SLEEPY EYE — Sleepy Eye has been selected to host the 2027 Minnesota Junior Legion DII State Baseball Tournament.

Sleepy Eye got the bid over Luverne and Le Sueur, who also put in a bid to host the eight-team tournament, according to Sleepy Eye Baseball Association President Aaron Nesvold, who along with Vice President Brandon Streich submitted the bid.

The tournament will run in late July and as host team, Sleepy Eye will secure an automatic bid.

“This is a good showcase for our ballpark and our community,” Nesvold said. “This really kind of stems from when Brandon took his Junior Legion team to Ely two years ago. He came back and said that this is something that we should consider hosting. And as an Association, we kind of hemmed and hawed about it. We were not real sure, but when the Legion went up to the DII State Tournament last year to Roseau, that really solidified us in pursuing it. Brandon had talked to Casey Pack in Hayfield — they are hosting it soon — and they told us that we should definitely pursue it with the field that we have and the rich tradition of baseball in the area. This is a good opportunity for the community and the baseball program to showcase our area this way.”

Even though it is three years in the offing, Nesvold said that plans have already been set in motion.

“As soon as we set a text out to our Association members and board, Bruce Woitas responded that the planning has to start now,” Nesvold said. “This last fall and now in the spring we have put new netting frames in front of the dugouts. And a big project is the new scoreboard in February. And this fall is a big undertaking in replacing our outfield fence. We will do exactly the same the same thing that we currently have. Once we get that done, then we are really going to start looking at what other improvements we can make to the field and the spectator aspect.”

Nesvold said that they have a meeting planned on April 3.

“We are really going to have to start figuring things out at that meeting of what we have to do to get things going,” he said. “I know that Brandon has had contact with St. Charles, who hosted this year, and getting ideas of the plans that they had. We will definitely use those ideas of the communities that have hosted this recently, just why re-invent the wheel if you don’t have to.”

Nesvold said that the tournament should be a big weekend for Sleepy Eye community-wise.

“We need to get all of the businesses and attractions — the Waterpark and the lake — so everybody is on board with it,” he said. “Getting the Chamber [of Commerce] involved. This tournament is going to have to be more of a community collaboration to make it all be a good experience for all of the people involved.”

Nesvold said that there is housing involved for the teams, state legion board members and umpires.

“We have to house the players on the teams and I believe the [state] legion board,” Nesvold said. “We have the community center and the revamped hotel in Sleepy Eye, we will definitely use that. But we will probably have to look at hotels in Springfield and New Ulm as other places because I don’t think we will have enough rooms in Sleepy Eye. We have to pay for the hotels for the teams — we have not gotten into a lot of details about what else — I am assuming that we have to pay for umpires rooms, but I am not entirely sure on that. It is a big expense, but if you do it right it can be a money-maker as well.”

Nesvold said that over the years Sleepy Eye has had a good group of people who have volunteered to help.

“We are going to need other volunteers,” he said. “It should be a fun time, but it is going to be here quicker than we think.”