Minot will be part of the 10-team Expedition League, a 64-game, wood-bat league that prepares hopeful professional baseball players for a minor league schedule. The Expedition League usually features six-games a week, running through mid-August, with 32 contests scheduled for Corbett Field. 

“The Expedition League is high-caliber baseball,” said league founder and president Steve Wagner at a press conference announcing Minot’s team Friday. “It features top-tier college players from across the region and across the country, so the baseball talent is incredibly strong.”

While the 2018 season will feature 10 teams, the league hopes to expand in future seasons. For now, the Expedition League has been split into two divisions, largely to reduce travel and build rivalries. The north division features teams from Minot; Dickinson; Brandon, Manitoba; Aberdeen, S.D.; and Pierre, S.D.

Meanwhile, the south division consists of teams from Rapid City, S.D.; Spearfish, S.D.; Hastings, Neb.; Casper, Wyo.; and western Nebraska. 

“This has been a long process, we’ve been in discussions for something like this for a long time,” said Minot Park District Executive Director Ron Merritt. “Many of us remember when there have been teams here like this in the past, so we’re very excited to get this going.”

The Minot team does not yet have a name, but Wagner said a “name-the-team” contest will be launched shortly. 

“What I love about team names in the baseball world is that they can be pretty unusual,”Wagner said. “We’re looking forward to having that and have ways for people to vote on that team name.”

Wagner said he hopes to have a coach hired and a roster finalized by the end of October, with the possible exception of a few pitchers. 

To be eligible for the league, athletes need to have remaining college eligibility left and will not be paid to keep their amateur status intact. The league is counting on around 30 host families to lodge players throughout the season. 

“We think this is going to be a great new venue for our youth and our baseball community,” said Director of Magic City Youth Baseball Andy Lach. “We look forward to a great experience and relationship with the expedition league. It’s a great thing for our baseball community.”

Garrick Hodge covers Minot State athletics, the Minot Minotauros and high school sports. Follow him on Twitter @Garrick_Hodge.

Original article can be found here: http://www.minotdailynews.com/sports/local-sports/2017/09/minot-selected-as-site-for-expedition-league-baseball-team/