Kernels Collegiate League to Conclude After Seven Seasons at the Corn Crib

After seven seasons of summer baseball at the Corn Crib, the Kernels Collegiate League (KCL) will officially conclude following the 2026 season.

What began in the summer of 2020 as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic grew into a unique baseball tradition in Bloomington-Normal, providing hundreds of collegiate baseball players with an opportunity to compete, develop, and continue playing the game they love.

The KCL was first announced on June 4, 2020, following the cancellation of traditional summer collegiate baseball throughout the country. The inaugural league featured four teams (the CornBelters, Bobcats, Gems and Hoots) competing in an abbreviated summer schedule at the Corn Crib.  The late Mike Brown, a renowned local baseball star and community leader from Lexington, IL, was instrumental in the foundation of the KCL.  

The hometown CornBelters captured the inaugural KCL championship in 2020, setting the stage for what would become a seven-year run filled with competitive baseball, memorable players, unique team identities and countless summer nights at the Corn Crib.

Seven Seasons of KCL Baseball

Over the years, the KCL welcomed teams including the Bobcats, Howlers, BlueCaps, Ground Sloths, Merchants and the 2026 expansion Prairie Flamingos.

The league’s history reflected the competitive nature and changing cast of players that made the KCL unique.

The BlueCaps captured the 2021 championship before the Ground Sloths followed with a dominant championship run in 2022. The BlueCaps returned to the top in 2023, producing a memorable Cinderella championship season. In 2024, the Ground Sloths captured their second championship, overcoming the odds as the No. 4 seed under former Corn Crib standout Peyton Dillingham.  Dillingham made KCL history as the first alumnus to return as a head coach.

The Bobcats had an outstanding performance in 2025, capturing their first KCL championship under manager Jake Wegner in a win that paid tribute to Bloomington baseball tradition and late KCL founder Mike Brown.

The league’s final season provided one more memorable chapter. The Bobcats, defending their 2025 championship, produced the league’s best regular-season record, while the No. 4-seeded BlueCaps completed a championship run to claim the final KCL title under coach Dave Lingle.

The KCL record book reflects some of the outstanding achievements made during the past seven years.  Among those records are standout performances from players such as McCade Brown, Alex Steinbach, Judah Morris, Tyler Thompson, Peyton Dillingham, Auggie Rasmussen and many others who left their mark on KCL history.

But the most meaningful measure of the KCL’s success goes beyond wins and championships.

From the Corn Crib to the Next Level

From its beginning, the KCL was designed to give collegiate baseball players a place to play during the summer. 

The KCL’s legacy extends beyond the Corn Crib, with alumni including Major League pitchers Hayden Birdsong and McCade Brown, as well as Minor League players Gabe Bierman, Julius Sanchez, Shai Robinson, Judah Morris and Jimmy Anderson.

The list of former KCL players who have gone on to professional baseball, as well as those continuing to pursue professional or collegiate opportunities, represents one of the league’s most lasting contributions.  KCL Commissioner and CornBelters Field Manager Billy Dubois deserves immense credit for his tireless work recruiting players and opening doors for them to showcase their talents on the field.

For the players who stepped onto the field at the Corn Crib, the KCL was never simply about a summer season. It was an opportunity to continue chasing a baseball dream, to experience a different level of competition and, for many, to take another step toward whatever came next.

A New Chapter for Baseball at the Corn Crib

While the KCL is coming to an end, the Corn Crib’s commitment to baseball in Bloomington-Normal is not.

Beginning with future seasons, the Corn Crib will expand its focus on baseball programming, replacing the opportunities previously provided by the KCL with an increased commitment to both CornBelters baseball and youth and travel baseball. This will create more opportunities for local and regional youth teams to take the field at the stadium while allowing the CornBelters to further elevate the experience surrounding their 28-game home schedule.

The goal is to provide more young players with the opportunity to play on a professional-style baseball field, compete in a special venue and create lasting memories with their teammates and families. At the same time, the Corn Crib will dedicate even greater attention to making every CornBelters home game a quality, affordable and memorable experience for fans coming out to support Bloomington-Normal’s home baseball team.

Thank You, KCL

The end of the KCL would not be possible to discuss without recognizing the people who made it happen.

The CornBelters and Corn Crib extend their sincere appreciation to every player who competed in the league, every coach who invested in his players, every umpire who worked the games, and every member of the gameday staff who helped make each night possible.

Special thanks also go to the interns and seasonal employees who contributed countless hours behind the scenes, the families who supported the players throughout their summers in Bloomington-Normal, and the fans and members of the community who came to the Corn Crib and supported the teams.

Thank you to Billy DuBois for his ongoing commitment to collegiate baseball at the Corn Crib.

Most importantly, thank you to the players.

Thank you for taking a chance on a new league in 2020. Thank you for making the KCL your summer home. Thank you for competing, improving, forming friendships, and creating memories at the Corn Crib.

And thank you for giving the Bloomington-Normal community seven summers of baseball to remember.

Normal CornBelters General Manager Jarrett Rodgers said the organization’s focus will remain firmly on growing baseball at the Corn Crib and providing a strong experience for fans and athletes at every level: 

“With the conclusion of the KCL, the Normal CornBelters will carry the tradition of summer baseball forward as Bloomington-Normal’s home team, providing fans with affordable, high-level baseball during the 2027 season and beyond. We’re excited to put an even greater emphasis on making the CornBelters’ 28-game home schedule a special experience for our fans, community partners and everyone who comes out to support Bloomington-Normal’s home baseball team.

“At the same time, we see a tremendous opportunity to expand the Corn Crib’s role in youth and travel baseball, welcoming more young athletes from across the region and giving them the opportunity to experience our stadium from the field. We expect the Corn Crib to continue welcoming more than 100,000 visitors each year through baseball, youth and travel events, concerts and other community programming.  This will serve to bring new visitors to Normal and creating opportunities for local businesses.

“This is an important step in our continued commitment to providing engaging, year-round programming at the Corn Crib. Most importantly, we’re excited about what’s ahead and look forward to rallying Bloomington-Normal around another outstanding CornBelters team in 2027.”

The KCL may no longer take the field, but its history will remain part of the Corn Crib — from its unique beginnings during the pandemic to its final championship in 2026, and through the players, coaches, families, and fans who helped make seven seasons of baseball possible.

The next chapter of baseball at the Corn Crib is already beginning.