Shaun Connolly

Whether we like it or not, we are a baseball town. There aren’t many cities in America that can say that they have two successful minor league baseball teams. Are either stadiums selling out like Fenway in the mid-2000s? No, but they are a breeding ground for future major leaguers. On almost any given night in the Spring and Summer you can go to a game and watch at least one player who is eventually going to be an All-Star in The Show. How cool is that?

Honestly, we were a baseball town before these two teams came to town. We were a baseball town before Jose Canseco signed a 1 year contract with the Worcester Tornadoes. We were a baseball town before Burkett Little League made it to the US Championship finals. We were a baseball town before Rich Gedman played for the Red Sox. We have always been a baseball town. 

There is so much to look forward to this upcoming season. The Worcester Red Sox could potentially have the number 2, number 7, number 12, and number 76 prospects in all of baseball on the same roster to start the season. Roman Anthony is arguably the best OF in the system that has yet to make their debut. Kristian Campbell is so good they still haven’t decided where to play him, it could be in the middle infield, but it could also be out in the outfield as well. The problem with Campbell possibly playing the middle infield is Marcelo Mayer is an elite defender at short and proved it all last year. And they are still trying to decide what to do with Franklin Arias who is showing amazing signs of being an elite infielder as well. Those four guys alone are worth going to the ballpark in Kelley Square. You can add in that guys like Andrew Painter, Carson Williams, Samuel Basallo, Jasson Dominguez, Aidan Miller, Brandon Sproat, or Jett Williams could be coming to play against the WooSox and you’ve got plenty of motivation now to head to the ballpark. 

While we won’t know the roster for the Worcester Bravehearts until the end of the college baseball season, we do know that the Futures League All-Star will be hosted here in Worcester. That means dozens and dozens of Major League Prospects from colleges and universities all over the country will descend on the city for three days of baseball excellence, skills and of course the always entertaining Home Run Derby. 

Personally, I am amped up for the baseball season, beyond the realm of Worcester’s city limits. The Mets signed Juan Soto, arguably one of the league’s best hitters and a possible future hall of famer, so I’m all in on every inning with my favorite team. But on off days, I guarantee you’ll find me at Polar Park or Fitton Field this summer to catch some of the best baseball around.