Baseball Returns to Suplizio Field as New Team Heads to Grand Junction

Grand Junction is getting baseball back where it belongs at Suplizio Field.

The Pecos League, a gritty and fun independent professional baseball circuit stretching from California to New Mexico to Colorado, is bringing a franchise to town for the 2026 season.

After a bit of a drought since the Jackalopes left the Pioneer League, this feels like more than just baseball returning. It feels like a reminder that Grand Junction still loves its summer nights, the crack of the bat, the crowd cheering, cold drinks in hand.

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The Name Starts with You

Here’s the part that gets the whole Valley talking: the team doesn’t have a name yet, and you get to help choose it.

The Pecos League and the Grand Junction Sports Commission have launched a Name the Team competition running through February 15.

Locals can submit their best idea at the team’s website, with the winner snagging season tickets, a jersey, and more when the new identity is announced on March 16.

History and Local Flavor

Naming a team isn’t just branding, it’s storytelling. We've suggested the Thunderbirds because of the Ute legend of massive legendary birds over the Grand Mesa. That kind of heritage-rich lore is exactly the kind of rooted identity this community deserves.

Read More: Colorado’s Grand Mesa Thunderbird Phenomenon Dive Deep

Whether it’s a nod to Mesa County’s iconic landscapes or a quirky Western Slope twist, this is a chance to put Grand Junction on the baseball map with a name that sticks.

The team starts the season on the road on May 28 and will host its first home game on June 4. Tickets go on sale March 16, and you seriously won’t want to miss the first crack at summer baseball here in the Valley.