Dubois County Bombers gear up for 2025 season with new talent, promotions

Team adds new coaching staff, elevated roster, and unique promotions as they prepare for second year in Prospect League

The Dubois County Bombers are preparing for their third season under current ownership with significant upgrades to both on-field talent and fan experience at historic League Stadium in Huntingburg.

Owner Justin Knepp says the organization is focused on raising the bar for the 2025 season, which begins in about three weeks.

“We love trying to find ways to continue to just make the overall game day experience a little bit better and and to also make the play on the field better,” Knepp said.

While creating a fantastic experience for the fans through promotions, contests and great food and drinks is important, Knepp is a competitor at heart. After a somewhat lackluster season last year in the Prospect League, the Bombers ownership knew this year would require some upgrades to the coaching staff and roster to be competitive.

According to Knepp, last year they had signed the entire team before being invited to play in the Prospect League. “So we had a different roster compared to other teams and it showed,” he explained.

Pointing to the calibre of baseball in the Prospect League, Knepp said more than 60 of the league’s players were drafted or signed to play professional baseball last year.

“It is one of the top three collegiate summer leagues in the nation,” he added. “It’s also the number one league in the nation in fan attendance.”

The coaching staff has been expanded with two new assistant coaches joining returning coaches Travis Lamar and Victor Alvarez. New additions include Mike Fowler and Rigo Rodriguez, who brings professional playing experience and was a college teammate of MLB Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn.

The team hired its first general manager, Mark Peters, from Nashville, Tennessee, who brings connections to top-tier collegiate baseball programs across the country.

“We hired a GM out of Nashville with some pretty deep connections to a lot of really good college baseball programs,” Knepp said. “I am genuinely excited about our roster for this coming season.”

Local talent remains a priority for the Bombers. Mick Uebehlor is returning. The Oakland City University freshman, who previously starred at Southridge High School, returns after being named pitcher of the year in his conference.

“Obviously, he’s got ties to the stadium, he’s been coming to League Stadium working a variety of jobs since he was five years old,” Knepp said about Uebelhor’s family history with the Bombers.

Also from Oakland City University is Huntingburg native Hudson Allen.

“As a freshman at Oakland City he’s hitting .359 and is leading the entire conference,” Knepp said. “He’s just having an incredible freshman season and we’re so excited to have him join us.”

Other local talent joining the Bombers this year are Andrew Noblitt from Jasper, Sage Stout from Birdseye, Jake Stuteville from Rockport, and Kendric Sorgius from Petersburg.

The team also features players with notable baseball pedigrees, including Cole Nathan from Carson-Newman University, whose father Joe Nathan was a six-time Major League Baseball All-Star pitcher.

“When you tell someone that, they just smile, like that’s cool. They’re coming to Dubois County for the summer. That’s awesome,” Knepp said about the connections some of these players and coaches have to these well-known MLB players.

Along with an updated roster, the Bombers continue to invest in stadium improvements and the overall fan experience.

This season introduces four private group spaces instead of one to meet growing demand for corporate and private gatherings. Two new areas called “Flight Decks” at the top of the stadium will accommodate groups of up to 24 people and include their own refrigerated beer coolers, high-top tables and barstools with a great view.

This in addition to the Upper Deck and Bar patios which are designed for larger groups.

Fans can also look forward to an expanded beverage selection this season. The Bombers are introducing their own canned peach cocktail called “Marla’s Hooch” (“It is ab-so-lutely delicious,” said Knepp), a bourbon called “Four Bases,” and a peach whiskey named “Jimmy Dugan Peach.” The team is also launching Cracker Jack Ale as the official beer of the Dubois County Bombers.

Huntingburg’s Butcher & Barrel is the new concessions partner for the stadium, offering what Knepp describes as a “super elevated stadium menu” with high-end hamburgers, hot dogs, barbecue sliders, and loaded nachos among the menu options. They will also do all the catering for the corporate groups at the stadium.

Knepp, who loves to experiment with new ideas, is also bringing an acoustic musician to perform at every home game in a newly constructed corner stage in the concessions area. “I think it sounds fun and awesome to have a different acoustic musician at every home game,” he said, acknowledging it may be a complete failure.

It’s about finding new ways to create energy and entertain fans at the game.

Speaking of which, this year sees some popular promotions returning including Wiener Dog Racing, the Helicopter Cash Drop (increased from $10,000 to $25,000), and a chance to win a “barely running used car.”

New promotions include Bluey Night, a Diamond Dance-Off with a 2.5-carat diamond prize which will have dancing going on throughout the game, Air Guitar Championships, and Slam Dunks and Grand Slams Night featuring a basketball dunk contest on the baseball field.

A big update across the Prospect League this year is the addition of multiple high-definition AI cameras at all 18 stadiums to stream all the games. This technology will allow fans to watch every Bombers game, home or away, in high definition with multiple camera angles through a dedicated app on Roku or via the league’s website. You can learn more about it here.

“We’re still having a whole lot of fun with the it,” Knepp said about the organization’s goals and aspirations. “It’s year three for us, and we still get a lot of compliments and excitement from fans.”

That startup mentality of trying new things and constantly adding to the fan experience while fielding great baseball is paying off. Fan attendance has increased significantly, with a 64 percent increase over the past two years. Plus, season ticket sales are up 68 percent compared to before the current ownership took over.

“The bottom line and top line sales have just increased significantly,” Knepp said.

But in the end, he admits “I just want a lot of fans at the game supporting the players. It’s more fun when there’s more fans there.”

The Dubois County Bombers play the Danville in the opening home game on Thursday, May 29 at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are available here as well as schedules and more information about this year’s promotions and events.