Frontier League, Windy City ThunderBolts Announce Season Tryouts

CRESTWOOD, IL — The Frontier League will hold its Tryout Camp and Draft for the 2022 season, on Monday, April 25, and Tuesday, April 26, at the Y’alls Ballpark in Florence Kentucky.

All 16 teams from the Frontier League will be represented during the workouts, as well as scouts from multiple MLB teams. Players will be tested on their hitting, fielding and base running skills on the turf before Frontier League managers and MLB scouts.

Over the past six years, an average of 40 players each season sign Frontier League contracts, with dozens more signing with other independent leagues. MLB organizations have signed players from each of the past eight tryout camps, according to the league.

Prospective players must be 18 years of age to try out. Learn more about player eligibility.

Workouts officially begin 9 a.m. ET on April 25. The tryout camp will feature running, fielding and throwing drills for infielders, outfielders, and catchers, and batting practice for position players while pitchers will throw 15-20 pitch bullpens. All players who try out will receive analytical data about their performance.

After the first day, managers will post a list of players invited back to the next day’s inter-squad games. At the conclusion of the games on Tuesday, action will break for 30 minutes as clubs and prepare for the draft. The draft will take place at Y'alls Ballpark on Tuesday afternoon.

Several draftees have gone on to be signed by Major League Baseball organizations, with four having ascended to the Major Leagues (Chris Jakubauskas, Seattle; Josh Smoker, New York Mets; Chris Smith, Toronto; and Robert Stock, San Diego). Two players from the 2021 Tryout Camp and Draft signed with MLB organizations, the league said in a news release.

The fee for pitchers tryout is $75; and for position players, $100. Register on Eventbrite. Registration closes April 25.

All players trying out must wear turf shoes or molded cleats. Players attempting to enter Y'alls Ballpark with metal cleats will be disqualified from the workouts. In addition, there is a strict no seed policy at the stadium, and all tryout participants are not permitted to bring seeds into the facility.

"Every year teams find impact players out of the Tryout Camp and Draft, and in each of the past 11 seasons at least one attendee has been signed by a MLB organization after beginning play in the Frontier League," said Frontier League Deputy Commissioner Steve Tahsler in a news release. "Y'alls Ballpark is a great facility and easily accessible. We expect another strong turnout as our teams finalize their spring training rosters.

Y'alls Ballpark is located at exit 180 off I-71/75 in northern Kentucky, 10 miles from the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport and 13 miles south of downtown Cincinnati.

The Frontier League of Professional Baseball enters its 29h season in 2022 as the largest and longest-running MLB Partner League. The Frontier League consists of 16 teams stretching from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi River and from the Ohio River to the St. Lawrence Seaway.

The Frontier League annually moves the most players to MLB organizations of any MLB Partner League, and has have produced multiple MLB All-Stars and World Series players. Ten former Frontier League players saw MLB action in 2021, and 47 players from the 2021 season were signed by Major League Baseball organizations. Frontier League teams play 96 games from mid-May through Labor Day weekend, followed by two weeks of playoff games.

There’s another chance to play for the Windy City ThunderBolts, when the team hosts a one-day tryout during spring training in the late afternoon of Monday, May 2 – rain or shine – at Ozinga Field, 14011 S. Kenton Ave., Crestwood. Check-in will begin at 2:30 p.m. and end 3 p.m. sharp.

Prospective players will be allowed on the field at 3 p.m., with the workout starting at 3:30 p.m. sharp. No metal spikes are allowed; molded spikes and turf shoes only. Visit the ‘Bolts website for more information. No advance registration is required; the tryout fee is $60, payable by cash or credit card the day of the tryout.

The ThunderBolts will supply batting helmets and baseballs. Players may bring their own bats, gloves, and catcher's equipment (if needed). Any player signing a Frontier League contract at any time, including spring training or the regular season, will lose all college athletic eligibility.

Questions? Email Brian Smith from WCT Baseball Operations at bsmith@wcthunderbolts.com.