An old sports axiom states, “It’s not how you start, but how you finish that counts.”
That same axiom could also be applied to the 2025 Williamsport Crosscutters’ MLB Draft League season, which ended last week. The defending 2024 league champions got off to a good start, holding first place midway through the first half before enduring an 11-game losing streak. The team could not gain traction during the second half, finishing with a losing record.
Nevertheless, Crosscutters’ management continued to provide the local area with an enjoyable community asset not available in most population centers of our size.
As the Crosscutters’ season concluded, General Manager Doug Estes shared his thoughts on the 2025 summer.
“Overall, it has been a decent season. The weather really hampered us early on. June was rough. Every home game was affected by the weather, and three of our first seven games were cancelled. July and August were better months, but weather issues presented some problems.
“Our schedule wasn’t bad regarding days of the week when we were home. The challenges we have involve Major League Baseball and their build-outs for the MLB game. This affects between eight and twelve games when parking is limited, and pedestrian traffic is affected. It is hard to put a specific number on how that affects our attendance, but we know it is not fantastic for us. Overall, it hasn’t been a bad year. Attendance is pretty flat, but I equate that mostly to the weather.
“MLB has put a lot of money into the playing field, and they control the playing field. The game is a great thing for the city, but unfortunately, it isn’t a great thing for us from a business perspective. But we’ve got to go with the flow. We’ve tried to encourage Major League Baseball to understand how that affects our business, but we haven’t gotten too far with those conversations.”
From his bird’s-eye view in the press box, Rob Thomas concluded his 25th year as the team’s public address announcer.
“There isn’t one particular thing I like best about this job; it’s just kind of everything. I love baseball, obviously. I enjoy the people I work with. I enjoy watching players and seeing the opportunity for them to move up and achieve their baseball goals. It’s really been a lot of fun.
“I think to a large part of the community, Crosscutters baseball is very important. It gives people the opportunity to come out, have a nice evening, and watch a baseball game. Like myself, they enjoy seeing players chasing their dreams. When we were affiliated with a Major League team, that opportunity was more prevalent than it is now. But since we’ve been a member of the Draft League, we’ve seen players make it to the Major Leagues. I think that is exciting, and I think that it’s exciting for a lot of people around town.
“Since 2017, I’ve housed players during the season, and several of them have made it to the Major Leagues. Alex Bohm lived with me. Bryson Stott, Matt Verling, and Spencer Howard, who is now pitching in Japan, did also. So, the Crosscutters have been an important part of my life.”
During the team’s last homestand, Penn State football and State College Spikes radio voice Steve Jones shared his perspective on the Spikes’ first-half championship and the MLB Draft League’s one-game playoff format.
“I think it is something they don’t have much chance to change. You have players in the first half who have the option of being drafted or going back to school. In the second half, you have players who have exhausted their collegiate eligibility and are now being paid to play. I think it is the only way they can do it, and it’s the only way for the league’s franchises to survive financially because they need an 80-game season. I think it is a fun way to do it. In a one-game playoff, anything can happen.
Spikes’ attendance at the ballpark has been heightened by the promotions. They do a great job with a wide variety of promotions that interest the fans. They’ve also had six weeks or so to promote the fact that they will be hosting the league championship game. That night will be Dollar Dog Night; Penn State students will get in free. It will also be Thirsty Thursday, and they have done a great job promoting it. The various promotions have enabled the Spikes to draw over 100,000 for the season.
“State College has put a lot of money into the ballpark. The money put in has been about meeting Major League Baseball standards. Most of these improvements are things the fans don’t see. The internal improvements involve the clubhouses, adding a women’s locker room, the weight room, and establishing clubhouse lounges for both teams. All of this has been done so that State College will have the ability to hopefully get a call to become an affiliated team.
“Frederick, Maryland, got that call from the Orioles. To get back to being an affiliated team, the commitment has to be made. State College has made that commitment, and anybody who comes in to see that ballpark is going to look at it and say, ‘I’d like to have my Minor Leaguers here.”
As for the Crosscutters, plans for 2026 are underway. Team Director of Smiles, Rhashan West-Bay, is already looking ahead to next year.
“I love all my fans. They always love me and want me to be back here again next year.”
