthanded rookie who played in college at VCU, who was selected by Gateway in the Frontier League Free Agent Draft back in April.
Hoeymans worked as a starter and a reliever in his college days and is expected to take on similar roles for the Grizzlies this summer.
Another rookie the Grizzlies are excited about is lefthanded fireballer Blake Peyton, who played at Arizona, before transferring to Tennessee Wesleyan, where he went 17-3 over two seasons.
During those seasons at Tennessee Wesleyan, Peyton was twice named to the All-Appalachian Athletic Conference team and was also named AAC Pitcher of the Year in 2024.
Grizzlies games can be listened to live on Audacy.com and will also be streamed live on the HomeTeamNetwork.
2026 GATEWAY GRIZZLIES BASEBALL SCHEDULE
| Date | Time | Opponent | Location | Results |
| 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 |