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Eight of the top organizations in New England have teamed up with Prep Baseball Report to form a new league that will benefit players and colleges alike.

The PBR New England Summer Series will begin in late June to the delight of those involved.

“College coaches can come out to see the best organizations in the area,” explained Rich Gilbride, the director of the league. “A bunch of colleges in New England have asked why can’t we get something together at one venue for them to come out and watch and we finally decided to get one together. Everyone thought it was a great idea.”

The eight-team league will play four games once a week at Fraser Field in Lynn, Ma,, a 5,000-seat venue that has played host to many minor league teams over the years. Games will be nine innings in duration and be held at 9 a.m., noon, 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. every Tuesday beginning on June 28.

Players throughout each organization in the 2023-2025 graduating classes will participate.

“These are high-level organizations that already send kids on to play college baseball,” Gilbride said. “This will only help bring maximum exposure for players in each organization.”

The Expos, Gilbride’s organization, will be joined in the newly formed league by the U.S. 9 Prospects, GBG Hawks, J & M Baseball Academy, Northeast Baseball, New England Ruffnecks, River Rats and Team Boston. Each will play one game each week over a seven-week season, with play ending on Aug. 16.

2022 New England Summer Series: Team Preview - Team Boston

Team Boston

Keith Forbes speaks about the organization.

The organization began under the name Team Boston in 2013 and this year there will be 17 teams.

The success when it comes to players moving on has been outstanding, with more than 100 college commits, approximately 60 at the Division I level, as well as six that have signed pro contracts.

“The first year we had 15 kids on the roster and 14 went on to  D-I,” noted Keith Forbes, a managing partner of Team Boston who also helps coach.

There are three players from the organization playing at the professional level, Max Burt, Yankees (Northeastern); Danny Metzdorf, White Sox (Boston College); Chris Sharpe, Pirates (UMass-Lowell).

“We have coaches that have been playing and coaching that are very good defensive coaches and hitting coaches,” Forbes explained. “We have one that has been doing it for 40 years. Our head coach, Jeff Mejia, was a coach at North Essex Community College, and I was in the Padres’ organization for three years. Pitching is my forte. We learn from each other.

“Our goal is to give kids as much possibility to play at the next level and teach them how to navigate it: put in work by themselves; grades; be realistic where you fit D-I, D-II or D-III; where you fit academically; being a good teammate, student and kid to make sure you’re on the right path.”

The PBR New England Summer Series will help in that regard according to Forbes.

“I think this will give us a consistent venue to go to play against the best teams in the area,” Forbes said. “When you have consistent games set up, you know colleges will be attending.

“This will also be good for our kids to get more innings on the mound and more at-bats on a consistent basis.”

The Team Boston season begins with a local eight-team tournament once the high school season ends. The 17U PBR National Tournament in Georgia is one highlight on the schedule.

“Our biggest strength is placing kids in schools where they can go and compete right away and also be successful in their studies,” Forbes explained. “Every kids’ goal is Division I, but that’s not always going to be the best fit. We do the best we can to find the right fit.”

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