The Butler BlueSox are set to return.

Dean Selfridge, director of Michelle Krill Field at Historic Pullman Park, said Tuesday the franchise will return in the summer of 2020 as part of the Tri-State Collegiate League.

The Diamond Dawgs and Butler Iron Bucks played their home games at Pullman as part of the tri-state league last year. The Diamond Dawgs are no longer in the league.

The Iron Bucks — the collegiate team representing the Core Athletics youth baseball program based in Gibsonia — will be taking on the BlueSox name while returning to the league.

“Rather than try to find enough kids for two teams (one being the BlueSox), we decided to take on the BlueSox name and bring that franchise back,” said Shawn Manning, one of the Core Athletics directors.

The Pullman Park board's vote on this move is scheduled for Dec. 16 and is expected to pass.

Selfridge said the board is opting for the Tri-State Collegiate League over the Great Lakes collegiate league and a proposed Professional Introduction League.

“We couldn't come to financial terms (on the PIL concept) and to join the Great Lakes league, we were looking at an operating budget of $70,000. That was just too much,” Selfridge said.

“The Prospect League asked us to come back, too, but we have to make sure the community will commit to supporting the BlueSox again before we can make a commitment like that ourselves.”

The Butler BlueSox were a member of the Prospect League for 10 years before folding following the 2018 season.

Presently, the Tri-State Collegiate League has seven teams — the Pittsburgh Pandas, Pittsburgh Black Sox, franchises in Cleveland, Toledo and Youngstown, the BlueSox and an expansion team in DuBois.

The BlueSox figure to have 18 home dates in 2020.

“This is an affordable league for us at this time,” Selfridge said. “We will deal with the marketing, ticket sales, that sort of thing, while Shawn's group will handle the baseball operations.”

Manning said last year's Iron Bucks manager, Dan Helgert, will return to manage the BlueSox next year.

“Dan was very popular with the players and a lot of those kids are coming back to play for him again,” Manning said. “I expect we'll have a number of Butler County players on the roster again.

“A number of our players will be in their third and final year with the team.”

The team played in the tri-state league as the Core Athletics in 2018 before becoming the Iron Bucks last year.

The schedule will feature single games and doubleheaders.

“I like this league because a lot of these players have jobs and it gives them time to work,” Manning said. “When teams like Cleveland and Toledo come in, they will be doubleheaders for travel purposes.

“We're excited about this. Nothing is totally official yet, but we know what the BlueSox name means to people in Butler. We love the game and just want to be a part of it.”