Big Win

by Len Nunes

Going into the 9th inning, our Prospects up 8-6 over the Moose Jaw Miller Express and the Express load the bases.  Uh-oh here we go again right? Wrong!  Prospects pitcher Sean Guite induces a game ending flyball to left field and our Prospects hold on to win 8-7!

Prospects starting pitcher Zach Hanks would earn his first win of the season settling down nicely after the Express scored three runs in the first inning.  Three of Hanks seven innings pitched were three up three down innings.

Our Prospects offense tied the game at three in the bottom of the second inning.  The scoring started when 3B Tony Olson would fly out scoring RF Spencer Dunlap.  CF Connor Battaglia would be credited with a steal of home scoring the Prospects second run of the game and 2B Tommy Clouthier would score on a mishandled ball by the Express shortstop.

Our Prospects would take their first lead of the game when Tony Olson would score on a wild pitch making it 4-3 after four innings.

Now down 5-4 going into the bottom of the seventh and with the bases loaded, Tommy Clouthier would hit a bases clearing double putting our Prospects back into the lead at 7-5.

Moose Jaw would make it 7-6 in the top of the eighth inning only to see our Prospects take that run back in the bottom of the 8th when Spencer Dunlap hit an RBI double scoring Logan Wedgewood. This would end up being the game winning RBI as the Express would score in the top of the 9th but fall short as our Prospects enjoyed win number three of the season.

POT OF GOLD:

With 6 stolen bases during the game our Prospects moved out of the league basement into ninth overall.  What needs to be noted is that the Prospects rank 4th overall in stealing percentage.

Tommy Clouthier re-gained the league lead in being hit by a pitch with his 10th plunk of the season.

NEXT GAME:

 

A Sunday afternoon game versus the Saskatoon Yellow Jackets (10-10).  2:05PM is the scheduled first pitch at Telus Field.

 

 

Monday – July 1^st, 7:05 pm at Telus Field: 

CELEBRATE CANADA DAY WITH THE PROSPECTS -

  AJ & Friends will be on hand both before and after the game to insure the night is filled with fun, excitement, great music and great baseball!

 

BEST PLACE IN THE CITY TO WATCH THE FIREWORKS!

A Tale Told To Often

by Len Nunes

Facing the league's second highest scoring team, Prospects starting pitcher Jordan Geiger was up to the task.  Geiger would allow a run in his first and last inning finishing the game with eight strong innings under his belt.

Twice our Propsects would battle back from one run deficits to send the game into the ninth tied at two and turning the ball over to the bullpen.  Moose Jaw's offense feasted on our bullpen putting up six runs in the ninth and defeating our Prospects 8-2.

Our Prospects first run was scored in the 6th inning when DH Bryn Redhead would single home 2B Connor Jauch.   Our Prospects second run of the night was scored in the 8th when LF Nathan Parade de la Feraude, with the bases loaded, would fly out deep enough to score Connor Jauch.

With the RBI, Redhead moved into second place on the team with 9 and de la Feraude moved into third place with 8 on the season.

RE-MATCH

Saturday June 29th at 7:05PM at Telus Field.

CANADA DAY FIREWORKS

 

The best place to view the fireworks is Telus Field.

Be sure to buy a ticket to Monday night's Prospects game

to guarantee a seat for the fireworks!

Coming Home

Our Edmonton Prospects (2-17) return home for a four game Canada Day Weekend at Telus Field starting this Friday versus the Moose Jaw Miller Express (9-12).

With last Tuesday's game in Saskatoon being rained out and Prospects starting pitcher Michael Nelson throwing a complete game on Wednesday, our weary Prospects bullpen will have three days of rest leading into Friday nights game. 

While Moose Jaw currently boast the second highest scoring team in the WMBL our Edmonton Prospects offence has shown some great potential.  With all the rain it feels like forever ago but it was just one week that our Prospects scored a minimum of 8 runs per game through a four game stretch!  Your Prospects are led by Sean Guite (.420) and Andy Wicklund (.405), whom are currently 4th and 6th in WMBL batting average.

Friday and Saturday games versus Moose Jaw start at 7:05PM. 

 

Be sure to guarantee yourself a seat for the Canada Day Fireworks

 by also purchasing tickets to Monday night's game!!

Underdogs

Your Edmonton Prospects come home tonight (Monday June 24) for a one game homestand against an opponent that has had our number all season.  The Okotoks Dawgs make their way into Telus Field after earning their seventh victory against our squad last night in Okotoks.

Going into tonight's game the Okotoks Dawgs have the top two hitters in WMBL batting average race.  Our Prospects have the number three and four hitters, Sean Guite and Andy Wicklund respectively.

Bring your camera to take pictures with the legendary mascot Homer as he roams the concourse and bring your rally towels to urge on your Prospects!!  Game starts at 7:05 and if it starts to rain, we do sell umbrellas!

NEXT UP:

Our boys travel to Saskatoon to play the Yellow Jackets (7-8) on Tuesday and Wednesday before enjoying a travel/rest day on Thursday.

HEADS UP IT'S ONLY A WEEK AWAY:

Monday – July 1^st, 7:05 pm at Telus Field: CELEBRATE CANADA DAY WITH THE PROSPECTS - Party, music, family fun, baseball and the best place in the city to watch the fireworks! AJ & Friends will be on hand both before and after the game to insure the night is filled with fun, excitement, great music and great baseball! 

We are expecting a sellout due to the fireworks, don't be disappointed,

buy your tickets as soon as possible!

Flying Higher Than Cardinals

Edmonton Prospect infielder Logan Wedgewood wrapped up last night's game perfectly via twitter:
"#raindelay festivities, triple play, and win, #fantastic day at the ballpark #prospects"

Your Edmonton Prospects (2-14) grabbed hold of their 2nd win of the season defeating the Yorkton Cardinals (6-11) by a convincing score of 9-2.

Every Edmonton Prospect player reached base safely at least once and your Prospects scored in each of the first 5 innings building up an 8-2 lead.

Before I delve into the scoring breakdown, credit has to be given to Prospects starting pitcher Cory Duggan who pitched a solid (and much needed) eight innings deservedly picking up his first win of the season.  Duggan only allowed five hits and two walks before giving way in the ninth inning to Aaron Pepin.  

The ninth inning has been a sore spot for our bullpen especially this past week and some nervousness had to enter the dugout when the first two Cardinals reached base safely.  That is when one of the rarest plays in baseball happened - - the triple play!!

3B Sean Guite opened the scoring for your Prospects with his league leading 8th double of the season driving home DH Andy Wicklund.  Speaking of Mr. Wicklund, his 4-5 night at the dish raised his batting average to a league best .452!

In the 2nd inning, CF Connor Battaglia singled scoring LF Nathan Parade de la Feraude. 

In the 3rd inning with the bases loaded, C Spencer Dunlap was hit by pitch bringing in SS Connor Jauch.  2B Tony Olson would clear the bases with a double giving our Prospects a 6-1 lead.

The lead would grow to 7-1in the 4th inning when 1B Bryn Redhead would single home Wicklund.

Battaglia picked up his 2nd RBI of the game in the 5th inning making 8-2.  Your Prospects final tally of the night would occur in the bottom of the 7th when Wicklund scored  RF Dean Olson.

POT OF GOLD:

During the bottom of the 4th inning there was about a 30 minute rain delay and the fans in attendance were treated to some amazing family entertainment provided by both clubhouses.

It started off with a couple of Prospect players pretending to be hunting which then somehow turned into a "danceoff" between the clubs.  The "danceoff" turned into a war re-enactment that had stage show quality followed by the clubhouses alternating sport demonstrations.  Sport demos included human bowling, human jousting, tennis, hockey, football, mid-air swimming and many more.

To see some pictures and videos of the rain delay festivites, scroll through the Edmonton Prospects Twitter page

NEXT UP:

Our Prospects travel to Lethbridge where they hope to play Saturday night at 7:05PM.

For Prospects fans hoping to catch the game on Shaw TV, as per Twitter's @WMBLonShaw, "game broadcasts scheduled for this weekend have been cancelled due to #yycflood. We hope everyone stays safe and dry."

The Edmonton Prospects Baseball Club wishes all families

affected by the Southern Alberta flooding the best in recovering

 from the terrible situation as quickly as possible.

Not in the Cards

For the second time in the past three games, our Prospects were three outs away from victory.  Win number two on the season continues to elude our Prospects (1-14) as the Yorkton Cardinals (6-10) rallied for five runs in the ninth inning to defeat the home team 12-9.

After the Cardinals jumped out to a 2-0 lead, your Prospects chipped away and led 3-2 after five innings. 

C Bryn Redhead opened the scoring for our Prospects in the third inning with a RBI single bringing home CF Connor Battaglia.  In the fourth inning 3B Andy Wicklund would earn an RBI with single knocking home 2B Tommy Clouthier. In the fifth inning DH Jordan Geiger would hit a sacrifice fly scoring Sean Guite.

Then after the Cardinals took a 7-4 lead, your Prospects battled back to regain the lead at 9-7 going into the ninth inning.

In the sixth inning Wicklund would double scoring Battaglia.  In the seventh inning, Geiger would double scoring Redhead then got cashed in with a Spencer Dunlop double.

In the 8th inning, Guite's 2nd triple of the game scored Wicklund and Jauch.  Guite would be cashed by Geiger to finish our Prospects scoring on the evening.

POT OF GOLD:

Here's an impressive list of what Sean Guite has accomplished so far this season:

• 3rd in WMBL doubles with 7
• tied for 1st in WMBL in 3
• 8th in WMBL batting average with a .389 average
• 9th in WMBL RBI total with 13

Also in the top 10 in the league batting average are Prospects Andy Wicklund (.421 places 3rd) and Bryn Redhead (.377 places 10th)

NEXT UP:

Friday - June 21^st, 7:05 pm at Telus Field - “A NIGHT WITH JIMMY WHIFFEN”
Jimmy Whiffen's sound has been influenced by some of the best country and rock tunes ever written and played, and it shows. With over 6,000 gigs, countless miles in the rearview mirror, the hole in his guitar, and over 500 renditions of these great songs . . . well, you have to hear it for yourself. Jimmy joins the Prospects for an evening of pure unadulterated fun mixing baseball with music to provide fans with a truly Canadian experience! AJ & Friends presents special guest Jimmy Whiffen for this evenings pre-game tailgate party – Tickets available online at Ticketmaster for $20 and includes the Jimmy Whiffen pregame show and ballgame!

Never Give Up

by Len Nunes

A quick glance at last night's Prospects game boxscore shows another loss to the Okotoks Dawgs, this time 11-9.  Another glance at the boxscore shows you that your Prospects scored seven runs in the bottom of the ninth which should count as a lesson for us fans. 

What lesson you ask?  Do not let the 1-13 record fool into believing this team is about to pack things in for the season.  The fighting spirit runs deep in your Prospect clubhouse and sooner rather than later the wins will come for this determined bunch of ball players.

Here's a breakdown of the epic ninth inning from last night:

• pinch hitters Tony Olson and Nathan Parade de la Feraude both reach base
• pinch hitter Jordan Geiger doubles scoring T. Olson
• Dean Olson sinlges scoring de la Feraude
• Connor Battaglia hits into an RBI groundout scoring Geiger
• Andy Wicklund singles and Jauch records out number two
• Bryn Redhead singles home D. Olson
• Sean Guite singles home Wicklund
• de la Feraude (in his 2nd at bat of the inning) singles home Redhead and Guite

NEXT UP:

A 2 game homestand versus the Yorkton Cardinals (4-9) on Thursday June 20 and Friday June 21.

Both games are scheduled to start at 7:05PM and both games have special attractions.

Thursday is our 2nd edition of "Thirsty Thursday" where you get to save $1 on beer.

Friday is our 2nd edition of our "Tailgate Party" this time featuring the musical stylings of Jimmy Whiffen.

Got'em! Nope, Don't Got'em!

by Len Nunes

Hayden Cleveland of the Okotoks Dawgs was making his third consecutive start against our Prospects yesterday afternoon, his first two appearances were shutouts.  Our Prospects learned their lesson and ousted Cleveland after only one of inning of play yesterday by scoring 3 runs before the opposing pitcher could even register an out!

The Dawgs would tie the score at 3 in their half of the first inning but our Prospects came out even hotter in the second inning disposing of yet another Okotoks pitcher.  This time round our Prospects would put up 4 runs before the opposing pitcher registered his first out and led 7-3 going into the bottom of the 2nd inning.

After the Dawgs scored a run in the bottom of the second, our Prospects quickly responded in the top of the third with an RBI single by starting DH Andy Wicklund.  It already was Wicklund's 3rd hit of the afternoon which made the game 8-4 for our Prospects.

The Dawgs (9-3) would gnaw away at the lead and in the 8th inning would put up four runs to defeat our Prospects (1-12) by a score of 12-8.

POT OF GOLD:

1B Sean Guite hit four doubles yesterday afternoon vaulting him to the top of the WMBL with the most doubles at 7. Guite also had 5 RBI vaulting him to the top of your Prospects team RBI leaders with a total of 10.

Wicklund batting .391 sits 8th overall in the WMBL in batting average with teammates Bryn Redhead (.372) and Guite (.364) joining him in the Top 20.

NEXT GAME:

Tuesday June 18 at Telus Field versus the Okotoks Dawgs.  Game time is 7:05.

A Day to Prepare

by Len Nunes

Your Edmonton Prospects (1-11) are off today (June 15) to prepare for the Okotoks Dawgs (8-2) on Sunday June 16th in Okotoks.  Your Prospects then get Monday off once again to prepare for the Dawgs on Tuesday June 18th at the friendly confines of Telus Field.

If you are a Shaw TV subscriber, you can be like Prospects Coach McMullen and watch the Dawgs game tonight on Shaw Community TV.  Next week, your Prospects will be on Shaw TV when they travel to Lethbridge to play the Bulls on Saturday night.

Your Prospects have gone winless in four attempts against the Dawgs this young season but there have been some bright spots:

• Andy Wicklund has gone 4-14 with 4 walks
• Sean Guite has gone 4-11 with 2 doubles, 2 walks and 2 hit-by-pitches and a RBI
• Nathan Parade de la Feraude has gone 5-11 with 3 RBI
• Justin Hanks pitched well going 7 innings only giving up three runs on three hits

POT OF GOLD

Jordan Geiger made his WMBL debut for your Prospects with a clean inning of work on Friday versus the powerhouse Swift Current Indians.

Your Prospects lead the league in batters hit by pitch with 23 so far this season.  Tommy Clouthier leads the league with 7 plunks and Brandon Mikulka is second with 5.  Both are from Creighton University.

 

Let's Try That Again

by Len Nunes

When playing a first place team like the Swift Current Indians, it is important to get on the scoreboard first.  Last night, a debuting Conner Jauch (playing at 2B) led the game off by being hit by a pitch and worked himself around the bases to open the scoring for your Prospects.

Another key is not allowing your opposition, especially the caliber of the Indians, to put up big innings on offense.  This would be the downfall of our Prospects on the Club's first ever "Thirsty Thursday".  The Indians would have three separate big innings and defeat our Prospects by a score of 14-4.

Starting DH Dean Olson earned 2 RBI on the night both via the sacrifice fly, one in the 2nd inning and one in the 9th inning.

Starting LF Sean Guite also earned a RBI with a single in the 6th inning.

POT OF GOLD:

With 3 hits last night, SS Andy Wicklund moves into 7th overall in the WMBL in batting average at an impressive .405 clip.

NEXT GAME:

Tonight at Telus Field, Coach McMullen and crew try their hand once again against the Swift Current Indians.  Scheduled start time is 7:05PM

Connor Girard (1-1) is scheduled to be our Prospects starting pitcher.  In his previous start, Girard went a strong 7 innings giving up only two runs and striking out 6 leading our Prospects to their lone victory this season.

The One That Got Away

by Len Nunes

Your Edmonton Prospects (1-9) jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the 3rd inning and were leading 5-2 going to the bottom of the 6th inning.  That is when the Medicine Hat Mavericks (10-1) had back-to-back 5 run innings to steal away a Prospects win.  The final score of 12-6 looks lopsided but for most of the game your Prospects had the defending West Division Champs on the ropes.

Your Prospects starting pitcher Justin Hanks  walked the first batter he faced then retired 7 in a row before giving up two runs.  Hanks would then retire the next 8 Maverick batters before the curse of the "third time round batting order" would end his night.

Your Prospects would open the scoring in the 3rd inning with a RBI sacrifice fly by 2B Tommy Clouthier.  DH Bryn Redhead would hit an RBI single then with the bases loaded RF Dwight Mack would put a ball in play that would score Redhead and SS Andy Wicklund opening up a 4-0 lead for our Prospects.

In the 6th inning your Prospects would make their lead 5-2 when RF Connor Battaglia would hit a RBI single scoring Mack. 

In the 9th inning down by seven but refusing to go away quietly your Prospects would score their 6th run of the game when Redhead hit a single scoring Clouthier.

UP NEXT:

If Mother Nature allows it, your Edmonton Prospects are scheduled to host the Swift Current Indians at Telus Field tonight (Thursday) and tomorrow (Friday).  Both games scheduled to begin at 7:00PM.

Don't forget to bring your Rally Towels!!

POT OF GOLD:

This is the second time this season your Prospects play Swift Current.  Here are some highlight performers from the first two game set the teams played.

Michael Nelson is your pencilled in starting pitcher tonight versus Swift Current.  When Nelson faced Swift Current earlier this season he went 7 strong innings giving up only four hits and one run.

Greg Rodgers went 4-7 with a RBI.

Bryn Redhead went 3-5 with 2 RBI and a debuting Andy Wicklund went 3-5 with a RBI.

Re-match of Season Opener

by Len Nunes

Twelve days ago the WMBL season opened up for your Edmonton Prospects facing the West Division Champs in Medicine Hat. Your Prospects would take the Mavericks to extra innings losing in the 13th. Since that day the Mavericks have roared out to a 9-1 start while our Prospects have struggled out of the gate at 1-8.

Tonight's starting Prospects pitcher Justin Hanks (0-1) had a shaky WMBL debut against the Mavericks but was solid in his second WMBL start. Before joining the Prospects, Hanks pitched for Chapman University posting a 4-8 record. Two of those wins were complete games, one of which was a shutout. Chapman also had a no-decision in a game when he pitched 7 2/3 innings of shutout ball.

During the first meeting versus the Mavericks the following Prospect players collected RBI: 2B Tommy Clouthier, OF Brandon Mikulka, OF Nathan Parade de la Feraude, SS Joey Bergandi.

POT OF GOLD:

Sean Guite has hit safely in all 7 games he has appeared in this season.  He also leads the team in doubles with 3.

Nathan Parade de la Feraude is on a 5 game hitting streak.  He is also tied for the team lead in RBI with Bryn Redhead and Tommy Clouthier at 4.

NEXT HOME GAMES:

Thursday June 13 and Friday June 14 versus the Swift Current Indians.  Both games begin at 7:05PM.

Crazy Eights

Your Edmonton Prospects eighth game of the year was close until the eighth inning. During that eighth inning the Lethbridge Bulls (3-5) sent ten men to the plate collecting six runs en route to an 11-3 win over our Prospects (1-7).

The Bulls had built up a 5-0 lead going into the bottom of the 7th when the Prospects put together an impressive rally.  With the bases loaded starting CF Connor Battaglia would punch in LF Sean Guite to break the shutout bid.  2B Tommy Clouthier would then double scoring 3B Joey Bergandi and Battalglia to pull the Prospects within two at 5-3. 

Then that crazy eighth happened and win number two is temporarily on hold.

POT OF GOLD:

Bryn Redhead went 2 for 3 on the afternoon moving his average to .414 on the season placing him 9th overall in the league in batting average.

Greg Rodgers sits 10th overall in the league in batting average at .407.

UP NEXT:

Your Prospects travel to Okotoks on Tuesday to battle the Dawgs at 7:05 PM.

On Wednesday, your Prospects travel to Medicine Hat to battle the Mavericks at 7:05 PM.

NEXT HOME GAME:

 

Thursday June 13 vs Swift Current

Our first "Thirsty Thursday"

$1 off Beer

Monkey Of Our Back

Aided by a double play in the first and second innings plus another double play in the fourth inning, after a quick team conference on the mound, Connor Girard  left the game after 7 strong innings pitched and your Prospects up by six runs.

Then the dreaded "learning curve" of how do win a game seemed to be creeping in until left fielder Sean Guite was moved onto the mound.  The two runners Guite inherited would cross the plate for the Bulls but Guite would strike out the Bulls DH to end the game with the final score 10-7 for your Edmonton Prospects (1-6).

Your Prospects opened the scoring when C Bryn Redhead would knock in 2B Tommy Clouthier.  Sean Guite would triple sending SS Andy Wicklund home opening up a 2-0 lead after one inning of play.

The third inning would see the Prospects cash in on a loaded bases situation. RF Brandon Mikulka would draw a walk to push home a Prospects run then came the big play of the game. On the first pitch he saw, DH Tony Olson hit the ball into the gap and cleared the bases putting your Propsects up by a score of 6-0.  Joey Bergandi would bring home Olson and the Prospects would increase their lead to 7-0.

The eventual winning run was scored in the 5th inning of play with Bergandi once again at the dish.  Mikulka would cross the dish on an error by the Bulls catcher giving your Prospects an 8-2 lead.

The lead would grow to 9-2 in the seventh inning when CF Connor Battaglia would come up with the bases loaded and single home Redhead.  In the next inning, Redhead would do the RBI work singling home 1B Greg Rodgers to make a 10-3 ball game in favor of our Prospects.

NEXT GAME:

This afternoon at 2:05PM hosting the Lethbridge Bulls (2-5).

Left handed pitcher Houston Edwards will be your Prospects Starting Pitcher.  With two no-decisions in his first two starts but a solid 2.70 ERA, Edwards will look to do his part in helping our Prospects sweep the Bulls.

POT OF GOLD:

After the game run the bases and test your speed against the clock to see if you have major league potential. Kids aged 5 – 10 only

Learning to Win

by Len Nunes

Your Edmonton Prospects have fielded a completely new roster this season.  The 0-6 start is not indicative of the talent on this roster. 

Three times, that's half the losses, the loss was via a walk off hit by the opposition.  The other three losses, one timely hit during multiple opportunties with the bases loaded and the score potentially swings our way.  Confidence remains high that once that elusive first victory is devoured, your Edmonton Prospects will work their way out of this slow start and climb to new heights.

The third walk off loss I mentioned above was last night in Okotoks when our Prospects led 4-3 going to the bottom of the ninth.  A leadoff solo homerun to start the inning tied the game at four.   Then with two out, the Dawgs would rally to win the game 5-4.

Your Edmonton Prospects would load the bases on three separate occasions (the 2nd, 3rd and 6th innings) but would only cash in runners in the 3rd inning.  LF Nathan Parade de la Feraude would single scoring DH Andy Wicklund and 3B Sean Guite giving the team a 2-1 lead.

Your Prospects would again take the lead in the 7th inning when 1B Greg Rodgers would drive in Guite to put the team up 4-3.
POT OF GOLD:

Infielder Tommy Clouthier  was hit by a pitch tonight making it his league leading 6th time he has been plunked.

Infielder Greg Rodgers  is batting .421 this season placing him 8th overall in the league.

Lefty long relief pitcher Cory Duggan is 9th in the league in ERA with a sparkling 1.12 ERA in 8 innings played.

NEXT GAME:

Tonight at Telus Field versus the Lethbridge Bulls (2-4). 

Connor Girard, one of four St. FX Baseball Academy grads on your Edmonton Prospects this spring, will be your Saturday starting pitcher against Lethbridge.

*The first 200 fans to the ballpark will receive a Prospects Go Go Rally Towel. 

So Close

By Len Nunes

What will be overshadowed in last night's 3-0 loss to the Okotoks Dawgs is the wonderful pitching performance put on by Prospects starting pitcher Justin Hanks.

The Okotoks Dawgs scored a run in the opening inning when a leadoff walk would eventually cross the plate on a wild pitch.  The Dawgs would not get their first hit versus Hanks until the 4th inning and were set down in order the 2nd, 5th and 6th.

The dreaded "third time round the batting order" would takes its toll on Hanks.  In the 7th inning the Dawgs would finally scrap together some offense against Hanks scoring their final two runs.

Your Prospect offense put runners on base in each of the first four innings including loading the bases with no out in the 4th inning.  Twice our Prospects would hit infield grounders that the Dawgs were able to get the lead runner at home and keep our Prospects off the scoresheet.

Our Prospects would not threaten again until one out in the 8th inning when 1B Greg Rodgers would double and C Bryn Redhead would single.  Rodgers is now hitting .375 on the season and Redhead is now hitting .400.  Both runners would be stranded.

UP NEXT:

Our Prospects travel to Okotoks to play the Dawgs one more time.  Game time is 7:05.

NEXT HOME GAME:

Saturday June 8th versus the Lethbridge Bulls at 7:05 at Telus Field.

Ninety minutes before the game AJ BRUYERE of AJ and Friends fame will kick off the festivities with the season’s first AJ & Friends Tailgate Party along the 1^st Base BBQ area. Tickets can be purchased online and in advance at Ticketmaster.

*The first 200 fans to the ballpark will receive a Prospects Go Go Rally Towel!

Bases Loaded Jitters

by Len Nunes
Twitter: @Mr_Len

So far in this young season, your Prospects have shown the ability to get on base by any means necessary.  After last night's game our Prospects lead the league in batters getting on base via being hit by a pitch.  Your Prospects are also in the top half of the league in walks and hits. 

The Achilles Heel of the offense this young season has been when the bases are loaded.  Last night was no different as the club would strand the bases loaded in the 2nd, 3rd and 9th inning.

Do not let the 11-4 final score in favor of Okotoks fool you into believing the game was a blowout.  Your Prospects led going into 5th inning and a shaky 9th inning out of the bullpen is what made the score look worse than it really was.

Down 1-0, your Prospects hit the scoreboard in the bottom of the 3rd when DH Sean Guite singled home C Dwight Mack.  A Brandon Mikulka single in the bottom of the 4th would give your Prospects a 2-1 lead.

A cliche came to be reality for our Prospects Starting Pitcher Houston Edwards.  Many baseball analysts say that the third time round the order is always the toughest for a pitcher because the batter has seen what you have.  Going into the 5th inning, the Dawgs batting order came up for that dreaded third time round and earned four runs giving the Dawgs a 5-2 lead.

Your Prospects would get one of those runs back in the bottom of the 5th when LF Nathan Parade de la Feraude plated Guite.

In the bottom of the 9th, 2B  Tommy Clouthier would plate our Prospects fourth run of the night after getting hit by a pitch.  It was the fourth time Clouthier had been hit by a pitch during the game prompting the following tweet from the Creighton University youngster "Creighton baseball never leaves you.. 4 Hit by pitches tonight #wedontmove"

NUGGETS:

Your Edmonton Prospects made their 2013 home debut showing off their new budding stars and bringing back an icon of the Edmonton baseball scene. A warm welcome back to the mascot of all mascots, Homer!

Our Honorable Mayor Mandel threw out the first pitch, a strike from the rubber. First Class all the way. 

NEXT GAME:

The rematch with the Okotoks Dawgs goes tonight at 7:05 at Telus Field  

Sponsored by the Western Manufacturers Technology Show

 

 

Home Field Advantage

by Len Nunes
Twitter: @Mr_Len

Your Edmonton Prospects will be "unveiled" tonight at Telus Field and for our group of road weary young men, a home stand is exactly what they need.  The Prospects come home 0-3 after having a rough day at the ballpark in Swift Current.

One of the many wonderful realities of baseball is that when you do have one of those "rough days", there is no time to dwell on them because you are right back out there ironing out the kinks. 

SS Andy Wicklund made an impressive debut for the Prospects finishing last night 3 for 5 at the plate and earning an RBI when he singled home CF Connor Battaglia. 

Battaglia has reached base safely in all three Prospects game this season which comes as no surprise based on his .333 batting average he posted at Chapman University prior to coming to Edmonton.

DH Bryn Redhead also went 3 for 5 at the plate and earned himself two RBI in the process.  In the 2nd inning he drove home Wicklund and in the 6th inning he drove him 1B Greg Rodgers. 

Rodgers finished the night officially 2 for 2 at the plate with two singles but also had a sacrifice bunt, a walk and was hit by a pitch.  Through three games, Rodgers is hitting a remarkable .417!

Under the category of weird stats, 3B Logan Wedgewood earned himself the team lead in RBI (3) when he drove in a run with loaded bases groundout.  The weird part, Wedgewood has yet to record an official hit.

GAME NIGHT:

Game time tonight versus the Okotoks Dawgs (1-1) is 7:05 PM at Telus Field.

 *The first 200 fans to the ballpark will receive a Prospects Rally Megaphone so they can cheer on the team for the home opener and throughout the season. This megaphone doubles as a popcorn holder!

Three for the price of two

With your 2013 Prospects team players flying in from all over Canada and the United States, spring training for the team consisted of only a few days.  Such is life for all WMBL teams but your Edmonton Prospects have found a way to accelarate the team bonding process.

For a second consecutive night the Prospects played an extra inning game, this time 15 innings!  Sadly the result was the same as the opener as the Prospects would drop the first of two games in Swift Current by the score of 4-3.

Lefty Michael Nelson was your Edmonton Prospects starting pitcher and was rock solid.  At one point in the game he had retired 8 straight Swift Current batters.  The at-bat the broke the streak was a homerun which served as the only run Nelson would allow to cross the plate.

The Prospect offense did not collect its first hit until the 5th inning, we will blame the 8 hour bus ride.  With Greg Rodgers on first with a walk, SS Joey Bergandi would single then RF Nathan Parade de la Feraude would also single to load the bases.  C Logan Wedgewood, making his first appearance of the season, would tie the game with a sacrifice fly.

A two out rally in the sixth inning gave your Prospects a 2-1 lead when 1B Greg Rodgers would drive home 3B Sean Guite.

Your Prospects would again load the bases in the 8th inning and once again Wedgewood would earn the RBI, albeit a painful RBI as he was hit by the pitch.  The 3-1 lead was short lived as in the bottom half of the 8th, the Indians would hit a two run homerun to tie the game.

The Swift Current Indians  had runners in scoring position in the 9th, 11th, 12th and 13th but could not cash in.  Sean Guite, who played third base for the first 12 innings, pitched a perfect 14th but will take the loss for the club as the Indians finally broke the tie in the bottom of the 15th.

UP NEXT:

Your Prospects stay put in Swift Current and finish off the series tonight at 7:00.

Your Prospects home opener is Tuesday Night at lovely Telus Field (John Ducey park for nostalgia buffs)  at 7:05 PM.  Be there for the "unveiling" of your 2013 Edmonton Prospects.

Unlucky 13

As the winter months turned into the spring months and your Prospects roster began to take shape, the belief was that his edition of the team was going to very competitive.  It took the defending West Division Champion Medicine Hat Mavericks 13 innings and a lucky break to defeat your Edmonton Prospects 6-5 in their season opener on Saturday night.

 The Prospects showed the tenacity you can expect all season long as they stormed back from a 5-1 deficit in the 7th inning.  More correctly, the Prospects walked back as with the bases loaded the patient bats of Joey Bergandi, Nathan Parade de la Feraude, and Tommy Clouthier took their base and cut the lead to 5-4.  Bergandi would then tie the game on a passed ball.

The passed ball would also be the lucky break the Mavericks would use in the 13th inning to break the tie and send your Prospects to Swift Current for their game Sunday night hungrier than ever for a victory!

Your Prospects would open the scoring in the first inning when Brandon Mikulka grounded into a fielders choice scoring Tommy Clouthier.

New Prospects Coach Cameron McMullen was quoted earlier this week saying his starting pitchers would only pitch a couple innings.  Prospects sent Justin Hanks to the bump for the start and he pitched a solid 1st and 3rd inning and did well surviving a bases loaded, no out situation in the 2nd inning only surrending three runs.

Tyler Harrison came into the game to pitch for the Prospects with one on in the 4th and retired the side in order.  The game was then rain delayed for about 10 minutes and the delay seemed to affect Harrison as he struggled but survived a bases loaded scare by the Mavericks in the 5th inning. 

After giving up a run in the bottom of the 6th, Cory Duggan took over on the mound.  The first batter Duggan faced would drive home a run with a sacrifice fly then Duggan slammed the door shut for the next four innings.

There were two sportcentre'esqe defensive plays.  In the 5th inning with the bases loaded and two out, the Mavs hit a screamer back up the middle only to have Tommy Clouthier fully extend himself and snatch it out of mid-air.  In the 8th inning with a man on board, a routine single is hit to CF Connor Battaglia.  With a cannon of a throw into the in-field the runner rounding third is too slow returing to third and is picked off.

UP NEXT:

Your Prospects are in Swift Current the next couple nights and anxiously await the home opener on Tuesday June 4th versus the Okotoks Dawgs at 7:05PM at Telus Field.  This will be your first chance to see the "unveiling" of something new and old. 

The first 200 fans to the ballpark will receive a Prospects Rally Megaphone so they can cheer on the team for the home opener and throughout the season. This megaphone doubles as a popcorn holder!

Prospects Players Peer into MLB Crystal Ball

The majesty of opening week in Major League Baseball is upon us.  Rivalries being renewed and highlight reels being filled with amazing catches and towering homeruns await us all.

No matter your favorite source of baseball information, a common theme of opening week is predicting who will win their respective divisions.

What's a writer to do but join the party and bring some friends?  7 of your Edmonton Prospect players joined me in making MLB division winner predictions.  Thank you to Andy Wicklund, Dean Olson, Caleb Henley, Dwight Mack, Sean Guite, Justin Hanks and Nathan de la Feraude for participating.

Here's the breakdown of how the "expert panel" of Prospects see things shaking down in the MLB.

AL East winner = Toronto (5 votes) Tampa/Baltimore/Boston (1 vote each)
AL Central winner = Detriot (unanimous)
AL West winner = Anaheim (7 votes) Oakland (1 vote)

NL East winner = Washington (5 votes) Atlanta (3 votes)
NL Central winner = Cinncinati (5 votes) St. Louis (3 votes)
NL West winner = Los Angeles (6 votes) San Francisco (2 votes)

Of course, another unanimous decision amongst the "expert panel", this summer will be the best Prospects seasons yet!!

3 Months Until First Pitch

Baseball is still one of the most relaxing and at the same time exciting sports to watch.

Sporting events are inherently exciting: who will win, who will lose? So even if you have never really got the point of going to watch a baseball game, or maybe your dad's a big baseball fan and he wants to take the whole family to see a game but you are not that keen on the idea, remember the following:

There's a reason Telus Field is called a "park", the baseball experience is pretty much akin to what you would experience at a real park. Enjoy the atmosphere. Save for a few exceptions you're outside on a nice evening. It's a much better option than sitting home in bed, so enjoy the feeling of being among an electric crowd in an outdoor environment.

Enjoy the company you're keeping, the finest gift you can give another person who loves or cares about you is spending time with them. The casual pace makes for the perfect social outing. Unlike other sporting events, it’s easy to laugh and converse with friends, family or a date.

Yes, a Prospects game makes for a great "date night". What better way to get to know someone than to go to a baseball game? Sure, the old dinner-and-a-movie date is OK but it is terribly cliché and it is not easy getting to know someone over a meal much less during a film. If you do not want talk during the game, there is always time between innings to chat. You're in a public place so if one does not want to be alone with their date they do not have to be. You can carry on a conversation with your date at a normal tone of voice and not have to get shushed. You do not have to worry about asking or getting asked to dance like at a nightclub. There is not dance music played at ear-splitting decibels either to make it difficult to be heard or to listen.

Whether it be a family outing, a date, or just a couple friends hanging out, every seat at Telus Field is the best seat in the house. You will be able to see all of the action on the field just as if you were watching a MLB game on TV.

Opening week has four games, starting with a two game series on Tuesday and Wednesday June 4 and 5 versus the Okotoks Dawgs. Both games start at 7:05PM.

Saturday June 8th and Sunday June 9th, the Prospects welcome the Lethbridge Bulls to Telus Field. The Sunday game is 2:05PM start.

 

Connor Jauch

A freshman at the University of San Diego, Connor Jauch is preparing himself to earn plenty of at bats this upcoming summer at Telus Field.

Name: Conner Jauch

 

Hometown: San Jose, Ca

 

Primary position: Middle infield

 

Strengths: My strengths are my ability to get on base and my speed. I'm also a utility player so i can play various positions.

 

How can you help the Prospects?: I can help with getting on base and being a presence on the bases. Also i can play wherever the team needs me to play.

 

Best word to describe you: driven

What do you know about Edmonton? I know it's in Canada, a Vibrant city, and the home of the Oilers.

Nathan Parade de la Feraude

The starting catcher for Chicago State University, Nathan Parade de la Feraude also is a willing and capable first baseman and outfielder.  Oh, and he can pitch too!! 

Name: Nathan Parade de la Feraude (de la is always lower case)

Nicknames? Nate, Nate dogg

Hometown: Surrey

Primary Position: Catcher, OF

Secondary Position: 1B, RHP

What do you feel are your strengths in the game of baseball? How do you think this will help the Prospects prosper in the new season?

Clutch: love being up with two outs and the game winning run nearby.. can't play scared

Best word to describe you? Comedian

First thing you will buy after signing a million dollar contract?

 

Buying mom and dad a house on the beach

Tommy Clouthier

 Currently playing with the Creighton Bluejays, infielder Tommy Clouthier comes to Edmonton this summer looking forward to unleash his competitive nature. 

 

Name - Tommy Clouthier Nickname - TC

 

Hometown - Highlands Ranch, CO

 

Primary Position - 2nd Base  Secondary Position - 3rd Base

Your Strengths? I would say that my baseball instincts are on of my strengths in baseball. Just knowing the game and being in the right spot at the right time.

 

Best word to describe me - Competitive

 

Without using "google", what do you know about Edmonton?

 

I know it's in Alberta, Canada and my teammate told me the biggest mall in North America is in Edmonton.  I'm excited to be in Edmonton this summer!

Welcome to Edmonton Tommy!!

Justin Hanks

Introducing the opening day starter for Chapman University and soon to be Edmonton Prospect Justin Hanks.

 

Hanks currently sports a 1-3 record but had a no decision game in which he pitched a dazzling 7 and 2/3 innings of six hit, shutout ball.  Hanks is second amongst the Chapman starters in ERA.

 

 

Name: Justin Hanks

Hometown: Valencia, California

Primary Position: Pitcher

What do you feel are your strengths in the game of baseball? How do you think this will help the Prospects prosper in the new season?

 

My strengths are my desire to win and the competitive mindset I bring every time I step on the mound.

Best word to describe you? amiable

 

First thing you will buy after signing a million dollar contract? A very expensive steak dinner.

Without "googling" it, what do you know about Edmonton? That it is located in Canada.

Connor Battaglia

Chapman University has been playing Connor Battaglia as their cleanup hitter.  In 14 games so far this season, Connor has posted a .364 batting average and has been only held hitless twice.  Currently on a 3 game hitting streak, Connor also brings good defense along with his bat as he has only committed 1 error so far this season.

 

Name: Connor Battaglia

Hometown: Yorba Linda, CA

Primary Position: CF Secondary Position: RF

What do you feel are your strengths in the game of baseball? How do you think this will help the Prospects prosper in the new season?

 

Good glove, good stick, and a great attitude. All about the team.

Best word to describe you? Hard-working, unselfish

Without "googling" it, what do you know about Edmonton?

 

It's the most beautiful place on the face of the earth with amazing people and gorgeous scenery. That's a fact.

 

Welcome to Edmonton Connor.

Sean Guite

The next Prospect hopeful we will look at is Sean Guite.  Sean played 2 seasons Irvine Valley Community College as a third baseman, (which is where new Prospects Coach McMullen coached before he went to Nevada).

 

Prior to his College days, Guite won Huntington Beach High School Athlete of the Year in 2009-10.

 

Name: Sean Guite

Hometown: Huntington Beach, California

Primary Position: 3rd Base

Secondary Position: Infield

What do you feel are your strengths in the game of baseball? How do you think this will help the Prospects prosper in the new season?

 

I try to stay calm and composed throughout each game which I guess can be considered a strength because it helps me not get my emotions too high or too low, which can also help me in pressure situations and whatnot.

 

I hope I can help the Prospects in the new season by staying calm and collected and doing what I can to help the team win.

Best word to describe you? Easy-going

First thing you will buy after signing a million dollar contract?

 

I'd probably take my family out to dinner and leave a very nice tip.

Without "googling" it, what do you know about Edmonton?

 

It's in Canada. I really don't know much about Edmonton, but my roommate is from Toronto and he loves hockey, so I assume hockey is pretty popular.

Tyler Harrison

 

Last March, Tyler Harrison won Brock University took home the "Dallas Beaton Award".  The award is for dedication to not only athletics and academics, but also to giving back to the community.

 

With so much pressure on these young players to consistently work on their games while trying to also maintain academic requirements, it is always refreshing to come across a player who successfully spinkles in community work into his hectic schedule.

 

Name: Tyler James Harrison

Nicknames? Harrison

Hometown: Mississauga, ONT

Primary Position: RHP

What do you feel are your strengths in the game of baseball? How do you think this will help the Prospects prosper in the new season? 

 

Strong work ethic and a great teammate to all members of the team. I always show respect and sportsmanship to everyone around me. I'm looking forward to making this the best season ever!

 

Best word to describe you? Determined

First thing you will buy after signing a million dollar contract?  A huge Surf and Turf dinner for my family.

 

Welcome to Edmonton Tyler.

Andy Wicklund

Captain of his varisty baseball, football and hockey teams PLUS he played bass in the his chamber orchestra.  That is how the resume of Andy Wicklund begins and the Prospects are looking forward to helping his resume grow this summer at Telus Field.

Name: Andy Wicklund Nickname: Wick or Wicky

 

Hometown: Golden Valley, MN

 

Primary Position: SS Secondary Position: 2B

What do you feel are your strengths in the game of baseball? 

 

My biggest strength as a baseball player is my speed. This will help offensively on the base paths by putting extra pressure on the defense, and defensively my speed allows me to get to a lot more balls in the hole or up the middle to make a play.

Best word to describe you: well-rounded

First thing you will buy after signing a million dollar contract? Season tickets for my whole family.

 

Welcome to Edmonton Andy.

 

 

 

Tony & Dean Olson

Your Edmonton Prospects head into this summer featuring more pitching, more hitting and more coaching.  Your Prospects will also feature a set of twins.

 

Tony and Dean Olson, who begin play at Douglas College in March, look to make an impact this summer at the beautiful Telus Field.

 

Name: Tony Olson

Nicknames? Anthony, Tolson

Hometown: Sherwood Park, AB

Primary Position: Shortstop

Secondary Position: Pitcher

What do you feel are your strengths in the game of baseball? How do you think this will help the Prospects prosper in the new season?

 

I believe that my knowledge of the game is my biggest strength in baseball. Throughout the years I have been very fortunate in having great coaches that have taught me skills past the physical elements and into the mental side of the game.

Best word to describe you? Determined

First thing you will buy after signing a million dollar contract? A ridiculously good meal

 

Name: Dean Olson

Nicknames? Deano, Deaner

Hometown: Sherwood Park, AB

Primary Position: CF

Secondary Position: LF/RF

What do you feel are your strengths in the game of baseball? How do you think this will help the Prospects prosper in the new season?

 

Probably more of my defensive side of the game and my speed. Hopefully I can help the team proposer with my speed and cause some havoc on the basepaths and help the pitchers by taking away some base hits in the outfield.

Best word to describe you? Easy-going

First thing you will buy after signing a million dollar contract? Definitely my own butler.

Joey Bergandi

Fans new to the WMBL may not realize that many pitchers also play the field and take regular at-bats.  When you come check out the Prospects this summer at Telus Field, Bergandi might just be the player who introduces you to this element of the game.

From MercuryNews.com from last season when Bergandi won "Athlete of the Week"

"Bergandi has gone 14 for 19 with 11 RBIs in his past six games,raising his average to .417. He had four hits and also earned the win on the mound against College Park in the Crown Classic."

Name: Joey Bergandi Nickname: Blue

Hometown: Chicago

Primary Position: Pitcher Secondary Position: Infield

What do you feel are your strengths in the game of baseball?
Positive Energy, Controlling the game, and being aggressive pitch by pitch.

How do you think this will help the Prospects prosper in the new season? 
The positive energy and aggressiveness with help power the team to win.

Best word to describe you? Energetic

Without "googling" it, what do you know about Edmonton?
Hometown of the Oilers, and it snows in Edmonton.

Daniel Lockhert

For our next player introduction, we are headed back to the University of North Dakota (we previously introduced Alex Twenge) and welcoming middle infielder Daniel Lockhert. 

 

University of North Dakota baseball coach Jeff Dodson speaking about Lockhert's commitement to UND, "Daniel is a very special commitment for me. I have known him since he was eight-years-old from my days in Missouri. He is very committed to being here. He had several offers from schools around the country, but wanted to be here."

 

Name: Daniel Lockhert Nicknames? Danny

Hometown: Kennett, Missouri

Primary Position: shortstop

Secondary Position: second base

What do you feel are your strengths in the game of baseball? Fast pace and love to play the game of baseball

 

How do you think this will help the Prospects prosper in the new season? I'll bring energy to the club and help win ball games

Best word to describe you? Weird

First thing you will buy after signing a million dollar contract? Mt dew, bag of chips, and a new video game

Without "googling" it, what do you know about Edmonton? It's in Canada, that's really all I know.

Welcome to the Prospects Daniel!!

Logan Wedgewood

Baseball in the Capital city of Edmonton is reaching new levels of excellence.  An example of this is the St. FX Baseball Academy graduting a record amout of ball players last spring.  4 to those graduates will be appearing on your 2013 Edmonton Prospects roster.

 

The first player we will feature is Edmontonian Logan Wedgewood.

 

Name: Logan Wedgewood Nickname: wedgie

Hometown: Edmonton

Primary: catcher

Secondary: infield

What's your game?  I feel that my defense is one of my strongest parts of my game. Also I manage to put the ball in play which means I don't strike out much.  I'm hoping to help the pitching staff to feel more comfortable with their pitchs as they trust me to keep the ball in front of me and throw out runners.

Word to describe you: Outgoing

First thing you will buy after signing a million dollar contract?  A doghouse for teammate Cory Duggan to sleep in. Or a hat.

Introducing Alex Twenge

Last season at the University of North Dakota, Alex Twenge struck out 14 batters in 15 innings of work, the best ratio on his Division 1 team.  Entering his sophmore year with UND, he looks to continue honing his curveball and cutter which Prospects scouts already tout as "plus pitches".

Before he makes his way out to Edmonton this summer, he kindly agreed to answer a few questions to help introduce himself to Prospect fans.

Name: Alex Twenge Hometown: Minnetonka, MN

 

1st choice position: Pitcher

 

2nd choice position: Catcher (caught the last 30 games for my squad last year and hit .275 with 2 HR's. They converted me to just a pitcher this year.)

 

Organized Baseball: Ive been playing organized baseball since I was 3.

 

Favorite MLB team now and growing up: Yankees

 

Favorite MLB player growing up/currently: Jorge Posada/Robinson Cano

 

What's your game? My strengths in the game of baseball are that I am a very vocal person and I will do whatever I can to help the team. If helping the team win includes me running 3 miles in bare feet, I will start running right away. Also I throw a lot of strikes which helps the defense stay active and keeps the game moving.

 

First thing you will buy after signing a million dollar contract? I would probably purchase either a new car or maybe a new house

 

Favorite TV show: Always Sunny in Philadelphia

 

Favorite Movie(s): American Gangster, The Other Guys, Green Street Hooligans

 

Superhero and Power: Hulk and super strength

Many Reasons for Optimism

Going into last season, the Edmonton Prospects featured one Division 1 player.  His name was Grant Glasser and he lead the team in Batting Average, Runs, Hits, Walks and Stolen Bases while finishing second on the team in Doubles, Homeruns and RBI.

The competition level at each roster spot has never been so deep for a Prospects club looking to snap its WMBL playoff drought. Entering the 2013 season, the Edmonton Prospects will be featuring fourteen (14) Division 1 players.  The best part of the upcoming summer is the other 13 players on the roster, will be just as hungry to prove themselves and have their names pencilled into the starting lineup on a nightly basis. 

Pitching

Adam Lambrecht and Adam Moorse come to Edmonton from North Dakota State while Alex Twenge comes from the University of North Dakota.  Tommy Harding and Houston Edwards come to Edmonton from Grand Canyon University. Joining them in the battle for the starting rotation spots will be Joey Bergandi from the University of San Diego and the opening day starter for Chapman University, Justin Hanks.

Tossing from the left side of the mound for the Prospects will be big 6 foot 7 left hander Caleb Henley of UNC Greenboro and Canadians Cory Duggan and Taylor Metzger.

Quality Canadian arms are in abundance this upcoming season as the Prospects will also feature Byryn Murphy, Tyler Harrison, and Connor Girard.

Catcher

Dwight Mack, a 2012 & 2011 All-Western Dakota Association selection and 2012 Class A state champion, looks to bring his big lefty bat to the heart of the Prospects order. Quoting Dwight Mack himself, "If we can score runs then winning games will just take care of itself." 

Nathan de la Feraude,  who Represented Team Canada at the 2005 Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa, also has experience pitching the ball in the British Columbia Premier Baseball League.  He is the opening day starting catcher for Chicago State University.

Logan Wedgewood (originally from Edmonton) and Antonio Paolini will spend March through May in friendly competition for playing time at Douglas College in preparation for the Prospects season.

Infield

Andy Wicklund, a former Apollo Award winner—an honor that recognizes Hopkin's High School’s outstanding male senior athlete and Daniel Lockhert look to lock up their respective spots in the middle infield.  Lockhert's former high school coach is quoted in their local paper The Daily Dunklin Democrat as saying "Very good player that hits very well.  He was consistently getting better in the field when he left us. From what we understand he's really kept improving and he's going to be an outstanding player..."

 

Possibly manning the hot corner for the Prospects, a four sport athlete (rugby, basketball, and volleyball in addition to baseball) in which he earned MVP honors in each sport.  Greg Rodgers, one of two Canadian Division 1 players, looks to keep building on his stellar junior career.

This still leaves the Prospects with Creighton University's Tommy Clouthier, UNC Greensboro's Sean Guite and U of San Diego's Conner Jauch as Division 1 players to rotate in and out of the starting in-field.

The wildcard in the competition for playing time in the in-field is Sherwood Park's Tony Olson.  To borrow words from http://www.collegebaseballconnect.ca/ "Will layout and make highlight reel plays but is also consistent on the same hand.  Outstanding character student and player"

Outfield

 

Dean Olson, Tony's twin brother, "tracks the baseball down with above average routes and takes really good angles. Throwing arm is above average as far as throwing to bases and throws a large numbers of base runners out." via http://www.collegebaseballconnect.ca/

Brandon Mikulka of Creighton University, holds the record at Ponderosa High School for career Homeruns.  A left handed hitter with some power, a potential lethal combination this upcoming season for the Prospects.

Connor Battaglia, who led the Chapman University Panthers in batting average (.330) in 2012, also batted an impressive .378 with runners in scoring position.  The Prospects look forward to that type of clutch hitting this upcoming season.

Bryn Redhead led his Junior College team last season in team batting average at .338.  His versatility will be key to the Prospects as he has spent time at Catcher and both in-field corner positions.

June cannot get here fast enough!!

 

 

Caleb Henley

Introducing our third player, and first pitcher, Prospects fans please meet Caleb Henley. 

I am sure you would not believe if I just typed it, so here is a link to a bio of his, http://www.uncgspartans.com/sports/bsb/2012-13/bios/henley_caleb_ltie Yes, you read that correctly, Caleb stands 6 foot 7!!

He was kind enough to answer a few questions, here are his answers:

Name Caleb Henley

Nicknames? The Big Cat or Tiny

Hometown Salisbury, NC, USA

How long have you been a pitcher? 5 years

 

Who is your favorite MLB team? New York Yankees

Who is your favorite MLB player currently? CC Sabathia

You have also played football (offensive tackle and defensive end). Who you got in the Superbowl? Im going Ravens all the way because of my teammates from Maryland Christian Wolfe, Corey Taylor, and Dom Vattuone said thats how its going to be

What is your favorite Minor League Baseball fan promotion that you have heard of? Post game Fireworks

 

Thanks Caleb

 

TEAM NUGGET:  Be sure to sign up for the Prospects Newsletter (link is on the home page just under the Twitter logo) to be the first to know where the Prospects will be playing this summer.