The Cal Ripken Sr. Collegiate Baseball League (CRSCBL) is a collegiate summer baseball league located in the Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, Maryland metropolitan areas. The CRSCBL is a member of the National Alliance of College Summer Baseball (NACSB).
History
Founded in 2005, the league was named for Cal Ripken Sr. (1935–1999), a longtime player and manager in the Baltimore Orioles system. It is not associated with the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation.
The league's founding teams were the Bethesda Big Train, College Park Bombers, Maryland Redbirds, Rockville Express, Silver Spring-Takoma Thunderbolts, and Youse's Maryland Orioles.
The Herndon Braves joined in 2007 and the Alexandria Aces in 2008, expanding the league into Northern Virginia. Before the 2010 season, the College Park Bombers left the league and the Southern Maryland Nationals, formerly the Southern Maryland Cardinals, joined. The Maryland Redbirds changed their name to the Baltimore Redbirds.
In 2011, the Vienna River Dogs became the ninth team in the league and the third in Northern Virginia. The same season, Perfect Game USA ranked the Bethesda Big Train the best team in summer baseball. The league expanded into Washington, D.C., when the D.C. Grays joined for the 2012 season. In 2013, the Baltimore Presstman Cardinals and the Gaithersburg Giants joined the League. In 2014, the Southern Maryland Nationals shut down and the Cardinals were replaced by the Baltimore Dodgers. Youse's Maryland Orioles left after the season. In 2015, the League changed to a two-division format with a playoff. After the 2018 season, the Baltimore Redbirds, Rockville Express, Baltimore Dodgers, and Loudoun Riverdogs left the League. The Olney Cropdusters joined the League in 2022 and the Southern Maryland Senators joined in 2023.
Timeline
Teams
Cal Ripken Sr. Collegiate Baseball League Division Team Joined City Stadium NorthBethesda Big Train2005The Big Train played in the Clark Griffith League from 1999-2004 before the CRSCBL was formed.Bethesda, MarylandShirley Povich FieldOlney Cropdusters2022Olney, MarylandFirst Responder Field by ServPro at OBGC ParkGaithersburg Giants2013Gaithersburg, MarylandCriswell Automotive Field at Kelley ParkSilver Spring-Takoma Thunderbolts2005The Thunderbolts played in the Clark Griffith League from 2000-2004 before the CRSCBL was formed.Silver Spring, MarylandMontgomery Blair Stadium Division Team Joined City StadiumSouthAlexandria Aces2008Alexandria, VirginiaFrank Mann Field at Four Mile Run ParkD.C. Grays2012Washington, D.C. Talbot Field, Catholic University Metro SoCo Braves2007The Braves were previously known as the Herndon Braves, the FCA Braves, and the South County Braves.Lorton, VirginiaSouth County High SchoolSouthern Maryland Senators2023Waldorf, MarylandNorth Point High School
Champions Numbers in parentheses denote the number of championships won by a team to that point, when more than one.
SeasonLeague ChampionRegular season champion2005Bethesda Big Train, Silver Spring-Takoma Thunderbolts (co-champions) Bethesda Big Train2006Silver Spring-Takoma Thunderbolts (2)Bethesda Big Train2007Rockville ExpressYouse's Maryland Orioles 2008Youse's Maryland OriolesYouse's Maryland Orioles2009Bethesda Big Train (2)Bethesda Big Train2010Bethesda Big Train (3)Youse's Maryland Orioles2011Bethesda Big Train (4)Bethesda Big Train2012Baltimore RedbirdsRockville Express2013Baltimore Redbirds (2)Bethesda Big Train2014Baltimore Redbirds (3)Bethesda Big Train2015Baltimore Redbirds (4)Bethesda Big Train2016Bethesda Big Train (5)Baltimore Redbirds2017Bethesda Big Train (6)Bethesda Big Train2018Baltimore Redbirds (5), Bethesda Big Train (7) (co-champions) Bethesda Big Train2019Bethesda Big Train (8)Bethesda Big Train2020None (season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic)2021Bethesda Big Train (9)Bethesda Big Train2022Alexandria AcesAlexandria Aces, Bethesda Big Train (tie)2023Bethesda Big Train (10)Alexandria Aces2024Bethesda Big Train (11)Alexandria Aces2025Bethesda Big Train (12)Bethesda Big Train2026Olney CropdustersOlney Cropdusters
Every championship series from 2009 to 2018 pitted the Redbirds against the Big Train. Exhibition and representative games
Interleague showcase games
On July 15, 2009, teams of all-stars from the CRSCBL and the Valley Baseball League, a collegiate wooden-bat league based in Virginia, met to play a game dubbed the Mid-Atlantic Classic in Waldorf, Maryland. The Ripken League prevailed, 2–1. A planned 2010 rematch was rained out. On July 11, 2011, the leagues held the second Mid-Atlantic Classic at Eagle Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Harrisonburg, Virginia. The Ripken League won again, 6–3.
In 2017, 2018, and 2019, the CRSCBL sent all-star teams to North Carolina to participate in the Southern Collegiate Prospect Showcase against teams from the Florida Collegiate Summer League, the Southern Collegiate Baseball League, the Sunbelt Baseball League, and the Valley Baseball League.
International competition
Cuba goodwill tour
A team of Ripken League players traveled to Cuba after the 2016 season. The team played three of Cuba's top teams in the week before the start of the Cuban National Series in some of Cuba's classic ballparks. On August 3, the Ripken League team upset the 2015 champions of the Cuban major leagues. The Ripken League team defeated the Pinar del Rio Vegueros, 3-2, at Estadio Capitan San Luis before a boisterous crowd of 400. On August 4, the Ripken League team lost to the Matanzas Cocodrilos 6-2 at Estadio Victoria de Giron (Victory at the Bay of Pigs). On August 5, Industriales defeated the Ripken League team 6-4 in a rain-shortened game in Havana's iconic Estadio Latinoamericano where the March 2016 exhibition game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Cuban National Team had been played. Brady Anderson and B.J. Surhoff, who played for the Baltimore Orioles in Cuba in 1999, coached the team along with Ripken League co-founder Dean Albany."
Games against Israel
As part of its exhibition series to prepare for the Olympics in Japan, the Israel National Baseball Team played three games against Ripken League competition in July 2021. On July 16, Israel defeated a Ripken League all-star team made up of players from the Braves, Giants, and Grays at FNB Field on City Island in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. On July 18, Israel came from behind in the final inning to beat the Bethesda Big Train, 8-7, before a standing-room-only crowd of 835 at Shirley Povich Field in Rockville, Maryland. On July 19, a Ripken League all-star team of players from the Aces, Big Train, and Thunderbolts defeated Israel, 9-3, at Leidos Field at Ripken Stadium in Aberdeen, Maryland.
MLB draft Ripken League alumni have been selected throughout the Major League Baseball draft since the league's inaugural season in 2005. The league's draft history includes numerous early-round selections and several first-round picks, with many former players subsequently reaching the major leagues. The following is a year-by-year summary of the league's draft selections, highlighting players chosen in the early rounds and other alumni who went on to notable MLB careers.
In the 2005 MLB draft, six Ripken League players were selected. Steve Johnson (Youse's Orioles) was the first league player chosen, going to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 13th round (406th overall). The other selections were Ian Marshall (College Park Bombers), Steven Braun (Rockville Express), Marcus Jones (Bethesda Big Train), Jeremy Farrell (Youse's Orioles), and Brian Bent (Youse's Orioles).
In the 2006 MLB draft, four former Ripken Leaguers were selected. Joe Smith (Rockville Express) was selected by the New York Mets in the third round (94th overall), and Steve Clevenger (Youse's Orioles) was selected by the Chicago Cubs in the seventh round. Seth Overbey (College Park Bombers) and Ron Lowe (Bethesda Big Train) were also selected.
In the 2007 MLB draft, 17 former or current Ripken Leaguers were selected. Brett Cecil (Silver Spring–Takoma Thunderbolts) was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the supplemental first round (38th overall), and Neil Ramirez (Youse's Orioles) was selected six picks later by the Texas Rangers. Adam Olbrychowski (Rockville Express) was selected by the New York Yankees in the fifth round. Later selections included Justin De Fratus (Rockville Express), Justin Grimm (Youse's Orioles), Mitch Harris (Youse's Orioles), and Connor Hoehn (Bethesda Big Train).
In the 2008 MLB draft, 37 former or current Ripken League players were selected. Carlos Gutiérrez (Bethesda Big Train) was selected by the Minnesota Twins in the first round (27th overall). Three other league players were selected in the first three rounds: Evan Frederickson (Bethesda Big Train), 35th overall by the Milwaukee Brewers; Derrik Gibson (Youse's Orioles), 77th overall by the Boston Red Sox; and L. J. Hoes (Youse's Orioles), 81st overall by the Baltimore Orioles. Michael Sheridan (Silver Spring–Takoma Thunderbolts) was selected by the Tampa Bay Rays in the fifth round. Later selections included Mitch Harris (Youse's Orioles), John Hicks (Youse's Orioles), and Oliver Drake (Youse's Orioles).
In the 2009 MLB draft, 38 former Ripken Leaguers were selected. Ben Tootle (Bethesda Big Train) was selected by the Minnesota Twins in the third round (101st overall), and Mycal Jones (Herndon Braves) was selected by the Atlanta Braves in the fourth round. Later selections included Brian Dozier (Bethesda Big Train), Ben Orloff (Rockville Express), Justin Bour (Youse's Orioles), and Connor Hoehn (Bethesda Big Train).
In the 2010 MLB draft, 31 former Ripken Leaguers were selected. Jarrett Parker (Herndon Braves) was selected by the San Francisco Giants in the second round (74th overall). Joe Leonard (Youse's Orioles) and Leon Landry (Youse's Orioles) were selected in the third round, Max Russell (Youse's Orioles) was selected in the fourth round, and Justin Grimm (Youse's Orioles) was selected in the fifth round. Later selections included Cody Allen (Bethesda Big Train), Keith Hessler (Herndon Braves), and Conor Mullee (Herndon Braves).
In the 2011 MLB draft, 33 former Ripken Leaguers were selected. Jed Bradley (Youse's Orioles) was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the first round (15th overall). John Hicks (Youse's Orioles) and Jake Lowery (Herndon Braves) were selected in the fourth round, while Beau Taylor (Herndon Braves) was selected in the fifth round. Later selections included Cody Allen (Bethesda Big Train), Chad Smith (Rockville Express), and Tucker Donahue (Bethesda Big Train).
In the 2012 MLB draft, 31 former Ripken Leaguers were selected. Kyle Zimmer (Alexandria Aces) was selected by the Kansas City Royals in the first round (fifth overall), the highest draft selection of a Ripken League alumnus in league history. Martin Agosta (Bethesda Big Train) was selected in the second round, Tim Cooney (Baltimore Redbirds) in the third round, and Josh Conway (Baltimore Redbirds) and Tucker Donahue (Bethesda Big Train) in the fourth round. Chris Taylor (Herndon Braves) and Joe Rogers (Youse's Orioles) were selected in the fifth round. Later selections included Matt Bowman (Bethesda Big Train), Joe Mantiply (Bethesda Big Train), and Ryan Garton (Baltimore Redbirds and Bethesda Big Train).
In the 2013 MLB draft, 22 former Ripken Leaguers were selected. Hunter Renfroe (Bethesda Big Train) was selected by the San Diego Padres in the first round (13th overall), and Ben Lively (Youse's Orioles) was selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the fourth round. Later selections included Chad Kuhl (Youse's Orioles), Jimmy Reed (Bethesda Big Train), and Joe Mantiply (Bethesda Big Train).