We have had a crazy relationship… a real roller coaster of emotions.
You are some of my fondest memories… And also some of my most heartbreaking ones.
I’ve cried over you and a trophy that seems to always allude the ones that I love.
I’ve celebrated triumphs.
Taken some pretty awesome road trips.
Made life long friends.
I’ve seen boys start their careers and men finish theirs.
And all the bullpen bags, and I really do mean ALLLLL the bags, that were carefully picked and packed. I wouldn’t trade those shopping trips or days of baking cookies for anything.
My loyalty to my home team will always be there, but if you taught me one thing, it’s that the name on the front of the jersey doesn’t matter in the end.
The relationships I’ve made because of you go much deeper than if someone is a WildThing, a Y’All, or even a Miner… hell they might end up being all three at some point in their careers.
You’ve taught me to always take care of the people who take care of you.
This website was built on that statement, and I will always stand by that.
To the people and ballparks that feel like home, thank you.
You’ve helped this once shy girl turn into the confident woman who created something pretty special with Indy Ball Island.
You’ve given me a love for baseball that I now pass on to the ones that I coach.
You’ve given me a place in this world.
The end of the regular season has arrived, and this post season will definitely be one that will toy with my emotions yet again.
20 years later… let’s see how this one plays out.
With love,
Ms. Indy Ball Island
P.S. To every player and coach that has ever put on a Frontier League jersey… I just want to say thank you.
P.P.S. To all the boys who have played their final game… congratulations.
The Atlantic League held their annual player draft on Wednesday (March 23, 2022) where one team, the first-year Kentucky Genomes, made history.
With the 8th pick, the Genomes selected C Alexis “Scrappy” Hopkins.
“Hopkins is expected to become the Genomes’ bullpen catcher and is believed to be the first woman ever drafted by an American professional baseball team for an on-field role.” (MLB.com).
“I’m really excited for this,” Hopkins said. “About two or three years ago in one of my college classes, they said to write down a dream of yours. I was going to put down ‘professional baseball player,’ but I actually didn’t because I was like, ‘That’s never going to happen.’ But I guess here we are today, making a dream come alive.”
Hopkins played high school softball in Fort Walton Beach, Fla., before playing collegiately at Florida Tech in 2017. Her selection in the Draft followed the league’s two-day professional showcase.
“Scrappy handled the pitchers better than most of the guys here,” said Stan Cliburn, a former Major League catcher and current manager of the Atlantic League’s Southern Maryland Blue Crabs. “There were guys throwing 93 to 95 [mph], and she handled it just fine. And she was really good at blocking and picking the ball as well.”
MLB.com
Complete Atlantic League Draft Results Press Release
(March 23, 2022, Viera, Fla.) – The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball held its annual Player Draft on Wednesday at the USSSA Space Coast Complex in Viera, Fla. The draft occurred at the end of the two-day Atlantic League Professional Showcase presented by Prospect Dugout.
Hector Guance was the first overall pick, going to the Staten Island FerryHawks who will begin their first season of play in 2022. Guance is a 6-6, 200-pound righthanded pitcher who spent six years in professional baseball including five seasons in the Baltimore organization. A native of San Cristobal, Dominican Republic, the 26-year old Guance compiled a 22-21 record in the minors, primarily as a starting pitcher.
The second pick went to the Kentucky Wild Health Genomes, another first-year franchise in the Atlantic League. The Genomes traded the pick to Long Island in return for the rights to OF Chris Shaw. Long Island then drafted LHP Cody Beckman with the second pick of the first round.
As new entries to the Atlantic League, the FerryHawks and the Genomes alternated on the first 12 picks of the draft. The third overall pick by the FerryHawks was RHP Jordan Simpson. Kentucky then selected C Robbie Kellerman with the fourth pick.
Staten Island’s other selections included LHP Anthony Rodriguez (No. 5) and RHP Yohn Zapata (No. 11). The FerryHawks traded away their seventh and ninth selections for players to be named later.
Kentucky selected utility player Will Decker at No. 6 before selecting C Alexis “Scrappy” Hopkins at No. 8. Hopkins is believed to be the first female ever drafted by an American professional baseball team for an on-field role. In 2008, in a special supplemental Negro League draft to the MLB Draft, the Washington Nationals selected 72-year old Mamie “Peanut” Johnson to mark the first woman ever drafted.
Update: According to Baseball America, LHP Carey Schueler was a 43rd round pick of the Chicago White Sox in 1993. While she did not sign, she is believed to be the first woman drafted in a non-honorary role.
The Genomes are expected to offer Hopkins the position of bullpen catcher.
Kentucky added RHP Bradley Hines at No. 10 and 1B Alex Wemple at No. 12 to conclude their first round selections.
Southern Maryland made the ninth selection after obtaining the pick from Staten Island and chose RHP Junior Navas.
Gastonia used the 13th pick in the draft to select SS Kevin Lambert while York picked LHP Adrian Alarcon with the 14th pick. Lancaster chose LHP Josh Smith at No. 15 and was followed by Charleston which took OF Kyle Robinson. Defending Atlantic League champion Lexington picked LHP Darrien Ragins with the 17th pick overall. Southern Maryland added LHP Dario Polanco at No. 18 and High Point picked RHP Thomas Derer with the 19th pick. Long Island passed on the final selection of the first round and all teams passed on the second round.
The Atlantic League teams open spring training on April 10 and Opening Day is slated for Thursday, April 21.
The complete draft follows:
2022 Atlantic League Draft
Wednesday, March 23, 2022
Pick
Team
Selection No.
1
Staten Island
Hector Guance
RHP
2
Kentucky
Traded to Long Island
Long Island
Cody Beckman
LHP
3
Staten Island
Jordan Simpson
RHP
4
Kentucky
Robbie Kellerman
C
5
Staten Island
Anthony Rodriguez
LHP
6
Kentucky
Will Decker
UTIL
7
Staten Island
trade to York
York
Matt Meyer
LHP
8
Kentucky
Alexis “Scrappy” Hopkins
C
9
Staten Island
trade to So. Maryland
So Maryland
Junior Navas
RHP
10
Kentucky
Bradley Hines
RHP
11
Staten Island
Yohn Zapata
RHP
12
Kentucky
Alex Wemple
1B
13
Gastonia
Kevin Lambert
SS
14
York
Adrian Alarcon
LHP
15
Lancaster
Josh Smith
LHP
16
Charleston
Kyle Robinson
OF
17
Lexington
Darrien Ragins
LHP
18
So Maryland
Dario Polanco
LHP
19
High Point
Thomas Derer
RHP
20
Long Island
pass
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