Over 30 MLB Players Organized Informal Training Camp in Florida Amid Pandemic

A group of Major League Baseball players organized an informal training camp in Florida during the coronavirus pandemic. 

Per The Athletic's Brittney Ghiroli, more than 30 players formed a "secret baseball group" that was playing games at Palm Beach Gardens High School.

Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, Corey Kluber, Paul Goldschmidt and Giancarlo Stanton were among the notable stars who took part in the camp that had "quietly been working together—from a safe distance."

Ghiroli explained that a number of players whose teams hold spring training in Florida remained in the state after MLB canceled its spring training schedule on March 12 because of the pandemic. 

Eric and Anna Cressey, who operate Cressey Sports Performance in Florida, organized two games for the players late last month. 

"There were rules for safety, including no sliding and distancing as much as possible," Ghiroli wrote. "But it was no boring spring showdown. There were pitching battles, several home runs and plenty of good-natured trash talking. The group went through 56 balls in that first game, giving Cressey a crash course on baseball expenses."

There have been no known COVID-19 cases among players who took part in the informal camp. 

Florida has seen a recent spike in confirmed coronavirus cases, including a single-day record of more than 10,000 reported by the state's health department Thursday. 

MLB players have returned to their team's home cities this week before the start of formal workouts and baseball activities July 3. The regular season is scheduled to being July 23.