Butler BlueSox

Lore & Background

The BlueSox made their first playoff appearance in 2014, going 25–7 in the second half and winning an 11-game streak, but were eliminated by the Chillicothe Paints. In 2017, under first-year manager Cody Herald, the team won their first postseason series, sweeping the West Virginia Miners, and advanced to the Prospect League Championship Series for the first time, losing to the Lafayette Aviators. The team did not play in the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Reader's Guide

The Butler BlueSox represent a notable example of a collegiate summer baseball franchise that transitioned from a founding member of the Prospect League to a participant in the Tri-State Collegiate League. Their history includes a move from Washington to Butler, ownership changes involving a former state representative and a major league pitcher, and a 2017 playoff run that brought them to the league championship series. The team has produced alumni who reached Major League Baseball, including David Bednar, an MLB All-Star and former closer for the Pittsburgh Pirates. The BlueSox's relocation to Highlands High School Field for the 2025 season and the forthcoming name change mark a new chapter for the organization, reflecting the adaptability of summer collegiate baseball teams in maintaining community ties and competitive play.

Did You Know?

• The BlueSox were an expansion team in the Prospect League, joining for the 2009 season, not a founding member.

Origins and the Move to Butler

The Butler BlueSox trace their roots to 2006, when former Pennsylvania State Representative Leo Trich Jr. established a collegiate summer baseball franchise in Washington, Pennsylvania, as part of the Tri-State Collegiate Baseball League. The team operated there for two seasons before a pivotal shift. In 2008, renovations at Kelly Automotive Park were completed, and Trich saw an opportunity to relocate the club to Butler, becoming a founding member of the Prospect League's East Division. The move was formalized in December 2008, and the BlueSox opened their Butler era in 2009 with a 28-26 record. Ownership dynamics shifted again in 2011 when Trich sold his stake to a group of five local business partners. Among them was Matt Clement, a Butler native who would go on to pitch in Major League Baseball. That same year, the group secured an agreement guaranteeing the BlueSox would remain in Butler through the 2013 season, providing the stability needed to build a competitive program in the Prospect League.

Climbing the Prospect League Ladder

After a modest 2009 debut and a sub-.500 stretch, the BlueSox gradually climbed the Prospect League standings. The 2012 campaign brought a winning record for the first time since their inaugural year, though they fell just short of the postseason. In 2013, the team hosted the Prospect League All-Star Game on July 17, but their season ended bitterly when a 4-0 loss to the Slippery Rock Sliders in the final regular-season game eliminated them from playoff contention. The breakthrough came in 2014. Butler posted a 25-7 second-half record, fueled by an 11-game winning streak, to earn their first-ever playoff berth. They fell 2-0 to the Chillicothe Paints in the East Division series, but the season was capped by Adam Bleday of the University of Virginia being named the league's Left-Handed Pitcher of the Year. The following year, first baseman David Marcus of California University of Pennsylvania captured both the Mike Schmidt Player of the Year and Roland Hemond top pro prospect honors, hitting .363 with 11 home runs and 49 RBI.

The 2017 Breakthrough Season

The 2017 campaign stands as the BlueSox's defining moment in the Prospect League. Under first-year manager Cody Herald, a Butler native and former player for the organization, the team achieved what had eluded them for years. They won their first-ever postseason series, sweeping the West Virginia Miners 2-0. That victory carried them into the Prospect League Championship Series for the first time in franchise history, where they ultimately fell to the Lafayette Aviators 2-1. The roster that year was a showcase of talent. Five BlueSox players earned East Division Postseason All-Star Team honors: third baseman James Meeker from Delaware, shortstop Pavin Parks from Kent State, outfielder Tanner Murphy from North Florida, catcher Brady Gulakowski from NC State, and pitcher Connor Coward from Virginia Tech. The 2016 season had also seen Coward tie for second in the league with 68 strikeouts, while outfielder Will Schneider from Morehead State batted .335, ranking fourth in the Prospect League. The BlueSox closed that 2016 campaign with a four-game winning streak that included a doubleheader sweep of Champion City, effectively knocking the Kings out of the postseason picture.

Notable Alumni and a New Chapter

The BlueSox have produced players who went on to significant careers in professional baseball. Perhaps the most prominent is David Bednar, who pitched for the team in 2014 and later became an MLB All-Star and the closer for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Derek West, a 2017 BlueSox player, also went on to a professional career. Earlier alumni include Kevan Smith (2010) and Jacke Healey (2009), who represented the franchise during its formative years. After the team announced in August 2018 that it would sit out the 2019 Prospect League season, the BlueSox found a new path. In January 2020, their social media confirmed a return to the Tri-State Collegiate League. Their first game back came on June 10, 2020, against the Youngstown Creekside Crocodiles, a 7-6 loss. By 2022, the BlueSox had made the Tri-State Collegiate League playoffs and advanced to the championship, where they fell 7-6 to the Creekside Crocodiles. In 2023, they joined the newly formed Rust Belt League alongside the 3B Barons, East Butler Bulldogs, and Meadville Mustangs. For the 2025 season, the team will play at Highlands High School Field in Natrona Heights, Pennsylvania, with a new name to be announced.