Prospect League Announces 2026 Hall of Fame Class

MAHOMET, Ill. – The Prospect League is proud to announce its 2026 Hall of Fame class. Bryan Wickline, Chillicothe Paints President and former Prospect League Commissioner, and Ryan Howard, 1999 Decatur Blue and former MLB MVP, have been enshrined as the ninth and tenth members of the Prospect League Hall of Fame.

Bryan Wickline has served the Chillicothe Paints since 1994, joining the organization originally as a college intern before being named Assistant General Manager in 1995 and General Manager in 1996. He held the title of General Manager for twenty seasons until assuming the role of Chillicothe Paints President and Managing Partner of Paints Sports and Entertainment in 2016.

Over his career in Chillicothe, Wickline has been honored with many accolades, including Prospect League General Manager of the Year in 2024 and Prospect League Director of the Year in 2025. The Paints have also been crowned Prospect League Champions, a league record four times, in 2010, 2019, 2022, and 2023, and captured a league-high 569 wins across the 16 seasons.

Wickline has also served the Prospect League since the Paints became a Charter Member during the League’s founding in 2009. He was elected President of the Board at the first annual meeting and served in that capacity through many of the League’s first years. Wickline also served as Co-Commissioner of the Prospect League during the 2009 season, and sole Commissioner during the 2014 and 2015 seasons.

“I’m incredibly honored to be elected to the Prospect League Hall of Fame,” said Wickline. “I’d like to thank my fellow directors and peers, who have helped make our League the best in the country, and my wife and family for their support when my various League roles and duties have taken me away from home over the years. I would also like to congratulate my fellow inductee, Ryan Howard, a tremendous big leaguer, and still one of our biggest League supporters.”

“I was fortunate to be present in those early meetings when we agreed to merge in 2009,” continued Wickline. “Fast forward 17 years, and the amount of growth our League has experienced is overwhelmingly impressive. We’ve overcome many obstacles and growing pains, but I would put our League against any other in the country. Our owners, operators, facilities, and affordability make us the number one collegiate summer league for players, fans, and ownership groups.”

Ryan Howard, a member of the CICL’s 1999 Decatur Blues, was part of the Missouri State University (then Southwest Missouri State) baseball team from 1999 to 2001. He hit .355 with 19 home runs his freshman season, and was subsequently named the school’s Rookie of the Year, the Missouri Valley Conference Rookie of the Year, and a Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-American. He would go on to hit 50 home runs, drive in 183 runs, and bat .335 over 172 collegiate games.

The Philadelphia Phillies selected Howard in the 5th round of the 2001 Major League Baseball amateur player draft. He was named the 2005 National League Rookie of the Year after batting .288 with 22 home runs, 52 runs scored, and 63 runs batted in. He went on to be named National League MVP the following season in 2006, hitting .313 with 149 runs batted in and 58 home runs, breaking fellow Prospect League Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt's Phillies single-season record.

Spending 13 seasons in the Major Leagues, Howard finished his career with 1,475 hits, 382 home runs, 848 runs scored, and 1,194 runs batted in. In addition to his honors as Rookie of the Year and MVP, he was named an All-Star three times, won the NL Silver Slugger in 2006, won the 2006 Home Run Derby, and captured the 2008 World Series with the Phillies.

“My time in the CICL was incredible and played a major role in shaping my career,” said Howard. The level of baseball I was able to learn and compete in, along with the relationships I built with teammates—many of whom I’m still close with today—are things I’ll always value. It’s a true honor to have played in the league, and an even greater honor to be elected into the Hall of Fame. I’m grateful to everyone who made this possible, especially the CICL, the Decatur Blues, and all the staff who supported us along the way.”

Formed in 2024, the Prospect League Hall of Fame celebrates more than six decades of summer collegiate baseball history in the Midwest. To commemorate their honor, each Hall of Famer receives a ring produced by league partner Baron. Wickline and Howard join Mike Schmidt, Danny Goodwin, Kirby Puckett, Ben Zobrist, Brian Dorsett, Sean Manaea, who were inducted in 2024’s inaugural class, and Jeanie Cooke and Mitch Moreland, who were inducted in 2025’s class.

“These two influential figures are truly deserving of the Prospect League’s highest honor,” said Commissioner David Brauer. “Bryan Wickline was a driving force behind the creation of the modern-day Prospect League and has played an instrumental role in its success since its inception. Ryan Howard was a highly decorated player in both his NCAA baseball and Major League Baseball career and exemplifies the League’s standards on and off the field.” 

The Prospect League opens the 2026 season on Tuesday, May 26.

About the Prospect League
The Prospect League is a premier, Midwestern, wood-bat collegiate summer baseball league with 20 teams spanning Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee, and Pennsylvania. The League provides college players with a professional setting, featuring excellent competition and high-quality facilities. More than 1.8 million fans attended Prospect League games in the past three seasons, shattering multiple attendance records.

Formerly known as the Central Illinois Collegiate League (1963-2008), the Prospect League boasts over 60 years of tradition as one of the nation's original and most recognizable summer leagues. Its distinguished history includes Hall of Famers, NCAA and World Series Champions, over 200 Major League Baseball alumni, and more than 800 professional players worldwide. For more information, visit prospectleague.com and follow @prospectleague on social media.

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