The Long Island Ducks organization has been home to some of the best players in the Atlantic League, proving to be one of the most renowned teams in independent baseball. The Ducks take players at various points in their careers and allow them to continue playing the game they love.
The organization has a great reputation for helping its players reach the Major League level, regardless of where they are in their careers. Since its Atlantic League debut in 2000, the Ducks have sent 31 players to the MLB.
“You have guys here that haven’t made it to the major leagues and are trying to reach that goal, and you guys who have made it to the major leagues and are trying to get back there,” said Lew Ford, a former big leaguer and Ducks player who now serves as the manager for the team. “They’re here to get better as a player and help the team win, but at the same time this is a showcase for MLB clubs. We had nine guys signed this year, and the opportunity is there for anyone.”
A large majority of these players are former big leaguers who are trying to return to the highest level again. With the Ducks’ successful history in doing this, the organization has become home to plenty of fan favorites.
The most recent player to get picked up by a Major League organization was Jackie Bradley Jr., who signed with the New York Mets on Tuesday, July 23. Bradley is most known for his time with the Boston Red Sox, in which he had a tremendous career with notable feats including an All-Star appearance in 2016 and a Gold Glove, an American League Championship Series MVP, and a World Series ring in 2018.
After the 2020 season, Bradley found himself bouncing around the league until eventually joining the LI Ducks in April of 2024. He proved to be one of the best hitters in the Atlantic League racking up 12 home runs, 35 RBIs, 66 hits, and 23 walks with a batting average of .400 in 40 games. Bradley is now playing in AAA with the Syracuse Mets and will fight to earn a spot on the professional roster.
Bradley may not be the last Duck to get his contract purchased by an MLB team this season. Frank Schwindel (pictured above), most remembered for his tremendous 2021 rookie season, joined the Ducks in April of 2024 along with Bradley, forming one of the best offensive duos in the Atlantic League.
He has had a stellar season so far, recording a .324 average with 13 home runs, 52 RBIs, and 28 walks in 55 games. He leads the team in batting average and RBIs, and is second in home runs behind Chance Sisco, another former big leaguer who has 15 home runs this season.
Schwindel was first drafted by the Kansas City Royals in 2013 out of St. Johns, and spent seven years in the minors earning tons of awards for his elite offensive play. It’s rare to see a player fulfill their seven years in the minor league without being released or called up, but Schwindel’s performance earned him an opportunity as a pro. He ultimately made his debut with the Royals in 2019, appearing in 6 games and earning his first major league hit.
“It was definitely a grind,” Schwindel told The Messenger. “I had three ‘Player of the Year’ awards, a ‘Hitter of the Year’ award, three all-star games. I was putting up numbers at every level. I just had to be patient and wait it out. I was waiting for the right place, the right time and finally cracked a major league line-up and made my debut. It was awesome.”
The former Royal was then designated for assignment on May 14 of that year, and eventually released on May 18. Following this turn of events, he signed a minor league deal with the Detroit Tigers where he played at the A, AA, and AAA levels. Later that season he signed a new minor league contract with the team, but didn’t play in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak.
On November 18 in 2020, Schwindel signed a new minor league contract with the Oakland Athletics. He played with the AAA Las Vegas Aviators to start 2021, recording a .324 average and leading the Triple-A West league with 60 hits and 42 runs scored. These stats along with his 16 home runs, which was tied for the most in the minor leagues, earned him a spot on the major league roster.
Schwindel played in eight games and recorded three hits in his 20 at-bats including his first major league home run that occurred on his first ever at-bat with the team.
The Athletics ended up designating Schwindel for assignment, which led to the Chicago Cubs picking him up off waivers on July 18, 2021. With the Cubs trading away Anthony Rizzo they were in need of a new first-basemen, so they turned to Schwindel. This led to one of the most memorable rookie performances in recent history.
The 29-year-old rookie instantly became a fan favorite within Chicago and the rest of the MLB as he hit .344 with six home runs and 18 RBIs in the month of August, earning the National League Rookie of the Month Award. He then followed this up with earning an NL Player of the Week Award for his play from August 30 to September 5, including a go-ahead grand slam to help the Cubs defeat its division rival the Pittsburgh Pirates.
“It was a road to get back there with two years in between,” Schwindel said. “Chicago took a chance on me and I took off from there. It was a crazy ride.”
Overall, the electric rookie finished with 14 home runs, 43 RBIs, and a .326 average in 64 games which earned him two votes in the National League Rookie of the Year Voting to place him at sixth place for the award.
“I always believed in myself,” Schwindel said. “It was an opportunity where they told me I was going to play every day and go out there and do you. That was the first time I’ve been told that.”
Heading into his sophomore year, Schwindel was prime to be a key piece for the Cubs. Unfortunately, he spent 2022 in and out of the majors and minors largely due to a lower back injury he suffered during the season. He finished with a .229 batting average and eight home runs before being demoted to Triple-A Iowa and eventually released on September 18.
In 2023, he briefly played in Japan with the Orix Buffaloes while still dealing with back issues. Finally, on April 12 of this year Schwindel joined the Ducks and has been dominating ever since.
“The Ducks have been awesome,” Schwindel said. “We have a lot of great players that have been in the clubhouse. It’s awesome playing with Gold Glovers, World Series champions, and also playing with guys where the Ducks are the highest level they ever played. It’s a great mix of talent in the clubhouse. Guys are coming off injury, trying to start their careers, or resurrect their careers. It’s just a great opportunity to play baseball. The competition has been great. I have all good things to say about this league.”
“It’s also a great opportunity for me to get back on the field and see if I can still do it,” Schwindel added.
Schwindel has one of the most interesting career paths of a Long Island Duck as it holds a story of talent, hard-work, and determination. It’s difficult for a player to remain focused and patient for a chance at the majors.
“Being at the highest level, I was just thankful for every day,” Schwindel said, looking back on professional performance. “I had fun and was able to show people what I could do.
Schwindel took advantage of the opportunities he was given and lived out his dream of being a professional baseball player. At 32 years old, however, he’s not done yet.
“The last couple years were tough dealing with the back injuries, but I finally had the surgery to get back,” Schwindel said. “Things are starting to feel a little better and back to normal. This is an opportunity to stay on the field, get consistent at-bats, and just see if I can keep putting up these numbers and maybe a team takes a chance on me. I’m excited to just keep playing baseball every day and whatever happens, happens, but obviously the goal is to try to make it back.”
The former big leaguer will look to follow in the footsteps of many other former Ducks who have returned to the MLB. For now, Schwindel will continue to perform in the Atlantic League and give the Long Island Ducks a chance at a championship this season.
