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OBA Programs

2024 In-House Teams

The In House program is typically managed by grade to keep kids playing with their classmates and buddies. There are a couple levels where ages can flex between leagues. Please read league descriptions closely.

Instructional League

Eligibility:   4 & 5 year olds. Must turn 4 by April 30, 2024 to be eligible. (PreK/Kindergarten)

Description:  Instructional League introduces the game of baseball to beginners by teaching fundamental skills and rules of the game.  Players bat the ball from a stationary batting tee at home plate.  No scores will be recorded or standings kept.

Schedule:   Tuesdays and Thursdays, starting the last week of April through June. The first 2 weeks of the season will be practices only.  Weeks 3 & 4 will be one practice and one game.  Weeks 5-8 will have two games per week.  Practice times will be 5:30 and 6:30, and game times will all be at 6:00. NOTE: times may change based registration numbers.

Primary Field Locations:  Hackberry Park in Long Lake, Morningside Park & Maple Park in Medina, Fairview Church Park in Orono.

Equipment Recommendations:  Glove and helmet are required.  Bats, baseball pants and cleats are optional.  Your player will be given a t-shirt, socks and a hat at one of the first practices.

Coaches:  We rely solely on volunteer coaches for our Instructional League.  Teams at this level typically require 3-4 coaches / parent helpers per team to keep things moving smoothly and organized.  Many teams at this level will take a coach-by-committee approach where multiple coaches are paired together to allow for flexibility with work and family schedules.  Previous baseball coaching experience is not a requirement at this level and there is minimal time commitment outside of practice and game times.  OBA will provide practice plans and will have experienced coaches available to provide guidance.

Fee: $125 - Register Now!

Rookie League

Eligibility:   All 6 year-olds and young 7 year-olds. (Kinder - 1st Grade)  Age as of April 30, 2024. Older 7 year-olds can choose between Rookie League and Minor League based on grade / ability.

Description:   Fundamental skills and rules of the game are taught.  The coach will pitch to each of the batters on his own team using a mechanized Louisville Slugger manual pitching machine. Scores will not be kept, and no records of the standings are kept.  Teamwork and good sportsmanship, no matter the result of the game, will be emphasized.

Schedule:   Mondays and Wednesdays, starting the last week of April through June. The first 2 weeks of the season will be practices only.  Weeks 3 & 4 will be one practice and one game.  Weeks 5-8 will have two games per week.  Practice times will be 5:30 and 6:30, and game times will all be at 6:00. NOTE: times may change based on registration numbers.

Primary Field Location: Morningside Park & Maple Park in Medina, Hackberry Park in Long Lake, Fairview Church Park in Orono.

Equipment Recommendations:  Glove and helmet are required.  Bats, baseball pants and cleats are optional.  Your player will be given a t-shirt, socks and a hat at one of the first practices.

Coaches:  We rely solely on volunteer coaches for our Rookie League.  Teams at this level typically require 2-3 coaches per team to keep things moving smoothly and organized.  Many teams at this level will take a coach-by-committee approach where multiple coaches are paired together by OBA to allow for flexibility with work and family schedules.  Previous baseball coaching experience is not a requirement at this level, and there is minimal time commitment outside of practice and game times.  OBA will provide practice plans and will have experienced coaches available to provide guidance.

Fee: $170 - Register Now!

Minor League

Eligibility:   Older 7 year-olds and all 8 year-olds (1st-2nd Grade). Age as of April 30, 2024.  Older 7 year-olds can option between Rookie League and Minor League based on grade / ability.

Description:  This machine pitch league allows more hitting and defensive plays while building on the fundamental skills and rules of the game.  Wheel style pitching machines do the pitching during games and real baseballs are used.

This league will play games, but standings will not be kept. There will be a season-ending randomly-seeded tournament. The OBA In-House Director will form teams for this league in consultation with coaches.  These players will not need to attend tryouts / evaluations.

Schedule:  Tuesdays and Thursdays, starting the last week of April through June. This league will play 2-3 times per week.

Primary Field Location: Rainbow Park fields in Maple Plain.

Fee: $230 - Register Now!

Major League 

Eligibility:  All 9 year-olds and non-travel 10 year-olds (3rd/4th Grade). Age as of April 30, 2024. Players will be required to attend evaluations - March 17 at Maple Grove Dome. Attending evaluations at this age not only helps to acclimate the players to the process but also provides data to help us ensure the Majors teams are balanced.

CHANGE for 2024: 10 year-olds (4th graders) will have the option to register for Majors OR tryout for a 10U Travel Team. Based on interest, OBA will likely make 3 Travel Teams (10AAA, 10AA, 10A). Details on the 10U Travel Team program can be found below. There may be more interest for Travel Teams than roster spots. All players that are not selected for a 10U Travel Team roster will be placed on a Majors team and receive a partial refund for the fee difference.

NOTE: 9s/3rd graders in Majors will also have the opportunity to play on a 9U Tournament Team. Please read the Travel/Tournament section below for more details. (Tournament Team is a separate and additional team registration - Major League is required to play on a 9U Tournament Team.)

Description:  Players begin pitching in this league.  This league is designed to provide balance and solid competition for all teams.  Players will be given opportunities to develop pitching, catching and fielding skills.  

Schedule:  This league will play 2 times per week, primarily on Mondays and Thursdays.

Primary Field Locations: Lee Carlson fields and Bederwood Park

Fee: $265 - Registration for Major League is now closed. Please reach out to president@oronobaseball.org if you have an interested player.

Financial assistance.  The Orono Baseball Association recognizes that participation in youth sports may be financially challenging for some families in our community.  It is our hope that no child is excluded from participating in baseball due to financial reasons. Please contact the OBA Treasurer to confidentially discuss financial assistance needs before registering.


Tournament & Travel Team Information

While the OBA’s In-House program is generally divided by school grade-level, participation in traveling leagues and tournaments is determined by age.  This is because the tournaments/leagues in which we participate (MBT, MYAS) are age specific.  A player’s age on April 30th determines his eligibility to participate in these travel leagues and tournaments. (However, players young for their grade can play with their grade level - i.e. a 10 year-old can play on the 11s Team if he is in 5th grade with the other 11s.)

For new families, here is some information on “Travel” vs. “Tournament”:

“Tournament Team” – this is a team that plays in weekend tournaments together. The 9U Tournament Team players must also play Majors.  The 9U Tournament Teams will play in 2 tournaments in June. The tourneys may have games on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. These games will be in the larger metro area. View the tournament schedule HERE. Additionally, tournament teams can qualify for state tournaments.  

Tournament teams are different than the in-house program.  The goal of the in-house program is to give all players similar playing time.  The Tournament teams are based on ability and playing time is granted accordingly.  However, both in-house and tournament team coaches may choose to reduce a player’s game time if they are not regularly attending practices.

OBA does not guarantee that every player who desires to play on a tournament team will have a spot on a team.  Additionally, OBA reserves the right to place players as needed to support league and player development.

“Travel Team” – this is a team that plays in a travel league during the week and 3-4 weekend tournaments across May/June. Travel teams will have a few weekday practices early in the season. Once league games start, the number of practices will vary on the number of games each week. The 14 league games will be from late April through June and can be anywhere in the metro area. Practices are at the coach’s discretion. Each of the three tournaments is a qualifier for either the MBT State Tournament, MYAS Gopher State Tournament or MSF.  It is at the discretion of each team if they want to go to one or more state tournaments, if qualified. OBA will cover the fees for the team to go to one of the state tournaments.  View the tournament schedule HERE.

Please read the Travel Handbook for more details.

10U - 15U Travel players will be required to purchase uniforms. Please view the Uniforms page for more details. 


2024 Tournament Teams

Player Evaluations will be held on March 17 at the Maple Grove Dome AND on March 19 at location TBD.  Please note that players for tournament teams must live within the Orono School District boundary or attend Orono Public Schools for the 2023-24 school year.  

A player’s age on April 30th determines his eligibility to participate in these travel leagues and tournaments. Players young for their grade can play with their grade level - i.e. a 10 year-old can register for and play on the 11s Team if he is in 5th grade with the other 11s.

9 Year-Old Program (typically 3rd graders):

OBA will offer a “trial” 9 year-old Tournament Team(s) to introduce families & players to tournament baseball. (This is for third grade players. Young fourth-graders are encouraged to play with their grade, i.e. see the 10 year-old programs above).  The 9yo team(s) will play in two tournaments in June. This team would be in addition to the player's participation on a Majors League team. 

You will note your interest in 9U Tournament Team placement during registration. Please only mark interest if your player will be available the two tournament weekends: June 7-9 AND June 14-16. (This team may qualify for a state tournament in July.)

OBA will make two 9AA Tournament Teams based on evaluations.  OBA cannot guarantee that all interested will be placed on a team at this level. 

Fee: $125  includes two tournaments, a few practices and a jersey shirt. This fee will be invoiced later at time of team announcement.

 

2024 Travel Teams

Player evaluations will be held on Sunday, March 17 at the Maple Grove Dome and Tuesday, March 19 at Location TBD.

10U Travel Teams (typically 4th graders): NEW IN 2024 10 year-olds (4th graders) will have the option to register for Majors (above) OR tryout for a Travel Team.  These teams will play in a travel league which consists of a 14 game league schedule from late April through June and 3 tournaments across May/June. ( View the tournament schedule HERE.) Travel teams will practice 2-3x/week depending on field & coach availability. It is expected that players who choose to play a second sport make this baseball team - practices & games -  their first priority. There may be more interest for 10U Travel Teams than roster spots. All players that are not selected for a 10U Travel Team roster will be placed on a Majors team and receive a partial refund for the fee difference.

10U Travel Teams will be required to purchase the full travel uniform.

OBA will likely be fielding the following tournament teams in 2024: 10AAA, 10AA and10A.  

Fee: $550 plus uniforms - Registration is now closed. Please reach out to president@oronobaseball.org if you have an interested player.

11 Year-Old Travel Teams (5th graders): 

Overview: We are planning to have 3 travel teams for 11 year olds in 2024 at the AAA, AA and A levels.  We may also have a team at the 11/12B level that will play in a west metro league with local teams such as Delano, Rockford, Mound, Watertown and Hanover. Team placement will be based on evaluations.

Schedule:  The program starts with practices in mid-April and runs through June for the regular season, with playoffs continuing through State Tournament time (mid-July).  If a player signs up for travel tryout and is selected for a team, they are committed to playing in that team’s weekend tournaments for the season. View the tournament schedule HERE.  The 11/12B Team will have weekly games and a season-ending tournament.

Fee: $550 plus uniforms - Registration is now closed. Please reach out to president@oronobaseball.org if you have an interested player.

12 Year-Old Travel Teams (6th graders): 

Overview: We are planning to have 3 travel teams for 12 year olds in 2024 at the AAA, AA and A levels. We will also have a team at the 11/12B level that will play in a west metro league with local teams such as Delano, Rockford, Mound, Watertown and Hanover. Team placement will be based on evaluations.

Schedule:  The program starts with practices in mid-April and runs through June for the regular season, with playoffs continuing through State Tournament time (mid-July).  If a player signs up for travel tryout and is selected for a team, they are committed to playing in that team’s weekend tournaments for the season.  View the tournament schedule HERE. The 11/12B Team will have weekly games and a season-ending tournament.

Fee: $550 plus uniforms - Registration is now closed. Please reach out to president@oronobaseball.org if you have an interested player.

13 Year-old Travel TEams (7th graders):

Overview:  We are planning to have 2 travel teams for 13 year-olds in 2024 at the AA and A levels.  Depending on numbers, we may also have a team at the 13/14A level that will play in a west metro league with local teams such as Delano, Rockford, Mound, Watertown and Hanover. Team placement will be based on evaluations.

Schedule:  The program starts with practices in mid-April with the regular season scheduled to continue through the end of June / mid-July.  Playoffs continue until State Tournament time.  If a player signs up for travel tryout and is selected for a team, they are committed to playing in that team’s weekend tournaments for the season. View the tournament schedule HERE.  The 13/14A Team will have weekly games and a season-ending tournament.

Fee: $550 plus uniforms - Registration is now closed. Please reach out to president@oronobaseball.org if you have an interested player.

14 Year-old Travel Teams (8th graders)

Overview:  We are planning to have 3 travel teams for 14 year olds in 2024 at the 14AAA, 14AA and 14/15A levels.  Depending on numbers, we may also have a team at the 13/14A level that will play in a west metro league with local teams such as Delano, Rockford, Mound, Watertown and Hanover. Team placement will be based on evaluations.

Schedule:  The program starts with practices in mid-April with the regular season scheduled to continue through the end of June / mid-July.  Playoffs continue until State Tournament time. If a player signs up for travel tryout and is selected for a team, they are committed to playing in that team’s weekend tournaments for the season. View the tournament schedule HERE

Fee: $550 plus uniforms - Registration is now closed. Please reach out to president@oronobaseball.org if you have an interested player.

15 Year-old Travel Teams 

Overview:  If you do not yet have a team for summer ball (after the high school season), please register to note your interest in playing on a local team. OBA is planning to field 15AA and 14/15A teams. Depending on numbers and interest, we will determine if a tryout is needed at a later date.

Schedule: Likely league play with MBL in late May- June after the high school season is complete. Likely 2-3 tournaments.

These teams will continue to follow NFHS rules which allows wood bats or bats with the BBCOR stamp. 

Fee: $400 - Register Now!

Financial assistance.  The Orono Baseball Association recognizes that participation in youth sports may be financially challenging for some families in our community.  It is our hope that no child is excluded from participating in baseball due to financial reasons. Please contact the OBA Treasurer to confidentially discuss financial assistance needs before registering.