The Edenton Steamers are changing summer-collegiate circuits for 2020, ending a more than 20-year run in the Coastal Plain League to join the Tidewater Summer League.
The Steamers had competed in the Coastal Plain League since 1998, their first season at Edenton, NC’s Historic Hicks Field. They continued to field a club in the CPL through the 2019 season, but are now changing leagues as part of an announcement made Tuesday.
Beginning in the 2020 season, the Steamers will compete in the Tidewater Summer League’s upstart Premier Division. Thus far, four teams have been announced for the Premier Division–the Steamers are joining the Outer Banks Daredevils, Tidewater Drillers, and Virginia Beach Sea Dogs–with clubs more potentially added before the 2020 campaign begins. More from DailyAdvance.com:
“The Edenton Steamers are excited to announce that we are joining the Tidewater Summer League Premier Division in 2020. This is a new chapter for the Steamers organization, and we are eager to see how it unfolds in the future,” Edenton Steamers general manager Tyler Russell said in a statement. “We would like to thank the Coastal Plain League for allowing us to be a part of their organization for the last 22 years. We have made many great memories in the CPL including three league championships, 130 players signing with a MLB organization, and 18 players reaching the MLB level. The Steamers look forward to continuing to bring affordable, family friendly, and quality baseball entertainment to the area for many years to come.”…
“The Tidewater Summer League is extremely excited to have the Edenton Steamers joining us for the upcoming 2020 season,” Tidewater Summer League Commissioner Michael Dooley said in a statement. “As a founding member of our new Premier Division, the Steamers bring over 20 years of experience operating a high quality collegiate summer league franchise, and have been instrumental in helping us shape this new venture in a way that focuses on the teams and their players, with the goal of providing a great summer baseball experience for our fans and some of the top collegiate players from around the country. The Edenton Steamers, with their strong community support, outstanding ownership group and dedicated staff, will be a cornerstone in the TSL’s Premier Division, and we are looking forward to seeing Historic Hicks Field, filled with enthusiastic fans, cheering on the Steamers as they continue their strong tradition of providing exciting collegiate summer baseball.”
The Premier Division is a new venture that is being established in the TSL for the upcoming season. The division will be comprised of at least four team in the coming year, with the possibility to expand to six teams before the first pitch is thrown.
The Steamers were among 16 teams that competed in the Coastal Plain League’s 2019 season. At least one new team will be joining the CPL next season, as it was announced last week that plans have been finalized for a Colonial Heights, VA squad that will play at Shepherd Stadium.