The Spinners Are Back: Lowell’s Beloved Baseball Returns to LeLacheur Park

Read Time:2 Minute, 45 Second

Five years after their departure left a void in the Merrimack Valley, the Lowell Spinners are officially being reborn. On Tuesday morning, the news became a reality: the beloved former Minor League Baseball affiliate will return to LeLacheur Park in 2026 as the seventh member of the Futures Collegiate Summer Baseball League (FCBL). For fans who mourned the team’s shutdown following Major League Baseball’s elimination of short-season minor league teams, the return of summer collegiate baseball under the familiar Spinners name is a moment of deep excitement. The team is scheduled to play a 62-game season, with 31 of those contests being held at their longtime home.

The formal announcement took place in the lobby of the Tsongas Center, drawing local politicians, media, and enthusiastic spectators. The ownership group is spearheaded by two local figures: Marc Deschenes and John Croteau.

Deschenes, a former UMass Lowell player who was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in 1995 and played professional baseball for 13 years, will serve as Principal Owner and Chief Baseball Officer. He revealed that the entire process of securing the deal with the league and UMass Lowell took less than a month. Deschenes emphasized his commitment to the local community, stating his goal is to staff the team primarily with local talent before reaching out to schools across the country. Remarkably, he hopes to have the entire 2026 roster finalized by Thanksgiving. Deschenes was thrilled to reclaim the Lowell Spinners name, citing its deep meaning to local baseball fans, though he did mention “Mill City Sox” as a backup name option.

John Croteau, a successful businessman brought out of retirement to focus on the team’s organizational and community affairs, stressed the importance of making the Spinners a true community hub. He recalled how the original Spinners served as a place for families and friends to gather for a night out. Croteau outlined plans to engage local high school players through camps and showcase baseball events. A key priority for the organization will be a seminar series to provide players with career options if professional baseball does not work out, emphasizing the low percentage of players who make it to the “Show.”

The new ownership then introduced their first manager to lead the team next May: Kevin Graber. Graber is a familiar name in New England baseball, currently serving as the Senior Associate Director of Admission and Financial Aid and the head baseball coach at Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts. Graber’s diverse background includes three years with the Chicago Cubs organization, where his main duty was running spring training and managing the Double-A Tennessee Smokies to a Southern League Championship in 2023. Graber, who calls himself a “chatty guy,” expressed enthusiasm for the opportunity to manage the team and work closely with college coaches in the area, stating he only learned about the job a few days before accepting.

For original Spinners fans, many beloved traditions are making a comeback, including the Fun Zone and The Gator Pit. Ticket prices are set to be affordable, ranging between $9 and $12. The team has already brought the original website back to life, allowing fans to preorder season and individual tickets online. After years of silence, summer baseball is officially back at LeLacheur Park under the iconic Lowell Spinners name.