SAINT MARY'S LENDING THREE FIRST TIME APPLESOX TO WENATCHEE
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Smith Slye - smith.slye@wsu.edu
Saint Mary’s lending three first time AppleSox to Wenatchee
From Saint Mary’s College in California, the AppleSox are picking up a versatile trio of Gaels to bolster both the bullpen and the middle infield. Joseph Moreno, Vincent De Marco, and Micah Nicholson will all be spending their first-ever seasons of summer league baseball in Wenatchee with the Sox.
With one graduating high school this year, one getting his first-ever college reps this spring, and one with a year of D1 ball already under his belt, the Sox are getting a wide array of college experience from the Gaels in 2026.
So, let’s break down who these first-time AppleSox are…
Joseph Moreno - Freshman - LHP
After four years at South Hills High School in California, Moreno decided to make the six-hour drive north to Saint Mary’s College. The current freshman made his collegiate debut with the Gaels back on Feb. 13 when he spun two innings of scoreless baseball against Creighton University.
As a four-year varsity starter, Moreno proved why he is a D1 talent straight out of high school. A 0.95 ERA in his senior year, along with 68 strikeouts, helped him allow only seven earned runs in 12 appearances.
His career stats would be all the more impressive if it weren’t for a disappointing junior season where Moreno posted a comical 84.00 ERA in just one appearance. Despite that, a career 1.75 ERA in four years of varsity baseball is still impressive.
The southpaw helped lead the South Hill Huskies to a 21-8 record his senior year, accounting for four of those wins on the mound. Safe to say, the freshman lefty can deal from the rubber.
With no summer league experience under his belt, Moreno will be getting his first taste of the WCL in the Wenatchee Valley. As one of eight lefty pitchers, Moreno helps balance out this Sox bullpen, which features 30 faces from the right side.
Vincent De Marco - High school senior - RHP
Before he joins the Gaels next year, De Marco will be cutting his teeth up north with Wenatchee. The high school senior is currently at Woodbridge High School in California and has committed to Saint Mary’s for the 2027 season.
Glancing at hisjunior year numbers, you see why the Gaels scooped him up early. He posted a 0.21 ERA over 13 appearances and 111 strikeouts. No, that’s not a typo. De Marco punched out 111 batters in his junior year, averaging just shy of nine strikeouts a game.
Plus, opponents only batted 0.113 against him that year, tallying just 25 hits and two earned runs. Essentially, De Marco is next to untouchable at the 4A level in California.
How that transfers to the WCL is unknown. But the fact that he gave up no doubles, no triples, and no home runs last year speaks volumes to what kind of pitcher he is.
He limits quality contact while also wielding swing-and-miss stuff. That kind of arm is something that does not come around very often, making De Marco a top-tier arm to add to the Sox bullpen.
Micah Nicholson - Sophomore - INF/DH
While he may have been a pinch-hitter for much of his freshman year, Nicholson still made the most of the 30 at-bats that he got. A 0.333 average and 0.433 slugging is just a taste of how clutch he was as a bench bat for the Gaels.
Nicholson got his number called for the first time last year in a series against Vanderbilt, where he went 0-for-1. It was not until a series against San Diego State that the freshman got his first collegiate hit in a pinch-hitting situation.
After that, Nicholson ran with every shot he got. In 10 starts, he smashed seven hits, seven RBI’s, and one double. As a pinch-hitter, he managed three hits, one RBI, and two doubles.
While much of his playing time has been in the DH spot, Nicholson still has a stellar glove to complement the bat tool. In 11 games at second base, Nicholson only botched one play last year, giving him a 0.969 fielding percentage.
With a year on his resume, only one error, two multi-hit games, two multi-RBI games, 10 hits, and a 0.872 OPS, Nicholson is a young middle-infielder with versatile capabilities. While he still has room to grow, his ability to hit in the clutch and play the field makes him a useful tool for the Sox to lean on this summer.
The 2026 season begins on May 29 as the AppleSox jet off to Edmonton to play the Edmonton RiverHawks at RE/MAX Field at 6:05 p.m. The AppleSox open their home season on June 5th at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium as they host the Kamloops NorthPaws. The AppleSox have 29 home games and play until mid-August. The franchise’s five West Coast League championships are the second-most in league history. Season ticket packages are available for purchase now at applesox.com/season-tickets.
