Florida Collegiate Summer League season starts tonight

The Florida Collegiate Summer League fires up the hotdog grills at 5 p.m. Thursday, June 2 at Sanford Memorial Stadium for its opening day tailgate party. The event will kick off the two-month Central Florida summer baseball season featuring Major League Baseball prospects.

The FCSL is filled with college-age MLB prospects from throughout the nation who come to Central Florida to showcase their skills in a wood bat league, just like in the majors. Nine major leaguers were former FCSL players, including World Series starter Jacob deGrom of the New York Mets, and San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Chris Heston, who threw a no-hitter last season against the eventual National League champion Mets.

“You get to see the stars of tomorrow playing in your backyard today,” FCSL President Rob Sitz said.

And for many of those players, the league is a new experience bringing them a step closer to the majors, with a schedule that puts them in games up to six times a week, compared to about half of that in college.

“For these guys playing six nights a week that’s a big thing,” Sitz said.

But that schedule also gives baseball fans a better shot at getting out to the ballpark. With teams spread throughout the Orlando area, finding a local stadium is easy too.

The six-team league features the local Winter Park Diamond Dawgs, who play out of Rollins College’s Alfond Stadium, and the Altamonte Springs Boom, DeLand Suns, Leesburg Lightning, Sanford River Rats and Winter Garden Squeeze. Sanford Memorial Stadium, hosting opening day, is the home of the River Rats.

Winter Park finished 14-22 last season, but that didn’t stop the Dawgs from forcing eventual league champ Sanford into a win-or-go-home game in the 2015 postseason. The hyper-competitive Dawgs have more championships than any other FCSL team, with four. Their longtime rival, Sanford, has three.

With the tailgate party, the league will kick off its 13th year, made possible by the popularity of its family-friendly environment and low prices. With mid-inning on-field games for kids, plus food and drink deals, Sitz hopes the league continues to entice whole families to head out to the ballpark.

“We pride ourselves on that entertainment value,” Sitz said. “With the kids’ zone and the band, it’s gonna be a blast.”

The tailgate party will feature live music, games for adults and kids, $1 Yuengling beer, and baseball. The party will happen from 5 to 7 p.m. before the game, then at 7 p.m. the defending FCSL champion Sanford River Rats will take on the Leesburg Lightning. Tickets are $6 for adults and $4 for seniors, military and kids age 7 and up. Kids age 6 and under are free. Visit floridaleague.com for more information.