By Dan Weber
NKyTribune sports reporter
No wonder MeetNKY is a presenting sponsor for this week’s Y’all Star Frontier League festivities at Thomas More Stadium in Florence.
The All-Star rosters alone number more than 50 for the Midwest and Atlantic teams and the total personnel — coaches, general managers, owners, front office staff from all 18 teams from across much of the U.S. and Canada — will arrive in numbers approaching 300.
Among that number are seven from the host Y’alls, including two starters and five reserves for the Midwest team in Tuesday’s Home Run Derby and Wednesday’s Fan Fest (free from 5-8 p.m.), the ZOOperstars entertainment and a Rozzi’s fireworks and drone show in addition to the All-Star Game.
The seven Y’alls include a pair of starters – first-baseman Hank Zeisler and second-baseman Brett Blomquist – along with the player they call “the face of the Y’alls – utility man Zade Richardson, a native of New Richmond, Ohio, hitting .339 in his fourth season with the team, along with catcher Kyle Harbison (.311 batting average), third-baseman Garrett Broussard (.314) and pitcher Adrian McEvoy (a league-leading 12 saves). Y’alls’ manager Toby Hall and his staff will handle the coaching duties for the Midwest team.
Here is the schedule:
Tuesday:
• Home Run Derby, 5:30 p.m.
Wednesday:
• Free Fan Fest (5-8 p.m.) tailgate style in the parking lot
• Frontier League Y’all Star Game, first pitch 7 p.m., gates open at 5:30.
• ZOOperstars entertainment
• Rozzi’s fireworks and drone show
For the visitors, the four Northern Kentucky hotels designated for the game have had to block off additional rooms multiple times already. And with the partnership with MeetNKY, Northern Kentucky’s convention and visitors’ services group, the Y’alls have worked to create a weeklong visitor experience with destinations like Newport on the Levee, Boone County Distilling Co., the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and the Ark Encounter, to name a few.
Ticket prices for the fans are way below World Cup levels with Y’all Star Game tickets from $14 to $16 while Home Run Derby tickets are just $2, along with $2 hot dogs, popcorn, ice cream and soft drinks.
The free Fan Fest will feature Mascot Mania starring 14 team mascots, autograph sessions, wrestling, live entertainment with inflatables, games, giveaways, local vendors, a speed pitch, and a petting zoo with Highland cows. There will be live speed painting from Mark Thesken, personalized baseball cards, screen-printed souvenir posters, exclusive merchandise, face painting, living statues with Kentucky’s own renowned singer, Marlana VanHoose, performing the National Anthem.
Community involvement includes a Y’all Star Week Door Decal Contest at local businesses displaying Y’all Star Game decals for a with the chance to win a ceremonial first pitch and tickets to a future Florence Y’alls game.
Here are the 2026 Frontier League All-Star rosters.
MIDWEST CONFERENCE STARTERS:
• Catcher – Logan Brown, Evansville Otters – Brown is one of the league’s best hitters this year, position aside. His .367 batting average is the second-best in the Midwest Conference behind only teammate Jon Ponder’s .377 mark. Brown has also caught 10 out of 40 (25%) would-be base stealers from behind the plate.
• FIRST BASE – Hank Zeisler, Florence Y’alls – Zeisler’s .992 mark is built from his .441 on-base percentage and .552 slugging percentage. His 16 doubles lead the conference.
• SECOND BASE – Brett Blomquist, Florence Y’alls – Blomquist has proved a spark for the Y’alls in his first season in the league. The second baseman is slashing .327/.455/.622 with nine home runs in 122 plate appearances for Florence.
• THIRD BASE – Marcos Gonzalez, Evansville Otters – Gonzalez has established himself as one of Evansville’s most dependable bats in his first season with the team. He leads the Otters with 40 RBIs and has seven home runs and ten doubles this year.
• SHORTSTOP – Ian Battipaglia, Joliet Slammers – The league’s reigning Rookie of the Year is swinging an even better bat this year, improving his offensive numbers across the board. Battipaglia’s .413 on-base percentage paces Midwest Conference shortstops, and he’s 28-for-31 in stolen base attempts. He also is second in the conference in runs scored (48).
• OUTFIELD – Jon Ponder, Evansville Otters – Ponder, in his first season in the league, is already one of its best bats. The outfielder’s .484 on-base percentage leads all hitters, and his .377 batting average is the best mark in the Midwest Conference.
• OUTFIELD – Anthony Brocato, Washington Wild Things – Brocato is in the midst of his sixth Frontier League season, but has never hit for power at this rate before. The outfielder’s 15 home runs and .658 slugging percentage each lead the league, while his 1.010 OPS is the fourth-best mark in the conference among qualified players.
• OUTFIELD – Brayland Skinner, Mississippi Mud Monsters – One of the league’s fastest players, Skinner has shown off his wheels with his league-leading four triples and 25 stolen bases, the second most in the conference. He also leads the conference in hits (69).
PITCHERS:
• LHP Kobe Foster, Washington Wild Things – Foster leads the Frontier League in nearly every pitching category this season, including ERA (2.15), WHIP (0.86), innings pitched (62.2), and wins (6). The veteran also has 55 strikeouts for the Wild Things on the year.
• RHP Gage Vailes, Gateway Grizzlies
• RHP Buddie Pindel, Schaumburg Boomers
• RHP Chris Barraza, Mississippi Mud Monsters
• LHP Caleb Riedel, Schaumburg Boomers
• LHP Edwin Sanchez, Lake Erie
• LHP Adrian McAvoy, Florence Y’alls
• RHP Landon Ginn, Washington Wild Things
• RHP AJ Campbell, Windy City ThunderBolts
RESERVES:
• CATCHER – Victor Cerny, Windy City ThunderBolts
• CATCHER – Jose Alvarez, Gateway Grizzlies
• CATCHER – Kyle Harbison, Florence Y’alls
• FIRST BASE – Andrew Czech, Washington Wild Things
• SECOND BASE – Amani Jones, Evansville Otters
• THIRD BASE – Jared Beebe, Windy City ThunderBolts
• THIRD BASE – Garrett Broussard, Florence Y’alls
• SHORTSTOP – TJ Salvaggio, Evansville Otters
• OUTFIELD – Michael Sandle, Windy City ThunderBolts
• OUTFIELD – Brendan Bobo, Florence Y’alls
ATLANTIC CONFERENCE STARTERS:
• CATCHER – Derek Bender, Brockton Rox – Bender is among the best-hitting catchers in the league this season, leading all backstops in home runs (13) and RBIs (47). In his second season with Brockton, Bender leads the Rox in batting average (.330), slugging percentage (.582), and OPS (1.005).
• FIRST BASE – Christian Adams, Down East Bird Dawgs – After making a brief appearance for the Bird Dawgs last season, Adams has blossomed into one of the best pure hitters in the league. Adams’ 13 home runs are the third most in the league, and his .385 batting average leads the league.
• SECOND BASE – John Montes, Trois-Rivières Aigles – Montes is one of the best pure hitters in the league, ranking second in the Atlantic Conference in batting average (.365) and fourth in slugging percentage (.610). His 1.034 OPS is the league’s sixth-best mark this year.
• THIRD BASE – Felix Stevens, New Jersey Jackals – If not for a mid-June injury, Stevens would be among the league’s best qualified hitters. In 135 at-bats for the Jackals, the third baseman is slashing .386/.449/.786 with 13 home runs and 15 doubles.
• SHORTSTOP – Kyle Crowl, Québec Capitales – Crowl is following up his All-Frontier League 2025 season with another strong campaign. The shortstop’s 13 home runs puts him at second in the conference and 45 walks lead the Atlantic Conference, while his 1.054 OPS is the league’s fifth-best mark.
• OUTFIELD – Chavez Young, Québec Capitales – Young has been a revelation at the top of the Capitales lineup with his power-speed combination. His 27 stolen bases are the second most in the Atlantic Conference, and his 1.024 OPS is fifth-best in the Conference.
• OUTFIELD – Austin White, Brockton Rox – In his fifth season in the Frontier League, and third with the Brockton Rox, White has come into his own as one of the most consistent hitters in Brockton lineup. Through 49 games, he’s batting .306 with 59 hits, 48 runs scored, 41 walks, and a .429 on-base percentage, consistently setting the table at the top of the order while reaching base at an elite rate.
• OUTFIELD – Dylan Broderick, Tri-City ValleyCats – In his fourth season in the league, Broderick has flashed newfound power. He’s already equaled his career high in home runs (6) and is among the league leaders in slugging percentage (.541) and OPS (.976).
PITCHERS:
• RHP Braeden Allemann, Québec Capitales – The League’s Pitcher of the Year last season looks as strong as ever in 2026. Allemann is among the league leaders in ERA (3.83) and WHIP (1.15) and has struck out 52 batters in 47.0 innings.
• LHP Brendan O’Donnell, Brockton Rox
• RHP Brett Garcia, Ottawa Titans
• LHP Rob Hensey, Sussex County Miners
• RHP Jalon Long, New York Boulders
• RHP Conner Floyd, Québec Capitales
• LHP Cooper Morgan, Québec Capitales
• RHP Eric Pardinho, Ottawa Titans
• RHP Connor Maryniak, New Jersey Jackals
RESERVES:
• CATCHER – Jason Agresti, New York Boulders
• CATCHER – Gus Sosa, New Jersey Jackals
• FIRST BASE – Torin Montgomery, Québec Capitales
• SECOND BASE – Santino Rosso, New York Boulders
• THIRD BASE – AJ Wright, Ottawa Titans
• SHORTSTOP – Kalae Harrison, Down East Bird Dawgs
• OUTFIELD – Isaac Bellony, New Jersey Jackals
• OUTFIELD – Stephen DiTomaso, Down East Bird Dawgs
Contact Dan Weber at dweber3440@aol.com. Follow him on X @dweber3440.