It's not just fans that are ready for the return of the Chatham-Kent Barnstormers, the team and its management are also raring to go.
"We've been practicing since May 2, every day," said co-owner and manager Dom Dinelle. "The guys are ready and they're pretty happy to play in Chatham. It'll be a great season. I'm very excited."
Opening night for the new Canadian Baseball League (CBL), which replaced the Intercounty Baseball League (IBL) last fall, is scheduled for Friday, May 15.
The Barnstormers will be opening up the season at home against the Guelph Royals.
"The product on the field is great, but the atmosphere off the field is also excellent. "Whether you like baseball or not, you come for a great night at the ballpark," stated Dinelle. "It's always fun. The home opener will be, obviously, really fun."
Dinelle said the team is expecting a lot of people to come out for the start of their third season.
"It should be a really, really electrifying atmosphere [opening night] at Fergie Jenkins Field," he added.
Fans can expect to see a number of familiar faces, as Dinelle estimates 15 players have returned from last season.
This includes pitchers Mizuki Akatsuka, Catalin Morin, Aden Ryan, and hometown hero Garret Day. The Barnstormers will also see the return of outfielders Andrew Groening and Spencer Morin, catcher Mitsuki Fukuda, and 2025 IBL batting champion and IBL Rookie of the year Evan Morrison.
There are also some exciting new faces to look out for, like Moises Brito who played in the organizations of the Toronto Blue Jays and L.A. Dodgers.
"Every year it will be like that," Dinelle said of the roster changes.
He explained that it's not only the culture of the team and the community that brings players to Chatham-Kent, but the facilities and staff.
"Players talk," he added. "They like what we're doing here."
Dinelle explained that the Barnstormers have improved each season, winning an unexpected 20 out of 42 games in the team's inaugural season and improving to 22 wins last season, and that he expects to do better again this year.
"Basically, right now we're a .500 team," Dinelle said. "I'm expecting to beat that, for sure. There's more games [this season] and we're definitely going to beat that. I'm really, really positive."
With the new league and a slightly different format, Dinelle explained that it'll be harder to make it to the playoffs, but he fully expects the team to get there.
Chatham-Kent will also be home to the first CBL All-Star Weekend.
The Barnstormers will host players and fans on July 11 and 12, 2026.
The Skills Competitions, highlighted by the Home Run Derby, will take place on the Saturday. The All-Star Game, on Sunday, will feature the best players from the North against the best from the South, as voted by the fans and media.
"The whole weekend, we're gonna block the street here on Tweedsmuir Avenue with a fun zone," Dinelle shared. "People will be able to come for free all weekend and have some fun."
There will be a stage, featuring live music, there will also be inflatables for the kids, and a giant screen displaying all the action for those who can't make it to the diamond.
First pitch for the first game of the season is scheduled for Friday at 7:35 p.m. at Fergie Jenkins Field.
