Former Washington Nationals Director of Business Affairs Henry Hunter has been named the commissioner of the Pioneer Baseball League.
The Pioneer Baseball League (PBL), a Major League Baseball Professional Partner League, announced the news in a July 5 release, explaining that Hunter will oversee league management and baseball operations.
Hunter has been the PBL’s executive vice president since 2021, overseeing revenue generation, strategy, and the league’s ongoing digital transformation. As commissioner, he will oversee the league’s management and baseball operations. The former Nationals executive will also lead all on-field matters including rules enforcement, umpire supervision, and player transactions.
“It’s been an honor and a pleasure to work in the PBL,” Hunter said in the release. “We inherited a rich history and strong foundation due to the leadership and collegiality of former commissioner Jim McCurdy. I’m very proud of what we have built in the last few years and couldn’t be more excited about the league’s future. I learn something new every day from our incredibly talented league office staff, team owners, general managers, managers, players, and so many others in and around the PBL, and remain grateful for their continued confidence and support. Most of all, I am grateful for Mike Shapiro’s trust and friendship.”
PBL President Mike Shapiro said in a statement that he knows Hunter will excel in the new role.
“I couldn’t be prouder and more thankful for the tremendous job Henry has done since joining me to oversee the league office for the Pioneer League,” said Shapiro. “In his new and expanded role, Henry will help assure that the Pioneer League is operated professionally and in keeping with the league’s mission to provide not only family entertainment for our fans but also a high level of play on the field.”
The Pioneer Baseball League has been playing ball since 1939 and features 10 teams located in Montana, Idaho, Utah, and Colorado. It serves as a developmental league to Major League Baseball, with no player on the active roster having more than three years of prior professional baseball service. Each team is limited to a roster of 25 active players.
Unlike most professional leagues, any Pioneer League game that is tied after nine innings is determined by a home-run shootout called the Knockout Round.