Baldwin City Blues

The Baldwin City Blues are a summer collegiate wood bat baseball team based in Baldwin City, Kansas, in the United States. The Blues are a member of the Mid-Plains League.

Blues Baseball got its start as a neighborhood coach pitch team playing in the Johnson Country Parks and Recreation League. Preaching fundamentals, team commitment and good sportsmanship, Blues Baseball soon became one of the most well coached and competitive teams in the area. Coach Faddis saw the potential his players had and developed a baseball program that is arguably the most successful in Johnson County history. With over 50 tournament titles, three State Championships and three World Series crowns to their credit, Blues Baseball set out test the players’ skills in the historic Ban Johnson League in 2012.

The Blues wasted little time in gaining the respect of established Ban Johnson teams. With a roster dominated by recent high school graduates, Blues Baseball became the youngest team in the 85-year history of the league to win the title. The team also became the only first year team to accomplish this feat. Along the way Blues Baseball also shattered the single season winning percentage mark by going 35-1 during the summer. As a result 10 players were chosen to play in the annual Ban Johnson All Star Game at Kaufman Stadium in July 2012. Four players were also recognized for their outstanding performances by garnering the league’s Defensive Player of the Year (CJ Faddis), Top Relief Pitcher (Nick Kolarik), Wins by a Pitcher (Drew Noble) and Tournament MVP (Jake Wodtke).

Although Coach Faddis experienced a loss of over half his team to other collegiate summer leagues, Blues Baseball re-tooled for the 2013 Ban Johnson Summer season. Again stressing fundamentals, team cohesiveness and personal commitment Coach Faddis motivated the team to “leave it all on the field.” As a result Blues Baseball put together a second consecutive championship season, winning the Ban Johnson regular season title with a record of 24-5. Along the way, Blues Baseball established yet another Ban Johnson record by being the only team ever to win the League during its first two years of play. Eight Blues players were recognized for their efforts by being selected to the All Star Game at Kauffman Stadium. Coach Faddis and Coach Moore were also selected by league managers and administrators.

In 2014, the team moved to Baldwin City, Kansas and joined the Mid-Plains League. The Blues program also marks the first time in history that a baseball team remained viable from a coach pitch team to a community affiliated collegiate wood bat summer league team.