Picture credit to Kendall Timms

The Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League is excited to announce that four alumni players were selected in the recently completed Frontier League Draft.

Over three hundred professional free agents with varying levels of experience descended onto Ozinga Field in Crestwood, Illinois for the opportunity. After the first day of tryouts, 145 players were invited to return for a second day of evaluations. At the end of the second day, a three-round draft among the 18 teams took place.

It did not take long for a GLSCL alumni to hear his name called. Right handed pitcher Kyle Klingenbeck was selected with the fifth overall pick. A total of 49 players were selected from the pool of competitors.

Below is the list of former GLSCL players selected:

Kyle Klingenbeck (Cincinnati Steam - 2021 and 2022), Joliet Slammers, 5th overall pick. Klingenbeck played two summers for his hometown Cincinnati Steam. His summer career was highlighted by a 12-strikeout performance in a 10-0 victory over the Xenia Scouts. Klingenbeck pitched six shutout innings that day giving up just two hits and three walks. In 11 career appearances, all of which were starts, Klingenbeck recorded a 4-4 record with a 3.43 ERA striking out 64 batters in 52.2 innings pitched. He played four years at Northern Kentucky University before playing one season as a graduate transfer in 2024 for Austin Peay. Klingenbeck’s uncle Scott, who is also a GLSCL alumni with the old Cincinnati Spirit in 1992, played parts of four seasons for three different MLB teams.

Jack Dupuis (Southern Ohio Copperheads - 2023), Schaumburg Boomers, 11th pick. Dupuis was an all-star for the Southern Ohio Copperheads in 2023. Dupuis was voted as a starter on the South All-Stars team as a third basemen. The Wheaton, Illinois native lead the Copperehads in at bats (75), hits (25) and runs scored (21). Dubuis hit over .400 in two of his three collegiate seasons at Olivet Nazarene University. He hit .445 in 191 at bats during the 2024 spring season. 

Angus Stayte (Ohio Marlins - 2021), Down East Bird Dawgs, 20th pick. Stayte was an all-star in 2021 playing for the Ohio Marlins in its only season as a franchise in the GLSCL. Stayte led the Marlins in many of its offense statistical categories. He hits for a team-high .345 batting average with 39 hits, seven doubles and 24 RBIs. The Palo Alto, California native played five seasons of collegiate baseball including one year for Morehead State. Stayte played the 2024 season professionally in the Pecos League for the Dublin Leprechauns.

Caleb Meeks (Richmond Jazz - 2019), Evansville Otters, 40th pick. Meeks was a two-way player for the Richmond Jazz during the summer of 2019. Meeks, who will be a pitcher as a professional, hit for a .276 batting average for the Jazz. On the mound, Meeks made 11 appearances including two starts throwing 31.2 innings striking out 39 batters. Meeks started his collegiate career at the University of Evansville before transferring to Wabash Valley concentrating on becoming a full-time pitcher. Meeks finished up his collegiate career at Southern Indiana. The Newburgh, Indiana native hopes to catch on with his local professional team the Evansville Otters.

Spring training for the Frontier League begins in the coming days in preparation of its Opening Day on May 8. The Frontier League is an independent professional league not associated as an MLB affiliate. In 2020, Frontier League joined three other independent leagues (American Association, Atlantic League and Pioneer League) designated as Partner Leagues of Major League Baseball.

Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League opening day is Friday night, June 6 with four games scheduled across the league.

ABOUT THE GREAT LAKES SUMMER COLLEGIATE LEAGUE 

The Great Lakes Summer Collegiate, founded in 1987, is a wood-bat league that is certified by the NCAA and is partially funded by Major League Baseball. The GLSCL is a non-profit 501(c)(3) entity that is one of 12 members of the National Alliance of Collegiate Summer Baseball (NACSB). The league currently consists of 8 active franchises in Ohio and Michigan boasting several players that have earned service time in major league baseball.