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.

JEFFERSON CITY, MO – Upon acquiring the Jefferson City summer college
baseball team, the Diamond Baseball League launched a name the team
contest which received hundreds of responses over a three-week period.
More than 90% voted in favor of retaining the Renegades name, leading the
team’s new ownership to embark on a rebrand as the summer college team
moves into an exciting new era as a member of the Diamond Baseball League.

“Given that the Renegades play in the state capitol, we determined that the
colors found in the Missouri State flag would be our starting point,” stated Matt
Perry, Diamond Baseball League founder.

The new marks were created internally and then finalized by Zachry Design of
Abilene, Texas, which showcase the red and blue of the state flag and feature
multiple wordmarks, a ‘JCR’ icon and a state capitol baseball image.

For more information on the Jefferson City Renegades visit
www.jeffcityrenegades.com

GRAND ISLAND, NE – In recognition of the more than one-million Sandhill
Cranes which migrate each spring to Grand Island, the new summer collegiate
baseball team coming to Ryder Park this spring will be known as the “Fightin’
Cranes.”

“Hundreds of people participated in our name the team contest,” stated Matt
Perry, Diamond Baseball League co-founder. “Cranes was a predominant
theme, and in the final voting, Fightin’ Cranes was the clear winner.”

The new marks, created internally and then finalized by Zachry Design of
Abilene, Texas, showcase the red and grey coloring of the sandhill crane and
feature both the wing and head in multiple marks.

For more information on the Grand Island Fightin’ Cranes, visit
www.fightincranes.com

LAWRENCEVILLE, KS – Salina, Kansas, is the fifth team to be announced in the new Diamond Baseball League (www.thedbl.com).

The Diamond Baseball League (DBL) is a professional-grade collegiate summer baseball league which will begin play in 2026. The League will focus on providing a minor league baseball experience for fans, sponsors, and players with a heavy emphasis on promotions, events to benefit the community, and affordable family entertainment.

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.

During the inaugural 2026 season, DBL teams will play a minimum 50-gameschedule from May 28 through August 1, followed by playoffs. The Salina franchise has secured office space and will hire a full-time staff that will reside in the market and begin operations on January 5th, 2026, and a coaching staff that will secure and manage the team’s roster.

The League has secured its six inaugural markets which feature first class facilities and multi-year stadium leases. Grand Island and Hastings, Nebraska as well as Sedalia and Jefferson City, Missouri were previously announced as Diamond Baseball League locations for 2026. The final DBL team will be announced before the end of the calendar year. The DBL will own and operate each of the six inaugural teams to ensure operational consistency and efficiency and the long-term financial security and growth of the League.

The DBL management team has over 100 years of combined professional sports experience, including ownership and operation of collegiate summer,independent professional and minor league teams, and leadership positions in Major League Baseball. The leadership team includes Bill Davidson and Matt Perry of National Sports Services (www.nsssports.com), Ralph Nelson, a former Major League Baseball executive, and Dan Roman, a CPA with extensive financial experience in the sports industry.

The DBL is conducting a name the team contest for the Salina franchise. To suggest a name for Salina’s new team, visit www.baseballsalina.com. Everyone who submits a name for the team will receive a complimentary ticket for a game during the 2026 season.

The League will schedule a “meet and greet” event with League founders in the near future with details to come.

To learn more about the Diamond Baseball League visit www.thedbl.com.

Follow up communications can be directed to Matt Perry at matt@nsssports.com.

The Diamond Baseball League has acquired the Sedalia Bombers baseball franchise and entered into an agreement with the City of Sedalia, Missouri to operate the Sedalia team in Liberty Park beginning with the 2026 baseball season.

The Diamond Baseball League (DBL) is a professional-grade collegiate summer baseball league which will begin play this coming summer.  The League will focus on providing a minor league baseball experience for fans, sponsors, and players with a heavy emphasis on promotions, events to benefit the community and affordable, family entertainment.

During the inaugural 2026 season, DBL teams will play a minimum of 50-games from May 28 through August 1, followed by playoffs. The League will hire a full-time staff that will reside in Sedalia and a coaching staff that will secure and manage the team’s roster. 

Grand Island and Hastings, Nebraska, as well as Jefferson City, Missouri  were previously announced as a Diamond Baseball League locations for 2026.  The final two markets will be announced in the next few weeks.  The DBL will own and operate each of the six inaugural teams to ensure operational consistency and efficiency and the long-term financial security and growth of the League.

The DBL management team has over 100 years of combined professional sports experience, including ownership and operation of collegiate summer league, independent professional and minor league teams, and leadership positions in Major League Baseball. The leadership team includes Bill Davidson and Matt Perry of National Sports Services (www.nsssports.com), Ralph Nelson, a former Major League Baseball executive, and Dan Roman, a CPA with extensive financial experience in the sports industry.

Jud Kindle, founder and owner of the Sedalia Bombers commented, “We thought the time was right to hand over the reins to Diamond Baseball League.  Their League founders have extensive experience in the industry and will devote the resources necessary to continue to grow the franchise.  We’re honored to have provided years of quality family entertainment for the community and are excited for the team’s future in Sedalia.”  

With an enhanced minor league baseball experience coming to Liberty Park, the League would like to refresh the team’s brand, and invites fans to name the new team. Each person who submits a name for the new team at www.sedaliabaseball.com, receives a complimentary ticket to a game during the 2026 season.  To learn more about the Diamond Baseball League visit www.thedbl.com.  Contact Matt Perry for additional information or interviews at 785-221-5302 or matt@nsssports.com.