Healdsburg Prune Packers Switch Leagues

The Healdsburg Prune Packers, our baseball team in the California Collegiate League (CCL), just announced they’re ditching their old league and moving to a new one called the Pacific Empire League (PEL). And five other NorCal-based teams are reportedly coming with them: the Humboldt Crabs, the Lincoln Potters, the Medford Rogues, the Solano Mudcats and the West Coast Kings. A rep for the Potters says the “travel demands and rising costs” of the CCL weren’t sustainable for them long-term. And the coach for Healdsburg’s team says the new league “checks all the boxes… featuring historic teams with devoted fan bases and strong ties to college coaches and scouts.” Collegiate baseball leagues like the CCL and now the PEL serve as a warmup ground for the major leagues and a place for college players to stay sharp in the summertime. The Packers have won the CCL championships for the past three years in a row, competing against 10 other teams. While the team roster for their new league is half that size, officials are promising an exciting season next summer — featuring “up to 55 high-stakes matchups” and “a climactic 3-game Championship Series.” (Lost Coast Outpost & Pacific Empire League & Gold Country Media)