Traverse City Pit Spitters
The Traverse City Pit Spitters are a baseball team in the Northwoods League, a collegiate summer baseball league, and began play in the 2019 season. Based out of Traverse City, Michigan, the Pit Spitters play their home games at Turtle Creek Stadium in nearby Chums Corner, Michigan. The team began play at Turtle Creek Stadium in 2019 after the park's former tenant, the Traverse [City Beach Bums] of the Frontier League, ceased operations at the end of the 2018 season.
Traverse City has a baseball history, beginning with the Traverse City Hustlers, a semi-professional team in the 1890s. The city had a minor league team, the Traverse City Resorters of the Class D Michigan League">University of Michigan">Michigan League and Michigan State League between 1910 and 1914. Baseball then returned to Traverse City in 2006 with the Traverse City Beach Bums of the independent Frontier League, but on September 26, 2018, it was announced that Wuerfel Park had been purchased by a new investment group led by the owners of the West Michigan Whitecaps, with the park's previous team, the Beach Bums, ceasing operations. The new ownership group announced plans to launch a new franchise in the Northwoods League for the 2019 season.
On October 25, 2018, the team named Josh Rebandt as their first field manager. A name-the-team contest was held until December 14, with six finalists: Black Pearls, Dogmen, Dune Bears, Pit Spitters, Tree Shakers and Sasquatch. On January 29, 2019, the Pit Spitters name and logos were officially announced with the name reflecting the amateur sport of cherry pit spitting, which is played during the annual National Cherry Festival in Traverse City.
2019 inaugural season
May 28, 2019, served as the opening day for the Pit Spitters as they defeated the Green Bay Booyah 2–1 before 2,274 fans. The Pit Spitters advanced to the playoffs with an overall record of 52–20, winning both halves of the season. In the playoffs, the Pit Spitters first defeated the Kalamazoo Growlers 2–0 in a best-of-three series and then the Madison Mallards 3–2 to advance to the Northwoods League championship game.The championship game was played at Pit Spitters Park in front of 4,636 fans as Traverse City had the better overall record. The Spitters trailed the Eau Claire Express 2–1 heading to the bottom of the ninth, but two Express errors, including a misplayed bunt off the bat of Traverse City's Andrew Morrow with two outs allowed catcher Adam Proctor to score and gave Traverse City a 3–2 victory, giving the Pit Spitters the Northwoods League title in their first season.
The 2019 Spitters were led by 1B Morrow, Mario Camilletti , OF Jake Wilson , and pitchers Andrew Hoffman and Joe Pace . Manager Josh Rebrandt was named Northwoods League Manager of the Year.
2021 championship season
The Pit Spitters won their second Northwoods League championship in 2021. The team finished first in the Great Lakes East division in the first half with a record of 21–15, edging the Kenosha Kingfish by 1 game, guaranteeing a place in the playoffs. Traverse City would finish second in the 2nd half, 21–14, 3.5 games behind the Kokomo Jackrabbits.Kokomo had home-field advantage for the opening best-of-three series with the better overall record, but Traverse City took the series 2–1, scoring 3 runs in the 9th inning of the deciding game in Kokomo to take the series, with SS Christian Faust singling in DH Michael Styges to break the deadlock in the top of the 9th inning, and closer John Beuckelaere securing the lead in the bottom of the inning for the series win.
Traverse City then defeated the Madison Mallards 6–2 at home in a single-game elimination behind a complete-game pitching performance by Joe Horoszko, advancing to the Northwoods League championship game. The Spitters faced the St. Cloud Rox on the road, winning the championship 9–3 with the strong pitching of Northwoods League Pitcher of the Year Cam Schuelke and a home-run from Mario Camilletti making the difference.
The team was led on the season by 2B Camilletti, OF Tito Flores , and Northwoods League all-stars 1B Chris Monroe and pitcher Schuelke.
Notable MLB alumni
Five former Pit Spitters have reached the Major Leagues, with Luke Little becoming the first to make his MLB debut on September 6, 2023, pitching in relief for the Chicago Cubs.| Name | MLB teams played for | Years with Pit Spitters | MLB Debut |
| Luke Little | Chicago Cubs | 2019 | September 6, 2023 |
| Spencer Schwellenbach | Atlanta Braves | 2020 | April 29, 2024 |
| Chad Patrick | Milwaukee Brewers | 2019–2020 | March 29, 2025 |
| Andrew Hoffmann | Kansas City Royals, Arizona Diamondbacks | 2019–2020 | May 30, 2025 |
| Jakob Marsee | Miami Marlins | 2022 | August 1, 2025 |