Collegiate level summer baseball comes back to Sanford on June 7.
That date marks the first home game of the Sanford Spinners’ fourth season as members of the Old North State League. And hopes for the team are high after two consecutive seasons making it to the league playoffs and coming up just short in the end.
The ONSL is a collegiate level summer league team formed in the late 2010s, with the Spinners – named for a minor league team that played here in the 1930s, 40s and 50s – joining in 2021. The league’s makeup has shifted a little bit each year, and this year there are 20 teams in four divisions, as well as two expansion teams. For 2024, the Spinners are in the southeastern division along with the Sandhills (Pinehurst) Bogeys, the Jacksonville Ospreys, the Hope Mills Rockfish, and the Brunswick (Southport) Surfin’ Turfs.
Spinners fans have other reasons for optimism as far as positive changes in 2024. Following the close of the 2023, it was announced that the team – previously owned by the Old North State League – had been sold to Philadelphia-area businessman Albert Anderson, who told The Rant at the time that he hoped to continue growing the team’s presence locally and add to the gameday experience, particularly by expanding dining options at games.
A few months later, Anderson hired local longtime educator and youth athletics booster Dr. Carl Bryan as general manager. Since then, Bryan has worked hard to bring in sponsoring businesses and to make Spinners games – already fun by any measure – increasingly attractive as a recreational opportunity for area sports fans. Head Coach Jeremy Palme will return in his role for 2024.
Bryan has said promotions will be announced for each home game, and he has worked to integrate the team’s sponsoring businesses into the games themselves.
The season runs from June 1 through July 23, with playoffs following. The Spinners’ first three games are on the road on June 1, June 4 and June 5. The home opener – games are played at Tramway Park adjacent to Southern Lee High School, although plans are in place to move the team to the Lee County Athletic Park upon completion of that project – is at 7 p.m. on Friday, June 7. Tickets ($8 for 13 and up, $4 for 6-12, free for kids under 5) can be purchased at games or online at www.sanfordspinners.com.
The Spinners’ home schedule is as follows (all games at 7 p.m.):
Friday, June 7 – vs. Sandhills Bogeys
Saturday, June 8 – vs. Hope Mills Rockfish
Thursday, June 13 – vs. Brunswick Surfin’ Turfs
Saturday, June 15 – vs. Jacksonville Ospreys
Wednesday, June 19 – vs. Jacksonville Ospreys
Thursday, June 20 – vs. Sandhills Bogeys
Monday, June 24 – vs. Oak City Gliders
Tuesday, July 2 – vs. Sandhills Bogeys
Thursday, July 11 – vs. Brunswick Surfin’ Turfs
Friday, July 12 – vs. Hope Mills Rockfish
Thursday, July 18 – vs. Jacksonville Ospreys
Saturday, July 20 – vs. Brunswick Surfin’ Turfs
Sunday, July 21 – vs. Oak City Gliders
Tuesday, July 23 vs. Hope Mills Rockfish
Here is the Spinners’ 2024 roster, with each player’s position and college noted:
Carter Vester (C/1B) Fayetteville Tech Community College
Ashton Donathan (C/OF) UNC Pembroke
Eli Snodgrass (C/1B/OF) Belmont Abbey
Reese Ashworth (C/1B/OF) LSU Eunice
Brady Byler (2B) Catawba Valley Community College
Jackson Shaner (2B/SS) Guilford College
AJ Ciaccio (SS/2B) Catawba Valley Community College
Kaden Ethier (2B/SS/3B) Montreat College
Landon Jones (2B/SS/3B) Belmont Abbey
Levi Baker (1B/3B) Catawba Valley Community College
Cade Martinez (3B/SS) San Diego State
Aaron Kimbel (1B/OF) William Peace University
Pierce Bouman (3B/SS) Transfer Portal
David “DC” Ruth (Utility) University of California San Diego
Abi Kadangot (OF) Lenoir Community College
Christian Grino (OF) University of California San Diego
Will Newton (OF) Stone Hill
Drew Berenyi (OF) Catawba Valley Community College
BJ Brown (OF) UNC Wilmington
Nate Galloway (LHP) Wake Tech Community College
Nick Pope (RHP) Southeastern Community College
Nash Parsons (RHP) Catawba Valley Community College
Austin Renn (RHP) Gaston College
Jack Litt (RHP) Catawba Valley Community College
Logan Mize (RHP) Apprentice School
Drew Landmark (RHP) Catawba Valley Community College
Riley Mullen (RHP) Undecided
Bobby Osburn (RHP) UNC Pembroke
Ethan Levy (RHP) Catawba Valley Community College
Tucker Webb (RHP) Transfer Portal
Cole Bowie (RHP) Undecided
Eddie Thompson (LHP) Transfer Portal
Cooper Chasse (RHP) Mary Washington
Cranz Smelcer (RHP) Air Force
Kaden Varela-Payne (RHP) Gaston College