USA TODAY 10Best
10 spring training ballparks that hit the sweet spot
Best Spring Training Facility (2024)
The first sound of spring might well be "Batter, batter, batter!" as spring training begins in sunny Arizona and Florida. But which spring training spots are the best?
An expert panel has nominated their top picks, considering amenities for the fans, views, and atmosphere. Then, readers voted for their favorites to determine the winners. Here are the 10 best spring training facilities.
About 10Best Readers' Choice Awards
Nominees are submitted by a panel of experts. 10Best editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For any questions or comments, please read the FAQ or email USA TODAY 10Best.
The Experts
Alex Tantum
Alex Tantum is the founding director of MLBFITS... Read More
Alex Tantum is the founding director of MLBFITS (@mlb.fits), an Instagram account with a mission of marketing MLB players and connecting them with fans in new ways by showcasing their personalities through their off-field fashion, on-field customized gear, and intersections between baseball and pop culture. Since its launch in October 2019, the account has grown to over 95K followers, including hundreds of active MLB players and top prospects. MLBFITS frequently engages with MLB players, collaborating with superstars such as Manny Machado, Francisco Lindor, and Jazz Chisholm, amongst many others, and working with media companies in the industry such as Bleacher Report and Jomboy Media. Alex also travels around the country interviewing players as an extension of the mission of helping players market themselves and helping fans to get to know them better. MLBFITS has been featured in publications including the New York Post, Bloomberg, and GQ and recognized on MLB Network. Alex is a Villanova University graduate, Class of 2022. You can follow MLBFITS on Instagram @mlb.fits, and Alex on his personal Instagram @alextantum and TikTok @alextantum. You can also connect with him on LinkedIn.
Alex Tantum
Alex Tantum is the founding director of MLBFITS (@mlb.fits), an Instagram account with a mission of marketing MLB players and connecting them with fans in new ways by showcasing their personalities through their off-field fashion, on-field customized gear, and intersections between baseball and pop culture. Since its launch in October 2019, the account has grown to over 95K followers, including hundreds of active MLB players and top prospects. MLBFITS frequently engages with MLB players, collaborating with superstars such as Manny Machado, Francisco Lindor, and Jazz Chisholm, amongst many others, and working with media companies in the industry such as Bleacher Report and Jomboy Media. Alex also travels around the country interviewing players as an extension of the mission of helping players market themselves and helping fans to get to know them better. MLBFITS has been featured in publications including the New York Post, Bloomberg, and GQ and recognized on MLB Network. Alex is a Villanova University graduate, Class of 2022. You can follow MLBFITS on Instagram @mlb.fits, and Alex on his personal Instagram @alextantum and TikTok @alextantum. You can also connect with him on LinkedIn.
Jack Dopp
Jack Dopp is a lifelong baseball fan, having grown... Read More
Jack Dopp is a lifelong baseball fan, having grown up in Philadelphia and spending many years in New York. Jack is a former sports memorabilia vendor who specialized in baseball cards. He grew up in Philadelphia, watching games at Connie Mack Stadium, then Veterans Stadium, and now Citizens Bank Park. Despite having gone to countless games in the last 70+ years, Jack has yet to catch a foul ball in any ballpark. In 1992, he married his wife Donna and moved to New York. In 2013, Jack set out to visit all the ballparks in the MLB. It took 9 years, but in 2022, he was able to complete his journey in Chicago, where the Sox and Cubs both rolled out the red carpet for him.
Jack Dopp
Jack Dopp is a lifelong baseball fan, having grown up in Philadelphia and spending many years in New York. Jack is a former sports memorabilia vendor who specialized in baseball cards. He grew up in Philadelphia, watching games at Connie Mack Stadium, then Veterans Stadium, and now Citizens Bank Park. Despite having gone to countless games in the last 70+ years, Jack has yet to catch a foul ball in any ballpark. In 1992, he married his wife Donna and moved to New York. In 2013, Jack set out to visit all the ballparks in the MLB. It took 9 years, but in 2022, he was able to complete his journey in Chicago, where the Sox and Cubs both rolled out the red carpet for him.
Jessica DeLine
Jessica is a lifelong baseball fan and has been... Read More
Jessica is a lifelong baseball fan and has been lucky to have been
writing about the sport since 2016. She is the former editor in chief of
the SB Nation Angels fan site Halos Heaven and is current editor in
chief and co founder of the Angels fan site Crashing the Pearly Gates.
Jessica has been to 28 of 30 MLB stadiums, a handful of MiLB stadiums
and attends games frequently in Anaheim and San Diego where she now
lives. You can find her on Twitter @abaseballchick.
Jessica DeLine
Jessica is a lifelong baseball fan and has been lucky to have been
writing about the sport since 2016. She is the former editor in chief of
the SB Nation Angels fan site Halos Heaven and is current editor in
chief and co founder of the Angels fan site Crashing the Pearly Gates.
Jessica has been to 28 of 30 MLB stadiums, a handful of MiLB stadiums
and attends games frequently in Anaheim and San Diego where she now
lives. You can find her on Twitter @abaseballchick.
Malcolm MacMillan
Malcolm MacMillan is a writer, avid baseball fan... Read More
Malcolm MacMillan is a writer, avid baseball fan and founder of The Ballpark Guide. His website features tips to help fans get the most out of their ballpark visits, including advice on how to save money on parking, find the ultimate seat, eat the best food and snag baseballs. Malcolm also writes a travel blog that takes the reader, through his stories and photos, on his road trip adventures to new ballparks each summer. He has been to more than 80 affiliated stadiums across the major and minor leagues since 2010, and his work has been featured in USA Today, Forbes and ESPN Radio.
Malcolm MacMillan
Malcolm MacMillan is a writer, avid baseball fan and founder of The Ballpark Guide. His website features tips to help fans get the most out of their ballpark visits, including advice on how to save money on parking, find the ultimate seat, eat the best food and snag baseballs. Malcolm also writes a travel blog that takes the reader, through his stories and photos, on his road trip adventures to new ballparks each summer. He has been to more than 80 affiliated stadiums across the major and minor leagues since 2010, and his work has been featured in USA Today, Forbes and ESPN Radio.
Catherine Smith
Catherine Smith, Readers' Choice Awards... Read More
Catherine Smith, Readers' Choice Awards Production Manager and Social Media Director for USA TODAY 10Best, has a special interest in unique culinary experiences and off-the-beaten-path adventures. Catherine is the founder of Her Bags Were Packed where she focuses on helping women release emotional baggage through solo travel and self-discovery.
Catherine Smith
Catherine Smith, Readers' Choice Awards Production Manager and Social Media Director for USA TODAY 10Best, has a special interest in unique culinary experiences and off-the-beaten-path adventures. Catherine is the founder of Her Bags Were Packed where she focuses on helping women release emotional baggage through solo travel and self-discovery.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original,... Read More
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.