The White Sox’s taxi squad finally has its home. The team announced that Boomer Stadium in Schaumburg, Illinois will serve as the mandated training site for those players who are not on the active roster but are eligible to be recalled or have their contracts purchased to play this season.
About a 45-minute drive from Guaranteed Rate Field, the stadium is home to the Schaumburg Boomers of the Frontier League, which began play in May 2012. The facility, which itself opened back in 1999, has since been altered by the White Sox so they can safely host workouts, practices, and intrasquad games from July 15th through the end of the season.
“We are extremely fortunate to have a high-quality facility like Boomer Stadium located close enough to our ballpark to allow our players to prepare and work out for the 2020 season,” Sox general manager Rick Hahn said. “The White Sox organization is very appreciative of Patrick Salvi, his excellent staff, and of course, the people of Schaumburg for being so welcoming to us.”
Some of the enhancements made to the stadium, as detailed by the White Sox and Boomers, include:
- Installation of an all-weather hitting and pitching tunnel in right field;
- A full upgrade of the playing field to MLB dimensions and specifications;
- Conversion of the “Schaumburg Club” suite level to a strength and conditioning area;
- Renovation of the clubhouses and training areas to meet social distancing protocols;
- Creation of multiple food service areas, including on-site dining and “to go” options;
- Two health screening and testing locations for players and staff.
“Being a lifelong White Sox fan, I am thrilled that the White Sox selected Boomers Stadium for their 2020 training site,” said Patrick A Salvi, CEO and Owner of the Schaumburg Boomers. “We are excited to host some of the very best prospects in White Sox organization this summer. I would like to thank Rick Hahn and the entire Chicago White Sox organization, along with Mayor Tom Dailly and the Village of Schaumburg, for their efforts in turning this exciting opportunity into a reality.”
If you’re a fan hoping to get a glimpse, not so fast. The workouts will be closed to the public and only opened to credentialed media members approved by the White Sox.
The club’s 60-man roster currently sits at 44, though the Sox announced a release of roster players to be assigned to Boomers stadium will come prior to next Wednesday’s workouts.
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