The 2026 Prospect League season is the 17th season of collegiate summer baseball in the Prospect League, a collegiate summer baseball league in the Midwestern United States, since its creation in June 2009. There are 20 Prospect League teams, split evenly between Eastern and Western Conferences. These conferences are then split up between the Northeast, Central, Northwest, and South divisions.
The Cape Catfish entered the season as defending champions, having defeated the Lafayette Aviators, two games to zero, in the league's 2025 championship series.[1]
Season schedule
It was announced during the offseason that the city of Kokomo, Indiana would once again have a team in the league after previously being the host city for the Kokomo Jackrabbits from 2014 to 2024. The Jackrabbits were a Prospect League franchise from 2014 to 2018, then a Northwoods League franchise from 2019 to 2024.[2][3][4] The Jackrabbits dissolved due to a legal battle between the city of Kokomo and the ownership of the Jackrabbits, Kokomo Baseball LLC, which ultimately ended with a judge ruling in favor of the city of Kokomo. The ruling officially brought an end to the Jackrabbits.[5] Shortly after, the city of Kokomo announced the name of their new team in the Prospect League was the Creek Chubs.[6]
Also, it would later be announced during the offseason that Decatur, Illinois would be granted a team in the league.[7] It will be the first summer baseball team to play in Decatur since the Decatur Commodores, who were a professional Class A minor league affiliate that played in the Midwest League and the Decatur Blues who played in the Central Illinois Collegiate League (CICL), the predecessor to the Prospect League. After months of anticipation, it would be announced that the name of the team would be the Bean Ballers.[8][9]
The 20 teams in the league are split evenly between two conferences, Eastern and Western. These two conferences are then split up into four divisions: Northeast, Central, Northwest, and South.
The season will be played with a 56-game schedule, which is split between two halves, with the first half ending on June 26 and the second half ending on August 1. The first-half winners in each division will host the second-half winners in a one-game divisional championship round. If the same team wins both halves, the team with the next-best second-half record makes the playoffs.[10]
Regular season standings
Full season standings
Western Conference
- x – First Half Winner, clinched playoff spot
- y – Second Half Winner, clinched playoff spot
[11]
Awards
End of year awards
| Award |
Player |
Team |
| Most Valuable Player | | |
| Pro Prospect of the Year | Collin Senkpeil | Catfish |
| Pitcher of the Year | | |
| Relief Pitcher of the Year | Breyllin Suriel | Rex |
| Manager of the Year | Colin Butkiewicz | Catfish |
| Social Media of the Year | N/A | |
| Broadcaster of the Year | | |
| Ballpark Experience of the Year | | |
| General Manager of the Year | | |
| Organization of the Year | N/A | |
| Staff of the Year | N/A | |
Playoffs
The playoffs will begin with four winner-take-all division championships, followed by two winner-take-all conference championships, and will conclude with a best-of-three league championship series. The playoffs are tentatively slated to begin on August 2 and conclude on August 9.[15]
References
- ↑ "Catfish win Prospect League Championship". kfvs12.com. August 7, 2025. Retrieved April 24, 2026.
- ↑ "Meet the Creek Chubs, Kokomo's new baseball team". www.mywabashvalley.com. October 31, 2025. Retrieved April 24, 2026.
- ↑ "Kokomo Creek Chubs: Kokomo's New Baseball Era Begins". www.thekokomopost.com. October 31, 2025. Retrieved April 24, 2026.
- ↑ "Kokomo's New Baseball Team: Creek Chubs". wibc.com. October 31, 2025. Retrieved April 24, 2026.
- ↑ "The Jackrabbits are hasenpfeffer". kokomolantern.substack.com. February 26, 2025. Retrieved April 24, 2026.
- ↑ "Kokomo Baseball Team Announces Official Name and Logo". www.cityofkokomo.org. October 31, 2025. Retrieved April 24, 2026.
- ↑ "Decatur Lands Prospect League Franchise for 2026 Season". www.stadiumjourney.com. November 25, 2025. Retrieved April 27, 2026.
- ↑ "The Decatur Bean Ballers: what we know about the newest Prospect League baseball team". www.foxillinois.com. February 19, 2026. Retrieved April 27, 2026.
- ↑ "Say hello to Decatur's new baseball club: the Bean Ballers". www.wandtv.com. February 17, 2026. Retrieved April 27, 2026.
- ↑ "Prospect League Announces 2026 Schedule!". prospectleague.com. December 18, 2025. Retrieved April 24, 2026.
- ↑ "2026 Prospect League Standings". Retrieved April 24, 2026.
- ↑ "Player Stats - Hitting". Retrieved April 24, 2026.
- ↑ "Player Stats - Pitching". Retrieved April 24, 2026.
- ↑ "Prospect League Announces Rosters for 2026 All-Star Game in Lafayette!". prospectleague.com. June 30, 2026. Retrieved July 1, 2026.
- ↑ "Playoff Information". prospectleague.com. Retrieved April 24, 2026.