Editing Frontier League

{{Short description|North American professional baseball league}}
{{Infobox sports league
| logo            = Frontier League.png
| title           = Frontier League
| current_season  = 2025 Frontier League season
| sport           = Baseball
| classification  = [[Independent baseball league|Independent baseball]]
| founded         = 1993
| commissioner    = Steve Tahsler
| teams           = 18
| headquarters    = [[Sauget, Illinois]]
| countries       = {{Ubl|United States (15 teams)|Canada (3 teams)}}
| continent       = North America
| champions       = [[Québec Capitales]] (3rd title) (2024)
| most successful club = [[Schaumburg Boomers]] (4 titles)
| TV              = [[Sports Illustrated]] <br />[[The Sports Network|TSN]] <br />[[Réseau des sports|RDS]] <br />[[TVA Sports]]
| streaming       = [[FloSports]]
| website         = https://www.frontierleague.com/
}}

The '''Frontier League''' ('''FL'''; [[French language|French]]: ''Ligue Frontière'', '''LF''') is a professional [[baseball]] league in [[North America]] composed of 18 teams – 15 in the [[United States]] and 3 in [[Canada]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Frontier League |url=https://frontierleague.com/landing/index |access-date=2025-02-16 |website=Frontier League}}</ref> The FL is one of the eight [[Independent baseball league|independent baseball leagues]] in North America and is considered the oldest currently running independent baseball league in the world. The Frontier Cup, the independent baseball trophy in North America, is awarded annually to the league playoff champion at the end of each season. The league is an official [[MLB Partner League]] since 2020, and the level of play is comparable to [[Minor League Baseball]]'s [[Single-A]] level.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Boss |first=Todd |date=January 9, 2012 |title=What are non-MLB associated baseball league talent equivalents? |url=https://www.nationalsarmrace.com/?p=3008 |access-date=2025-02-16 |website=Nationals Arm Race}}</ref> The FL is headquartered in [[Sauget, Illinois]].

The Frontier League was organized by several men who got together in the winter of 1992–1993 and decided to start an independent professional baseball league to serve the [[West Virginia]], eastern [[Kentucky]] and southeast [[Ohio]] areas. They believed they could bring professional baseball to areas that would never have a chance of affiliated professional baseball coming to their communities. The seed was planted and they named their project ''The Frontier League''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=History |url=https://frontierleague.com/information/History |website=Frontier League}}</ref>

25 distinct franchises had competed in the league. Its largest period of growth followed in 2020–21, when six teams from the ceased [[Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball|Can-Am]] and [[New York–Penn League|New York–Penn]] leagues joined alongside an expansion franchise. The [[Evansville Otters]], the only one of the original eight franchises still playing today, is the longest tenured team in the league.

The FL is the fifth-highest grossing professional minor sports league in the United States by revenue, after the [[American Hockey League]] (AHL), [[International League]] (IL), the [[Pacific Coast League]] (PCL) and the [[Atlantic League of Professional Baseball]] (ALPB). The league's headquarters have been in Sauget, Illinois since 2001, when the [[Gateway Grizzlies]] were formed. As of the 2024 season, the FL had players from 17 different countries.

The FL's regular season is typically held from May to September, with each team playing 96 games.<ref name=":0" /> Following the conclusion of the regular season, 8 teams advance to the Frontier League playoffs, a three-round tournament that runs into late-September to determine the league champion.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2024-09-10 |title=Frontier League championship series preview |url=https://frontierleague.com/sports/bsb/2023-24/releases/2024091024t3b5 |website=Frontier League}}</ref> Since the league's founding in 1993, the [[Schaumburg Boomers]] have won the most combined FL titles with four, and the reigning league champions are the [[Québec Capitales]], who defeated the [[Washington Wild Things]] in the 2024 Frontier League Championship Series.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2024-09-14 |title=Frontier : Un troisième titre de suite spectaculaire pour les Capitales |url=https://www.rds.ca/baseball/frontier-un-troisieme-titre-de-suite-spectaculaire-pour-les-capitales-1.19371992 |access-date=2025-02-16 |website=RDS |language=fr-CA}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-09-15 |title=Québec wins third straight championship with a walk-off homer! |url=https://frontierleague.com/sports/bsb/2023-24/releases/20240915d6w6z9 |website=Frontier League}}</ref>

==History==
The Frontier League was founded in 1993. It initially struggled to retain franchises, with four of its eight founding teams folding within three seasons, though steadily grew to twelve teams within a decade. The first league champions were the [[Zanesville Greys]]. Eight teams have won more than one championship: Springfield in 1996 and 1998; Johnstown in 1995 (as the [[Johnstown Johnnies|Steal]]) and in 2000 (as the [[Johnstown Johnnies|Johnnies]]), [[Richmond Roosters]] in 2001 and 2002, Windy City in 2007 and 2008, the Joliet Slammers in 2011 and 2018, and the [[Evansville Otters]] in 2006 and 2016. With four titles, the [[Schaumburg Boomers]] have won the most league championships.

On June 20, 2000, [[Brian Tollberg]] debuted with the [[San Diego Padres]], becoming the first player from the Frontier League to make it to the Majors. A week later, [[Morgan Burkhart]] made his debut with the [[Boston Red Sox]].

Although the league does not have any teams located in the same city as Major League teams, it does nonetheless have teams located within the markets of Major League teams. The [[Chicago]] area has three teams ([[Joliet Slammers]], [[Schaumburg Boomers]] and [[Windy City ThunderBolts]]), as does the [[New York City|New York]] area ([[New Jersey Jackals]], [[Sussex County Miners]], and [[New York Boulders]]), and [[St. Louis, Missouri|St. Louis]] ([[Gateway Grizzlies]]), [[Cleveland]] ([[Lake Erie Crushers]]), [[Cincinnati]] ([[Florence Y'alls]]) and [[Pittsburgh]] ([[Washington Wild Things]]) each have one. The Wild Things, in particular, have been able to market themselves as a successful alternative to the [[Pittsburgh Pirates]] due to the latter franchise's long stretch of losing seasons, which lasted from the Frontier League's founding in 1993 until 2013 when the Pirates finished with a record of 94–68.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://flhistory.gofreeserve.com/WashingtonWildThings.htm |title=Team History |website=Washington Wild Things |access-date=January 21, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711104555/http://flhistory.gofreeserve.com/WashingtonWildThings.htm |archive-date=July 11, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

On October 16, 2019, it was announced that the Frontier League would be merging with the [[Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball]], absorbing five of its teams to form the largest independent professional baseball league. This added the [[New Jersey Jackals]], [[New York Boulders]], [[Québec Capitales]], [[Sussex County Miners]], and [[Trois-Rivières_Aigles_(2013–)|Trois-Rivieres Aigles]] to the league; the [[Ottawa Champions]], the last remaining Can-Am League team, was not invited to participate.<ref name="frontiercanam">{{Cite web |url=http://frontierleague.com/2019/10/16/frontier-league-can-am-league-to-join-forces/ |title=Frontier League, Can-Am League to Join Forces |date=October 16, 2019 |website=Frontier League}}</ref> The divisions were renamed, with the easternmost teams playing in the Can-Am Division and the westernmost in the Midwestern Division. The league had a partnership agreement with the [[California Winter League (2010)|California Winter League]] for player development.<ref>{{Cite press release |url=https://californiawinterleague.com/2020/08/27/california-winter-league-and-frontier-league-extend-relationship/ |title=California Winter League and Frontier League Extend Relationship into 2021 |publisher=California Winter League |date=August 27, 2020 |access-date=January 25, 2021}}</ref>

On September 24, 2020, [[Major League Baseball]] announced that it named the Frontier League an [[MLB Partner League]].<ref name="MLB9-24-20">{{cite web|title=PressRelease|url=https://www.mlb.com/press-release/american-association-frontier-league-partner-leagues-of-mlb|website=MLB|date=September 24, 2020|access-date=September 30, 2020}}</ref> This enables collaboration with MLB to jointly discuss marketing and promotional initiatives to grow, expand, and enhance the game of baseball.<ref>{{cite news |title=American Association, Frontier League now MLB Partner Leagues |url=https://ballparkdigest.com/2020/09/24/american-association-frontier-league-now-mlb-partner-leagues/ |access-date=October 2, 2020 |work=Ballpark Digest |publisher=August Publishing |date=September 24, 2020}}</ref>

For the 2021 season, the Frontier League announced it would be adding two new teams. The first announcement came around the same time as the announcement of the partnership with Major League Baseball, as [[Ottawa]] was granted an expansion franchise in the league. The team, as chosen by fans in a contest, was named the [[Ottawa Titans (baseball)|Titans]] and started playing at [[Ottawa Stadium]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Reichard |first1=Kevin |title=Frontier League returns to Ottawa in 2021 |url=https://ballparkdigest.com/2020/09/25/frontier-league-returns-to-ottawa-in-2021/ |access-date=September 26, 2020 |work=Ballpark Digest |publisher=August Publications |date=September 25, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Baines |first1=Tim |title=PLAY BALL! Sam Katz confident baseball will be a hit in Ottawa when it returns next year |url=https://ottawasun.com/sports/baseball/play-ball-sam-katz-confident-baseball-will-be-a-hit-in-ottawa-when-it-returns-next-year |access-date=September 26, 2020 |work=[[Ottawa Sun]] |date=September 23, 2020 |language=en-CA}}</ref> Then, on January 8, 2021, after the reorganization of Minor League Baseball, the league added the [[Tri-City ValleyCats]], which were one of several teams that were orphaned or disbanded when the [[New York-Penn League]] was folded. The Titans and ValleyCats joined the five former Can-Am League teams and Washington in the Can-Am Conference; to even the divisions at three to four teams, Lake Erie was moved to the Midwest Conference.

In April 2021, the league announced that the [[Québec Capitales]], the [[Trois-Rivières Aigles (Frontier League)|Trois-Rivières Aigles]], and the [[Ottawa Titans]] would not compete in the 2021 season due to the [[Canada–United States border#21st century|prolonged closure of the Canada–United States border]] as a result of the ongoing [[COVID-19 pandemic]]. The Titans, Aigles and Capitales later joined forces to form a new team that competed as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Can-Am Conference.<ref name="FL_4-27-21">{{cite press release |url=https://frontierleague.com/2021/04/27/equipe-quebec-unveils-branding/ |title=ÉQUIPE QUÉBEC UNVEILS BRANDING |website=Frontier League |date=April 27, 2021 |access-date=April 27, 2021}}</ref> Known as ''Équipe Québec'', they began the season as a [[traveling team]], and starting on July 30, 2021, started sharing home games between [[Québec City]] and [[Trois-Rivières]] following a loosening in border restrictions.<ref name="FL_4-17-21">{{cite press release |url=https://frontierleague.com/2021/04/17/frontier-league-adjusts-2021-schedule/ |title=FRONTIER LEAGUE ADJUSTS 2021 SCHEDULE |website=Frontier League |date=April 17, 2021 |access-date=April 18, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Retour du baseball professionnel au Québec |url=https://capitalesdequebec.com/fr/nouvelles-et-medias/nouvelles/retour-du-baseball-professionnel-au-quebec |access-date=July 25, 2021 |work=Québec Capitales |date=July 21, 2021 |language=fr-CA}}</ref> 10 games were played in Québec City and 11 in Trois-Rivières. They did not play in Ottawa due to COVID-19 restrictions in [[Ontario]].

On October 6, 2021, the owners of the [[Southern Illinois Miners]], Jayne and John Simmons, announced they would be retiring from professional baseball to spend more time with family and the Miners would be ceasing operations and dropping out of the Frontier League.<ref>{{cite press release |title=Jayne and John Simmons Announce Retirement from Professional Baseball in Marion, Illinois |url=https://southernillinoisminers.prestosports.com/sports/bsb/2020-21/releases/20211006leprkm |publisher=Southern Illinois Miners |access-date=October 8, 2021 |language=en |date=October 6, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Reichard |first1=Kevin |title=Southern Illinois Miners ceasing operations |url=https://ballparkdigest.com/2021/10/07/southern-illinois-miners-ceasing-operations/ |work=Ballpark Digest |publisher=August Publishing |access-date=October 8, 2021 |date=October 7, 2021}}</ref> As a result, the league formed the [[Empire State Greys]], to compete as a [[traveling team]] with a roster of players from the [[Empire Professional Baseball League]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://ballparkdigest.com/2022/02/12/new-for-2022-empire-state-greys/ |title=New for 2022: Empire State Greys |website=Ballpark Digest |first=Kevin |last=Reichard |date=February 12, 2022 |accessdate=March 3, 2022}}</ref>

In September 2023, the league announced a new team, the [[New England Knockouts]], who were planned to play at Campanelli Stadium in [[Brockton, Massachusetts]], beginning with the 2024 season. This brought the total number of permanent members of the league to sixteen teams.<ref name="New England">{{cite press release |title=Frontier League Awards Membership to New England |url=https://www.frontierleague.com/sports/bsb/2022-23/releases/20230921gltdyb |website=Frontier League |access-date=October 11, 2023 |language=en |date=September 21, 2023}}</ref> After playing one season as the Knockouts, the team was renamed as the [[Brockton Rox (Frontier League)|Brockton Rox]] in January 2025.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/2025/01/29/sports/brockton-rox-2025/ |title=Brockton Rox returning to professional baseball with Red Sox Hall of Famer Jim Rice as co-owner |first=Amin |last=Touri |website=[[The Boston Globe]] |url-access=limited |date=January 29, 2025 |accessdate=January 30, 2025}}</ref>

In September 2024, the league announced an expansion to Mississippi and North Carolina.<ref name="wapt" /><ref name="wnct" /> A franchise was awarded to [[Pearl, Mississippi]], called the Mississippi Mud Monsters,<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2024/09/28/mississippi-mud-monsters-the-new-name-for-frontier-league-team/75427078007/ | title=New name for a new baseball team in Pearl, Mississippi | date=September 28, 2024 | access-date=January 14, 2025 | last=Reily | first=Ross|work=Clarion Ledger}}</ref> following the departure of the Atlanta Braves Double-A affiliate the [[Mississippi Braves]].<ref name="wapt">{{Cite news |url=https://www.wapt.com/article/mississippi-braves-play-final-game-at-trustmark/62106153 |title=New baseball team coming to Trustmark Park as M-Braves leave |date=September 9, 2024 |last=Simmons |first=Scott |language=en |access-date=September 9, 2024 |work=[[WAPT]]}}</ref> The Down East Bird Dawgs, a new team in [[Kinston, North Carolina]], will play in [[Grainger Stadium]], which was formerly home of the [[Texas Rangers (baseball)|Texas Rangers]]-affiliated [[Down East Wood Ducks]].<ref>{{Cite press release |date=September 17, 2024 |title=Frontier League Adds Down East Bird Dawgs In Latest Expansion |url=https://www.frontierleague.com/sports/bsb/2023-24/releases/20240917gjimcy |website=Frontier League |language=en}}</ref><ref name="wnct">{{cite news |last1=Sartori |first1=Gabby |last2=Layton |first2=Courtney |title=Down East Wood Ducks reveal new team name and logo at Grainger Stadium |url=https://www.wnct.com/down-east-wood-ducks/down-east-wood-ducks-reveal-new-team-name-and-logo-at-grainger-stadium/ |access-date=September 17, 2024 |work=[[WNCT-TV]] |date=September 17, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Down East Bird Dawgs coming to Kinston's Grainger Stadium |url=https://www.witn.com/2024/09/17/down-east-bird-dawgs-coming-kinstons-grainger-stadium/ |access-date=September 17, 2024 |work=WITN |date=September 17, 2024 |language=en}}</ref>

== Season structure ==
The Frontier League season is divided into a preseason (late April and early May), a regular season (from early May through early September) and a postseason (the Frontier League playoffs).<ref name=":0" />

Teams usually hold a spring showcase for prospects in April and participate in prospect tournaments, full games that do not feature any veterans, in late April. Full training camps begin in late April, including a preseason consisting of  a few [[Exhibition game|exhibition games]]. Split squad games, in which parts of a team's regular season roster play separate games on the same day, are occasionally played during the preseason.

During the regular season, clubs play each other in a predefined schedule. Since 2021, in the regular season, all teams play 96 games: 48 games each of home and road, playing 84 games in their own geographic division—four series of 12 games against five of their eight other divisional opponents, plus three series of three games against two others, and two series of three games against the remaining one; and only one series of three games against four of the nine teams in the other division once—home or road.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-10-28 |title=Frontier League, Ottawa Titans Announce 2025 Schedule |url=https://www.ottawatitans.com/frontier-league-ottawa-titans-announce-2025-schedule |access-date=2025-04-24 |website=www.ottawatitans.com |language=en}}</ref>

The league's regular season standings are based on a win system. At the end of the regular season, the team that finishes with the most wins in each division is crowned the division champion, and the league's overall leader is awarded the league's regular season champions.

The Frontier League playoffs, which go from early-to-late September, are an elimination tournament where two teams play against each other to win a series in order to advance to the next round. The final remaining team is crowned the Frontier League champion. Eight teams in the league qualify for the playoffs: the top four teams in each division. The two divisions champions proceed to the Frontier League Championship Series (FLCS).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Frontier League |url=https://frontierleague.com/information/2022_Playoff_Format}}</ref> In all rounds, the higher-ranked team is awarded home-field advantage, with up to three of the five games played at this team's home venue. In the FLCS, the team with the most wins during the regular season has home-field advantage.<ref name=":1" />

=== Players ===
The Frontier League uses a [[salary cap]]. As of the 2025 season, clubs are required to spend a maximum of [[United States dollar|US$]]895,000 on player compensation, with a minimum salary of $26,200 per player.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Blank |first=Jeff |date=2024-04-03 |title=How Much Do Minor League Baseball Players Make Annually |url=https://sportslawblogger.com/what-is-the-annual-salary-of-minor-league-baseball-players.html |access-date=2025-04-24 |website=SportsLawBlogger.com |language=en-US}}</ref> For players aged 23 and younger on standard contracts, only 50% of their salary counts towards the cap (up to $150,000 total).<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-12-04 |title=Breaking Down Minor League Baseball Salary Trends In 2025 |url=https://thesportseconomist.com/minor-league-baseball-salary-2025/ |access-date=2025-04-24 |language=en-US}}</ref> There is also a separate salary cap for coaches and technical staff.

Teams in the Frontier League must recruit and sign their own players, who usually are undrafted college players or one-time prospects who have been released by their teams.

The league also has several other rules to give younger players more opportunities. This includes a maximum of eight veterans per team, and a minimum of ten rookies in their roster.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Frontier League |url=https://www.frontierleague.com/player-eligibility}}</ref> The remaining six players on the 24-man roster can be classified as <nowiki>''</nowiki>Experienced-1<nowiki>''</nowiki> or <nowiki>''</nowiki>Experienced-2<nowiki>''</nowiki>. Rosters are limited to a size of 24 players on the Opening Day series, although up to 10 additional players can be added to a team's roster during the regular season before the transactions limit.

== Teams ==

During the 2021 season, the FL consisted of 14 teams, 13 based in the United States and 1 in Canada. The FL divided the 14 teams into two conferences: the Can-Am Conference and the Midwest Conference. Each conference was split into two [[Division (sport)|divisions]]: the Can-Am Conference contained six teams (three per division), while the Midwest Conference had eight teams (four per division). With the addition of the [[Empire State Greys]] in the 2022–23 season, as well as the [[Brockton Rox (Frontier League)|Brockton Rox]] for the 2024 season, the league operated at 16 teams with only two divisions: East and West (eight per division).

The expansion of the two new teams starting at the 2025 season marks the league's first expansion into the deep south. The league divides its teams with two conferences with two divisions in them. The Midwest Conference features the West and Central Divisions, while the Atlaantic has the East and North division.  Each conference features nine teams, with the divisions being split unevenly with 5 and 4 team respectively. The [[Mississippi Mud Monsters]] will be playing in the Midwest Conference, while the [[Down East Bird Dawgs]] will be playing in the Atlantic Conference.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2024-10-27 |title=Frontier League Announces 2025 Season Schedule |url=https://frontierleague.com/sports/bsb/2023-24/releases/20241027m93ojl |website=Frontier League |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite press release |title=Frontier League adds Down East Bird Dawgs in latest expansion |date=2024-09-17 |publisher=Frontier League |url=https://frontierleague.com/sports/bsb/2023-24/releases/20240917gjimcy}}</ref>

===Map of teams===
{{OSM Location map
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| coord = {{coord|40.280|-80.310}}
| zoom = 5
| width = 600
| height = 500
| float = center
| caption = {{hlist
 | [[File:Red pog.svg|11px]] Atlantic Conference
 | [[File:Blue pog.svg|11px]] Midwest Conference
 }}
| mark1 = red pog.svg|shape-color1 = red| label1 = Rox| mark-title1=[[Brockton Rox (Frontier League)|Brockton Rox]]| mark-coord1 = {{coord|42.083|-71.020}}| label-pos1 = right| label-color1 = black
| mark2 = red pog.svg|shape-color2 = red| label2 = Jackals| mark-title2=[[New Jersey Jackals]]| mark-coord2 = {{coord|40.917|-74.172}}| label-pos2 = right| label-color2 = black
| mark3 = red pog.svg|shape-color3 = red| label3 = Boulders| mark-title3=[[New York Boulders]]| mark-coord3 = {{coord|41.173|-74.058}}| label-pos3 = top| label-color3 = black
| mark4 = red pog.svg|shape-color4 = red| label4 = Titans| mark-title4=[[Ottawa Titans]]| mark-coord4 = {{coord|45.423|-75.697}}| label-pos4 = top| label-color4 = black
| mark5 = red pog.svg|shape-color5 = red| label5 = Capitales| mark-title5=[[Quebec Capitales]]| mark-coord5 = {{coord|46.813|-71.208}}| label-pos5 = right| label-color5 = black
| mark6 = red pog.svg|shape-color6 = red| label6 = Miners| mark-title6=[[Sussex County Miners]]| mark-coord6 = {{coord|41.139|-74.700}}| label-pos6 = left| label-color6 = black
| mark7 = red pog.svg|shape-color7 = red| label7 = ValleyCats| mark-title7=[[Tri City ValleyCats]]| mark-coord7 = {{coord|42.728|-73.691}}| label-pos7 = left| label-color7 = black
| mark8 = red pog.svg|shape-color8 = red| label8 = Aigles| mark-title8=[[Trois-Rivières Aigles (2013)|Trois-Rivieres Aigles]]| mark-coord8 = {{coord|46.343|-72.544}}| label-pos8 = bottom| label-color8 = black
| mark9 = blue pog.svg|shape-color9 = blue| label9 = Otters| mark-title9=[[Evansville Otters]]| mark-coord9 = {{coord|37.972|-87.571}}| label-pos9 = right| label-color9 = black
| mark10 = blue pog.svg|shape-color10 = blue| label10 = Y'alls| mark-title10=[[Florence Y'alls]]| mark-coord10 = {{coord|38.999|-84.627}}| label-pos10 = bottom| label-color10 = black
| mark11 = blue pog.svg|shape-color11 = blue| label11 = Grizzlies| mark-title11=[[Gateway Grizzlies]]| mark-coord11 = {{coord|38.589|-90.169}}| label-pos11 = bottom| label-color11 = black
| mark12 = blue pog.svg|shape-color12 = blue| label12 = Slammers| mark-title12=[[Joliet Slammers]]| mark-coord12 = {{coord|41.525|-88.082}}| label-pos12 = bottom| label-color12 = black
| mark13 = blue pog.svg|shape-color13 = blue| label13 = Crushers| mark-title13=[[Lake Erie Crushers]]| mark-coord13 = {{coord|41.452|-82.035}}| label-pos13 = bottom| label-color13 = black
| mark14 = blue pog.svg|shape-color14 = blue| label14 = Boomers| mark-title14=[[Schaumburg Boomers]]| mark-coord14 = {{coord|42.033|-88.083}}| label-pos14 = left| label-color14 = black
| mark15 = blue pog.svg|shape-color15 = blue| label15 = Wild Things| mark-title15=[[Washington Wild Things]]| mark-coord15 = {{coord|40.171|-80.245}}| label-pos15 = right| label-color15 = black
| mark16 = blue pog.svg|shape-color16 = blue| label16 = ThunderBolts| mark-title16=[[Windy City ThunderBolts]]| mark-coord16 = {{coord|41.992|-87.863}}| label-pos16 = right| label-color16 = black
| mark17 = blue pog.svg|shape-color17 = blue| label17 = Mud Monsters| mark-title17=[[Mississippi Mud Monsters]]| mark-coord17 = {{coord|32.275|-90.132}}| label-pos17 = right| label-color17 = black
| mark18 = red pog.svg|shape-color18 = red| label18 = Bird Dawgs| mark-title18=[[Down East Bird Dawgs]]| mark-coord18 = {{coord|35.262|-77.581}}| label-pos18 = left| label-color18 = black
}}

===List of teams===
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:left"
|-
! scope="col" align="center"|Conference 
! scope="col" align="center"|Team
! scope="col" align="center"|City
! scope="col" align="center"|Stadium
! scope="col" align="center"|Capacity
! scope="col" align="center"|Founded
! scope="col" align="center"|Joined
! scope="col" align="center"|General manager
! scope="col" align="center"|Manager
|-
!rowspan="9" |Atlantic
!scope="row"| [[Brockton Rox (Frontier League)|Brockton Rox]]
| [[Brockton, Massachusetts]]
| [[Campanelli Stadium]]
| align=center | 4,750
| colspan="2" align="center" | 2024
| Jerod Edmondson 
| Jerod Edmondson
|-
!scope="row"| [[Down East Bird Dawgs]]
| [[Kinston, North Carolina]]
| [[Grainger Stadium]]
| align=center | 3,400
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | 2025
| Shari Massengill
| Brett Wellman
|-
!scope="row"| [[New Jersey Jackals]]
| [[Paterson, New Jersey]]
| [[Hinchliffe Stadium]]
| align=center | 10,000
| style="text-align:center;" | 1998
|2020
| John Hunt
| Albert Gonzalez
|-
!scope="row"| [[New York Boulders]]
| [[Pomona, New York]]
| [[Clover Stadium]]
| align=center | 9,362
| style="text-align:center;" | 2011
|2020
| Shawn Reilly
| T.J. Stanton
|-
!scope="row"| [[Ottawa Titans]]
| [[Ottawa|Ottawa, Ontario]]
| [[Ottawa Stadium]]
| align=center | 10,332
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | 2020
| Martin Boyce
| Bobby Brown
|-
!scope="row"| [[Québec Capitales]]
| [[Quebec City|Quebec City, Quebec]]
| [[Stade Canac]]
| align=center | 4,297
| style="text-align:center;" | 1999
|2020
| Mike Petillion
| [[Patrick Scalabrini]]
|-
!scope="row"| [[Sussex County Miners]]
| [[Augusta, New Jersey]]
| [[Skylands Stadium]]
| align=center | 5,500
| style="text-align:center;" | 2015
|2020
| Vincent Sangemino
| [[Chris Widger]]
|-
!scope="row"| [[Tri-City ValleyCats]]
| [[Albany, New York]]
| [[Joseph L. Bruno Stadium]]
| align=center | 6,500
| style="text-align:center;" | 2002
|2021
| Matt Callahan
| [[Greg Tagert]]
|-
!scope="row"| [[Trois-Rivières Aigles (2013)|Trois-Rivières Aigles]]
| [[Trois-Rivières|Trois-Rivières, Quebec]]
| [[Stade Quillorama]]
| align=center | 4,000
| style="text-align:center;" | 2013
|2020
| Simon Laliberté
| [[Jonathan Albaladejo]]
|-
!rowspan="9" |Midwest
!scope="row"| [[Evansville Otters]]
| [[Evansville, Indiana]]
| [[Bosse Field]]
| align=center | 5,181
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | 1995
|Brycen Moore
| Andy McCauley
|-
!scope="row"| [[Florence Y'alls]]
| [[Florence, Kentucky]]
| [[Thomas More Stadium]]
| align=center | 4,500
| colspan="2" align="center" | 2003
| Max Johnson
| Chad Rhoades
|-
!scope="row"| [[Gateway Grizzlies]]
| [[Sauget, Illinois]]
| [[Grizzlies Ballpark]]
| align=center | 6,000
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | 2001
| Kurt Ringkamp
| Steve Brook
|-
!scope="row"| [[Joliet Slammers]]
| [[Joliet, Illinois]]
| [[Duly Health and Care Field]]
| align=center | 6,016
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | 2011
| Dayana Rodriguez
| Mike Pinto
|-
!scope="row"| [[Lake Erie Crushers]]
| [[Avon, Ohio]]
| [[Crushers Stadium]]
| align=center | 5,000
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | 2009
|Brian Wentzel
| Jared Lemieux
|-
!scope="row"| [[Mississippi Mud Monsters]]
| [[Jackson, Mississippi]]
| [[Trustmark Park]]
| align=center | 6,500
| colspan="2" align="center" | 2025
| Andrew Seymour
| Jay Pecci
|-
!scope="row"| [[Schaumburg Boomers]]
| [[Schaumburg, Illinois]]
| [[Wintrust Field]]
| align=center | 7,365
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | 2012
| Michael Larson
| Jamie Bennett
|-
!scope="row"| [[Washington Wild Things]]
| [[Washington, Pennsylvania]]
| [[EQT Park]]
| align=center | 3,200
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | 2002
| Steve Zavacky
| Tom Vaeth
|-
!scope="row"| [[Windy City ThunderBolts]]
| [[Crestwood, Illinois]]
| [[Ozinga Field]]
| align=center | 4,200
| style="text-align:center;" | 1995
|1999
| Mike VerSchave
| [[Bobby Jenks]]
|}

===Former teams===
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
*[[Canton Coyotes]] (2002, became the Mid-Missouri Mavericks)
*[[Canton Crocodiles]] (1997–2002, became the Washington Wild Things)
*[[Chillicothe Paints]] (1993–2008, joined the [[Prospect League]])
*[[Dubois County Dragons]] (2000–2002, became the Kenosha Mammoths)
*[[Empire State Greys]] (2022–2023, Temporary travel team)
*[[Équipe Québec]] (2021, Temporary travel team consisting of Canadian players from Ottawa, Québec and Trois-Rivières operated due to COVID-19 pandemic travel restrictions)
*[[Erie Sailors]] (1994, became the Johnstown Steal)
*[[Florence Freedom]] (2003–2019, became the Florence Y'alls)
*[[Frontier Greys]] (2013–2015, Temporary travel team)
*[[Johnstown Johnnies]] (1998–2002, became the Florence Freedom)
*[[Johnstown Steal]] (1995–1998, became the Johnstown Johnnies)
*[[Kalamazoo Kings]] (2001–2010, folded)
*[[Kalamazoo Kodiaks]] (1996–1998, became the London Werewolves)
*[[Kenosha Mammoths]] (2003, became the Springfield-Ozark Ducks)
*[[Kentucky Rifles]] (1993–1994, folded)
*[[Lancaster Scouts]] (1993–1994, became the Evansville Otters)
*[[London Rippers]] (2012, folded)
*[[London Werewolves]] (1999–2001, became the Canton Coyotes)
*[[Mid-Missouri Mavericks]] (2003–2005, folded)
*[[Midwest Sliders]] (2008–2009, became the Oakland County Cruisers)
*[[Normal CornBelters]] (2010–2018, joined the [[Prospect League]])
*[[Newark Buffaloes]] (1994–1995, became the Kalamazoo Kodiaks)
*[[Oakland County Cruisers]] (2010–2011, became the London Rippers)
*[[Ohio Valley Redcoats]] (1993–1998, became the Dubois County Dragons; returned 2005, folded)
*[[Portsmouth Explorers]] (1993–1995, became the Springfield Capitals)
*[[Richmond Roosters]] (1995–2005, became the Traverse City Beach Bums)
*[[River City Rascals]] (1999–2019, folded)
*[[Rockford Aviators]] (2013–2015, folded)
*[[Rockford RiverHawks]] (2002–2009, moved to [[Northern League (baseball, 1993–2010)|Northern League]]; returned 2011–2012, replaced by Rockford Aviators)
*[[Slippery Rock Sliders]] (2007, became the Midwest Sliders)
*[[Southern Illinois Miners]] (2007–2021, folded)
*[[Springfield Capitals]] (1996–2001, became the Rockford Riverhawks)
*[[Springfield-Ozark Mountain Ducks | Springfield-Ozark Ducks]] (2004, became the Ohio Valley Redcoats)
*[[Traverse City Beach Bums]] (2006–2018, folded)
*[[Tri-State Tomahawks]] (1993, folded)
*[[West Virginia Coal Sox]] (1993, folded)
*[[Zanesville Greys]] (1993–1996, became the River City Rascals)
{{div col end}}

===Timeline===
<timeline>
DateFormat = mm/dd/yyyy
ImageSize  = width:1100 height:auto barincrement:20
Period     = from:1993 till:2025
TimeAxis   = orientation:horizontal
PlotArea   = right:40 left:0 bottom:50 top:5

Colors = id:barcolor value:rg(0.99,0.7,0.7)
         id:line     value:black
         id:bg       value:white

PlotData=
  width:15 textcolor:black shift:(5,-5) anchor:from fontsize:s

  bar:1  color:orange from:05/15/1993 till:09/20/2008 text:[[Chillicothe Paints]] (1993–2008)
  bar:2  color:orange from:05/15/1993 till:09/20/1994 text:[[Kentucky Rifles]] (1993–94)
  bar:3  color:orange from:05/15/1993 till:end text:[[Lancaster Scouts]] (1993–94), [[Evansville Otters]] (1995–)
  bar:4  color:orange from:05/15/1993 till:09/20/2005 text:[[Ohio Valley Redcoats]] (1993–98, 2005), [[Dubois County Dragons]] (1999–2002), [[Kenosha Mammoths]] (2003), [[Springfield-Ozark Ducks]] (2004)
  bar:5  color:orange from:05/15/1993 till:09/20/2009 text:[[Portsmouth Explorers]] (1993–95), [[Springfield Capitals]] (1996–2001), [[Rockford RiverHawks]] (2002–09, 2011–12), [[Rockford Aviators]] (2013–15)
  bar:5  color:orange from:05/15/2011 till:09/20/2015
  bar:6  color:orange from:05/15/1993 till:07/10/1993 text:[[Tri-State Tomahawks]] (1993)
  bar:7  color:orange from:05/15/1993 till:06/30/1993 text:[[West Virginia Coal Sox]] (1993)
  bar:8  color:orange from:05/15/1993 till:09/20/1996 text:[[Zanesville Greys]] (1993–96)
  bar:8  color:orange from:05/15/1999 till:09/15/2019 text:[[River City Rascals]] (1999–2019)
  bar:9  color:orange from:05/15/1994 till:end text:[[Erie Sailors]] (1994), [[Johnstown Steal]] (1995–98), Johnstown Johnnies (1999–2002), [[Florence Freedom]] (2003–19), [[Florence Y'alls]] (2020–)
  bar:10 color:orange from:05/15/1994 till:09/20/2005 text:[[Newark Buffaloes]]/Bison (1994–95), Kalamazoo Kodiaks (1996–98), London Werewolves (1999–2001), Canton Coyotes (2002), Mid-Missouri Mavericks (2003–05)
  bar:11 color:orange from:05/15/1995 till:09/26/2018 text:[[Richmond Roosters]] (1995–2005), [[Traverse City Beach Bums]] (2006–18)
  bar:12 color:orange from:05/15/1997 till:end text:[[Canton Crocodiles]] (1997–2001), Washington Wild Things (2002–)
  bar:13 color:orange from:05/15/1999 till:end text:[[Cook County Cheetahs]] (1999–2003), Windy City ThunderBolts (2004–)
  bar:14 color:orange from:05/15/2001 till:end text:[[Gateway Grizzlies]] (2001–)
  bar:15 color:orange from:05/15/2001 till:09/20/2008 text:[[Kalamazoo Kings]] (2001–10)
  bar:16 color:orange from:05/15/2007 till:07/25/2012 text:[[Slippery Rock Sliders]] (2007), Midwest Sliders (2008), Midwest Sliders of Ypsilanti (2009), [[Oakland County Cruisers]] (2010), [[London Rippers]] (2012)
  bar:17 color:orange from:05/15/2007 till:09/12/2021text:[[Southern Illinois Miners]] (2007–21)
  bar:18 color:orange from:05/15/2009 till:end text:[[Lake Erie Crushers]] (2009–)
  bar:19 color:orange from:05/15/2010 till:09/26/2018 text:[[Normal CornBelters]] (2010–18)
  bar:20 color:orange from:05/15/2011 till:end text:[[Joliet Slammers]] (2011–)
  bar:21 color:orange from:05/15/2012 till:end text:[[Schaumburg Boomers]] (2012–)
  bar:22 color:orange from:07/25/2012 till:10/31/2012 text:[[Pennsylvania Road Warriors|Road Warriors]] (2012)
  bar:23 color:orange from:05/25/2013 till:09/30/2015 text:[[Frontier Greys]] (2013–15)
  bar:24 color:orange from:05/15/2020 till:end text:[[New Jersey Jackals]] (2020–)
  bar:25 color:orange from:05/15/2020 till:end text:[[New York Boulders]] (2020–)
  bar:26 color:orange from:05/15/2020 till:end text:[[Québec Capitales]] (2020–)
  bar:27 color:orange from:05/15/2020 till:end text:[[Sussex County Miners]] (2020–)
  bar:28 color:orange from:05/15/2020 till:end text:[[Trois-Rivières Aigles (Frontier League)|Trois-Rivières Aigles]] (2020–)
  bar:29 color:orange from:05/15/2021 till:end text:[[Ottawa Titans]] (2021–)
  bar:30 color:orange from:05/27/2021 till:end text:[[Tri-City Valley Cats]] (2021–)
  bar:31 color:orange from:05/27/2021 till:09/19/2021 text:Équipe Québec (2021)
  bar:32 color:orange from:05/27/2022 till:09/17/2023 text:Empire State Greys (2022–2023)
  bar:33 color:orange from:05/10/2024 till:end text:[[Brockton Rox (Frontier League)|Brockton Rox]] (2024–)
  bar:34 color:orange from:05/01/2025 till:end text:[[Down East Bird Dawgs]] (2025–)
  bar:35 color:orange from:05/01/2025 till:end text:[[Frontier League Mississippi|Mississippi]] (2025–)
ScaleMajor = gridcolor:line unit:year increment:2 start:1993

TextData =
   fontsize:L
   textcolor:black
   pos:(175,30) # tabs:(0-center)
   text:"Frontier League Franchise History"
</timeline>

==Champions==
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
*1993 [[River City Rascals|Zanesville Greys]]
*1994 [[Erie Sailors]]
*1995 [[Florence Y'alls|Johnstown Steal]]
*1996 [[Springfield Capitals]]
*1997 [[Washington Wild Things|Canton Crocodiles]]
*1998 [[Springfield Capitals]]
*1999 [[London Werewolves]]
*2000 [[Florence Y'alls|Johnstown Johnnies]]
*2001 [[Traverse City Beach Bums|Richmond Roosters]]
*2002 [[Traverse City Beach Bums|Richmond Roosters]]
*2003 [[Gateway Grizzlies]]
*2004 [[Rockford Riverhawks]]
*2005 [[Kalamazoo Kings]]
*2006 [[Evansville Otters]]
*2007 [[Windy City ThunderBolts]]
*2008 [[Windy City ThunderBolts]]
*2009 [[Lake Erie Crushers]]
*2010 [[River City Rascals]]
*2011 [[Joliet Slammers]]
*2012 [[Southern Illinois Miners]]
*2013 [[Schaumburg Boomers]]
*2014 [[Schaumburg Boomers]]
*2015 [[Traverse City Beach Bums]]
*2016 [[Evansville Otters]]
*2017 [[Schaumburg Boomers]]
*2018 [[Joliet Slammers]]
*2019 [[River City Rascals]]
*2020 Season cancelled due to [[COVID-19 pandemic]]<ref>{{Cite news|first=Chris|last=Dugan|title=Frontier League season canceled|language=en|work=Observer-Reporter|url=https://observer-reporter.com/sports/pro_sports/wild_things/frontier-league-season-canceled/article_2359472e-b657-11ea-bb30-075f5e0ead0c.html|access-date=June 25, 2020}}</ref>
*2021 [[Schaumburg Boomers]]
*2022 [[Québec Capitales]]
*2023 [[Québec Capitales]]
*2024 [[Québec Capitales]]
{{div col end}}

==Records==

=== Individual career records ===

==== Batting ====
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Statistic
!Record
!Player
|-
|Games Played
|588
| rowspan="3" |Chris Sidick
|-
|At Bats
|2,225
|-
|Runs
|434
|-
|Hits
|725
|Santiago Chirino
|-
|Home Runs
|127
| rowspan="2" |Charlie Lisk
|-
|Runs Batted In
|442
|}

==== Pitching ====
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Statistic
!Record
!Player
|-
|Games
|255
|Nick Kennedy
|-
|Games started
|98
| rowspan="5" |Aaron Ledbetter
|-
|Innings Pitched
|671.2
|-
|Wins
|51
|-
|Strikeouts
|522
|-
|Complete Games
|18
|-
|Saves
|74
|Zach Strecker
|}

== Broadcasting ==
On February 24, 2022, the Frontier League announced that all games for the 2022 season would be available through the streaming platform FloSports.<ref>{{cite press release |title=Frontier League and FloSports Announce Landmark Streaming Rights Agreement |url=https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/frontier-league-and-flosports-announce-landmark-streaming-rights-agreement/n-5794661 |website=OurSports Central |publisher=Frontier League |access-date=March 10, 2022 |language=en |date=February 24, 2022}}</ref>

On April 2, 2025, the Frontier League announced a move to streaming platform Hometeam Network for the 2025 season.<ref>{{cite press release |title=Frontier League Announces Multi-Year Streaming and Broadcast Partnership With Hometeam Network |url=https://www.frontierleague.com/frontier-league-announces-multi-year-streaming-and-broadcast-partnership-with-hometeam-network |publisher=Frontier League |access-date=April 7, 2025| language=en}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Baseball awards#U.S. independent professional leagues]]

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.frontierleague.com Official website]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20061214055634/http://flhistory.garmurdesign.com/ Frontier League History] 
* [https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/league.cgi?code=FRON&class=Ind Frontier League Encyclopedia and History at Baseball Reference]
{{Professional Baseball}}

[[Category:Frontier League| ]]
[[Category:Independent baseball leagues in the United States]]
[[Category:Multi-national professional sports leagues]]
[[Category:Baseball leagues in Illinois]]
[[Category:Baseball leagues in Indiana]]
[[Category:1993 establishments in Illinois]]
[[Category:Sports leagues established in 1993]]
[[Category:Professional sports leagues in the United States]]
[[Category:Baseball leagues in New Jersey]]
[[Category:Baseball leagues in New York (state)]]
[[Category:Baseball leagues in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Baseball leagues in Ohio]]
[[Category:Baseball leagues in Kentucky]]
[[Category:Baseball leagues in Canada]]