Prospect League Playoffs - Division Championships Preview

The 2023 Prospect League Playoffs are set and it all gets started on Sunday with the four division championship games! You can watch every game live on Prospect League TV and for more information and quick links on every playoff game check out our Playoff Central Page.

In each round we will preview the matchups starting in the first round with the Division Championship previews below:

Eastern Conference

Ohio River Valley Division Championship

Champion City Kings at Chillicothe Paints | VA Memorial Stadium - Chillicothe, Ohio | 6:05 PM EDT

Season Series: The Paints are 9-4 against the Kings this season, holding a 103-76 lead in runs scored with a +27 run differential. At VA Memorial Stadium this season, the Paints are 4-1 against the Kings, holding a 34-23 lead in runs scored with a +11 run differential. The two teams have played three 1-run games at VA Memorial Stadium this season.

Last Matchup: The two teams just completed a four-game series from July 30th to August 4th playing two games in Champion City and two games in Chillicothe. The Paints took the series 3-1 sweeping at home and picking up one win on the road. In the last game on August 4th, the Paints drafted the Kings 14-7 recording 17 hits including 4 home runs and 2 doubles.

Paints Key Player: The Prospect League leader in batting average will suit up for the Chillicothe Paints as Victor Figueroa is batting .435 entering the playoffs with 8 home runs, 8 doubles, 34 runs scored, and 48 runs batted in. 

Kings Key Player: Tyler Cox has shot up the Prospect League leader boards throughout the second half of the season, now in 3rd place in home runs with 11 on the season. He will suit up for the Kings batting .339 on the season with 8 doubles, 11 home runs, 44 runs scored, and 39 runs batted in.

Paints Playoff History: This is the 11th playoff appearance in 14 seasons for the Paints. They have won 3 Prospect League Championships and have been to 5 Championship Series, both tied for most in Prospect League History. The Paints are the defending Prospect League Champions.

Kings Playoff History: This is the 2nd playoff appearance in 8 seasons for the Kings. They made it for the first time in 2021 advancing past the first round but falling in the Conference Championship. In those 2021 playoffs, the Kings defeated the Paints 10-9 in Champion City in the Division Championship.

Wabash River Division Championship

Springfield Lucky Horseshoes at Danville Dans | Danville Stadium - Danville, Illinois | 5:30 PM CDT

Season Series: The Dans are 4-2 against the 'Shoes this season, holding a 60-42 lead in runs scored with a +18 run differential. At Danville Stadium this season, the Dans are 3-0 against the 'Shoes, holding a 27-11 lead in runs scored with a +16 run differential. 

Last Matchup: The two teams just completed a two-game home and away series on August 1st and 3rd. The Dans swept the series defeating the 'Shoes 7-6 in Danville and 20-8 in Springfield. In the August 3rd game in Springfield, the Dans recorded 21 hits and grabbed 5 doubles. 

Dans Key Player: Starting Pitcher Tyler Fay is on the Dans' playoff roster and could be making the start in the Division Championship. Fay has started 9 games this season with a 4-3 record over 47.2 innings. He has a 3.78 ERA with 60 strikeouts, 4th most in the Prospect League.

'Shoes Key Player: AJ Golembiewski will be out of the bullpen in the playoffs for the 'Shoes. Golembiewsi is 2-0 this season in 12 relief appearances over 25.1 innings with 19 strikeouts and a 2.49 ERA.

Dans Playoff History: This is the 9th playoff appearance in 14 seasons for the Dans. They have advanced through the playoff multiple times in their 8 appearances, but only made the Prospect League Championship series once, in 2010.

'Shoes Playoff History: This is the 4th playoff appearance in 14 seasons for the 'Shoes. They are in the playoffs for back-to-back seasons for the first time ever, but they have lost in the first round of the playoffs in all 3 previous appearances.

Western Conference

Great River Division Championship

Quincy Gems at Clinton LumberKings | NelsonCorp Field - Clinton, Iowa | 2:00 PM CDT

Season Series: The LumberKings are 5-2 against the Gems this season, holding a 55-36 lead in runs scored with a +19 run differential. At NelsonCorp Field this season, the LumberKings are 3-1 against the Gems, holding a 36-23 lead in runs scored with a +13 run differential. 

Last Matchup: The teams last played in a two-game home and away series on July 19th and 20th. The Gems swept the series picking up their only wins over the LumberKings this season. In the last game on July 20th in Clinton, the Gems won 8-4 scoring 10 runs led by Lucas Loos and Kyle Hvidsten.

LumberKings Key Player: Max Holy is still up near the top of the Prospect League hitting leaderboards and enters the playoffs 2nd in doubles with 17. He will suit up for the LumberKings batting .350 on the season with 1 triple, 2 home runs, 44 runs scored, and 32 runs batted in to go along with those doubles.

Gems Key Player: The Prospect League leader in home runs will suit up for the Gems as Lucas Loos is batting .296 entering the playoffs with 13 home runs, 15 doubles, 39 runs scored, and 62 runs batted in. 

LumberKings Playoff History: This is the 2nd playoff appearance in 3 seasons for the LumberKings. Their first appearance was in their first season in 2021, they defeated the CornBelters in the first round before falling to the Catfish in the Conference Championship.

Gems Playoff History: This is the 8th playoff appearance in 14 seasons for the Gems. They have won 3 Prospect League Championships and have been to 5 Championship Series, both tied for most in Prospect League History. The Gems have not made the Championship Series since 2016.

Prairie Land Division Championship

Thrillville Thrillbillies at Cape Catfish | Capaha Field - Cape Girardeau, Missouri | 6:35 PM CDT

Season Series: The Catfish are 7-3 against the Thrillbillies this season, holding a 66-30 lead in runs scored with a +36 run differential. At Capaha Field this season, the Catfish are 3-1 against the Thrillbillies, holding a 22-14 lead in runs scored with a +8 run differential. Neither of the teams crossed double-digit runs scored in any of the games at Capaha Field against each other this season.

Last Matchup: The teams last played in a doubleheader on July 14th at Capaha Field. The Thrillbillies swept the doubleheader 4-2 in game one and 3-2 in game two. The Thrillbilliles used a 4-run inning in game one and a 3-run inning in game two to pick up the victories. 

Catfish Key Player: Justin Carinci, 2nd in the Prospect League in batting average, 4th in runs scored, and 8th in runs batted in, will lead the offensive charge for the Catfish. Carinic is batting .386 with 14 doubles, 4 triples, 51 runs scored, and 47 runs batted in. 

Thrillbillies Key Player: Jackson Lindsey, 2nd in the Prospect League in walks, will suit up for the Thrillbillies. Lindsey is batting .337 with 14 doubles, 1 triple, 2 home runs, 43 runs scored, 35 runs batted in, and 52 walks. 

Catfish Playoff History: This is the 3rd playoff appearance in 4 seasons for the Catfish. They have won 1 Prospect League Championship and have been to 2 Championship Series. They did not make the playoffs last season after making the Championship Series in their first two seasons. 

Thrillbillies Playoff History: This is the first season in the Prospect League for the Thrillbillies and their first playoff appearance. They join the LumberKings as the recently added teams to make the playoffs in their inaugural season.