(New Buffalo, MI) - It appears some of the best baseball talent in the nation will play in a minor league-type ballpark in New Buffalo.

 

The players are in college and compete in the Northwoods League, which has 26 teams from Michigan and other states like Indiana, Wisconsin and as far away as North Dakota.

 

The teams consist of players in college who play league games during the summer to stay sharp and get better to improve their odds of being drafted by major league teams.  According to the Northwoods League website, over 400 players in the league have made it to the majors since the league was formed over 30 years ago.

 

New Buffalo Schools Superintendent Adam Bowen said the league has already approved the terms of a 10-year contract to have an expansion team play its home games at the new high school baseball field.  Bowen hopes to obtain approval by the school board as soon as later this month.

 

“You’re going to see major league level baseball players here playing at our field, which is pretty incredible,” he said.

 

Bowen said the expansion team is owned by two men from New Buffalo who put up the money required by the league for team ownership.  One of the men, Brian Williams, is a scout for the Texas Rangers.

 

Plans call for the new high school baseball field to have grandstand seating and lights added for a full schedule of games during the summer beginning in 2027, said New Buffalo High School Athletic Director Matt Johnson.

 

Bowen said plans call for about 600 grandstand seats with room to add more seats depending on attendance.  People will also be welcome to bring lawn chairs or blankets and sit beside the fence lines to watch the games.  The community hopes to draw from its large base of tourists to help fill the ball park.

 

Bowen said the league will also host youth camps during the season.

 

Former players in the league include future hall of fame pitcher Max Scherzer, slugger Pete Alonzo and former White Sox all-star pitcher Chris Sale.