The summer-collegiate North Shore Navigators are returning to the New England Collegiate Baseball League after a stint in the Futures League.
The Navigators left the NECBL nine years ago for the Futures League. The team plays out of Lynn’s scenic Fraser Field, which opened in 1940 backed by Work Projects Administration (WPA) funding and has hosted affiliated and independent baseball over the years.
The return of the Navs will boost the New England League’s membership to a record-high 14 organizations in 2021, as the league has now added an expansion team in three straight seasons (Bristol in 2020; Martha’s Vineyard in 2019).
North Shore will represent the fourth NECBL team located in the Bay State, joining the North Adams SteepleCats, Martha’s Vineyard Sharks and the Valley Blue Sox.
“We are excited to rejoin this great league,” said North Shore President and General Manager Derek January in a press statement. “With 14 teams in the league, our fans will have an opportunity to see how good the college baseball talent is across the country. The league’s non-for-profit status is aligned with our desire to give back to the community, and we have many promotions planned to do just that. We think being in the NECBL is a home run for our players, fans and sponsors. We have been working behind the scenes to get ready for June 4th. It has been a long time since we have had Navs Nation at Fraser Field, and we look forward to you watching us compete for an NECBL championship.”
“The New England League is delighted to welcome back the North Shore Navigators,” Sean McGrath, NECBL commissioner, said in a press statement. “We are all excited to return to the North Shore region of Massachusetts, the city of Lynn, and beautiful Fraser Field, where the Navigators won the 2010 NECBL Championship. It’s truly a great day for our league.”