The Frontier League is the only independent league (of the top four – Atlantic, American Association, Can-Am, and Frontier) that has a maximum age for players.
The league prides itself on being a league for younger players who are looking to get promoted, either to affiliated baseball or to a “higher” independent league.
This results in a wide range of experience for players on Frontier League rosters. While they have their own designations for experience levels (Rookie-1, Rookie-2, Experienced, Veteran), these levels are broken down by total pro experience including both affiliated and independent playing time.
This article breaks it down a step further and disregards total years of experience, while focusing solely on the type of experience. Each roster is broken down by the number of players who have regular season affiliated experience, independent league experience only, and then the players who have college only experience and are true professional rookies.
Here is the break down of every Frontier League team’s active roster as of 5/15/17.
| Affiliated Experience |
Indy Only |
College Only |
|
| Joliet Slammers |
13 | 7 | 3 |
|
Lake Erie |
9 | 13 | 2 |
|
Schaumburg |
13 | 8 | 3 |
| Traverse City Beach Bums | 9 | 10 | 4 |
|
Washington |
14 | 6 | 4 |
| Windy City Thunderbolts |
8 | 12 | 4 |
| Evansville Otters |
13 | 6 | 5 |
| Florence Freedom |
4 | 15 | 5 |
| Gateway Grizzlies |
12 | 4 | 8 |
| Normal Cornbelters |
13 | 6 | 5 |
| River City Rascals |
8 | 12 | 4 |
| Southern Illinois Miners |
9 | 10 | 5 |
*Roughly half of the affiliated players were just released from an organization and have no independent league experience, the other half have been in indy ball for at least a full season, including some for multiple seasons.
Throughout the season, Indy Ball Island will check these numbers. Do they stay at relatively the same ratio, or will one specific group’s numbers fall or rise as the season continues.
We’ll also look at if the type of experience on each team matters when it comes to the overall league standings.
Currently the team full of the least amount of affiliated experience players (the Florence Freedom) are 6-0 and at the top of the Frontier League West Division standings.
Indy Ball Island 
General thoughts:
The intangible is — define the skill sets that the players bring to the roster. I assume most young players are not too versatile in hitting (yet) which means bunting, hitting behind the runner … etc … mainly because if they are good enough to be drafted, they usually hit for a high average and with a bit more pop in their bats.
Once they get to the pros, those averages seek their own level. At the Frontier or any indy league, a good hitter won’t stay long.
Players who have a couple of years in the pros are likely to have developed some versatility. Teams that have a lot of players with the same skill set are not likely to be as successful. An example: You can’t have 8 singles hitters in the lineup or 8 guys who strike out twice a game. You need a mix.
That’s more about roster construction than individual talent, but it’s part of the conversation.
“Small ball,’ by the way, is not simply a walk, a stolen base, a bunt and come home on a dribbler.. You do need a couple of hammers in the lineup.
Pitching is its own separate topic.
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