AppleSox Sign Six Players From The East

The Wenatchee AppleSox have added six players from schools to the far east to their 2022 roster. Mason Hull, Cam Cratic, Mason Philley, Derek Potts, Grant Sherrod and Kyle Richardson were all added by head coach Mitch Darlington.

The addition of these six players gives the AppleSox players at schools in Arkansas, Missouri, South Carolina and Kentucky Western.

“Having the ability to extend our recruiting efforts across the country is huge for us,” Darlington said. “It allows us to handpick some of the best baseball talents from coast-to-coast.”

Mason Hull joins the AppleSox from Missouri State, where he is in the midst of his senior season with the Bears. The middle infielder is hitting .306 through his first 21 games for the fifth-best batting average on the team. Hull has recorded eight multi-hit games, including four three-hit efforts, and has smacked nine home runs.

Hull has another year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic shortening the 2020 season. The Effingham, Ill. native only appeared in 15 games that season but followed it up with a .313 average in 32 games as a junior in 2021.

This will be Hull’s third straight year playing in a summer league. He played for the Mankato MoonDogs in the Northwoods League in 2020 before joining the North Adams SteepleCats in the New England Collegiate League last year.

Cam Cratic will join his Missouri State teammate on this summer’s AppleSox roster. The outfielder has the fourth-best batting average on the Bears with a .323 mark through his first 19 games. Cratic has collected a hit in all but six games to open the season.

Cratic is a redshirt senior this spring but will also have another year of college eligibility thanks to the pandemic. The Madison, Wis. native began his collegiate career at Madison College, where he hit .349 in 2018 as a freshman before redshirting after nine games in 2019 and only playing in three games in 2020 before the shutdown. He bounced back in 2021 in his first year at Missouri State by hitting .309 in 37 games.

Similar to Hull, Cratic has also spent the last few years with summer ball teams. He has played three-of-the-last-four summers in the Northwoods League with the Madison Mallards and K-Town Bobbers and combined to hit .261 in 76 games.

“Mason Hull and Cam Cratic are two bats that will provide an immediate impact,” Darlington said. “Mason Hull Is the type of hitter you build your lineup around. Cam is a highly talented hitter that provides a spark anywhere in your lineup.” 

Mason Philley is coming off a historic performance earlier this week as he tossed a perfect game. He is the reigning Great American Conference Pitcher of the Week after striking out 10 and retiring all 21 hitters that he faced in a seven-inning 12-0 University of Arkansas at Monticello victory over East Central University this past Saturday. He has a 5.53 ERA in nine games, seven starts, over 42.1 innings. Philley has allowed three runs or less in six of his nine appearances.

The southpaw from Monticello is in his junior season with his hometown Boll Weevils but this is his fourth year there because of the pandemic. He also played in the Northwoods League in 2020, pitching in seven games for the Mandan Flickertails. 

“Philley is a big-time competitor that will step right in and compete to be in our starting rotation,” Darlington said. 

The AppleSox will bring another pitcher from Arkansas Monticello aboard this summer but from the other side of the rubber. Derek Potts is a redshirt junior this year after missing last season. The Decatur, Texas, native has appeared in eight games this season and has a 6.40 ERA but has tossed back-to-back quality starts and has tossed at least six innings five times. 

Potts previously pitched in summer baseball with the Ventura County Pirates of the Sunset Baseball League in 2021. He posted a 4.50 ERA with 37 strikeouts over 30 innings in 12 games.

“Potts has a solid arsenal of pitches,” Darlington said, “which will allow us to use him in a variety of roles.” 

Grant Sherrod is the player on this summer’s team to join the AppleSox from South Carolina Upstate, joining Chase Matheny. Sherrod is a redshirt sophomore with the Spartans and began his collegiate career at Lower Columbia College. The Sumner, Wash. native hit .333 over 27 games with the Red Devils from 2020-21. 

Sherrod played summer ball on the West Coast last year with the Medford Rogues of the Golden State Collegiate Baseball League. He hit .293 in 14 games and drove in 11 runs while posting five multi-hit games.  

“Grant is a big physical athlete,” Darlington said, “who can play first or corner outfield.” 

Kyle Richardson has signed a 10-day contract with the AppleSox this summer. He is a junior at Kentucky Wesleyan and is batting .233 through the first 26 games, all of which he has started for the Panthers. Richardson has hit five home runs, including two against Lincoln Memorial on Feb. 12. 

The Fernandina Beach, Fla. native began his collegiate career at Jacksonville and played in 53 games from 2019-21. He hit three home runs in his final year with the Dolphins. 

“Richardson can play anywhere on the dirt and has a ton of raw power at the dish,” Darlington said. 

Stay tuned to AppleSox social media for next week’s player announcements. Search “Wenatchee AppleSox” on Spotify and Apple Podcasts to hear more of what head coach Mitch Darlington has to say about the newest AppleSox players as well as interviews with other players, past and present.