Prospect League Baseball

Presented By Rathkamp Financial

(Chillicothe)- In conjunction with the Prospect League, the Chillicothe Paints, presented by Adena Health System, announced their 2022 schedule Friday morning. The Paints open their season on the road in Springfield, Ohio, against the Champion City Kings Wednesday, June 1.

Chillicothe returns to VA Memorial Stadium for its home opener a day later, Thursday, June 2, against Champion City at 7:05 p.m. Along with $1 draft beer for Thirsty Thursday, there will also be a postgame fireworks display to celebrate the opening of the new season.

Once again, the schedule features 60 regular-season games with the Paints playing 30 at home and 30 on the road. This season, Chillicothe plays the Champion City Kings, Danville Dans, Illinois Valley Pistol Shrimp, Johnstown Mill Rats, Lafayette Aviators, REX and West Virginia Miners.

“The Paints are so excited for our 29th season and building on our record-breaking attendance from a year ago,” said President Bryan Wickline. “We have been so fortunate over the years to have tremendous support from our fans and the business community. Everyone really stepped up last year and showed the support we needed coming off a year of no Paints’ baseball. The 2022 Prospect League season has a great schedule lined up for the Paints and now it’s time to get back to work. VA Memorial Stadium will start hosting college games in just over a month!”

The Prospect League schedule is designed to give players a taste of life in the minor leagues with charter bus travel, night games in front of enthusiastic crowds, and numerous overnight series in opponent cities.

For the purposes of playoffs, Prospect League teams are divided into two conferences, each with two divisions:

Eastern Conference

Ohio River Valley Division
Champion City Kings (Springfield, Ohio)
Chillicothe Paints (Chillicothe, Ohio)
Johnstown Mill Rats (Johnstown, Pa.)
West Virginia Miners (Beckley, W.Va.)

Wabash River Division
Danville Dans (Danville, Ill.)
Illinois Valley Pistol Shrimp (Peru, Ill.)
Lafayette Aviators (Lafayette, Ind.)
REX Baseball (Terre Haute, Ind.)

Western Conference

Great River Division
Burlington Bees (Burlington, Iowa)
Clinton LumberKings (Clinton, Iowa)
Normal CornBelters (Normal, Ill.)
Quincy Gems (Quincy, Ill.)

Prairie Land Division
Alton River Dragons (Alton, Ill.)
Cape Catfish (Cape Girardeau, Mo.)
O’Fallon Hoots (O’Fallon, Mo.)
Capital City Baseball (Springfield, Ill.)

The Paints play more than 75 percent of their games within the division, meeting the Kings, Miners and Mill Rats a combined 46 times.

The 2022 season once again features split-season play, with division winners at the end of the first half of the season advancing to a one-game divisional championship August 7. Divisional champions advance to play a one-game conference championship August 9. Both conference champions advance to play one another in the best-of-three Prospect League Championship Series. Game one is August 11 and, after a travel day, game two and, if necessary, game three are August 13 and 14.

To advertise at VA Memorial Stadium or to schedule company outings, birthdays, team picnics or to receive group discounts, call the Paints Office at (740) 773-8326. Season tickets are also available online at www.ChillicothePaints.com, the Paints Office & Gift Shop at 11 East 2nd Street in Chillicothe, or by calling (740) 773-8326.

The 2022 Chillicothe Paints Schedule. Red dates are games at VA Memorial Stadium

Presented By Hometown-Motors, Inc. & Accurate Heating, Cooling & Plumbing

(Jackson, Tennessee) — The Prospect League is announcing that Jackson, Tenn., has been added to the league for the 2023 season. Following a special City Council Meeting by Mayor Scott Conger, In The Big Inning, LLC has signed a use agreement with the City of Jackson.

A press conference will take place in late January to announce a “Name the Team” contest for the new Prospect League team. In The Big Inning will begin operation of the West Tennessee Baseball Stadium beginning January 1, 2022 attempting to book as many events as possible during the year.

“We could not be more excited or pleased with the relationships developing in Jackson”, stated In The Big Inning CEO and President, Dennis Bastien. Bastien and his wife Lisa, will own and operate the Prospect League team.

“My family has hoped for this day since we learned of the possible opportunity in Jackson after the contraction of MiLB. We are honored and humbled, proud and privileged, but most of all blessed to finally see this come to fruition,” added Bastien. “In our roles as Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner, we have been a part of the growth of the Prospect League and watched the success of many of our members,” said Lisa Bastien, Vice President of In The Big Inning, LLC. “It is exciting to join in the ownership role and follow in their footsteps.”

Jackson, TN becomes the 17th city of the Prospect League with additional markets and scenarios being developed.