The O'Fallon Hoots are a collegiate summer league baseball team in the United States Prospect League. The team played the 2018 and 2019 seasons as the Hannibal Hoots, but only one of those seasons saw them use Hannibal, Missouri as their home; flooding of their stadium led the Hoots to play their 2019 home schedule in nearby Quincy, Illinois at the home stadium of the Quincy Gems. Following the 2019 season, the Hoots moved to Carshield Field in O’Fallon, Missouri after the departure of the River City Rascals. The Hoots formed in late 2017[2] and were an expansion franchise for the 2018 season. The Hoots and other collegiate summer leagues and teams exist to give top college players professional-like experience without affecting NCAA eligibility.
| O'Fallon Hoots | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Information | |
| League | Prospect League (Western Conference – South Division) |
| Location | O'Fallon, Missouri |
| Ballpark | CarShield Field |
| Founded | 2018 |
| Former name(s) | Hannibal Hoots (2018–2019) |
| Former ballparks | Clemens Field |
| Ownership | Rick DeStefane[1] |
| Manager | Matt Brown |
| General Manager | David Schmoll |
| Website | OFallonHoots.com |
Rick DeStefane is the sole owner of the Hoots.[3]
On September 26, 2019, The Prospect League announced that the franchise would relocate from Hannibal to O'Fallon beginning with the 2020 season, playing their home games at CarShield Field.[4]
The Hoots play in the Prospect League's Western Conference – South Division along with the Alton River Dragons, Cape Catfish, Jackson Rockabillys, and Thrillville Thrillbillies.[5]
History
editHannibal's previous team in the Prospect League, the Hannibal Cavemen, suspended operations after the 2016 season, leaving the city without a team for the 2017 season.[6] The league awarded a new franchise to Rick DeStefane, with the goal of returning to the field for the 2018 season.[7]
For the 2020 season, the Prospect League ceased play due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the O'Fallon Hoots played host to a six-team league at CarShield Field, with each team playing 30 game seasons. The CarShield Collegiate League began play on July 1, 2020, with a schedule of 7 inning games.[8][9][10][11]
Stadium
editThe Hoots play at CarShield Field.
Seasons
edit| Season | Manager | Record | Win % | League | Division | GB | Post-season record | Post-season win % | Post-season result | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Clayton Hicks | 25–35 | .417 | 10th | 5th | 11.0 | 0–0 | .000 | Did not qualify | Inaugural season |
| 2019 | Clayton Hicks[12] | 23–37 | .383 | 11th | 6th | 20.0 | 0–0 | .000 | Did not qualify | Final season in Hannibal |
| 2020 | Season cancelled (COVID-19 pandemic) | |||||||||
| 2021 | Matt Brown | 33–27 | .550 | 5th | 2nd | 5.0 | 0–1 | .000 | Lost Prairie Land Division Championship (Cape) | First season in O'Fallon |
| 2022 | Jonathan Mills | 28–32 | .467 | 9th | 2nd | 4.0 | 0–0 | .000 | Did not qualify | |
| 2023 | Jeff Wetzler | 28–30 | .483 | 9th | 3rd | 11.5 | 0–0 | .000 | Did not qualify | |
| 2024 | Matt Brown | 29–27 | .518 | 9th | 4th | 4.5 | 0–0 | .000 | Did not qualify | |
| Totals | 166-188 | .469 | 0–1 | .000 | ||||||
Roster
edit| Active roster | Coaches/Other | |||
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Pitchers
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Catchers
Infielders
Outfielders
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Manager
Coaches
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References
edit- ^ "Parks Department Working on Hannibal Field | Prospect Collegiate Baseball LLC". www.prospectleague.com. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
- ^ "Hannibal Unveils Team Name & Branding | Prospect Collegiate Baseball LLC". www.prospectleague.com. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
- ^ Graeler, Kevin. "Hannibal Hoots encounter unexpected social media obstacle". Hannibal Courier. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
- ^ "O'Fallon City Council Approves Lease For Prospect League Team | Prospect Collegiate Baseball LLC". www.prospectleague.com. Retrieved September 30, 2019.
- ^ "2024 Prospect League Standings - Prospect League Baseball". www.prospectleague.com. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
- ^ "Cavemen 'suspending operations' for 2017 season". Herald-Whig. January 6, 2017. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
- ^ Dundon, Eric (November 8, 2017). "Hannibal's Prospect League team rebranded to Hannibal Hoots". Hannibal Courier. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
- ^ Reichard, Kevin (June 5, 2020). "How baseball is returning, from summer collegiate and indy to MLB". Ballpark Digest. August Publications.
- ^ Durando, Stu (June 9, 2020). "College baseball players find a summer home in O'Fallon, Mo". St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
- ^ Miller, Corey (June 6, 2020). "CarShield Collegiate League to play in O'Fallon this summer". KSDK.
- ^ "Hoots Launch CarShield Collegiate League". O'Fallon Hoots. June 5, 2020.
- ^ "CLAYTON HICKS RETURNING TO HANNIBAL TO MANAGE THE HOOTS". Prospect Collegiate Baseball LLC. January 9, 2019. Retrieved January 9, 2019.
External links
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