NEW IBERIA — Many college and minor league baseball players are without a home this summer as the coronavirus shut most leagues down.
That got Hayden Cantrelle, the former Cajuns star thinking, and as the Field of Dreams taught us 30-years-ago, if you build it they will come.
"We have a bunch of guys who just love to play the game," Cantrelle said. This whole corona[virus] stuff is hurting us. That's why we put it together."
The league will play each Wednesday night at 7:30 p.m. at Acadian Park in New Iberia. It features a handful for former Cajuns including Todd Lott, and Orynn Veillon, as well as a number of other pro ball players looking for live reps.
"All we want is at bats. We're tired of taking at bats indoors so why not take it outdoors with some light," said Cantrelle.
Cantrelle is one of the lucky few who landed a post quarantine independent league contract. In fact, Wednesday's game was his only as he reporting to Indiana.
Still the show will go on. Many guys on Wednesday played their first game since the fall, or even last year, and these games may be the only games they play in all summer long.
"Spring training was in March, beginning of March. We reported, then the day after our physicals everything happened," said Lott who is in the Cardinals organization.
"It's been awhile," said Veillon, who's Atlantic League team isn't playing this summer. "I just want to compete, not do too much, or too less."
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