Want to get in the know about independent baseball this summer but don’t know where to start? 

FloBaseball has got you covered, broadcasting some of the best independent baseball leagues in North America, all season long.

Some especially unique ballclubs on the independent scene need their own introductions, however. 

That’s where FloBaseball’s team profile series comes into play to help out, explaining and breaking down some of the quirks and features that make a certain club tick.

In this edition, here’s a breakdown of the Florence Y’alls of the Frontier League.

What Year Were The Florence Y’alls Founded?

The Florence Y’alls were founded in 1994 and have been based in Florence, Kentucky – located just outside of Cincinnati – since 2003. 

Their franchise has been affiliated with the Frontier League for nearly the league’s entire existence. 

The team began life as the Erie (Pennsylvania) Sailors in 1994, a year after the Frontier played its first season. They currently play in the West Division of the league.

Who Owns The Florence Y’alls?

Area businessman David DelBello and a group of partners purchased the team in the summer of 2019, and he currently sits in the front office as team president. 

Before that, for much of its time in Florence, the team was owned by another local businessman, Clint Brown, who bought the team in 2004 after it slipped into bankruptcy. 

He turned the ship around, bringing the Frontier League’s All-Star Game to Florence in 2007 and again in 2016, before his death in 2018. 

What Is The History Of The Florence Y’alls Team Name And Mascot?

The club’s original name while based in Erie, the Sailors, only lasted a season, as the moniker changed with the team’s move to Johnstown, Pennsylvania, about a three-hour drive south. 

Their base was there until 2002 – first named the Steal until 1998, then the Johnnies until they left. Once they arrived in Florence, they were named the Florence Freedom from 2003-2019. 

DelBello and his new ownership team freshened up the nickname to the Y’alls – in reference to the Florence Y’all Water Tower that looms over Interstates 71 and 75 in town – shortly after he took charge, conducting a fan vote to decide on the new name.

Have The Florence Y’alls Ever Won A Frontier League Championship?

They have won three Frontier League championships – 1994, 1995 and 2000. 

The Y’alls still are looking for their first league title of the Florence era (since 2003) but have won two division championships while based in Kentucky, once as the Freedom in 2017 and another time as the Y’alls in 2021. 

As of this writing (Thursday afternoon), the Y’alls are 19-16 overall and fourth in the West.

Where Do The Florence Y’alls Play?

The Y’alls call Thomas More Stadium their home base, which was opened in 2004 and has its naming rights owned by Thomas More University in nearby Crestview Hills, whose baseball team began using the ballpark as its permanent home facility this past season and will continue to do so when the Saints’ athletics teams move up from the NAIA to NCAA Division II for the 2023-2024 academic year. 

The 4,500 capacity stadium, of which its playing surface is full turf, is located roughly 10 minutes south of Cincinnati and recently has seen a new scoreboard and video board added in left field.

Florence Y’alls Notable Alumni

Per the team’s website, a total of 50 former players have played for major-league organizations since the club moved to Florence 20 years ago. 

Of that group, five have made the majors, the most notable of whom was pitcher and native Kentuckian Steve Delabar, who played briefly for Florence in 2008, before going on to throw nearly 200 big-league innings with the Seattle Mariners, Toronto Blue Jays and Cincinnati Reds from 2011-2016. He made the All-Star Game as a reliever with Toronto in 2013. 

Right-hander Aaron Wilkerson, a 2013 Freedom pitcher who eventually made the majors with the Milwaukee Brewers, still is active at the Triple-A level for the Oakland Athletics.

Florence Y'alls Schedule

Check out the Florence Y'alls schedule here.

How To Watch The Florence Y’alls

Atlantic, Frontier, Pioneer and the Coastal Summer Plain League, as well as the Florida Collegiate Summer League, all are streaming on FloBaseball and the FloSports app. 

Replays, highlights and more news can be found on the site.