With many coming off the heels of a grueling spring campaign at the collegiate level, those who partake in the Draft League often are required to move from a 40 plus game schedule into a summer slate versus some of the toughest opposition yet. With scouts keeping a keen eye as the Draft League grows in reputation, keeping a level head and upside high may be the most important key to success across the grueling eight month stretch.

If one decides to go through an entire college and MLB Draft League season it is estimated that an athlete can partake in over 120 games, a number that is not far off from an entire Major League baseball season.

So it is no surprise that, when interviewing some of the more regular starters for the Cutters, the first thing they bring up is the abundant workload that comes with it.

“It’s just a grind,” admitted Williamsport infielder Carlos Castillo. “The competition I would say is kind of the same [from the First Half to the Second Half] but it’s just a different level of grind, honestly.”

Jackson Mayo of the Williamsport Crosscutters dives for a ball hit by Cole Caruso of the Spikes at Journey Bank Ballpark. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Castillo has good reason to echo the term as a grind. As one of just two position players to have played nearly the entire season, (along with catcher Christian Reyes,) the Miami native suited up for his team high 63rd game with the Cutters this summer. Add in the 42 appearances that the infielder featured in with Ferrum College, and Castillo would have played over 100 baseball games since the Spring.

But that doesn’t seem apparent to Castillo, who emphasized the memories as a core belief as the year ends.

“[It’s] the memories for sure,” admitted Castillo when asked what he will take out of most from the summer. “It’s been a fun summer. It’s been long, but it has definitely been fun. I’ll definitely take back some good memories back home with me.”

While Castillo’s experience has been a new one, 2025’s journey to Williamsport for Jackson Mayo is more of a homecoming.

Part of the 2024 Williamsport team that won the first half title, Mayo returned to Williamsport in the professional half.

“This is my first taste of professional baseball,” said Mayo, whose play stands out amongst the best in the league in the second half season. “So I would say it is a little bit different in the way we come out here every day, you know? You have to be ready to play, and it has been a grind to play every day, so that is the biggest difference for me.”

“I’ve just been so grateful to be out here with all of these guys,” Mayo added. “Learning what I’ve learned, it’s just been a great experience.”

In addition to the multitude of games, of which Mayo has appeared in over 95 across the college and professional season, the South Florida graduate emphasized the sheer volume as the main difference between college and the Draft League.

“When in college, you would play, and then you would think about your game.” Mayo discussed. “But [now] you don’t have any time to think about it, because you are just playing every day, and if you think about yesterday, then tomorrow is gonna be gone.”

Williamsport’s season will too be gone by tomorrow. After failing to clinch a spot in the MLB Draft League Championship for the second time in three years, Billtown’s season will conclude with the State College Spikes on Wednesday night.

“I’m trying to have the most fun I can,” admitted Castillo on closing out the year. “[I’ll] enjoy the time with my teammates, and hopefully we get out of here with a win, but definitely have fun and just enjoy it.”