
Fronter League Tryout Camp Returns to the Chicago Southland for First Time in Two Decades on April 22-23
January 22, 2025 - Frontier League (FL)
Windy City ThunderBolts News Release
CRESTWOOD, IL - The Frontier League of Professional Baseball, a Partner League of Major League Baseball, has announced that the 32 nd Annual Tryout Camp and Draft will take place on Tuesday, April 22 and Wednesday, April 23, 2025. The event will be hosted at Ozinga Field, the home of the Windy City ThunderBolts, in Crestwood, Illinois.
Along with managers from all 18 Frontier League clubs, scouts and members from several MLB teams and other independent leagues will also be present. This year will be the first to include the Mississippi Mud Monsters and the Down East Bird Dawgs, who own the first two picks in the draft, respectively.
"The ThunderBolts are very excited to welcome great baseball talent from around the country and from all over the world, as well as the managers and representatives from the Frontier League to the Chicago Southland," said ThunderBolts' General Manager Mike VerSchave. "The tryout camp is a great event each year, featuring players who are sure to make an impact on Frontier League rosters and beyond and we're proud to be a part of it."
Tryout activities will begin at 9:00 a.m. on April 22 and will include fielding, throwing and baserunning drills for all position players; all position players will also participate in batting practice. Pitchers will throw bullpens in front of team and league evaluators and scouts. The field managers will then post which players are to be invited back for Wednesday's simulated intrasquad game. Following the games, there will be a 30-minute break to allow each team to prepare for the draft.
"The Tryout Camp and Draft has proven to be a great opportunity for free agent players to showcase themselves to our managers immediately before our spring training opens," said Frontier League Commissioner Steve Tahsler. "Dozens of players have gone from the Tryout Camp to Frontier League rosters and then signed with MLB organizations, including four who have appeared in MLB games."
Any interested players can sign up for the 32 nd Annual Tryout Camp and Draft using the following link: https://frontierleaguetryouts.eventbrite.com/.
Of the 44 players taken in the 2024 draft, 19 saw regular season action in the Frontier League and three more played in other MLB Partner Leagues. Derrick Edington, who was drafted in 2023 by the host Windy City ThunderBolts, was signed by the Tampa Bay Rays in May 2024 and was recently selected to participate in the Arizona Fall League.
Ozinga Field is located off of the Cicero Avenue South exit when coming off I-294 into Crestwood, approximately 30-45 minutes from Chicago and 30 minutes from Midway International Airport.
The 2025 Frontier League Draft will be streamed live on social media. Further details will be released closer to the date of the draft.
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Frontier League Stories from January 22, 2025
- Fronter League Tryout Camp Returns to the Chicago Southland for First Time in Two Decades on April 22-23 - Windy City ThunderBolts
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
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