Take Me Out to the Ball Game… But in Orlando? Really?

The Orlando Dreamers Think Central Florida Is Finally Ready for Major League Baseball. Are They Right?

By The Remington Post

For years, the idea sounded like a pipe dream.

Orlando?

Major League Baseball?

Most people laughed.

After all, Florida already has the Miami Marlins and the Tampa Bay Rays. Why would Major League Baseball plant another franchise just 90 miles down Interstate 4?

But what if the people pushing this idea aren’t dreamers in the figurative sense?

What if they’re some of the most connected people in professional sports?

That’s exactly what’s happening.

It Started With a Man Who Changed Orlando Forever

If there’s anyone who has earned the right to dream big in Central Florida, it was the late Pat Williams.

Williams wasn’t just another sports executive. He was the co-founder of the Orlando Magic and the driving force behind bringing the NBA to Orlando in 1989. Back then, plenty of people questioned whether Orlando could support an NBA franchise.

History answered that question.

Now, Williams’ final sports mission is being carried forward by the organization he founded in 2019—the Orlando Dreamers—whose goal is to bring Major League Baseball to Central Florida. Even after Williams’ death in 2024, the group has continued pressing forward with the vision he left behind.

This Isn’t Just a Fan Club

One reason the Dreamers have started attracting national attention is because this isn’t simply a group of baseball fans hoping someone notices.

The roster behind the project reads almost like an All-Star lineup.

Leading the baseball side is Hall of Famer Barry Larkin, a 12-time All-Star and World Series champion with the Cincinnati Reds. Larkin serves as the Dreamers’ MLB Ambassador, helping make the case to league officials that Orlando deserves a franchise.

Then there’s Johnny Damon.

The former Red Sox and Yankees star—and two-time World Series champion—isn’t just lending his name to the effort. The Dr. Phillips High School graduate serves as the group’s MLB Strategic Advisor and has become one of its most visible public advocates.

Joining them is former World Series MVP David Eckstein, another Central Florida baseball icon who grew up in Sanford before carving out one of baseball’s most inspiring careers. Eckstein now serves as the Dreamers’ MLB Community Advisor, focusing on fan engagement and community outreach.

The Baseball Brain Trust Keeps Growing

The support doesn’t stop there.

The Dreamers have assembled a Sports Advisory Board that includes names longtime baseball fans instantly recognize:

• Hall of Famer Jim Kaat
• Former Braves president and longtime MLB executive John Hart
• Former Rockies and Pirates manager Clint Hurdle
• Two-time All-Star A.J. Pierzynski
• Former Yankees and Guardians pitcher Nick Goody
• Former Yankees, Reds and Expos executive Murray Cook

Even NBA legend Oscar Robertson and Los Angeles Clippers center Brook Lopez are listed among the organization’s advisors, giving the effort an unusual blend of baseball credibility and broader sports influence.

Behind the Scenes

While the former players provide star power, much of the business side has been led by Jim Schnorf, the Dreamers’ co-founder and COO. Schnorf, a CPA and finance executive, has been responsible for structuring the ownership group, financial strategy, and stadium financing efforts.

Marketing efforts have been spearheaded by longtime sports executive Andrew Herdliska, who spent two decades working alongside Pat Williams and has made it his mission to carry Williams’ vision forward.

Why Orlando?

The Dreamers argue that Orlando today is dramatically different from the city Major League Baseball overlooked decades ago.

The region has become one of America’s fastest-growing metropolitan areas, welcomes nearly 80 million visitors annually, and has climbed to become one of the nation’s largest television markets without an MLB franchise. The group believes those factors, combined with tourism and corporate growth, make Orlando uniquely positioned to support a team.

Their proposed home?

A modern, domed stadium near International Drive and the Orange County Convention Center—designed to take advantage of both local residents and millions of tourists already visiting Central Florida every year.

But Can Orlando Really Support Baseball?

That’s the question.

Supporters point to Orlando’s explosive growth, sold-out sporting events, and the success of the Magic, Orlando City SC, and the Orlando Pride.

Skeptics point to something else.

Florida has struggled at times to fill baseball stadiums. Both the Rays and Marlins have faced attendance challenges over the years, leading some to wonder whether adding a third MLB franchise makes sense.

Then there’s the biggest hurdle of all:

Major League Baseball hasn’t announced where its next expansion teams—or any future relocation—will land.

Cities such as Nashville, Salt Lake City, Portland, Charlotte, and others are also jockeying for position. Orlando is competing in a crowded field.

More Than a Dream

Perhaps the most compelling part of the Orlando Dreamers story isn’t the proposed stadium or the financial projections.

It’s the people.

This isn’t being led by anonymous investors chasing a business opportunity.

It’s being championed by individuals who have won World Series championships, built championship franchises, and helped transform Orlando into a major sports city once before.

Pat Williams proved the doubters wrong when he brought the NBA to Orlando.

Now, his successors are betting that history can repeat itself.

Whether Major League Baseball agrees remains to be seen.

But one thing is certain:

The Orlando Dreamers have turned what once sounded like fantasy into one of the most serious—and fascinating—sports expansion campaigns in America.