The Joliet Slammers are a professional baseball team based in Joliet, Illinois. The Slammers competes in the Frontier League (FL) as a member of the West Division and play their home games at the Duly Health and Care Field. The Slammers were founded in 2010, a year before their rival Schaumburg Boomers.
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They replaced the Joliet JackHammers of the Northern League after the franchise was crippled by numerous financial issues. The JackHammers franchise was put up for sale and Steel City Baseball, LLC, bought out all assets, including the front office, the ticketing system, and the lease of the ballpark. The company behind the popular card game Cards Against Humanity announced in December 2017 that they had purchased the naming rights to the stadium, calling it the "Cards Against Humanity Baseball Place", but the company's claim has been disputed by Slammers management.[1]
The "Slammers" name refers to the famous prisons of Joliet and Will County (Joliet Correctional Center and Stateville Correctional Center) as well as a common baseball term.
On September 18, 2011, the Slammers were named Frontier League champions after defeating the River City Rascals, 6–5 in Joliet, taking the best-of-five Frontier League championship series three games to one. Following the 2012 season, the Slammers were purchased on October 15, 2012, by Joliet Community Baseball & Entertainment, LLC. The team's name, stadium, league, and overall branding remained the same.
In January 2024 the team announced new ownership, headed by Mike Veeck, Bill Murray as well as Night Train Veeck. Murray and Veeck were a part-owners of the St. Paul Saints until 2023, when, following the team's shift into affiliated ball, that team was sold to a new ownership group. [2]
Statistics as of the completion of the 2023 season
Offensive
Games played
1. Tyler Depreta-Johnson...257 (2021–2023)
2. Kyle Maunas...248 (2011–2013)
3. Lane Baremore…219 (2021–2023)
Hits
1. Kyle Maunas…205 (2011–2013)
1. Alfredo Rodriguez…205 (2015–2016)
2. Lane Baremore…204(2021–2023)
3. Grant DeBruin...196 (2013–2014)
Doubles
1. Brylie Ware...43 (2021–2022)
1. Kyle Manus…43 (2011–2013)
2. Grant DeBruin…41 (2013–2014)
3. Brad Netzel…39 (2011–2012)
Triples
1. Matt McGarry…9 (2022–2023)
2. Josh Flores…6 (2011)
2. Scott Holzwasser…6 (2021–2023)
3. Mike Garza...5 (2015–2016)
Home Runs
1. Kyle Manus...32 (2011–2013)
2. Erik Lis...28 (2011–2012)
3. Matt Warkentin…27 (2023–present)
RBI
1. Kyle Manus...128 (2011–2013)
2. Erik Lis...122 (2011–2012)
3. Danny Zardon...110 (2017–2018)
Stolen Bases
1. London Lindley...53 (2018–2019)
2. Charlie White...48 (2015–2016)
3. Josh Flores...35 (2011)
Pitching
Innings Pitched
1. Cam Aufderheide...323.2 (2021–2023)
2. Cole Cook…254.1 (2022–2023)
3. Liam O’Sullivan...244.2 (2016, 2018)
Strikeouts
1. Cam Aufderheide…240 (2021–2023)
1. Cole Cook… 240 (2022–2023)
2. Liam O’Sullivan...186 (2016, 2018)
3. Daren Osby...176 (2018–2019)
Wins
1. Cole Cook...23 (2022–2023)
2. Liam O’Sullivan...22 (2016, 2018)
3. Jake Renshaw..14 (2011–2012)
3. Scot Hoffman...14 (2017–2019)
Saves
1. Ryan Quigley...28 (2011)
2. Ryan Koziol...23 (2019)
3. Trevor Charpie...17 (2021–2022)
Several notable players have competed for the Slammers; years in parentheses are seasons when the player was with the team.
Kaleb Ort became the first Joliet Slammers player to make it to the MLB. He made his major league debut on September 13, 2021 as a member of the Boston Red Sox in a game against the Seattle Mariners.
Dietrich Enns had previously played for the Minnesota Twins in the 2017 season. He has moved around the Twins', Padres', and Rays' minor league teams before coming to Joliet due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Enns was picked up by the Tampa Bay Rays after pitching just 18 innings for the Joliet Tully Monsters in the City of Champions Cup, a four-team league hosted by the Joliet Slammers. Enns was called up to the Rays in the 2021 season.
