Covington Lumberjacks Set for 2026 Valley League Action

COVINGTON, Va. (VR) – The Valley Baseball League continues its long-standing tradition this summer as the Covington Lumberjacks prepare to open the 2026 season on May 29 at Staunton. The Lumberjacks are one of several teams competing in one of the nation’s oldest and most respected collegiate summer baseball leagues.

Founded on May 15, 1897, in Edinburg, the Valley League originally operated as a Class D-style minor league before transitioning into a collegiate summer baseball league in 1961 under NCAA sanctioning. The league adopted wooden bats in 1993, helping players better prepare for professional baseball while increasing exposure to Major League scouts.

Today, the VBL is affiliated with the National Alliance of College Summer Baseball and has produced more than 1,000 professional players. In the 2025 MLB Draft alone, 30 former Valley League players were selected, further cementing the league’s reputation as “The Gateway to the Majors.”

The league features communities throughout the Shenandoah Valley and western Virginia, including Covington, Staunton, Waynesboro, Harrisonburg, and Winchester. Known for family-friendly ballparks and high-level competition, the nonprofit league continues to provide collegiate athletes from across the country an opportunity to develop their skills during the summer months.

May 29th – at Staunton
May 30th – Waynesboro
May 31st – at New Market
June 3rd – Harrisonburg
June 4th – at Winchester
June 5th – Staunton
June 6th – at Waynesboro
June 7th – at Charlottesville
June 10th – Culpeper
June 11th – Woodstock
June 12th – at Waynesboro
June 13th – Harrisonburg
June 14th – Charlottesville
June 17th – at Staunton
June 18th – Culpeper
June 19th – Waynesboro
June 20th – at Harrisonburg
June 21st – Strasburg
June 24th – Purceville
June 25th – Harrisonburg
June 26th – Charlottesville
June 27th – at Culpeper
June 28th – at Staunton
July 1st – Waynesboro
July 2nd – at Charlottesville
July 3rd – at Culpeper
July 5th – Staunton
July 8th – Front Royal
July 9th – at Harrisonburg
July 10th – at Charlottesville
July 11th – Culpeper
July 12th – Staunton
July 15th – at Waynesboro
July 16th – at Culpeper
July 17th – Charlottesville
July 18th – Harrisonburg