Short trips to Western Maryland aren’t unusual for those in and around Baltimore. Whether it’s to soak in the scenery of Deep Creek Lake, golf and gamble at Rocky Gap or take in a little history at Antietam National Battlefield, there’s something for everyone.
But don’t forget to stop in Frederick on the way to or from for some baseball.
The Keys lost their affiliation with the Orioles ahead of the 2021 season but have since taken part in the MLB Draft League, now in its fourth year. The wood-bat college league is designed to increase exposure for (mostly) college players who are looking to sign with a major league club and play affiliated baseball, either through the draft or as an undrafted free agent. The Keys’ season began on June 4 and runs through Sept. 4, with a four-day break for the draft in July.
Local baseball fans can expect a similar experience to what they remember from when the Keys were affiliated with the Orioles, according to Keys director of marketing Branden McGee.
“The Keys’ brand as far as the community and fans are aware is pretty much the same,” he said. “We’re still all about fun, affordable family entertainment. We’re still doing a lot of promotions, a lot of theme nights. We still do multiple fireworks shows. We’ll have 15 fireworks shows this season. Fireworks tend to be our most popular promotion, so we continue to do that on Friday and Saturday nights after games. The Draft League has been a great experience.”
In addition to fireworks, fans can enjoy Wag Wednesdays throughout the season (except for July 3), during which fans can bring their dogs to the park, take part in a pregame dog parade and run the bases with them postgame. Families can play catch in the outfield in the 30 minutes after gates open for Sunday games. Any youth athlete who shows up to the park in uniform Sunday through Thursday will receive a free ticket with a paying adult.
Single-game tickets range from $9 to $18.
“We’re probably one of the best, affordable options for families for entertainment in Frederick, especially in the summertime. And they will be entertained from the moment they walk through the gates,” McGee said. “… It’s all about families coming out and having a great time and enjoying the ballpark and our great American pastime.”
Former major league outfielder Jacque Jones, who played for four teams across 10 years, serves as the manager for the Keys. He is tasked with helping prepare his players for the professional ranks or their next season of college ball. In the first three years of the league, 133 players have been drafted and another 103 have signed as free agents.
Jones served as the Keys’ hitting coach a year ago, working with catcher Brady Cerkownyk, first baseman Brennan Orf and outfielder A.J. Shaver before they were selected in the 2023 MLB Draft. The tone Jones wants to set as manager is simple.
“We have control over effort. I like good effort, great effort at all times no matter what,” Jones said. “If you do that, you’ll have no problems with me. Baseball is what it is — it’s a sport of failure, and it’s who handles failure the best that has the most success. If you give me great effort, then you’ll have no problems with me. We can take care of everything else.”
The Keys had been the High-A affiliate of the Orioles from 1989 to 2020 but got caught up in MLB’s restructuring of the minor leagues ahead of the 2021 season. Forty-three teams lost their affiliation. Six of those teams now form the MLB Draft League: the Keys, Mahoning Valley Scrappers, State College Spikes, Trenton Thunder, West Virginia Black Bears and Williamsport Crosscutters.
The league has functioned as intended when it was created in helping create opportunities for players to get drafted, according to Baseball America editor-in-chief JJ Cooper, with players going in Day 2 and 3 of the July draft. The league has also proven to be a good product for fans.
“The goal that you’re aiming for is to make sure that it is a solid level of baseball where you sure don’t want people going home going, ‘Man, that was a pretty bad game,'” Cooper said. “You want people going home saying, ‘The game was crisp. It moved. I love the catch that the outfielder made in the third inning. I really like that pitcher who came in [for] the fifth,’ things like that. I would say that the Draft League has so far very well cleared that bar.”
Local baseball fans remember Orioles of yesteryear such as Zack Britton, Manny Machado and Matt Wieters passing through Frederick on the way to stardom. It may now be a little more difficult to pick out the future big leaguers on the Keys, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t still plenty of passion for baseball in town.
“This is a historical franchise and a historical place because of all the players and coaches and managers that have come through here,” Jones said. “This is a good town for baseball and they’ve known it for a long time. They come out and they’re enthusiastic about being out here. I know the players are going to feed off of it, and I’m just looking forward to seeing them out here again.”
Photo Credit: Courtesy of the Frederick Keys
Originally published June 19, 2024
