Grimes to Participate in the First-Ever Northeast Prospects Game
ALBANY - In advance of the 2026 MLB Draft, Russell Sage College pitcher/outfielder Evan Grimes (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa/SUNY Adirondack) is slated to participate in the first-ever Northeast Prospects Game on Tuesday, June 30.
The newest event on the New England amateur baseball calendar will be hosted by the Futures League just weeks ahead of the 2026 MLB Draft. The matchup features the prospects from each of the seven Futures League squads against the Northeast Scout Team. Dodd Stadium, located in Norwich, Conn., will host this year's event First Pitch at the home of the Norwich Sea Unicorns, the three-time defending league champions, is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
"This game represents a tremendous opportunity for some of the top talent in the Futures League to showcase their abilities against elite competition while performing in front of evaluators from across the region," said Futures League Commissioner Joe Paolucci. "We look forward to an exciting event for the players, scouts and baseball fans alike."
Grimes, chosen a first-team All-American by the American Baseball Coaches Association and D3Baseball.com, is scheduled to play for the Northeast Scout Team, under the direction of New York Yankees Northeast Area Scout Matt Hyde. Hyde, who spoke at the inaugural RSC Baseball First Pitch Dinner back in February, signed distinguished Futures League' alumni Ben Rice (Dartmouth College/Worcester Bravehearts) and Cam Schlittler (Northeastern University/Nashua Silver Knights) in recent years.
"This event will be a tremendous scouting opportunity allowing prospects to compete in a game setting in front of Major League organizations close to the Draft," commented Hyde. "The Futures League saved summer baseball in New England during 2020, and the Northeast scouting community is forever indebted. The league continues to grow and provide players a place to develop while competing in first-class venues. The hope is that this can become an annual event on the scouting calendar leading up to the Draft."
Grimes, the RSC student-athlete to earn first-team All-American honors, pitched for the New York Yankees Scout Team on June 4th against the Martha's Vineyard Sharks. He is currently on the Williamsport CrossCutters, of the MLB Draft League's active roster.
"Norwich is thrilled to host this first-ever game between top prospects of the Futures League and the Northeast region," added Sea Unicorns General Manager Lee Walter. "We feel this will be a great opportunity to show fans a look at some players who could soon join the growing list of Futures League alumni to make it into professional baseball, while also getting to see many of the top regional prospects for this year's MLB Draft."
The ABCA Region III Player of the Year helped the Gators (37-8), the Empire 8 Conference Regular Season and Tournament Champions, qualify for the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history in 2026.
On the mound, the lefty, voted the Empire 8 Conference Pitcher of the Year, went 7-2 with two saves. He tallied 80 strikeouts, the most in the E8, and a 2.92 ERA across 69.2 innings.
At the plate, the senior, a first-team All-Region choice by both organizations, batted .355 (54-for-152), slugged .671, and reached base at a 48.8 percent clip.
He topped the E8 with 57 RBI, stole 29 bases, and scored 58 runs. Grimes, who tallied seven three-hit performances, finished his season ranked fifth in the NCAA with seven triples. He totaled 102 bases, a program single-season record, blasted seven homers, registered 13 doubles, and drew 38 walks.
Grimes assisted the Gators, which set the program records for wins in a season, in topping the NCAA with 193 stolen bases, 4.29 per-game.
RSC, which came in 12th in NPI, was ranked 30th in the final ABCA National Poll. The Gators, which completed just their fifth season as a program, also won the first NCAA Tournament game for RSC Athletics, a 7-4 home victory vs. Trinity on May 16.
The 2026 MLB Draft will commence on July 11th.
Gator Bites with Papa John's: Russell Sage College Baseball, in its fifth season as a program, went to the NCAA Tournament for the first time this spring…The Gators, hosted the first NCAA Tournament home games in Department history during the Schenectady Regionals, held May 15-17 at Schenectady's Central Park…The Gators defeated Trinity 7-4 on Saturday, May 16th for the first NCAA win by any RSC athletic team…Russell Sage won the second Empire 8 Conference Tournament Championship in Athletic Department history...Women's Soccer captured the first E8 crown for the Department in the spring of 2021...The Gators, in their first season under the direction of Matt Marsh set the program single-season wins record, going 37-8…RSC concluded its campaign topping the NCAA with 193 stolen bases, 4.29 per-game…As the Empire 8 Conference Regular Season and Tournament Champions, the Gators automatically qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the first time…The Regional opener against Penn State Harrisburg on Friday, May 15th was the first home NCAA Tournament game for the Department…Heading into the NCAA Tournament, Russell Sage was No. 12 in the NPI…RSC defeated Saint John Fisher 6-2 on Saturday, May 9th to secure the E8 Championship Trophy…The Gators, went 21-1 in E8 play to be the top seed and hosting privileges for the 2026 E8 Championship Tournament…RSC was also the Empire 8 Conference Regular Season Champs and Tournament's top seed in 2024…Russell Sage has now made the Finals of the E8 Tournament in three of the past four years…The Gators were ranked 22nd in the May 12th editions of the American Baseball Coaches Association and D3Baseball.com National Polls…The Gators clinched a spot in the E8 Championship Tournament with the home win vs. SUNY Brockport on April 17…RSC has now made the playoffs in all five years that it has been a program…In 2025, the Gators went 27-15 and fell in the Empire 8 Conference Championship Tournament Finals…19 returners combined with 18 newcomers on this year's squad...Grimes was selected a first-team All-American by the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) and D3Baseball.com...The outfielder/pitcher became the first-ever Gator student-athlete to earn first-team All-American honors...Russell Sage Baseball had five student-athletes earn All-Region honors from the ABCA…Grimes was tabbed the Region's Player of the Year…He was joined on the first team by senior infielder Joseph Karpierz (Latham, NY/Shaker/Xavier)…Senior right-handed pitcher Aidan Green (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro/Onondaga CC) earned a spot on the second-team, while senior infielder Anthony Rizzo (Latham, NY/Shaker/HVCC) and junior infielder Jayden Kennedy (East Patchogue, NY/Patchogue Medford/HVCC) were third-team picks…Marsh was tabbed the Region's Coach of the Year by D3Baseball.com…Grimes was also a first-team All-Region pick by the organization…RSC won four of the five major Empire 8 Conference Awards…Grimes was tabbed the E8 Pitcher of the Year…Outfielder Nick Irizarry (South Plainfield, NJ/South Plainfield) was chosen the Conference's Rookie of the Year…The freshman, a second-team All-Conference choice, broke the program record for stolen bases in a season…He headed into the Regionals second in the NCAA with 44 stolen bases and eighth with 63 runs scored, both program single-season records…Senior catcher Collin Casey (Marlboro, NY/Marlboro/Saint Rose) was selected the E8 Defensive Player of the Year, while the Coaching Staff, led by Marsh, was the E8's Staff of the Year…Joining Grimes as first-team All-E8 picks were: Rizzo, Kennedy, Karpierz, and junior pitcher Tyler Murray (East Greenbush, NY/Columbia/HVCC)… Grimes, now a two-time first-team All-E8 pick, was voted second-team All-Region by the ABCA last season…Casey was named second-team All-Empire 8 for the second-straight spring.
