LAWRENCEVILLE, KS – The Diamond Baseball League is proud to announce their post-season player awards and All-Star team selections:

HITTER OF THE YEAR – Sawyer Slade (Grand Island Fightin’ Cranes)

·      Orem, Utah

·      The College of Southern Idaho, Freshman

·      .377 BA / 151 AB / 57 H / 11 HR / 55 RBI / .444 OBP / .702 SLG / 1.146 OPS

PITCHER OF THE YEAR – Jackson Forck (Sedalia Steamers)

·      Columbia, MO

·      Columbia College, Senior

·      5-0 REC / 37.0 IP / 1.95 ERA / 11 BB / 34 K / 1.03 WHIP

MVP/PLAYER OF THE YEAR – Broxton Barrientos (Grand Island Fightin’ Cranes)

·      Grand Island, NE

·      Cloud County Community College, Freshman

·      .382 BA / 144 AB / 55 H / 3 HR / 41 RBI / .471 OBP / .542 SLG / 1.013 OPS / 10-11 SB / .978 FLD%

·      5-for-11 and 3 runs scored in championship series vs. Sedalia

ALL-STAR TEAM SELECTIONS –

OUTFIELDERS:

·      Broxton Barrientos (Grand Island Fightin’ Cranes)

·      Sawyer Slade (Grand Island Fightin’ Cranes)

·      Austin Evans (Jefferson City Renegades)

FIRST BASE:

·      Zeke Bullard (Jefferson City Renegades)

SECOND BASE:

·      Sota Suzuki (Sedalia Steamers)

SHORTSTOP:

·      Diesel Purnell (Sedalia Steamers)

THIRD BASE:

·      Grant Sumrall (Sedalia Steamers)

CATCHER:

·      Spencer Steutermann (Sedalia Steamers)

PITCHERS:

·      Jackson Forck (Sedalia Steamers)

·      Conner Rhorer (Sedalia Steamers)

·      Wyatt Henry (Fremont Moo)

·      Ryder Cameron (Salina Sliders)

·      Jude Stewart (Hastings Sodbusters)

Voting was conducted among league Field Managers, General Managers, and league office personnel.

LAWRENCEVILLE, KS – The Diamond Baseball League is proud to announce its Organizational Awards for 2026.

GENERAL MANAGER OF THE YEAR – Kayla McAndrews of the Sedalia Steamers has been named 2026 General Manager of the Year. McAndrews is in her first season with the Steamers.

MANAGER OF THE YEAR – Craig “Boomer” McAndrews of the Sedalia Steamers has been named 2026 Manager of the Year. McAndrews coached the Steamers to a 28-13 record in his first year at the helm of the Steamers which earned the team Regular Season Championship honors. Sedalia also went on to win the inaugural Diamond Baseball League Championship Series 2 games to 1 over Grand Island.

BROADCASTER OF THE YEAR – Zak Ibrahim of the Salina Sliders has been named 2026 Broadcaster of the Year. Ibrahim is in his first season as the play-by-play voice of the Sliders.

SALINA, KS – The Diamond Baseball League is pleased to announce that Kansas native Ben Castleberry has been named General Manager of the Salina Sliders (www.salinasliders.com).

Ben is a native of Herington and comes to lead the Sliders after having spent the past 10+ years as President of Operations for B.C. Motors. He has a B.A. from Wichita State University in Sports Management and served on the statistical analytics team supporting the baseball and softball programs.

“I am very excited to be leading the Sliders organization,” stated Castleberry. “We have an exciting summer planned with quality baseball and entertainment at Dean Evans Stadium. We are looking forward to becoming a top family attraction for Salina residents in the summer.”

Joining Castleberry in the Sliders front office as Director of Ticket Sales is Jacob Simpson. He recently graduated from Kansas Wesleyan University with a degree in Communications and Business Management. Jacob was a four-year baseball player at KW and a member of 4 KCAC Conference Championship teams. He is currently a volunteer at the school in addition to his duties with the Sliders.

The Diamond Baseball League (DBL) is a professional-grade collegiate summer baseball league which will begin play in late May and conclude in early August. The DBL owns all six teams in the league which includes teams in Grand Island and Hastings, Nebraska and Sedalia and Jefferson City, Missouri. The sixth and final team will be announced in the coming days.

The management team of the DBL has over 100 years of combined sports experience, including ownership and operation of collegiate summer, independent professional and minor league teams, and leadership positions in Major League Baseball.

The DBL has entered into a five-year lease agreement with the City of Salina to play at Dean Evans Stadium. The team will be investing in improvements at the Stadium to include concessions upgrades, a premium area behind home plate and a covered area for picnics and groups.

SEDALIA, MO – In recognition of the rail transportation history in Sedalia dating back to the 1800’s, the new Diamond Baseball League coming this summer to Liberty Park will be named the Steamers.

“A large number of people participated in our name the team contest,” stated Kayla McAndrews, Steamers General Manager. “Train themes were easily the most prevalent suggestions by Sedalia residents. We are looking forward to people visiting www.sedaliasteamers.com to see all that we have planned for this summer.”

The new marks created internally and finalized by Zachry Design of Abilene, Texas, are navy, gold, and grey.

The Steamers are rolling into Sedalia to replace the Bombers who played at Liberty Park for the past number of years. The Diamond Baseball League (www.thedbl.com) purchased the Bombers and are rebranding the team with the move to the new League.

The DBL management team has over 100 years of combined sports experience, including ownership and operation of collegiate summer, independent professional and minor league teams, and leadership positions in Major League Baseball.

The DBL owns and operates all six teams in the league to ensure operational consistency and efficiency and the long-term financial security and growth of the League.

The Steamers season begins May 28 and concludes August 1. The team will be managed by Craig ‘Boomer’ McAndrews, who has a long history of success in Sedalia.

SALINA, KS – The Diamond Baseball League is pleased to announce Will Flynt as the field manager for the Salina team.  The League expects to announce the team’s name and unveil its logo in the coming weeks.

Flynt has over two decades of coaching experience spanning multiple summer college leagues and professional baseball.  Most recently he was the Manager of the Bismark (ND) Larks, in the Northwoods League from 2020 – 2023, wining the league championship in 2020.  Flynt also was named the 2019 Coach of the Year for the Northwoods League when he served as the Pitching Coach for Wisconsin Rapids.

“I am extremely excited to be a part of the Diamond Baseball League in Salina,” said Flynt.  “I’m a huge fan of summer college baseball and the owners of the DBL have decades of experience operating teams and leagues and are really doing it the right way.  Being a Fort Hays State alum, I’m excited!”

Flynt’s playing career covered 13 years across Class A, AA and AAA and Independent professional baseball as well as International Leagues.  He spent time in the Pittsburgh Pirates, Baltimore Orioles and Seattle Mariners organizations.

His coaching experience includes stops as a pitching coach both at college, summer college and professional levels beginning in 1990 prior to joining the Wisconsin Rapids staff in 2019.

The Diamond Baseball League is pleased to announce that Craig ‘Boomer’ McAndrews will be returning to lead the Sedalia team this summer.  Boomer served as the field manager for the Bombers from 2014-2022 winning MINK league championships in 2016 and 2018.

He spent the 2024 and 2025 seasons as the field manager for the Boone Bigfoots (NC) of the Coastal Plain League, leading the team to the playoffs for the first time in team history.

“As a former coach in Sedalia, I’m grateful for the opportunity Jud Kindle gave me in 2010 to begin my summer baseball coaching career,” said McAndrews. “I’m pumped and jacked up to receive this new opportunity from the Diamond Baseball League. Our family is excited to return to a great baseball town and create new memories in a historic ballpark.”

In addition to his duties in Sedalia, Boomer serves as the associate head coach for the Columbia College baseball team, a position he has held since 2022.  He began his career at Columbia in 2016 as the Assistant Baseball Coach.

Joining McAndrews in Sedalia is his wife, Kayla McAndrews, as General Manager of the team.   A native of Sedalia, Kayla brings 15+ years of leadership / management experience to her role as GM.  In 2025, she served as General Manager for the Bigfoots.

“As a Smith-Cotton alum, Liberty Park/Dey Field holds a special place in our heart—it’s where my husband and I met and where many people in this community hold meaningful memories,” stated McAndrews. “Bringing summer baseball back to Sedalia and the beautifully renovated and historic Liberty Park Stadium, allows us to create exciting experiences for fans while giving collegiate athletes from across the country the opportunity to continue pursuing their dreams of professional baseball. We are excited and ready to entertain the community. ”

The name of Sedalia’s team and logo will be unveiled in the coming weeks.

Grand Island (NE) – The Fightin’ Cranes are excited to announce Kevin Grant as the team’s first field manager. Grant, an accomplished baseball coach and U.S. Navy veteran, brings a wealth of experience in player development, recruitment, and team leadership across both collegiate and summer league programs. He currently serves as an Assistant Coach at Marshalltown Community College in Iowa, where he helps shape player development and contributes to the overall success of the program.

“We’re laying the foundation for something special here. The Fightin’ Cranes will be known for how we prepare, how we compete, and how we carry ourselves on and off the field. I’m fired up to lead a team that reflects this place—tough, disciplined, and committed to doing things the right way—and we’re ready to set the tone this season,” 

Grant’s extensive coaching background includes his role as Associate Head Coach at Cornell College, where he led recruiting operations, implemented defensive strategies, and mentored student-athletes both on and off the field. He has also worked with the University of Evansville, where he supported daily practice and game operations while assisting with scouting and player development. Additionally, Grant has coaching experience in the summer collegiate ranks, serving as Hitting Coach for the Edenton Steamers and Field Manager for the Texarkana Rhinos, where he led the team through its inaugural season and cultivated a competitive, disciplined team culture.

A proud veteran of the U.S. Navy, Grant served as a Crash Crewman aboard the U.S.S. Kearsarge (LHD 3), where his leadership and dedication to teamwork shaped his coaching philosophy. His military background, combined with years of coaching at the high school, travel ball, and collegiate levels, has allowed him to build a reputation for creating athlete-centered environments focused on growth, accountability, and fundamentals.

With his leadership, the Fightin’ Cranes look ahead to a season defined by energy, identity, and a renewed standard of excellence.

JEFFERSON CITY, MO – Justin Buschjost has been named the Renegades field manager for the 2026 season the team announced today.  Buschjost has spent the last three seasons as an assistant coach on the Renegades staff.  Mike DeMilia, the Renegades field manager from 2016 through 2024, will be working with Buschjost as an assistant coach.

“I’m grateful and excited for the opportunity to manage the Renegades”, stated Buschjost.  “I hope to continue the Renegades’ tradition of strong leadership and I look forward to leading the Renegades into this new era of playing in the Diamond Baseball League.”

Joining Buschjost and DeMilia on the field this summer are Josiah Imhoff as pitching coach and Andy Arenivas who will be working with catchers and infielders.

Buschjost has served as an assistant baseball coach at Blair Oaks High School for the past 11 years and is a teacher at Blair Oaks Middle School. 

DeMilia has coached baseball for the past 33 years and is currently the head coach at Missouri Valley College.  He won a MINK League championship with the Renegades in 2023.