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!!