Mitch Hundley, a 5-foot-10, 175-pound catcher played for the Crosscutters in the league’s inaugural year. After having his initial temp deal with Mahoning Valley extended to a full month, he was sent to Williamsport to fill the void of an injury through the first week of June.

Fast forward to this summer, Hundley spent the first half of it playing local ball with some college friends back in his hometown in Palatine, Ill. He was just living in the moment while waiting for his next opportunity, whatever and wherever that was.

“It was really relaxed, just kinda like a feel-good thing,” Hundley said. “A lot of those guys are just there to help. Some dudes get better and it’s great team bonding I guess because we just go out there, swing it and have fun. That’s what baseball’s supposed to be, right? Fun, not a job.”

That’s the mentality Hundley is carrying into the second half of the Crosscutters’ 2022 season. But he’s remerging into a completely different landscape.

The MLB Draft League has been expanded upon. Year 2 brings more games on the schedule, a sudden death format and most notably, a second half that’s more indy ball. Gone are the 18-year-olds and college freshmen that Hundley was used to in his first stint.

“I think it’s good for the league because last year, the second half wasn’t very — after the Draft, to guys, it was just regular summer ball so I think it brings even more attention now that you got pro guys out here,” Hundley said. “A lot of guys that are done with college and are coming from a bunch of indy ball leagues. Guys with names are coming out here.”

For fans, it certainly may be exciting seeing professional baseball being played at Bowman Field. It’s an entirely different brand with a whole new cast — albeit the same staff — for all six clubs.

But for guys like Hundley, at the end of the day, it’s just baseball.

“As a player, you have to block all that stuff out with what’s happening in the front office, what’s going on with the league,” Hundley said. “I mean, it’s baseball. We’re here to play. Yes, I like the changes, but I’m here to play. Not really paying attention to a bunch of noise on the outside.”

Hundley’s summer up to this past weekend has been a cleanse. Going his whole life playing from travel ball to college, day-in and day-out, it at times ‘became a lot.’

Williamsport’s new catcher is still playing local ball, not worried about the ‘what-ifs’ that haunted players ahead of the 2021 MLB Draft last year. With the indy league style, Hundley can be a kid again.

“I put a lot of pressure on myself saying, ‘I gotta sign, I gotta sign.’ Now it’s just about having fun,” Hundley said on Year 1. “God gave me this opportunity to come out here, He gave me this contract. I didn’t think I was gonna play again after this year. He gave me this opportunity, I’m just running with it. Gonna be a lot of fun. That’s my main goal, have fun and bring it back to when I was a kid.”