Beasts of the East

With league expansion comes new matchups, new rivalries, and new playoff brackets. That change will hit the Corn Crib in 2023 as the Normal CornBelters are the newest members of the Prospect League’s Eastern Conference.

After three seasons competing in the West, including playoff appearances in the previous two, the ‘Belters are headed to the Wabash River Division. There they will be squaring off with a new lineup of division opponents; the Danville Dans, Terre Haute REX, and Springfield Lucky Horseshoes. This will be the first season that Normal has shared a division with either of Danville or Terre Haute, while the Springfield franchise previously faced off against the CornBelters in the league’s 2019 West Division.

The Dansville Dans are a charter member of the Prospect League, having joined in the 2009 season. Located about 94 miles to the southeast of Bloomington-Normal, the Dans play at the historic Dansville Stadium and are a playoff regular, having made 8 appearances in 13 seasons. While they haven’t won a league championship to date, the Dans have made an appearance in the PLCS back in 2010. Fans may remember the ‘Belters’ 4-3 win over Dansville during the Normal’s Funniest Home Videos Corn Bash on June 25th, 2022.

REX Baseball brings a championship pedigree to the Wabash River Division, holding two Prospect League titles since joining in 2010. Geographically, they are the furthest opponent in the division at 146 miles away in the heart of neighboring Indiana. REX plays its home games at Bob Warn Field at Sycamore Stadium, sharing a home with Indiana State University. They will make CornBelters history in 2023 as the team’s first division opponent east of Illinois in the Prospect League.

A brief drive down Interstate 55 South will bring fans to Robin Roberts Stadium, home of the Springfield Lucky Horseshoes. The ‘Shoes are also a charter member of the league dating back to 2009, and recently underwent a rebranding from the team’s original ‘Springfield Sliders’ name to start the 2022 season. With three playoff appearances in team history, the franchise is hungry to find some postseason success in its new division alignment. The Horseshoes were welcomed to the Corn Crib for the very first time last season with a 10-1 beatdown to kick off Splash Day, one of the only day games played by the CornBelters last season.

Don’t miss any of the action! Follow the CornBelters’ first campaign in the Eastern Conference by streaming away games on PLTV and cheering them on all summer long at the Corn Crib. Find every game date and time, including Wabash River Division matchups, on the Normal CornBelters schedule located in the Schedule tab above.

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