SANFORD, Fla.- The 2025 Florida League season is just over three weeks away, and preparations from the league office are in full swing. With that in mind, the Florida Collegiate Summer League is pleased to unveil the 2025 schedule.

HOME FIELDS

Four home fields will remain the same as the 2024 season. As always, the Sanford River Rats will call Sanford Memorial Stadium, home to the league's Opening Night and annual All-Star Game. The Leesburg Lightning will return to the intimidating confines of Pat Thomas Stadium, while the DeLand Suns are back at the palatial mecca that is Conrad Park and Melching Field. The Winter Park Diamond Dawgs remain at Rollins College, playing their home games at Alfond Stadium.

Two teams have new home facilities, with one a former Florida League ballpark. The Orlando Snappers shift their home base to Orel Hershiser Field on the campus of The First Academy, a high school facility that has previously played host to such franchises as the Orlando/College Park Freedom and the Winter Park Diamond Dawgs. The Winter Garden Squeeze move to a brand new facility, playing home games on the campus of Horizon High School.

DATES TO WATCH

May 29- Leesburg at Sanford
Sanford Memorial Stadium

As tradition dictates, the Florida League season begins in Sanford, with the defending champions as the opponent. For the second straight year, that opponent will be the Leesburg Lightning, the two-time defending champs. That opponent also includes Head Coach Rich Billings, the winningest coach in Florida League history. This series is a rematch of last season's Florida League Semifinal series, won by the Lightning in three games.

May 30- Sanford at Leesburg
Pat Thomas Stadium

A rematch of Opening Night will also be the home opener for the defending champion Lightning. Head coach Jesse Litsch and the River Rats will look to spoil the celebration in front of some of the Florida League's most passionate fans.

May 30- DeLand at Winter Park
Alfond Stadium

Under the direction of head coach Jim Newlin, the Winter Park Diamond Dawgs open their home schedule against the DeLand Suns. The Diamond Dawgs will be looking for a return trip to the playoffs in 2025 after being the lone team left out a year ago.

May 30- Winter Garden at Orlando
Orel Hershiser Field

For the first time since 2019, a Florida League game will be played on the campus of The First Academy, one of Central Florida's top prep programs. Perhaps a positive sign for Terry Abbott and the Snappers - the last team to call Hershiser Field home, the 2019 Winter Park Diamond Dawgs, went 30-7 and won the FCSL title.

May 31- Orlando at Winter Garden
Horizon High School

Head coach Mike McDaniel, the new head coach at John Melvin Christian College, will bring his team to a brand new ballpark for the 2025 season. The Squeeze have been a top-three regular season finisher in each of the past two years, and will look to start 2025 on the right note in their home opener.

June 1- Winter Garden at DeLand
Melching Field

After a busy May that will see Melching Field host the ASUN conference tournament and the Florida high school baseball All-Star Game, the Suns take the field for the first time on the first Sunday of the Florida League season. DeLand rose to third place in the regular season standings last season, then knocked off Winter Garden to claim a spot in the Florida League Championship Series.

July 3- Leesburg at DeLand
Melching Field

The centerpiece of DeLand's home schedule comes the day before Independence Day, when the Suns host the Squeeze. Fans will be invited to stay at Melching Field postgame to take in DeLand's annual fireworks show, launched from nearby Earl Brown Park.

July 4- DeLand at Leesburg
Pat Thomas Stadium

"The Pat" on the fourth of July is a sight to behold. Capacity-plus crowds are often seen in Leesburg, as the Suns and Lightning battle before the city of Leesburg's extravagant Independence Day fireworks spectacular. This is a must-see for baseball fans in central Florida.

July 8- Florida League All-Star Game
Sanford Memorial Stadium

The Florida League's best take the field in Sanford for the League's annual Midsummer Classic. A prospect workout and the Home Run Derby will proceed the event, with first pitch between the East and the West set for 7 pm.

July 21-24- Florida League Playoffs
The 2025 postseason starts as the number four seed hosts the number five seed in a Play-In Game. The winner advances to the FCSL Semifinals to face the regular season pennant winner, while the second and third seeds battle in the other semifinal.

July 26-28- Florida League Championship Series
Can anyone topple the Leesburg Lightning? Leesburg has been in this series in each of the past five seasons, winning titles in 2021, 2023, and 2024. In that span, five of the six Florida League franchises have at least played for a title, with Sanford winning in 2020 and Winter Park winning in 2022. DeLand's last title came in 2018, with the last Snappers title coming in 2005, when the team was located in Zephyrhills. Who will claim the crown this year?

2025 Schedule - TW/FB by Stefano Foggi