MORGANTOWN — After the cancellation of the 2020 MiLB season, the West Virginia Black Bears announced their schedule for the 2021 season on Tuesday.
The Black Bears’ inaugural season in the MLB Draft League will have their Opening Day on May 24 against Mahoning Valley. A two-game series against the familiar foe will start a 68-game slate that will conclude Aug. 13 in Mahoning Valley.
Game times are to be announced and tickets are not yet available for any Black Bears games. Fans are encouraged to visit westvirginiablackbears.com for more information on using credits from the 2020 season, as well as what ticket offerings may be available for this season. Fans can also complete an email signup to be the first ones to receive information on tickets and ballpark procedures when they become available.
“After missing a whole season of Black Bears baseball, it’s absolutely wonderful to have a schedule for the team as we continue the process of bringing baseball back to Monongalia County Ballpark,” Black Bears general manager Matt Drayer said. “While there is still plenty of work to be done, just the ability to put Black Bears Opening Day on May 24 on our calendars gives us something to look forward to after far too long without having the team we love.”
The Black Bears’ 68-game schedule is evenly split with 34 home games set for Monongalia County Ballpark, including three summer weekends in July (July 2-3, 15-18 and 23-25) and another in August (Aug. 6-8). As a member of the newly formed MLB Draft League, the Black Bears team will be filled from draft-eligible collegiate players projected as premium selections in that year’s MLB Draft. West Virginia will play the Scrappers, the Frederick Keys, the State College Spikes, the Trenton Thunder and the Williamsport Crosscutters in the six-team circuit.
In the franchise’s first five seasons, seven former first-round draft picks have played for the Black Bears, including 3B Ke’Bryan Hayes, SS Kevin Newman, OF Austin Meadows, 1B Will Craig and most recently, the 18th pick in the 2019 draft, RHP Quinn Priester. The Black Bears roster for 2021 will be announced at a later date.
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