The Gateway Grizzlies won the Frontier League West Division title last season. (Photo: Thomas Grove)
Jason Barnes
Staff Writer
SAUGET, IL — The Gateway Grizzlies will begin the 2024 Frontier League as reigning West Division champions, following a 59-37 season that saw them record their first winning season in nine years and first playoff appearance in 11 years. In the process, the Grizzlies also became the fourth organization in league history to surpass the 1,000-win mark, and held at least a share of first place in the West for 90% of the regular season.
The 2023 Grizzlies were led by their formidable offense, which ranked among the best in the circuit all season long. They set a league record with 236 stolen bases, smashing the previous mark of 204, with postseason all-star outfielder Jairus Richards swiping 75 bases individually, also a new Frontier League record.
Gateway also placed inside the league’s top-5 in batting average, on-base percentage, hits, runs scored, fewest strikeouts, home runs and walks.
On the pitching side, Gateway arms also struck out 883 opposing batters, leading the Frontier League, and placed inside the top-5 in both team ERA and WHIP while also walking the second-fewest batters of any club.
In 2024, the Grizzlies will welcome back all-star hitters D.J. Stewart, Peter Zimmermann, Gabe Holt, and Abdiel Diaz to lead their lineup alongside utilityman and native St. Louisan Mark Vierling, outfielder Cole Brannen, and veteran player-coach Kyle Gaedele. Catchers Jose Alvarez and Kevin Krause as well as outfielders Andrew Moritz and Michael Sandle, all of whom come to the team with high-level affiliated experience, are also expected to make an impact.
On the mound, 10-game winner Collin Sullivan returns after leading the Frontier League with a Grizzlies club-record 135 strikeouts. Lukas Veinbergs also comes back to Sauget for a third season with the team, with reliable relievers Alec Whaley and Nate Garkow also returning alongside newcomers Dylan Castaneda, Ryne Moore, Matt Hickey, Deylan Miley and others as the Grizzlies look to defend their West Division crown.
The season opener will be Friday, when the Grizzlies will take on the Lake Erie Crushers. Gateway and Lake Erie will play a three-game set at Mercy Health Stadium in Avon, Ohio. The Grizzlies will then travel to Evansville to play a series against the Evansville Otters, before finally making it home for their own home opener on May 17 against the Windy City ThunderBolts.
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