Welk, Big Inning Lead AppleSox Past Dudes

The Wenatchee AppleSox scored six runs in the bottom of the fifth to defeat the Redmond Dudes, 9-4, on Monday night at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium.

Drew Welk twirled five shutout innings of relief. He entered in the third and struck out five while only allowing one hit. Welk induced inning-ending double-play balls in the fifth and seventh.

The AppleSox trailed 4-0 after two-and-a-half innings before getting on the board with an RBI groundout in the third. Welk entered in the top of that inning and stranded two men. He went on to strike out one hitter in each of his five scoreless frames.

Wenatchee broke through in the fifth to take the lead for good. Antonio Gianni and Damon Gaither recorded back-to-back RBI singles after a wild pitch with the bases loaded plated the first run. They recorded a double steal and Fred Buckson hit a ground ball to short that would have scored Gianni and been the second out of the inning but the ball was thrown away and Buckson went to second on the error. Harrison Clark singled in Gaither and Buckson for the final two runs of the inning.

Joe Scheffler scored Wenatchee’s final three runs with a single and a steal in the sixth before Gianni tripled him in. Scheffler drew a leadoff walk in the eighth, stole second and third and came home on a throwing error.

The AppleSox return to league play on Tuesday night when they travel to Port Angeles. Wenatchee swept the Lefties over the weekend by outscoring them 35–16. First pitch is at 6:35 each night for the first three games of a six-game road trip. Fans can listen to the game on 93.9 FM in Wenatchee or online at kcsym.com. The game can also be watched on westcoastleague.com/streaming.

Hartman Named WCL Player Of The Week

Max Hartman’s hot start to the 2024 summer has helped him earn the first West Coast League Player Of The Week honor.

The incoming junior at Washington State recorded seven hits over the weekend while batting leadoff in each of the AppleSox’ three wins against Port Angeles. Hartman had three consecutive multi-hit games vs. the Lefties and opened the season with a bang, reaching safely four times on Opening Night via two doubles and two walks while also stealing two bags. He followed it up by going 3-for-5 with another double the next day and scored three of Wenatchee’s 16 runs. Hartman drove in the game-tying run in the fourth on Saturday and then closed up the weekend with a 2-for-5 night with 3 RBI to help Wenatchee sweep Port Angeles.

The St. Albert, Alberta native leads the league with three doubles early on while tying for the league lead with five runs and seven hits.

This is Hartman’s second summer in the WCL after playing 38 games for the Bellingham Bells last summer. He joined the AppleSox after a stellar sophomore year at Washington State, where he batted .286 with a .375 on-base percentage in 49 games. Hartman set the tone atop the Cougs’ lineup, batting leadoff in 46 games.

Hartman and the AppleSox wrap up their season-opening homestand with a 6:35 p.m. game tonight against the Redmond Dudes. Tickets can be purchased now at AppleSox.com/schedule. Wenatchee embarks on a six-game road trip tomorrow with three games in Port Angeles and then three in Victoria.

AppleSox Sweep Lefties To Open Season 3-0

The Wenatchee AppleSox capped off a perfect opening weekend with a 15-2 win over the Port Angeles Lefties on Sunday night at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium.

The AppleSox earned their first sweep of the season thanks to scoring 10 runs over the first two innings. Damon Gaither led the way with five runs driven in as Wenatchee (3-0) scored three runs in the first, seven in the second and five in the sixth.

The 35 runs that the AppleSox scored over the weekend were their most in the first three home games in league play of any season in franchise history. Wenatchee swept its first league three-game series of the season for the second consecutive summer and for the sixth time in franchise history.

Port Angeles (0-3) struck in the top of the first inning to take their second lead of the weekend but it would not make it to the second inning. Gaither hit a bases-clearing double down the left-field line on the 11th pitch of his at-bat after hitting four straight foul balls. Gaither was the fourth consecutive hitter to reach base with two outs and his hit gave Wenatchee the lead for good.

Thirteen men came to the plate in the bottom of the second as Wenatchee plated seven runs and put the game out of reach. Each of the first six hitters recorded base hits and came around to score. Masayuki Kawashima tripled in Fred Buckson two batters into the inning and Max Hartman followed with a single to drive in the second run of the inning. Kade Benavidez singled in a run and Luca Boscarino doubled in another before the first out of the inning was recorded. Gaither singled in a pair and then three more singles followed before the last two outs.

The AppleSox’ first two runs of the sixth came via a sacrifice fly and a bases-loaded hit by pitch before Hartman singled in a run and Aidan Dougherty singled in two more.

Evan Canfield and Joey Pearson both tossed two scoreless innings in their 2024 debut in relief. Canfield punched out five and stranded two runners in the sixth and Pearson only allowed one man to reach in the eighth.

Wenatchee will travel to Port Angeles on Tuesday for their first road series of the season but first hosts the Redmond Dudes on Monday night at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium. Tickets are available at applesox.com/schedule

AppleSox Wrap Up Series vs. Lefties On Bark In The Park Night

First Pitch: 5:35 p.m.
Park: Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium
Tickets: applesox.com/schedule
Watch: wcleague.watch.pixellot.tv
Listen: kcsyfm.com
Promotion: Bark In The Park Night presented by Firehouse Pet Shop and Fromm Family Foods. Fans are welcome to bring their dogs to tonight’s game.

GAME NOTES

Wenatchee Probable Pitcher: Ethan Hubbell makes his AppleSox debut in the series finale against Port Angeles... The right-hander from Everett Community College He recorded a 1.16 ERA with 79 K, 50 hits and 10 walks over 77.2 innings in 12 games (all starts) this spring… Hubbell earned First Team All-NWAC, First Team All-NWAC North Region and tied for the fourth-best ERA in the NWAC… He led the Trojans in games started, innings and strikeouts while tossing at least five scoreless innings six times… He recorded a 4.15 ERA in two games last summer for the Nanaimo NightOwls…

Port Angeles Probable Pitcher: Colby Scheuber looks to help the Lefties salvage the series as he returns for his second summer with Port Angeles... The right-hander from Salem University had a 9.75 ERA in 12 games this spring but was among the Lefties best starters last summer, posting a 2.16 ERA with 31 strikeouts, 40 hits and 16 walks over 50 innings in nine games (seven starts)...

Last Night: The AppleSox defeated the Lefties, 16-13... They scored in all but two innings (first and seventh) and collected 16 hits… Every hitter reached base safely, eight batters collected base hits and the first three hitters in the AppleSox order (Hartman, Dougherty, Benavidez) went a combined 11-for-15 with 9 RBI and eight runs...Wenatchee scored double-digit runs 14 times in league play last summer, including five times in June... The AppleSox won every game in which they scored at least 10 runs last season...

Five Hits For Dougherty: Aidan Dougherty recorded the seventh five-hit game in AppleSox history with a 5-for-6 and 3 RBI night on Saturday... The 2024 NWAC Tournament MVP’s five singles tied a franchise record, originally set on Aug. 2, 2015 vs. Victoria by Nick Nyquist... luc Stuka was the last AppleSox player to record five hits in a game when he went 5-for-6 against Bend July 2, 2022...

Benavidez=RBI: Kade Benavidez drove in five runs last night as he homered, doubled twice, walked and was hit by a pitch to reach base five times... He leads the AppleSox with 6 RBI through two games... His 5-RBI effort was the AppleSox’ first since CJ Horn at Kamloops July 30, 2022... Wenatchee’s single-game RBI record is eight by Cory Meyer vs. Bend June 27, 2018...

Seeking A Sweep: The AppleSox earned eight series sweeps last season and look to pick up their first of 2024 today... Wenatchee has won 11-of-12 series against the Port Angeles since the two teams first faced each other in 2017... The AppleSox earned 12 series victories in 18 attempts against WCL opponents last season...

Bats Break Through: In six matchups last the AppleSox and Lefties combined to score 30 runs and Five-of-six meetings ended with one team winning by two runs or less.. In two games against each other this season the AppleSox have won both games by three runs but the two teams have combined to already score 34 runs thanks to last night’s offensive exhibition... Wenatchee entered this season with the most runs scored in the WCL over the previous two seasons (738) and finished last summer second in the WCL in run output (350) after leading the league in 2022 (388)...

AppleSox Break Out Bats, Win Series Against Lefties

Aiden Dougherty recorded five hits and Kade Benavidez drove in five runs as the Wenatchee AppleSox defeated the Port Angeles Lefties, 16-13, on Saturday night at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium.

Dougherty recorded the seventh five-hit game in AppleSox history with a 5-for-6 and 3 RBI night. The 2024 NWAC Tournament MVP’s five singles tied a franchise record, originally set on Aug. 2, 2015 by Nick Nyquist.

Benavidez homered, doubled twice, walked and was hit by a pitch to reach base five times. His 5-RBI effort was the AppleSox’ first since CJ Horn at Kamloops July 30, 2022.

Max Hartman scored three runs in the leadoff spot while also doubling, singling twice and walking. Harrison Clark plated three runs while Antonio Gianni drove in two, including with a solo home run in the second.

Wenatchee (2–0) recorded 16 hits and scored in all but two innings to earn the series victory over Port Angeles (0-2). The AppleSox scored in all but two innings and recorded four consecutive innings with at least three runs from the third through the sixth innings.

The AppleSox led 4-0 after four innings after a three-run third featuring a 2-RBI double by Benavidez and a sacrifice fly from Gianni. The Lefties responded by sending 10 men to the plate and taking a 5-4 lead into the bottom of the fourth. Elijah Pelayo led off with a walk and stole second before Hartman delivered a game-tying double to right field with two outs. Dougherty and Benavidez followed up with a single and a double, respectively, to plate two more runs and give Wenatchee a 7-5 lead.

The big blow of the game was a five-run fifth inning which was punctuated by a Benavidez two-run homer to plate the final two runs of the inning as the seventh hitter of the frame.

Clark plated two with a single following a pair of walks and a sacrifice bunt to lead off the sixth. Dougherty drove in Clark with his fourth single of the game and then capped his big night with another RBI single for the lone run of the eighth.

Wenatchee wraps up the series against Port Angeles at 5:35 on Sunday night. It’s Bark In The Park presented by Firehouse Pet Shop and Fromm Family Foods. Fans are encouraged to bring their dog with them to the game. Tickets are available at applesox.com/schedule

AppleSox Go For First Series Victory of 2024

First Pitch: 6:35 p.m.
Park: Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium
Tickets: applesox.com/schedule
Watch: wcleague.watch.pixellot.tv
Listen: kcsyfm.com

GAME NOTES

Last Night: The AppleSox opened up the season with a 4-1 win against the Lefties last night... Antonio Gianni broke a 1-1 tie with a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the seventh and Stephen Hammergren fired three scoreless innings in relief to earn the win... The victory improved Wenatchee to 16-8 all-time in the first game of the season and 14-10 in home openers (league and non-league games included)...

Two-Hitter: For the third time in the last two seasons the AppleSox held an opponent to two hits in a victory... The most recent instance prior to last night came July 13, 2024 at Nanaimo in an 18-1... Last night also marked the second time in less than a year that the AppleSox limited the Lefties to only two hits in a game, with the other coming in a 7-0 win on July 4 at Civic Field...

Going For The Series Win: A victory tonight or tomorrow against Port Angeles would give Wenatchee 11 victories in 12 attempts since the two teams first faced each other in 2017... The AppleSox earned 12 series victories in 18 attempts against WCL opponents last season...

RISP: Despite last night’s victory, the AppleSox finished the day 2-for-17 when batting with runners in scoring position... Gianni’s go-ahead single in the seventh was the first hit while Jack Johnson’s RBI single in the eighth was the other knock...

Hartman Sets The Tone: After batting leadoff in 46 of Washington State’s 53 games this spring, Max Hartman batting leadoff in the AppleSox’ first game of the season and reached base in all five plate appearances with two doubles, two walks and an error. He also stole two bases and scored a run... Hartman hit .286 with 11 2B this spring while leading the Cougs with 41 RBI and 10 SB as a sophomore… He pened this spring with a 10-game hitting streak, had 17 multi-hit games and was hit by 11 pitches...

Quick Start To 2024: Last night’s game lasted just 2:19... Last season was the first in which the West Coast League enacted an action clock following the same rules of the NCAA but without a visible clock... AppleSox games averaged 2:55 in 2022 but dropped to 2:42 in 2023... Seven AppleSox games lasted 2:20 or less last summer...

Pitching Staff Picks Up Where It Left Off: Blake Reece fired six scoreless innings last night as the Opening Day starter and continued a trend... AppleSox starting pitchers have fired at least five innings in 35-of-55 regular-season games under second-year pitching coach Mike Callia... Wenatchee went 25-10 in those games and an AppleSox starter has fired at least five innings in 63.6-percent of games the last two seasons... The AppleSox’ 3.35 ERA last season was fifth-best in the WCL and a marked improvement from a 4.88 mark in 2022... Wenatchee also limited an opponent to one run or less for the 13th time in the last two seasons... The AppleSox’ four shutouts last season were their most in a season since 2012..

Sox Take First Game of 2024

Antonio Gianni delivered a two-out go-ahead RBI single in the bottom of the seventh inning and the Wenatchee AppleSox defeated the Port Angeles Lefties, 4-1, on Friday night at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium.

Port Angeles tied the game up with a bases-loaded walk in the top of the seventh but the AppleSox didn’t take long to respond. Max Hartman and Fred Buckson drew back-to-back one-out walks before Gianni singled through the hole on the left side. Hartman stole second and third before scoring the eventual game-winning run.

Stephen Hammergren (1-0) shut the door with three scoreless innings out of the bullpen. He struck out three and only allowed one hit while also escaping a bases-loaded jam in the ninth.

Blake Reece fired six scoreless innings with five strikeouts, two of which came in his final inning of work.

Hartman led the way offensively with two doubles and two walks while also reaching base on an error.

Wenatchee scored its first run in the fifth to break a scoreless tie on a Kade Benavidez sacrifice fly. The AppleSox added their final two runs in the eighth on a Jack Johnson RBI single and a groundout by Fred Buckson.

The AppleSox look to win the series on Saturday night when they face the Lefties again at 6:35. Matthew DelVecchio starts for Wenatchee and tickets can be purchased at applesox.com/schedule.

AppleSox Open Up 24th Season At Home

First Pitch: 6:35 p.m.
Ballpark: Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium
Tickets: applesox.com/schedule
Watch: wcleague.watch.pixellot.tv or ncwlife.com
Listen: kcsyfm.com

GAME NOTES

Opening Day: The AppleSox are 15-8 all-time in the first game of the season (league and non-league games included)... This is only the third team in their 24-season history that the AppleSox have begun a season in May (2002, 2003)... The earliest Opening Day that the AppleSox have ever had is May 30, 2002 (14-3 W vs. Bellingham)... Wenatchee lost to the Bells, 2-0, the year before on May 31 and today continues the trend of never having played a road game in May... The AppleSox are 2-1 all-time in May...

Home Opener: The AppleSox are 13-10 all-time in home openers (league and non-league games included)... This is the first time that the AppleSox are home for the first game of the season since 2021 (8-3 L vs. Northwest Star Academy on June 1)... The last time that the AppleSox hosted a WCL opponent for their first league game of the season was June 3, 2016 (6-1 L vs. Yakima Valley)...

2023 In Review: The 2023 AppleSox recorded the franchise’s best regular-season record in the last 10 seasons and tied the 2012 team for the second-most wins in franchise history... Seven members of the team earned All-WCL honors to help lead the team to its 15th playoff berth in 23 seasons... Head coach Mitch Darlington’s club set single-season franchise records for walks drawn (300), home league victories (21), home winning streak in league play (12), sweeps (8) and home runs hit in a single game (4)... Wenatchee’s 19-8 record in the first half was the team's best mark in either half since the WCL adopted the two-halves playoff format in 2016... Under first-year pitching coach Mike Callia the AppleSox improved their team ERA from 4.88 in 2022 to 3.35 in 2023, their lowest mark since 2012...

Mitch Darlington: Third season as AppleSox head coach... Darlington is the first head coach in AppleSox history to both make in the postseason in his first season and make it in each of his first two campaigns... He is 64-44 and is 21 wins away from moving into sole possession of the second-most wins in team history... His AppleSox have scored 738 runs the last two seasons, the most by any WCL team...

Last Season vs. Port Angeles: Split series, 3-3... Two teams combined to score 10 runs June 27-29 in Wenatchee... Five-of-six meetings ended with one team winning by two runs or less and three matchups were decided by one run... Port Angeles reliever CJ Lewis recorded three of his four saves against the AppleSox (June 27, July 5, July 6)... AppleSox reliever Garrett Gores fired eight shutout frames and recorded the franchise’s first immaculate inning in the fifth on July 4... Wenatchee enters tonight with consecutive head-to-head losses against Port Angeles for only the second time in the series’ history... The Lefties’ wins July 5-6 gave their first series victory in 11 attempts against the AppleSox...

Returning Players: Eleven players who appeared in at least one game last season are signed to return at some point this summer (Braiden Boyd, Fred Buckson, Evan Canfield, Jack DeDonato, Hunter Gibson, Cam Hoiland, Jayden Holloway, Andrew Monson, Joey Pearson, Sam Round and Quincy Vassar)... Boyd, Canfield, Gibson and Vassar will all be in their third season with the AppleSox... Once DeDonato appears in his first game with the AppleSox he will become the second player in team history to appear in four different seasons with the team, joining John Gebbers (2000-03)... Vassar has struck out 87 hitters combined the last two summers, tops among all WCL pitchers...

2014 AppleSox Alum Makes MLB Debut

Former AppleSox pitcher/outfielder Trenton Brooks appeared in his first Major League Baseball game on Tuesday night. Brooks was the starting first baseman for the San Francisco Giants in their 1-0 win over the Philadelphia Phillies in 10 innings.

He recorded two at-bats before being removed in the eighth to become the 22nd player in AppleSox history to appear in an MLB game just says before the franchise’s 24th season.

Brooks suited up as a two-way player for the AppleSox a decade ago, recording a 3.30 ERA in 10 games on the mound while batting .288 in 38 games. His most impressive achievement that summer was recording a 15-game hitting streak from July 4-31 (non-league play included). Brooks also opened his AppleSox career with hits in each of his first nine games.

He hit .322 over three years at Nevada from 2014-16 and earned the Mountain West Tony Gwynn Player of the Year honor in 2015. He was then drafted by the Cleveland Guardians in the 17th round of the 2016 MLB Draft. Brooks played minor-league games in the Cleveland system for six campaigns, getting as high as AAA. He also spent time in the Oakland Athletics organization last year before joining the Giants later in the campaign.

The AppleSox open up the 2024 season on Friday night at home against the Port Angeles Lefties. It’s the first game of a season-opening four-game homestand and tickets are available now at applesox.com/schedule.

Seven 10-Day Contracts Signed To 2024 Roster

AppleSox head coach Mitch Darlington announced on Tuesday the first wave of 10-day contract players for the 2024 season. Kade Benavidez, Ethan Buckley, Damon Gaither, Jack Johnson, Masayuki Kawashima, Caden Parker and Joe Scheffler will help provide depth to the AppleSox early in the season. 

Benavidez is a left-handed infielder and a right-handed pitcher at New Mexico State. He has transitioned to being a two-way player this season by thriving at the plate, posting a .386 average over 28 games. Benavidez became a regular in the lineup at the beginning of April and has responded by recording four multi-hit games. His .525 on-base percentage leads all Aggies with at least 25 games played. Benavidez did not record any at-bats in 2022 but hit .390 with 14 home runs and 52 RBI in 54 games at New Mexico Junior College as a freshman in 2022. 

The Belen, N.M. native’s lone year of summer-ball experience came in 2021 when he started six-of-seven games and recorded a 3.29 ERA with 37 strikeouts and only 10 walks over 41 innings for the Grand Lake Mariners of the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League. 

“He’s going to play some corner infield,” Darlington said. “He’s on a June-only contract. Should be here Opening Day. We brought him in as some insurance on the corners but also the ability to step on the mound and get us some relief innings is big. Kind of a guy that was too good to pass on for a June-only contract. I think he’s going to play a huge role in our first-half success.”

Buckley has played in 19 games in each of the last two seasons at Linn-Benton. He hit .311 with three doubles and a home run as a freshman before hitting .271 with 16 RBI as a sophomore for the Roadrunners. He joins fellow Linn-Benton teammate Aidan Dougherty on this summer’s AppleSox team. 

“Really good program to pull guys from,” Darlington said. “Ethan is originally from South Africa but came over here to play baseball. He got some summer work last year with the Medford Rogues and is a great 10-day contract for us to begin the season.”

Gaither just wrapped up his sophomore season at Coppin State by hitting .260 with a team-high nine home runs over 45 games. His .479 slugging percentage was also tops on the Eagles and his 35 RBI tied for the team lead. Gaither spent three seasons at Everett Community College but only played seven games in 2021 before sitting out the 2022 season. He slashed .336/.409/.526 with 21 RBI last year to earn All-NWAC Second Team North Region honors. 

The Olympia native previously played in the West Coast League for the Port Angeles Lefties but was used as a pitcher. He was also used as a pitcher with the Spearfish Sasquatch in the Independence League in 2022 but primarily saw playing time in the field, posting a .352 on-base percentage in 25 games.

“Damon is a big power bat first baseman,” Darlington said. “He played basketball at Everett as well and is just really athletic. It’s going to be hard to have his time expire after his 10-day contract if he swings how he did at Coppin State.”

Johnson will be a junior this fall and looking to commit to a four-year college this summer. He appeared in 39 games at Santa Barbara City College over the last two seasons after redshirting in 2022. He was limited to 13 games this season after appearing in 26 games a season ago. 

The Arlington, Wash. native previously played in the WCL in 2022, appearing in 13 games for the Walla Walla Sweets. Six of those games were against the AppleSox and he collected hits in four of the games.

“He’s a guy who will be really hungry to come in here in early June and compete to get in our lineup,” Darlington said. “He has battled some injuries this spring and hasn’t had the opportunity to get in the lineup consistently. I remember seeing Jack a few years ago with Walla Walla and the thing that stood out to me was his glove. A no-brainer for a 10-day contract.”

Kawashima just wrapped up his sophomore year at Sierra College, where he hit .303 with 18 walks and nine stolen bases while recording two different six-game hitting streaks in 28 games. As a freshman Kawashima hit .281 and recorded four different multi-hit games, with three of them being three-hit-or-better efforts.

The Machia, Japan native played for the Bend Elks last season but was hitless in 12 at-bats.

“Runs really well and is a good glove at short,” Darlington said. “We had heard about Masayuki through an ex-AppleSox player, who sent his name our way. He’s not on a 10-day or a full-season contract but will be three weeks or a little longer. He and Fred Buckson will give us a pretty solid Opening Day middle infield.”

Parker began his collegiate career at Clark College, where he led the way offensively for two seasons. He led the 2022 Penguins in runs (40), hits (54), stolen bases (15), RBI (34) and triples (2) as a freshman. Parker went on to lead the 2023 Penguins in walks (37), stolen bases (19) and runs (36) as a sophomore before joining Bowling Green this season. 

The AppleSox are Parker’s third different West Coast League team over the last three seasons. The West Linn, Ore. native got his start in the WCL in 2022, beginning the summer with the Cowlitz Black Bears before joining the Pickles later in the season. He appeared in both of Portland’s games in the 2022 WCL Playoffs and homered and drove in three runs in Game 1 of the 2022 South Division Series at Ridgefield. Parker rejoined the Pickles last summer and suited up for 10 games.

“Caden is a rock-solid outfielder,” Darlington said. “He runs really well and is really solid defensively. He was a guy who, when we reached out, we were only able to offer a 10-day contract at that time in the offseason but is definitely worthy of being a full-summer guy. He’s a guy who will either be with us early in the season or late in the season.”

Scheffler wrapped up his Pierce College career by earning First Team All-NWAC West Region this spring. He led the NWAC with 23 runners caught stealing while recording a .985 fielding percentage and only allowing five passed balls. Scheffler, despite primarily being a catcher, was only caught stealing twice in 22 attempts at Pierce. 

The Lake Washington native appeared in five games for the Port Angeles Lefties in 2022, including appearing in two games against the AppleSox.

“Really good catch-and-throw catcher,” Darlington said. “Everything I’ve seen looks good. Recently signed with Wingate, a Division-II school on the east coast that recently won a national championship. Him and Ethan (Buckley) early on in the season are two really solid options behind the dish.”

The 2024 WCL season begins on May 31 as the AppleSox host the Port Angeles Lefties at 6:25 p.m. at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium. The AppleSox have 31 home games and play until mid-August. Single-game tickets are available for purchase now at applesox.com/schedule with admission as affordable as $8. Season ticket packages are also available for purchase at applesox.com/season-tickets. Don’t miss the AppleSox’ free Fan Fest on Wednesday, May 29 for your opportunity to come to the ballpark and meet the team at 5:30.

AppleSox Welcome Four Toreros To 2024 Team

AppleSox head coach Mitch Darlington announced on Saturday the addition of four players from the University of San Diego. JD Goodcase, Jonathan Fitz, Hunter Friedberg and Tristan Lamaison are four newcomers signed to come to Wenatchee this season.

The AppleSox did not have any players from the University of San Diego last season but have a connection with the Toreros through pitcher Grady Miller, who pitched for Wenatchee in 2016 and 2018.

“Really excited about this new connection,” Darlington said. “Typically one of the top two, top three finishers in the West Coast Conference, consistently have made regionals and had really good seasons. A fun connection and a really good program to pull from.” 

Fitz is a catcher who has appeared in 10 games for the Toreros this spring as a freshman and has recorded .267 average. He put together a tremendous senior season at Covington High School in 2023, batting .511, with 19 doubles, six home runs and a 1.501 OPS. Fitz racked up the hardware, by earning the 2023 Kentucky Johnny Bench Award, team MVP honors, First Team All-State Honors, and the Northern Kentucky Athletic Conference Division I Player of the Year and Northern Kentucky Senior All-Star Series MVP. The Edgewood, Ky. native also helped Covington win the 2023 District 35 Championship and was named Tournament MVP.

“He’s seen some limited action but he’s behind one of the better catchers in the country,” Darlington said. “A really talented young guy. We expect him to come in here and catch every other day. The kid can really swing it. He’s physical and really strong.”

Friedberg is an outfielder who graduated from St. John Bosco High School in 2023 and is looking to make his season debut with the Toreros. He hit .481 in 28 games as a senior last year to earn First Team All-League honors. Friedberg also excelled in his junior year, earning Second Team All-League honors with a .339 average in 27 games. The Lakewood, Calif. native also played for Team California at the 2022 National High School Baseball Championship Series.

“He’s a left-handed bat that we are really excited about,” Darlington said. “Hunter is a really talented kid who led his high school league in batting average as a senior and that is one of the better leagues in the country. He’s a talented kid and he’s going to be in our lineup consistently.”

Goodcase is a right-handed pitcher in his sophomore year at San Diego. He came out of the bullpen 11 times in 2023 and has already made eight relief appearances this spring. Goodcase graduated from St. Bonaventure High School in California in 2022. He was named the Tri-Valley Pitcher of the Year in 2021 and earned First-Team All-Tri-Valley League Honors after posting a 1.69 ERA with 54 strikeouts and 21 walks over 45.2 innings in 15 games as a junior. 

“JD is a really high-ceiling arm,” Darlington said. “Just a talented back-end bullet to have in our bullpen. JD is going to be a late-inning, maybe a closer type of role. He has good swing-and-miss stuff with seven strikeouts already in only eight innings this spring.”

LaMaison is a sophomore right-handed pitcher who appeared in 13 games in relief last season as a freshman. He has pitched in five games out of the bullpen and has a 4.15 ERA this spring. The Orange County, Calif. native graduated from JSerra High School in 2022, where he was a 2021 Regional State Champion and a 2022 CIF Southern Section Champion.

“He’s seen limited action this year but he’s the perfect guy to come out here and see a ton of innings for us,” Darlington said. “A guy that San Diego has good plans for and is only going to get better as he keeps getting older and keeps developing. We just hope to be a step in the right direction for him as far as his development goes. I know (AppleSox pitching coach) Mike (Callia) is excited to work with him.”

The 2024 WCL season begins on May 31 as the AppleSox host the Port Angeles Lefties at 6:25 p.m. at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium. The AppleSox have 31 home games and play until mid-August. Single-game tickets are available for purchase now at applesox.com/schedule with admission as affordable as $8. Season ticket packages are also available for purchase at applesox.com/season-tickets. Wenatchee’s five West Coast League championships are second-most in league history and head coach Mitch Darlington’s club set single-season franchise records for walks drawn, home record, home winning streak, sweeps and home runs hit in a single game in 2023.

AppleSox Partner With YMCA To Provide Free Kids Tickets

The Wenatchee AppleSox are proud to partner with the Wenatchee Valley YMCA to provide free kids tickets this summer.

Kids 11-and-under will be able to attend as many of the AppleSox’ 31 home games as they would like in 2024. Free tickets can be redeemed at the gate on the day of a game or online. Simply visit applesox.com/schedule and use the discount code APPLEKIDS at checkout.

This partnership continues the AppleSox’ wish to foster a love of baseball among the youth in Wenatchee, and by partnering with the Wenatchee Valley YMCA, we anticipate youth participation to increase! The AppleSox also offer affordable youth clinics each summer in which coaches and players teach kids valuable baseball skills while also creating lifelong memories.

“We're thrilled to announce this new community partnership with the Wenatchee Valley YMCA for the 2024 AppleSox season,” general manager Allie Schank said. “Together, we aim to ignite the love for baseball in every young heart through free youth tickets, fostering a community where passion knows no bounds."

The Wenatchee Valley YMCA has served the community since 1910 and is currently the largest provider of licensed childcare in partnership with three school districts in seven locations and serves over 700 children in childcare annually.

"Making sure every child thrives and finds their passion is of the utmost importance to the Y board and staff,” said Chief Executive Officer Dorry Foster Chief. “We promise never to deny a child access to participation due to the inability to pay, which makes this partnership with the AppleSox so important."

The 2024 season begins on May 31 as the AppleSox host the Port Angeles Lefties at 6:35 p.m. at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium. The AppleSox have 31 home games and play until mid-August. The franchise’s five West Coast League championships are second-most in league history, and head coach Mitch Darlington’s club set single-season franchise records for walks drawn, home record, home winning streak, sweeps, and home runs hit in a single game in 2023. Season ticket packages are available for purchase at applesox.com/season-tickets. Single-game tickets are available for purchase now at applesox.com/schedule, with admission as affordable as $8.

Hoiland Returns, UW's Clark Added To 2024 Roster

AppleSox head coach Mitch Darlington announced on Monday the addition of two players to the 2024 roster. Max Clark of Washington and Cam Hoiland of Cal Poly have both been added with less than a month to go until Opening Day.

Clark has not appeared in any games in his freshman season at Washington but comes to the AppleSox after an impressive prep career. He helped lead Mercer Island to a 3A State Championship in 2022 while also earning first team all-league honors each of his last two years of high school. Clark was also ranked as the top third baseman and 22nd-best overall player in Washington state’s class of 2023 by Perfect Game. He appeared in three games last season with the Victoria HarbourCats prior to joining the Huskies.

Hoiland returns for a second season in Wenatchee as a valuable weapon for Darlington. The Renton native recorded 32 at-bats but did his most impressive work on the mound, posting a 0.60 ERA with 13 strikeouts and eight walks over 15 innings in three games. He picked up the win by tossing six innings in both of his starts before recording a three-inning save on June 21 at Kamloops. 

Hoiland has hit .263 in 31 games while also recording a 2.45 ERA with five strikeouts and one walk over three innings in three appearances on the bump at Cal Poly. He earned First Team All-NWAC North Region 2023 as a pitcher at Bellevue when he had a 1.43 ERA with 88 strikeouts and 30 walks over 75.1 innings in 14 games (all starts).

The 2024 season begins on May 31 as the AppleSox host the Port Angeles Lefties at 6:35 p.m. at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium. The AppleSox have 31 home games and play until mid-August. Single-game tickets are available for purchase now at applesox.com/schedule with admission as affordable as $8. 

Darlington Signs Four Position Players

AppleSox head coach Mitch Darlington announced on Thursday the addition of four position players to the 2024 roster. Luca Boscarino, Aidan Dougherty, Maloy Heaghney and William Zareh are signed to join this summer’s squad.

“These players are four that we feel are going to make a big impact for us,” Darlington said. “All four of them should be able to get here fairly early on in the summer and are going to stay for the majority of the summer.”

Boscarino is in his first season with the University Of The Incarnate Word after spending two years at Connors State College. He has appeared in 11 games and has recorded hits in four of them, including a breakout 2-for-4 game last Friday in which he hit his first home run of the season. In the two previous seasons Boscarino hit a combined .317 over 93 games for the Cowboys. Fourteen of his 19 home runs there came last spring.

The Mississaugua, Ontario native suited up for the Toronto Maple Leafs in the Intercounty Baseball League in southern Ontario in the summer of 2022. Boscarino recorded five multi-hit games and rattled off an eight-game hitting streak from June 10-26. 

“The thing that stood out to me was his junior-college numbers,” Darlington said. “His home run numbers were ridiculous. From talking with his coaches at Incarnate Word they had nothing but great things to say about him. One of the hardest-working guys on their team and someone who would run through a brick wall for you.”

Dougherty is in the midst of wrapping up his sophomore year at Linn-Benton Community College before heading off to UConn this fall. He leads the Roadrunners with a .346 batting average, 33 runs and four triples through 33 games. Dougherty has recorded at least one hit in all but two games and even recorded a 21-game hitting streak from Feb. 24-Apr. 13. He batted .360 (31-for-86) over it and has rattled off a six-game hitting streak since it ended. 

The Snoqualmie native played for the Medford Rogues last summer after batting .327 in 41 games as a freshman at Linn-Benton to be named an All-NWAC 2nd Team outfielder. He also appeared in two non-league games with the Yakima Valley Pippins in 2022. Dougherty graduated from Mount Si High School in 2022.

“He’s had an interesting career path,” Darlington said. “Went to Oregon State out of high school and then left after the fall for Linn-Benton. He is their everyday leadoff guy and we were definitely interested when he reached out.”

Heaghney has not appeared in any games yet this season at Missouri State but is looking to become the second straight Bear to make a difference with the AppleSox after Izzy Lopez shined at shortstop a summer ago. 

Heaghney brings previous summer baseball experience to Wenatchee after suiting up in the Prospect League last summer. He led the O’Fallon Hoots in walks (32) and finished second in on-base percentage (.425) among teammates with at least 25 games played. Heaghney recorded eight multi-hit games, including a 3-for-3 night with 2 home runs and 4 RBI on July 5 vs. the Thrillville Thrillbillies. 

He graduated from Eureka High School in 2023 and helped lead the Wildcats to a 32-4 record as a senior, breaking the school record for victories for a second consecutive year after a 26-win, conference championship junior season. Heaghney was a three-time first-team all-conference selection and earned gold glove honors in each of his final three prep seasons. He was also ranked as the No. 5 shortstop in Missouri’s 2023 class.

“Maloy is a middle infielder/outfielder,” Darlington said. “The big thing that we liked is how good of an athlete he is. He runs really well and can play multiple positions. They’ve tinkered with him in the outfield but his primary position is shortstop. I think he’s going to be a kid that’s too good of an athlete to keep off the field.”

Zareh is another backstop joining the AppleSox this week to bolster the catcher position. He has appeared in seven games this spring at Missouri State as a freshman. He was the eighth-best catching prospect in Missouri in the class of 2023 according to Perfect Game and was a first-team all-conference selection as a junior and a senior. The Webster Groves, Mo. native batted .333 with 17 RBI, 28 hits and nine doubles in 30 games his senior year. Zareh was named Team MVP as a junior with a .419/.541/.698 slash line, 17 extra-base hits and 23 RBI. He was voted the team’s defensive player of the year his sophomore season and batted .326.

“William is a catcher who has a lot of tools,” Darlington said. “He’s registered 90 miles per hour from behind the dish, which is really impressive; a strong arm to have behind the dish. He’s a guy that Missouri State sees building their program around and plans for him in their future.”

The 2024 season begins on May 31 as the AppleSox host the Port Angeles Lefties at 6:35 p.m. at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium. The AppleSox have 31 home games and play until mid-August. Single-game tickets are available for purchase now at applesox.com/schedule with admission as affordable as $8. 

AppleSox Add Three Pitchers With Arizona Connections

AppleSox head coach Mitch Darlington signed three pitchers to the 2024 roster on Friday. Garrett Ahern, Carter Seely and Samuel Round are three-right handers joining this summer’s team.

Ahern joins Cannon Peery as the second AppleSox signee from Grand Canyon University. Ahern has a 2.38 ERA with four strikeouts and four walks over 11.1 innings in six appearances as a freshman for the Antelopes.

The Gilbert, Ariz. native graduated from Campo Verde High School after earning first team all-region honors as a junior in 2022 and then second team honors as a senior in 2023. Ahern went 3-1 with a 2.26 ERA, 38 strikeouts and 11 walks over 31 innings in six games last year.  

“Garrett has already seen some innings for them,” Darlington said. “He’s recovering from an arm injury last year and is just getting back into the swing of things this spring. He’ll be wanting to get a lot of innings, wanting to get a lot of time on the mound and get polished up.”

Seely comes to the AppleSox from Central Arizona, where he has recorded a 3.86 ERA with 17 strikeouts and nine walks over 14 innings in 10 games. His best outing out of the bullpen came on March 11 when he hurled three scoreless innings against Western Nebraska. 

The Selah, Wa. native graduated from Selah high school last spring after helping lead the Vikings to the Washington State 2A Tournament semifinals. He will get the opportunity to pitch back home when the AppleSox travel to play the Yakima Valley Pippins June 18-20.

“We expect him to come up here and see a ton of significant innings for us,” Darlington said “This is an important summer for Carter. I know it will be fun for him to pitch in front of his family and friends but also getting some significant innings in the West Coast League will be big for his development.”

Round returns to the AppleSox after thriving as a starter last season. He got the nod in the first game of the postseason after going 2-0 with a 3.66 ERA, 30 strikeouts and 13 walks over 27 innings in seven games (five starts) in the regular season. He struck out a season-high 10 batters against Bellingham July 27 and went at least five innings in four-of-five regular season starts.

The Phoenix native has not pitched yet this season at Gonzaga. He was a Perfect Game Underclass All-American and Top-500 recruit while playing at Pinnacle High School in Arizona. Round was also a Prep Baseball Report Arizona Future Games Participant.

“I think we saw a lot of the highs of Sam last summer,” Darlington said. “Low 90’s fastball with a sharp, devastating slider that became his swing-and-miss pitch. Towards the end of last summer Sam was becoming our main guy, kind of our number one guy. We knew what we were getting every time he started.” 

The 2024 season begins on May 31 as the AppleSox host the Port Angeles Lefties at 6:35 p.m. at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium. The AppleSox have 31 home games and play until mid-August. Single-game tickets are available for purchase now at applesox.com/schedule with admission as affordable as $8. 

Fans are encouraged to come to Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium on Wednesday, May 1 to cheer on former AppleSox head coach Ed Knaggs as he begins his run from Wenatchee to Corvallis. Knaggs is doing the run next month to raise awareness for youth mental health and will depart from Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium at 8 a.m. Fans interested in donating to be entered for a chance to coach the AppleSox for a game this summer can visit openingdayrun.com

Ever Want To Coach The AppleSox? Here's Your Chance

The Wenatchee AppleSox are partnering with former head coach Ed Knaggs and Opening Day Run to offer the opportunity for fans to coach for a game this summer.

The winner will get the chance to join the AppleSox for batting practice before a game and coach first base for an inning. He/she will join AppleSox head coach Mitch Darlington and his assistants Mike Callia and Xander Orejudos to help lead the Sox to victory.

Interested participants will receive an entry for every $50 donation to Only7Seconds, one of the organizations that Opening Day Run will be benefiting. Simply put “Coach For A Day” in the comments with your donation on openingdayrun.com and you will be eligible for the promotion. 

Opening Day Run is an event by Knaggs to help raise awareness for youth mental health. Knaggs will run from Wenatchee, where he coached from 2001-14, to Corvallis, Ore., where he has coached since 2018. Knaggs won six league championships with Wenatchee, including each of the organization’s five West Coast League titles. He has since gone on to help the Knights win each of their last five championships. 

The run will begin on May 1 at 7 a.m. at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium. Knaggs will head to the Apple Capital Recreation Loop Trail up to the Columbia River Bridge over to 9th Street before continuing on the Loop to 3rd Street and then hit Rock Island Road until it runs into Highway 28 to begin his run to Corvallis. NCWLIFE will be broadcasting live at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium from 7-8 a.m.

“For anyone who is a baseball fan, Opening Day is a positive phrase connected with the sport,” Knaggs said. “I think of the parallels with Opening Day and how it is about hope, belief and dreaming. If we could wake up every day and it could be Opening Day, we would feel good. I talk with my teams each year midway through the summer as fatigue sets in. I tell them that if they can come to the ballpark and treat every day like Opening Day, then they will be at their best and can put their struggles behind them.” 

Opening Day Run is spotlighting Only7Seconds and Trillium Family Services, two organizations with connections to both towns. Only7Seconds is a Chelan-based organization whose goal is a world without loneliness. Their programs and resources inspire intentional connections by empowering people and equipping partners. Trillium Family Services is a Corvallis-based organization dedicated to supporting children, adolescents, and their families ages 5-24 years. Personalized support including residential, outpatient, and school-based prevention programs are tailored to address the unique mental health needs of every young person in Trillium’s care.

To donate, please visit openingdayrun.com. Follow Opening Day Run on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for updates on Knaggs’ preparation for the run as well as updates on it once the run begins.

Four Righties From USC Upstate Added To 2024 Roster

AppleSox head coach Mitch Darlington announced on Thursday the addition of four pitchers from South Carolina Upstate to the 2024 roster. Jackson Campbell, Braden Consaul, Caleb Costa and David James are all right-handed pitchers set to join this summer’s team.

Campbell has not taken the bump yet this season for USC Upstate but is coming off a nine-appearance freshman year in 2023. The right-hander comes to the AppleSox with previous summer baseball experience, shining in the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League last season. Campbell recorded a 3.98 ERA with 26 strikeouts and 15 walks over nine appearances last summer for the Hamilton Joe’s. He did not allow an earned run in six of his appearances and recorded a season-high six strikeouts twice. 

“A guy that has a lot of talent but hasn’t fully developed yet and needs a summer out here to dial it in,” Darlington said. “He hasn’t seen innings yet this spring, which is always a good and a bad thing. Good for us in the sense that he’s going to be able to come out here and get a lot of innings but bad in the sense that he hasn’t gotten the chance to get out there this spring.”

Consaul’s 19 appearances last season were third-most on the Spartans en route to earning a Spot on the Big South’s All Freshman team. He has already made 12 trips to the bump as a sophomore and has a 3.78 ERA with 14 strikeouts and seven walks over 16.2 innings this spring. The Rochester, N.Y. native put together a dominant March, only allowing three runs over 10 appearances while racking up 12 strikeouts. Consaul recorded a 4.15 ERA with 18 strikeouts and 10 walks over 17.1 innings in 10 games for the Florence Flamingos of the Coastal Plain League. 

“He’s slowly been worked into a starter’s role,” Darlington said. “We expect him to get a few starts under his belt and then go from there. All the talent in the world. A really high ceiling guy that we’re excited to have with us.”

Costa has not pitched for the Spartans yet this season but made 11 appearances as a freshman in 2023 with three of them coming as a starter. He punched out 16 hitters and walked nine over 13.2 innings. The Charleston, S.C. native graduated from Oceanside Collegiate Academy in 2022, where he went 6-0 with a 1.00 ERA, 25 strikeouts and 10 walks over 28 innings in seven games as a senior. Costa recorded a 3.72 ERA for Kingsmen Baseball of the Southern Collegiate Baseball League in 2022 prior to his freshman year of college.

“Hasn’t thrown yet in 2024 for a variety of reasons,” Darlington said,” but we’re expecting him to come in and be full go for us and be ready to compete. A guy we face in to a bullpen role but is gonna have lights-out stuff and fill it up. ”

James is in his sophomore year at USC Upstate and has pitched in six games this season. He has punched out 12 hitters while only walking five over 10.2 innings. The London, Ontario native started and dominated in four games for the Albany Dutchmen of the Perfect Game Collegiate League last season by posting a 0.83 ERA with 20 strikeouts and six walks over 21.2 innings. That performance came after a freshman year in which he made 14 appearances and fired 20.2 innings for the Spartans. 

“David is another one with a three-pitch mix, upper 80’s fastball and good offspeed that plays,” Darlington said. “Quality guy to grab for the summer. He’s only thrown 10 innings this spring so that means he’ll be able to throw a lot for us, which we like to see.”

The 2024 season begins on May 31 as the AppleSox host the Port Angeles Lefties at 6:35 p.m. at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium. The AppleSox have 31 home games and play until mid-August. Single-game tickets are available for purchase now at applesox.com/schedule with admission as affordable as $8.

Three Red Devils Arms Join 2024 Roster

AppleSox head coach Mitch Darlington announced on Thursday the addition of three pitchers to the team’s 2024 roster. Michael Schwarz, Stephen Hammergren and Josh Mejia will all join this summer’s AppleSox squad. All three have pitched or currently pitch for Lower Columbia College under AppleSox and Red Devils pitching coach Mike Callia.

Michael Schwarz was signed to pitch for the AppleSox last summer before being shut down after the NWAC Championship. In two seasons with the Red Devils he recorded a combined 2.26 ERA with 149 strikeouts and 51 walks over 159 innings in 28 games (27 starts) while also earning Second Team All-NWAC West Region in 2023. Schwarz helped Lower Columbia win the first game of its eventual NWAC Championship run last season by holding Edmonds to one run on four hits, no walks and nine strikeouts in seven innings. The southpaw is in his junior year at Texas A&M Corpus Christi where he is teammates with 2023 AppleSox infielder Mason Persons. 

“He was a guy when we had him (at Lower Columbia) who was dominating teams by moving around the fastball and mixing in the secondary (pitches) ,” Callia said. “There are not many guys who are two-year aces in the NWAC. Mike Schwarz was at Lower Columbia. That speaks highly to the competitor that he is and his willingness to take the ball every weekend and rack up innings that he had said a lot about his pure grit and determination to go compete.”

Josh Mejia is in his freshman year at Lower Columbia and has a 2.63 ERA with 24 strikeouts and 11 walks over 13.2 innings in eight games out of the bullpen. He has not allowed a run in five of his outings and his best appearance was three-inning scoreless effort on Feb. 23 vs. Lane. The southpaw went 5-1 with a 3.26 ERA, 74 strikeouts and 32 walks over 11 games as a senior at Rogers High School in 2023. 

“Probably one of our hardest workers with the Red Devils this year,” Callia said. “He’s been an electric arm out of the bullpen. He brings a lot with his slider and fastball velocity. We’re excited to see how he competes against Division-I arms coming from a funky arm slot.”

Stephen Hammergren didn’t have to go far from home for college after graduating from Mark Morris High School. He hit .434 with nine extra-base hits and 28 RBI as a senior in 2023 while also only allowing one run in 23.2 innings over six games on the mound. Hammergren punched out 43 hitters while only walking 14 and allowing 11 hits. He has a 4.32 ERA with 19 strikeouts and 11 walks over 16.2 innings in six games with Lower Columbia.

“I can’t tell you how excited he is to join the AppleSox,” Callia said. “He tells me every day that he’s excited to spend the summer with me. He’s an electric arm out of our bullpen right now. He had a fantastic ”

The 2024 WCL season begins on May 31 as the AppleSox host the Port Angeles Lefties at 6:25 p.m. at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium. The AppleSox have 31 home games and play until mid-August. Single-game tickets for the 2024 season go on sale April 15. Season ticket packages are available for purchase now at applesox.com/season-tickets. Wenatchee’s five West Coast League championships are second-most in league history and head coach Mitch Darlington’s club set single-season franchise records for walks drawn, home record, home winning streak, sweeps and home runs hit in a single game in 2023. 

Listen to the latest edition of the AppleSox Podcast below to hear about the newest additions to the roster from pitching coach Mike Callia. Subscribe to the AppleSox Podcast today on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

Current Freshman, Incoming Freshman Highlight Latest Roster Additions

A connection with a former member of the AppleSox headlines this week’s roster additions. Antonio Gianni, Adam Haight, Ethan Hubbell and Cannon Peery are four newcomers signed to play for this summer’s team.

Antonio Gianni is a utility player in his freshman year at Central Arizona College. He is batting .216 through his first 21 games with the Vaqueros. Gianni recorded a five-game hitting streak in mid-March that he batted .500 (6-for-12) over. He finished his high-school career strong with a .341 average and four home runs and 19 RBI in 28 games last spring at Cactus Shadows in Arizona.

“Antonio is a true definition of a utility guy,” Darlington said.” Plays a little bit of middle infield and all three outfield spots. From our phone calls with him he is the type of kid who is up for playing anywhere. Wherever you want play him, he’s going to be comfortable and he’s going to be able to produce.”

Adam Haight will be a freshman this fall at Oregon State after completing the summer season with the AppleSox. He is a senior at Cedar Park Christian High School and is the younger brother of 2021 AppleSox catcher Andrew Haight. Adam is an infielder and a right-handed pitcher who is ranked as the third-best member of the class of 2024 in Washington by Baseball Northwest. BVM Sports and Perfect Game both rated him the second-best player in his senior class. 

“He’ll be a true two-way player for us this summer,” Darlington said. “He gets on the bump and he’s got an upper-80’s to low-90’s fastball. A lot of upside on the mound as well as in the field.”  

Ethan Hubbell is in his sophomore year at Everett Community College and is in the midst of turning in another impressive campaign. He leads the Trojans in innings (37.1) and strikeouts (37) and is second in WHIP (0.83) and third in ERA (1.45). This comes after he finished fourth in innings (56.2) and fifth in strikeouts (30) as a freshman. Hubbell finished with a 3.34 ERA, only nine walks and two complete games in 11 games (eight starts) last season.

“Ethan is a guy who attacks the zone and fills it up,” Darlington said. “Not a ton of strikeouts, not a ton of swing-and-miss but it seems like every outing that he’s gone for Everett he’s gone deep in the games and always gives you a chance to win.” 

The Camas, Wash. native pitched in two games in the West Coast League last summer with the Nanaimo NightOwls. Hubbell surrendered three runs (two earned) in 1.2 innings on June 27 at Yakima Valley before bouncing back with only one unearned run in 2.2 innings on July 2 vs. Port Angeles. 

Cannon Peery is in his freshman year at Grand Canyon University and has appeared in five games so far. He graduated from Mountain Ridge High School in 2023 and was the sixth-ranked first base prospect in Arizona by Perfect Game. Peery hit .366 with 15 extra-base hits and 31 RBI in 29 games last spring and received an invite to Prep Baseball Report’s West Coast Games in the fall of 2022.  

“Everything we’ve heard about Cannon is that he’s going to be a pure hitter someday,” Darlington said. “He’s going to play a lot of first base for us, a lot of designated hitter and probably a guy that’s going to be tough to keep out of the lineup.” 

The 2024 WCL season begins on May 31 as the AppleSox host the Port Angeles Lefties at 6:25 p.m. at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium. The AppleSox have 31 home games and play until mid-August. Single-game tickets for the 2024 season go on sale April 15. Season ticket packages are available for purchase now at applesox.com/season-tickets. Wenatchee’s five West Coast League championships are second-most in league history and head coach Mitch Darlington’s club set single-season franchise records for walks drawn, home record, home winning streak, sweeps and home runs hit in a single game in 2023.

Six Players From In-State Colleges Added To 2024 Roster

AppleSox head coach Mitch Darlington announced on Friday the addition of six players from Washington colleges to this summer’s roster. Carson Boesel, Micah Bujachich, Max Hartman, Matthew Henning, Tyson Rutherford and Karsten Sweum are all signed to suit up for the AppleSox in 2024. 

Carson Boesel is a local product who graduated from Okanogan High School last spring and is in his freshman year at Spokane Falls Community College. The Malott, Wash. native has appeared in four games for the Sasquatch and did not allow any runs over the first 5.1 innings that he appeared in. Boesel surrendered three runs in three innings in his third appearance before then allowing five in his fourth outing. 

“It’s always nice to have those local guys who are talented enough to come play for us in the summer,” Darlington said. “He’s thrown some really good innings this year in his freshman year at Spokane Falls. They always have good arms and are sendings us good guys, so it was a no-brainer for us to have that local kid that is definitely talented enough to be here.” 

Micah Bujachich will be a freshman at Washington this fall after completing his senior year at Steilacoom High School. He shined as a two-way player last year, batting .432 in 15 games last spring while also recording a 2.81 ERA in eight appearances to lead Steilacoom to the 2A State Tournament. He was ranked the No. 20 overall player and No. 4 right-handed pitcher in Washington by Perfect Game last year. 

“Really talented arm with an upper 80’s to low 90’s fastball and a good breaking pitch,” Darlington said. “It’s hard when you don’t know a lot about these incoming freshmen, but Washington is high on him and really excited about what he will do for them. We expect him to come in and play a significant role for us because of that.”

After appearing in the WCL with a fellow North Division rival in 2023, Max Hartman switches his allegiance to the AppleSox this summer. He hit .193 in 38 games with the Bellingham Bells prior to his sophomore year at Washington State. Hartman recorded a six-game hitting streak from July 4-12 and hit .318 in that time. 

The St. Albert, Alberta native got off to a strong start to his second season with the Cougs, recording a hit in each of his first 10 games. Hartman recorded back-to-back three-hit games with 5 RBI in a doubleheader against Rhode Island Mar. 2 and has 10 multi-hit games so far. His .347 average is third-best on the Cougs and has batted leadoff in each of their last 17 games. 

“Good speed at the top of the order and brings a little bit of juice as well,” Darlington said. “If you know our park, there’s a bit of a jet stream out to right field so having a left-handed bat that’s going to get a ton of at-bats for you in the summer is a good thing.”

Matthew Henning is another incoming freshman at Washington committed to play for the AppleSox before heading off to college. The two-time Perfect Game West Region All-American honoree is in his senior year at West Seattle High School and was ranked the No. 6 overall player and No. 2 outfielder in Washington in Perfect Game’s rankings last November. BVM Sports ranked Henning the eighth-best prospect in the class of 2024 in Washington after he hit .298 with eight extra-base hits and 18 RBI as a junior last spring to help lead West Seattle to the semifinals of the 3A State Tournament. 

“It sounds like Washington is going to bring him in as a true two-way guy,” Darlington said, “so that will be the plan for us, to see what he can do on the bump as well as in the outfield. I expect some big things from Matthew. He’s arriving in early July and will be a second-half guy for us. I think our fans are going to really like Matthew Henning.”

Tyson Rutherford is in his second year of college baseball and is at his second school. He began at Yakima Valley College last year before transferring to Spokane this season. Rutherford posted a 3.79 ERA while striking out 70 and walking 30 over 73.2 innings in 13 games (all starts) last season. He has only made one appearance this spring with the Sasquatch, allowing three runs, striking out eight and only walking one in 4.2 innings. 

“A guy that has a mid-to-upper 80’s fastball,” Darlington said, “and a really nasty breaking ball that gets a lot of swings and misses. Tyson will have a chance to get into our rotation, especially early on since the NWAC guys are able to show up on the first day. May see him get a start or two early on and I think he’ll get a ton of innings for us.”

Glacier Park High School southpaw Karsten Sweum is in his senior year before heading to Gonzaga this fall. He recorded a 1.47 ERA while opponents hit .082 against him over 19 innings to earn First Team All-WESCO 4A and First Team All-Area Snohomish County. Sweum hit .479 with a .545 on-base percentage, 1.191 on-base plus slugging and 17 RBI. He also earned a 2022-23 Northwest Scout Games selection and a 2023 Area Code selection from the Kansas City Royals.

“He’s a kid that’s polished beyond his years,” Darlington said. “We expect a big role from him this summer. We expect him to either step into a rotation role or a lefty who is going to get us out of a tough situation out of the bullpen.”

The 2024 season begins on May 31 as the AppleSox host the Port Angeles Lefties at 6:25 p.m. at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium. The AppleSox have 31 home games and play until mid-August. The franchise’s five West Coast League championships are second-most in league history and head coach Mitch Darlington’s club set single-season franchise records for walks drawn, home record, home winning streak, sweeps and home runs hit in a single game in 2023. Season ticket packages are available for purchase now at applesox.com/season-tickets.

To hear more from Darlington about this week’s roster additions, listen to the latest edition of the Wenatchee AppleSox Podcast below.