Freedom Pro Baseball League

{{Short description|Former independent baseball league}}

{{Infobox sports league

| title = Freedom Professional Baseball League

| logo =

| caption =

| sport = Baseball

| founded = 2012

| teams = 4

| country = United States

| champion = Phoenix Prospectors

| website = {{URL|https://web.archive.org/web/20160304070954/http://www.freedomprobaseballleague.com/|Freedom Pro Baseball League (archived 4 March 2016)}}

}}

The Freedom Pro Baseball League was an independent baseball league based in Arizona that played in 2012 and 2013. The league started with four teams, the Scottsdale Centennials, Peoria Explorers, Phoenix Prospectors, and the Prescott Federals in 2012.{{cite web|url=http://ballparkbiz.wordpress.com/2012/03/05/freedom-league-launches-in-arizona/#more-28572|title=Freedom League Launches in Arizona|date=March 5, 2012|work=Ballparkbiz.com}} The Phoenix Prospectors won the inaugural league championship in 2012{{cite web|url=http://www.freedombaseballleague.webforcepro.net/News.html|title=Copper State Prospectors named championship team for 2012 season|work=Freedom Pro Baseball League|date=September 5, 2012|access-date=July 8, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150708190027/http://www.freedombaseballleague.webforcepro.net/News.html|archive-date=July 8, 2015|url-status=dead}} and repeated as champions in 2013.{{cite web|url=http://www.independentbaseball.net/independent-baseball-teams/phoenix-prospectors-win-2013-freedom-league-championship/|title=Phoenix Prospectors Win 2013 Freedom League Championship|date=September 2, 2013|work=independentbaseball.net}}

Joe Sperle was the President and Founder of the Freedom Pro Baseball League. Sperle, the owner of Joe Sperle's Baseball School, has over 20 years of playing and coaching experience.{{cite web|url=http://www.freedomprobaseballleague.com/league-history.html|title=Freedom League History|work=Freedomprobaseballleague.com|access-date=2015-07-08|archive-date=2015-07-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150709094500/http://www.freedomprobaseballleague.com/league-history.html|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://www.joesperlebaseball.com/|title=Joe Sperle Baseball School|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141214164901/http://www.joesperlebaseball.com/|archivedate=2014-12-14}}

Former Major League Baseball players Julio Lugo and Joey Gathright were signed in 2013 to develop their skills to try to make a come back in the Major Leagues.{{cite web|url=http://freedomproleague.blogspot.com/2013/05/joey-gathright-signs-with-peoria_17.html|title=Joey Gathright signs with Peoria Explorers of the Freedom Professional Baseball League|work=freedomproleague blog|date=May 17, 2013|accessdate=July 7, 2015}}

The league did not play in 2014 because they were unable to work out a lease agreement with Kino Stadium.{{cite web|url=http://ballparkdigest.com/201406037346/independent-baseball/news/freedom-baseball-league-pitches-pima-county-on-kino-stadium-lease|title=Freedom Baseball League pitches Pima County on Kino Stadium lease|work=ballparkdigest.com|first=Kevin|last=Richard|date=June 3, 2014}}