2026 PLAYER / PITCHER OF THE WEEK #1
| NAME | TEAM | AVG | SLG | G | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | R | RBI | K | W | IW | SB | CS | HBP |
| GOODMAN, Hunter | CIN | .526 | 1.158 | 5 | 19 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| NAME | CLUB | G | W | L | S | ERA | IP | R | ER | H | K | BB | IBB | WP | BK | HB | HR |
| SANCHEZ, Cristopher | TIJ | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2.50 | 14 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| NAME | TEAM | AVG | SLG | G | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | R | RBI | K | W | IW | SB | CS | HBP |
| NETO, Zach | TCP | .333 | .952 | 5 | 23 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| NAME | CLUB | G | W | L | S | ERA | IP | R | ER | H | K | BB | IBB | WP | BK | HB | HR |
| WOO, Bryan | YRR | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.56 | 16 | 1 | 1 | # | 11 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
2026 MWBL OPENING DAY
WELCOME TO THE THIRTIETH ANNUAL
MID-WEST BASEBALL LEAGUE OPENING DAY!
2026 MWBL Season Opens: A New Chapter Begins!
The 2026 MWBL Season is LIVE!
Dust off the virtual cleats and fire up the hard drives—the Mid-West Baseball League is officially back! This isn’t just any Opening Day; we are proudly launching our 30th season, a massive milestone that cements our legacy as a premier destination for APBA Baseball for Windows excellence. Three decades of strategy, heartbreak, and triumph have brought us to this moment, and the energy has never been higher.
A Legacy of Growth
We’ve come a long way since our “Field of Dreams” origins. What started as a humble six-team circuit from the Iowa Baseball Confederacy evolved into a 28-team powerhouse. While we’ve streamlined to a lean, mean 26-team roster for now, the competitive fire is hotter than ever. This 30th anniversary is a tribute to every owner, past and present, who has helped build the MWBL into the storied institution it is today.
The Champions & The Contenders
All eyes are on the Sacramento Capitals! The defending 2025 World Series Champions begin their title defense on the road this week. Fans in Sacramento will have to keep their excitement bottled up just a little longer—the highly anticipated World Series Ring Ceremony is slated for Week #3, when the Capitals host the Baltimore Comets for their home opener.
Meanwhile, the American League’s Fremont Cannons, still hungry after their hard-fought run as World Series runners-up, start their redemption tour at home. They’ll be facing off against their division rivals, the Corktown Cycle, in what promises to be an opening-week slugfest.
Honor, Tradition, and Anthems
In keeping with our commitment to league-wide tradition, we invite everyone to soak in the pre-game atmosphere. This year, we are honored to feature instrumental renditions of the American and Canadian National Anthems performed by the talented Billy Reedy. For our matchups celebrating international flair, the Mexican National Anthem will also be available digitally.
As we embark on this landmark 30th year, we wish every skipper the best of luck. Here’s to a season of strategic brilliance, 9th-inning heroics, and the “sim” magic that keeps us coming back year after year.
Let the 2026 MWBL season begin! Play Ball!
2026 DRAFT – FIRST ROUND – DEEP DIVE – TAKE A LISTEN
3. Motor City Muscle (Owner: Jim Craddock) Player: Payton Tolle (P, Boston Red Sox) Jim Craddock selects this imposing left-hander known for his unique delivery and high strikeout rates. Tolle’s fastball plays up significantly due to his extension, and his breaking ball is a legitimate weapon against both lefties and righties. Status: CARDED. ETA: Ready to contribute to the franchise immediately.
2026 FUTURES
Again this year, the Mid-West Baseball League is supporting MLB Pipelines Top 100 Prospects. Former MWBL owner of the Iron City Yinzers, Jonathan Mayo, along with his colleague Jim Callis, brings us the 2026 MWBL FUTURES.
Thanks, Jonathan & Jim, you guys do a great job at MLB.com, & the Mid-West Baseball League is once again proud to have called one of you our own.
The MWBL always has an eye toward the future & looks at which MWBL Franchises may have the brightest future ahead. The formula used for the “MWBL FUTURES” list is based on a 100-point system. The Top Prospect, according to Jonathan Mayo & Jim Callis of MLB.com, receives 100 points, the second-rated prospect receives 99 points, and this continues until the #100th prospect, who receives 1 point.
Each MWBL franchise will then have the points totaled for their prospects, which gives us an overall number and produces our “MWBL FUTURES” list. Here is the much-anticipated list for “MWBL FUTURES”.
MLB Pipeline team compiles the rankings using input from industry sources, including scouts, scouting directors, and other evaluators. The rankings are an aggregate analysis that considers players’ skill sets, upside, proximity to the Majors, and potential immediate impact on their team.
The list only includes players with rookie status in 2026, meaning players who debuted in ’25 (or earlier) but did not accumulate the service time (45 days on the active roster), at-bats (130), or innings pitched (50) to graduate are eligible again this year. First-year players who fall outside the international pool money rules laid out in the Collective Bargaining Agreement — those who are at least 23 years old and played in international leagues deemed professional — are not eligible. That excludes some older rookies debuting after careers in Japan, Korea, and Cuba.
MAX CLARK GOES #1 TO THE YUCAIPA ROAD RUNNERS
With the first pick in the 2026 Mid-West Baseball League Draft, the Yucaipa Road Runners select from the Detroit Tigers Organization – left-handed-hitting outfielder Max Clark. The Road Runners are banking on his elite, five-tool potential and high-octane athleticism to serve as the new face of their franchise.
Clark, the third overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft, has solidified his status as one of the game’s premier prospects following a stellar 2025 campaign. After an offseason dedicated to adding lean muscle to his 6-foot-1 frame and refining his swing to tap into more consistent power, Clark evolved into a dominant force across multiple levels of the minors.
His 2025 season was a masterclass in consistency and progression. Ascending from High-A West Michigan to Double-A Erie, Clark posted a combined .271/.403/.432 slash line. Most notably, his burgeoning power was on full display as he launched 14 home runs while maintaining his trademark elite speed with 19 stolen bases.
Clark’s complete profile indicates a player capable of anchoring the top of a lineup for a decade. With his ability to impact the game with his legs, glove, and an increasingly dangerous bat, he is widely projected as a perennial 20/30 threat.
The Yucaipa Road Runners expect Clark to be a centerpiece of their 2026 campaign, with many scouts predicting he will make his MWBL debut on Opening Day 2026.
Scouting Profile:
Hit Tool: Advanced bat-to-ball skills with a disciplined approach; he famously posted more walks (94) than strikeouts (90) in 2025.
Speed: A true “plus-plus” runner, Clark routinely turns routine grounders into base hits and covers massive ground in the gaps.
Defense: A natural center fielder with Gold Glove upside, featuring a 70-grade arm that has been clocked at over 98 mph from the outfield.
Intangibles: Known as a “baseball rat,” Clark’s work ethic and leadership have drawn comparisons to some of the game’s most intense competitors.
Special Thanks to the voice-over on this video by former MWBL Owner Paul Roe!