Futures League Commissioner Joe Paolucci presents Home Run Derby champ Griffin Ennis of Westfield his award Monday night at Worcester's Fitton Field. (Photo courtesy of FCBL)

It’s official: There will indeed be a Futures Collegiate League franchise playing at LeLacheur Park next season.

UMass-Lowell, which purchased the ballpark from the city of Lowell a few years ago, made the announcement on Monday in preparation for a press conference to be held at the park on Wednesday, July 30.

An report on the website insidelowell.com broke the news over the weekend that the FCBL and University were trying to keep under wraps until the press conference.

“The next generation of big-league hitters will be swinging for the fences in front of fans and professional scouts at UMass Lowell next year,” a university press release said, “as the Futures Collegiate Baseball League and the university announce plans to bring a tean to LeLacheur Park in May 2026.”

The release went on to say that a letter of intent, to be signed by “Futures League and UMass Lowell leaders at this event, will secure their partnership to field a seventh league team, which will play hoe games before thousands of fans in Lowell.”

The release went on to say that attendees are expected to include UMass Lowell Chancellor Julie Chen, FCBL Commissioner Joe Paolucci, Nashua Silver Knights owner John Creedon, Jr., “as well as city and state officials.”

Creedon was the point man in negotiations with the league and the university. The FCBL is withholding comment, Creedon said this past weekend, until the press conference on the 30th. The league is currently involved with its All-Star festivities in Worcester.

LeLacheur has not had a regular tenant since the professional Lowell Spinners had to close up shop with the MLB liquidation of the New York Penn League in 2020 The release fittingly paid tribute to former Silver Knights and Lowell Spinners owner Drew Weber, an FCBL co-founder. When Weber owned both teams, the Silver Knights would play the Spinners – then a short-season Red Sox affiliate – in an annual exhibition at LeLacheur.

Sources say there’s an outside chance Weber may be attending the press conference. He sold the Silver Knights to Creedon in 2019.

STARS COME OUT

The FCBL All-Star Game is tonight at Worcester’s Polar Park, with nine Silver Knights slated to take part. Playing for Team Heart are Nashua catcher Joey Current, third baseman Joseph Zorc, and reliever Rob Gilchrist.

Playing for Team Smiles from Nashua are infielder Patrick Shrake, outfielder Cole Patterson, pitchers Andrew Chenevert, Brennan Rumpf and Hunter Ward. Knights infielder Ernie Little was named for the team but is out for the season with a back injury.

Competing last night in the home run derby, meanwhile, were Nashua’s Zorc

and David Rouke. Rourke had three homers but didn’t get out of Round 1. The winner was Westfield’s Grifin Ennis, who had nine final round homers to beat Norwich’s Bryce Detwiler. Ennis had 22 homers over the final two rounds.