KIRKSVILLE, Mo.- The Hometown Radio Group KMEM & KUDV is excited to announce our partnership with the North Missouri Naturals baseball team to provide live broadcast coverage of their 2026 home schedule and post-season.
The Naturals (or “Nattys”) is one of seven teams in the MINK League. The MINK is a wood-bat summer collegiate baseball league which was originally made up of teams from Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska and Kansas. Currently, the league features seven teams from Missouri and Iowa: North Missouri Naturals, Carroll Merchants, Chillicothe Mudcats, Clarinda A’s, Joplin Baseball, Nevada Griffons and St. Joseph Mustangs.
The MINK provides a venue for college players who wish to develop their skills playing in an environment of increased competition and prepare for entering the Major League Baseball amateur draft. All MINK League players are unpaid in order to maintain their NCAA eligibility. Each team is operated in a similar fashion to a professional minor league baseball team, providing players an opportunity to play under the same conditions using wood bats, minor league specification baseballs, experiencing overnight road trips and playing an intense summer league schedule.
The Nattys front-office organization includes General Manager Shayne Thomas and Team Manager Mike O’Haver. The team will play their home games on the Kirksville R-3 High School baseball field, which was constructed four years ago as part of the nearly $3 million baseball/softball sports complex on the school campus. The stadium includes an all-weather field with modern amenities, for both players and fans alike.
The Nattys broadcast crew will consist of Hometown Radio Sports Network personalities Corey Stott and Jessen Miller. The games will all be broadcast live on Hometown 1 streaming channel, with some games on-air on 100.5 KMEM. Check out our Sports Broadcast Schedule for upcoming game broadcasts.
Hometown Radio Group General Manager and Sports Director Corey Stott said “We are excited to partner with the Nattys as they enter their first season as members of the MINK League. Shayne and Mike are really building something special with this team. It provides a terrific opportunity for young college players who are looking to elevate their profile, as well as a great way for the entire family to come out and enjoy the game of baseball in a fun way that is budget friendly. They have some great ideas that will make the evening fun for all ages. In addition, the team includes many players with local roots to our listening area who we covered during their high school careers. Our broadcasts will give listeners a chance to follow some very familiar names from our listening area.”
The Nattys will open their season with a three-game home stand against fellow league newcomer Joplin Friday, May 29th, through Sunday, May 31st. First pitch is set for 7 pm Friday and Saturday, and 5 pm on Sunday. Live broadcasts are tentatively scheduled to begin 30 minutes before first pitch.
You can follow all of the news and information about the Nattys and the Mink League here. You can listen to previous game broadcasts here.
If your business is interested in being a game broadcast sponsor, contact Mr. Corey Stott at 800-748-7875 for details.
