The Professional Baseball Sports Turf Managers Symposium was held January 15-16 in conjunction with the 2025 SFMA Conference and Exhibition in Palm Springs, California.
The annual symposium provides valuable insights into many aspects of professional development and groundskeeping, as well as the opportunity to develop relationships.
More than 85 groundskeepers plus sponsors attended the 2025 symposium. Presentations were geared toward Minor League Baseball and professional baseball groundskeepers, and session topics included the following:
- Review and clarification of PDL guidelines and new rules for the 2025 season – presented by MLB representatives via Zoom.
- Maintaining Sand-Based Fields – presented by Dr. Bryan Hopkins, BYU.
- Work/Life Balance – presented by Joey Stevenson, Indianapolis Indians.
- Infield Skin Maintenance – presented by Matt Parrott, Charlotte Knights.
- Umpire Relations — Trevor Dannegger, AAA Umpire.
Ewing Outdoor Solutions and Sygenta served as presenting sponsors for the 2025 symposium. Sponsor partners included DuraEdge Engineered Soils, Beacon Athletics, Mountain View Seeds/MVP Genetics, Hunter Industries and SiteOne Sports Fields.
The symposium leadership team included Marcus Campbell, St. Paul Saints; Dan Douglas, Reading Fightin’ Phils; Andy Gossel, Lehigh Valley IronPigs; Ben Hartman, Witchita Storm Surge; Mitch Hooten, West Michigan White Caps; Morgan Hunter, Quad City River Bandits; Jeff Jackson, Oklahoma City Comets; Kyle Leppelmeier, Toledo MudHens; Nick Rozdilski, Round Rock Express; Tim Siegel, Kannapolis Cannon Ballers; and Keith Winter, Fort Wayne TinCaps.
