AppleSox Improve To 2-0 In 2023

The Wenatchee AppleSox overcame a three-run first-inning deficit for a second straight day to defeat the Bend Elks, 4-3, on Saturday night at Vince Genna Stadium.

Austin Bunn singled in the go-ahead run with two outs in the seventh inning and Toby Haarer tossed three scoreless innings to earn the win.

Bunn reached out to hit a ball into right field over the second baseman’s head and score Ty Kennedy from second base after he reached earlier in the inning on a one-out double.

Haarer (1-0) struck out two over his three innings with both of them coming to end the eighth and ninth innings. He did not allow a hit until there were two outs in the ninth inning.

Bend took the lead with a three spot in the third inning for the second straight day but AppleSox starter Ryan Martinez buckled down to silence the Elks over the next four innings while Wenatchee’s bats went to work. Kennedy singled in Cade Westerlund in the third after Westerlund drew a walk and went to second on a balk. Gores doubled in Bunn the next inning after Bunn led off the fourth with a single and then a groundout scored Gores two batters after his extra-base hit.

The AppleSox look to make it a 3-0 road trip to Bend as they face the Elks again at 5:05 p.m. on Sunday in the series finale. Cam Hoiland will get the start after recording a 1.43 ERA in 14 games (all starts) this spring.

Listen to the latest edition of the AppleSox Podcast below to hear a recap of the game, highlights from the game and interviews with Kennedy, pitching coach Mike Callia and Gores.

AppleSox Look To Take Season-Opening Series Against Bend

GAME NOTES

The AppleSox face the Bend Elks tonight at 6:35 p.m. at Vince Genna Stadium in the second game of their first series of the 2023 season.

Wenatchee won its Opening Night game against Bend last night with a 6-4 win thanks to a five-run third inning and five dominant innings of relief from Luke Meyers. He punched out six hitters and did not allow any runs until the second out of the ninth inning.

The AppleSox quieted the Elks’ bats from the second through eighth innings, not allowing any hits and only six hitters to reach base safely. Elks hitters went 31 consecutive plate appearances without a base hit before one-out double in the ninth.

AppleSox hitters only collected four hits but cashed in thanks to eight walks, including at least one in five-of-the first-six innings. Their third-inning outburst was eerily reminiscent of a characteristic of the 2022 AppleSox; Wenatchee scored five-or-more runs in an inning 20 times last summer.

A win tonight or tomorrow would give the AppleSox their first series victory of the season and their first at Bend since 2019. Wenatchee lost its first two road series last season, dropping three games at Bend before falling three times at Bellingham.

Wenatchee sends Ryan Martinez to the mound for his first start of the summer. The right-hander from Pacific posted an 8.46 ERA in 19 games (three starts) as a freshman. Martinez struck out 19 and allowed 36 hits along with 14 walks in 27.2 innings. His most recent outing was a scoreless inning of work against Loyola Marymount on May 19. Martinez’s longest outing of the spring was a four-inning effort against Cal on April 3.

Bend sends lefty Ryan Rembisz from Portland to the mound after tossing four different right-handed pitchers last night. He recorded a 4.82 ERA with 22 strikeouts, nine walks and 21 hits over 18.2 innings in 15 games (one start).

Fans can tune in to the action tonight and all season long on KCSY Sunny FM. Pregame coverage begins at 6:10 p.m. You can listen online worldwide at kcsyfm.com, the TuneIn radio app or on one of the following translators.

• 93.9 FM in Wenatchee

• 95.3 FM in the Lake Chelan Valley

• 97.7 FMin Omak, Riverside, Tonasket and Oroville

• 98.1 FM in East Wenatchee, Rock Island and Quincy

• 101.3 FM in Brewster and Pateros

• 106.3 FM in the Methow Valley

Meyers Shuts Door, AppleSox Win Season Opener

Luke Meyers struck out six over the final five innings in relief and the Wenatchee AppleSox began the 2023 season with a 6-4 win over the Bend Elks on Friday night at Vince Genna Stadium.

Meyers (1-0) entered in the fifth inning and went the distance in his first outing in an AppleSox uniform. Wenatchee scored five runs in the third inning to erase an early 3-0 deficit.

Meyers flirted with danger in the eighth and ninth innings but escaped the first time and limited the damage the second time. After the first two hitters reached in the eighth he punched out the next three hitters in order. Prior to the eighth he only allowed two batters to reach in the previous three innings.

Marcus Harrison, Travis Helm and Ty Kennedy all reached base three times and all of them contributed in the big third inning. Helm led off with a single, the AppleSox’ first hit of the game and then Aiden Van Ransom, Nino Vultaggio and Kennedy all reached on walks to drive in the first run. Harrison singled to left to drive in Van Ransom before Vultaggio scored on a wild pitch. Easton Amundson and Austin Bunn hit consecutive sacrifice flies to score the final two runs.

That response came after surrendering three runs in the first inning when each of the Elks first three hitters reached base and came around to score. The 5-3 score held from the third inning to the ninth when Amundson delivered a two-out RBI single and the Elks got the run back in the bottom of the frame on an RBI groundout.

The AppleSox improved to 15-8 all time in season openers with the win on Friday night. A win on Saturday or Sunday would give the AppleSox their first series win at Bend since 2019. First pitch on Saturday night is at 6:35 p.m. and Ryan Martinez makes his first start of the summer for the AppleSox.

Listen to the AppleSox Podcast below to hear a recap of the game as well as interviews with Meyers and head coach Mitch Darlington.

AppleSox Begin 2023 Season At Bend

GAME NOTES

The Wenatchee AppleSox open up the 2023 season on Friday, June 2, against the Bend Elks at 6:35 p.m. at Vince Genna Stadium. Wenatchee and Bend are opening up a season against each other at the same location for the second straight season.

The AppleSox advanced to the North Division Championship Game last season by sweeping the Kamloops NorthPaws in the North Division Semifinals. Wenatchee ultimately fell to the Bellingham Bells, 4-2, to end its season. Wenatchee shattered single-season team records for walks (281), runs (388), stolen bases (106) and RBI (299) while leading the WCL in runs and hits (549). The AppleSox finished in the top five in the WCL in 2022 for batting average (.285, second), RBI (second), walks (third), on-base percentage (.390, third), OPS (.765, third), stolen bases (fourth) and slugging percentage (.375, fifth). Ten players who appeared in at least one game for the AppleSox last summer are signed to play this summer.

The Elks finished with a winning record (28-26) in 2022 for the first time since winning the WCL Championship in 2015 but fell just short of a playoff berth. They took five-of-the-six games against the AppleSox last season and both squads combined to score at least 14 runs in all but one matchup. Bend led all teams in walks drawn (304) while also hitting the second-most home runs (34) and scoring the second-most runs (375) in the WCL in 2022. Former AppleSox outfielder Steven Meier is signed with the Elks this season.

Right-handed pitcher Garrett Gores returns for his second summer with the club and gets the Opening-Day nod tonight. The Spokane native was named All-NWAC MVP and NWAC East Region MVP this spring by recording a 1.15 ERA in 13 games (all starts) with 92 strikeouts to only 19 walks. Gores also excelled as a position player, batting .344 with 14 extra-base hits and winning an All-NWAC East Region Gold Glove at first base.

Bend counters with Dylan MacCallum from Pepperdine. He recorded a 6.53 ERA in 14 appearances this spring, all in relief. The right-hander from Portland struck out 12 and walked 16 in 20.2 innings but limited opponents to a .240 batting average.

Fans can tune in to the action tonight and all season long on KCSY Sunny FM. Pregame coverage begins at 6:10 p.m. You can listen online worldwide at kcsyfm.com, the TuneIn radio app or on one of the following translators.

• 93.9 FM in Wenatchee

• 95.3 FM in the Lake Chelan Valley

• 97.7 FMin Omak, Riverside, Tonasket and Oroville

• 98.1 FM in East Wenatchee, Rock Island and Quincy

• 101.3 FM in Brewster and Pateros

• 106.3 FM in the Methow Valley

AppleSox Reveal 2023 Promotions

The 2023 season begins tomorrow and the Wenatchee AppleSox have unveiled the promotions and theme nights for the 23rd season in franchise history.

The popular July 3 Fireworks Night returns following the AppleSox’ 7:05 p.m. game against the DubSea Fish Sticks. There will also be a fireworks show on the first Saturday night home game of the season on June 10 following the AppleSox’ 7:05 p.m. game against the Victoria HarbourCats.

Popular week night themes such as $2 Off Tuesdays, WINatchee Wednesdays and Family Fun Sundays return for a second straight season. All tickets and select food and drink items at the third-base concession stand are $2 off each Tuesday.

Each Wednesday night you can walk away a winner just by attending the game. One lucky fan will win a prize from a local business during each inning from the third through the sixth inning.

Family Fun Days return with another exciting element. Arrive early and you’ll receive baseball cards of AppleSox players. Stick around after the game for a live music performance by a local artist or group each Sunday afternoon and kids can run the bases. Each postgame performance will last for 35-40 minutes after the conclusion of the game and concessions will remain open.

New this season are Thirsty Thursdays. For each AppleSox home game played on a Thursday fans can purchase general admission tickets for as affordable as $3 and also save on adult beverage purchases at the concession stand.

Single-game tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at applesox.com/2023-schedule. The best way to enjoy the season is with season tickets, which run as affordable as $145 for all 31 home games and can be purchased by calling 509-665-6900 or emailing allie@applesox.com.

Check out a full list of the 2023 promotions below.

June 6: Opening Night presented by Townsquare Media. $2 Off Tuesday

June 7: WINatchee Wednesday.

June 8: Wenatchee Valley College Night. Thirsty Thursday

June 9-11: Youth Baseball Weekend: Kids get $5 general admission tickets if they wear their youth team jersey.

June 9: Skydive Chelan Night: Pregame skydive onto field.

June 10: Fireworks Night presented by Comfort Suites and The Sleep Inn.

June 11: IBEW-191 Sponsored Game. Family Fun Day. Wenatchee High School Mariachi Band Postgame Performance. 

June 16: School’s Out Night: Show student ID at gate, get $5 general admission tickets.

June 17: First Responders Night: Show first responder ID at gate, get $5 general admission tickets.

June 18: Father’s Day. Family Fun Day. Micah J Postgame Music Performance.

June 23: Bark in the Park Night. Bring your dog to the game for free. All owners and their dogs can run the bases after the game.

June 24: College Night. Wear any college gear, get $5 general admission tickets.   

June 27: $2 Off Tuesday

June 28: WINatchee Wednesday.

June 29: Thirsty Thursday

July 3: Fireworks Night presented by Kenady Group.

July 7: Scout Night: Wear your scout uniform to the park, get $5 general admission tickets at the gate.

July 8: Military Appreciation Night. Show military ID at gate, get $5 general admission tickets.

July 9: Family Fun Day. Chris Jones Postgame Music Performance. 

July 18: $2 Off Tuesday.

July 19: WINatchee Wednesday.

July 21: Christmas in July Night

July 22: Pepsi Sponsored Night

July 23: Family Fun Day. The Ramones Cover Band Postgame Performance.

July 25: $2 Off Tuesday.

July 26: Chelan-Douglas Community Action Council Sponsored Night. WINatchee Wednesday.

July 27: Tommy Watanabe Night. Thirsty Thursday.

July 28-30: Hawaiian Weekend.

July 28: Hula Hoop Contest Night: Whoever can do the hula for the longest wins 2024 general admission season tickets and a bat signed by the whole team.

July 29: Worx Gym Night. Limbo Night: The winner of a limbo contest will receive a special AppleSox prize.

July 30: Final Regular Season Home Game. Coconut Bowling: win an AppleSox Hawaiian jersey signed by the whole team and 2024 premium season tickets.

Meet The AppleSox At Our 2023 Fan Fest

We are two weeks away from the AppleSox’ home opener on June 6 but your first opportunity to see the team in action and to meet the players comes on June 1 at team’s annual Fan Fest.

Stop by Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium from 6-7:30 p.m. to watch the team practice and enjoy free hot dogs and hamburgers. Let’s Color Art will also be on hand for face painting at the ballpark. Players will come up to greet fans in the stands after they are finished practicing. Fans who have not picked up their season-ticket badges will be able to do so at the park. Badges will begin to be available for pickup on May 24 at 610 N. Mission Street between 9-5.

The 2023 season begins on June 2 as they AppleSox travel south to take on the Bend Elks. They return home after the three-game road trip for a six-game homestead from June 6-11, including a Fireworks Night on June 10. Single-game tickets can be purchased at applesox.com/2023-schedule and season tickets can be purchased at applesox.com/season-tickets.

Ashworth Returns, Four Others Signed To 2023 AppleSox

AppleSox head coach Mitch Darlington announced on Thursday the addition of five players to the 2023 roster. Two of these players have previous experience in the Apple Capital. Jadon Williamson, Cade Westerlund, Travis Helm, Conner Ashworth and Fred Buckson will all play for the AppleSox in the summer.

Williamson suited up for the AppleSox two seasons ago as a late addition to the roster down the stretch. The right-hander tossed two scoreless outings at the beginning of August, 2021, prior to his redshirt freshman year at Lower Columbia College. Williamson got more work last summer, recording a 4.11 ERA with 26 strikeouts in 19.2 innings over 16 games for the Cowlitz Black Bears.  

The Longview, Wash. native will join the AppleSox on a 10-day contract at the conclusion of his sophomore year with the Red Devils. Williamson has not allowed any runs in 10.1 innings over three games. His most recent outing of 6.2 scoreless innings of relief with nine strikeouts this past Friday against Centralia was his finest effort to date this spring. 

“If you follow the West Coast League or AppleSox baseball,” Darlington said, “you know that pitching is a premium in this league so there is a chance that Jadon could stick around the whole summer for us. He’s really gotten into a groove lately (after he) wasn’t able to pitch early on in the season but is back and fully healthy.”

Westerlund is the first-of-two catchers joining the AppleSox this week on 10-day contracts. The sophomore at Everett Community College leads the Trojans with five home runs and 31 walks while also posting an impressive .407 on-base percentage.

The Billings, Mont. native began his collegiate career at Yavapai, where he slashed .247/.360/.342 in 26 games. Westerlund graduated from Mountain Pointe High School in 2021 and hit .377 with four home runs and .500 on-base percentage in 18 games. 

“A really good defensive catcher. For me at the catching position the defense has to be the number one thing. I love a good defensive catcher who can control the running game, can receive well, can learn from his pitching staff and call a good game. The bat is just a bonus. He definitely has some juice with the bat though.”

Helm is another 10-day contract signed by the AppleSox to bolster the catching position early on. He is coming off a strong year at Central Washington where he led the Wildcats in RBI, walks, hit by pitches and on-base percentage to earn Second Team All-GNAC honors. He’ll join his teammate and fellow backstop Austin Ohland on this summer’s team.

The Beaverton, Ore. native has previous experience in the WCL, primarily playing for non-league teams. He appeared in two games for the Portland Gherkins in non-league action before later playing in a pair of games for the Port Angeles Lefties in league play. Helm got his first taste of college baseball action in 2021. With Clark College not competing that spring he and many other Penguins played for the Northwest Star Academy. Helm recorded a .373 on-base percentage in 18 games for the Nighthawks, including going 2-for-5 with a double and 2 RBI against the AppleSox on June 2 that summer. 

“Central’s coaching staff has had nothing but good things to say about Travis,” Darlington said. “I reached out to see if they had another catcher available and they really wanted to get Travis with us. You get a guy like Travis who is really proven at the plate and also is hungry to get some playing time behind the plate and it’s the perfect combo. Really excited about Cade and Travis and that opening weekend against Bend will be their shot to show me and show our fans what they can do.”

Ashworth has battled injuries over the last year that began last summer but shined in his first season with the AppleSox. He has not pitched this spring at Montana State University Billings after recording an impressive season with the AppleSox. Ashworth recorded a 3.24 ERA in four games (one start) during the regular season before only allowing one run in five innings to earn the win as the starter in Game 1 of the North Division Series at Kamloops. 

The Brewster native and graduate also shined in his summer debut for the AppleSox on June 7 against Port Angeles. Ashworth retired all nine hitters in order, striking out each of the final eight to pick up the win at home. The right-hander also recorded a 2.18 ERA with 25 strikeouts in 20.2 innings for Spokane Falls as a sophomore in 2022.

“He got to Montana in the fall and was still having some lingering issues so he had to shut it down for the whole year,” Darlington said. “He still may be doing some rehab and we probably won’t see him until late June or early July for an in-game appearance but you’ll definitely see Conner out at the park. He’ll be in our dugout, in the bullpen and ramping back up. I’m so excited to have Conner back to have another local kid and a guy who just wants to pitch for us. I put him in the same boat as Quincy (Vassar) where summer baseball almost means more to him than his regular school season. He’s always texting me, giving me updates on his arm and making sure we have a jersey ready for him. He’s just a guy who really cares about our organization and wants to see us do well.” 

Buckson is the final 10-day contract addition from this week and he will shore up the middle of the infield for the AppleSox to begin the season. He is batting .294 with a team-high nine home runs and 45 RBI in 53 games this spring for Vanguard. Buckson is also second on the Lions with 19 stolen bases and 57 hits. 

The Silverdale, Wa. native is a sophomore in eligibility this spring but is playing in his fourth season of college baseball. He played Bellevue from 2020-21, combining to hit .274 with four home runs and 20 RBI over 33 games. Buckson played at Northwestern Oklahoma State University last spring and hit .275 in 20 games before transferring to Vanguard. 

“This is a Quincy find for us,” Darlington said. “I’ve gotta give him his credit. He’s connected to everybody off his own team and a lot of those California schools and they were teammates at Bellevue. He’s an upperclassman with a ton of experience, a ton of games under his belt. He’s had a monster year for Vanguard. Basically played every game at second base. Might see him at second base opening night, could see him bump over to shortstop. Just a good veteran player who is going to start the season with us.”

To hear more about this week’s roster additions please listen to the AppleSox Podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Darlington and broadcaster Joel Norman break down the latest on these players and you can also listen to previous episodes to hear more on the AppleSox.

Single-game tickets are now on sale for the 2023 season and can be purchased at applesox.com/2023-schedule. The 23rd season in AppleSox history opens up on June 3 at the Bend Elks before the home opener on June 6. Season tickets lock in your seats for all 31 home games and run as affordable as $145 for general admission bleacher seats while reserved premium seating is $245. Additionally, fans can get 10-ticketDouble Play Ticket Packs for $60. These 10 general-admission ticket punches can all be used at once or spread out over the course of the season over multiple games. To purchase 2023 ticket packages please visit applesox.com/season-tickets, call 509-665-6900 or email allie@applesox.com.

2023 Single-game Tickets Now On Sale

The first Wenatchee AppleSox home game is 22 days away and fans can now purchase single-game tickets for all 31 home games of the 2023 season, the 23rd in AppleSox history, by visiting applesox.com/2023-schedule.

The AppleSox open up the summer schedule on June 2 at the Bend Elks and their home opener is on June 6 against the Springfield Drifters at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium. It’s the first-of-four $2 Off Tuesdays where fans can $2 off all tickets and select concession items.

WINatchee Wednesdays also return where fans are eligible to win prizes from local businesses each inning just by attending the game. General admission tickets for Thursday games are once again available for just $3. Stay tuned for a full promotional schedule release.

Single-game tickets are priced at a rate affordable for the whole family. General-admission seating in the bleachers is available for $8 while premium, reserved seating closer to the field can be purchased for $12.

AppleSox season-ticket packages are also currently available. For a rate of less than $5 per game you can purchase general admission season tickets for $145. Premium season tickets are on sale for $245 and both season-ticket plans lock up your seats for all 31 home games in addition to any postseason home games. 10-game flex packs that give fans 10 tickets to be used for any game(s) can be purchased for $60 (a value of $6 per game). Purchase AppleSox ticket packages at applesox.com/season-tickets or by calling 509-665-6900.

Less Than A Month To Go Until 2023 Opening Day

The 2023 AppleSox roster is nearly complete with less than one month to go until Opening Day. Head coach Mitch Darlington announced on Thursday that Mason Strong, Austin Bunn, Aiden Van Rensum, Cam Hoiland and Joseph Rajo will join this summer’s team. 

Strong is in his first year at Oklahoma after beginning his collegiate career at BYU in 2022. Strong only has seven at-bats so far for the Sooners but hit .281 in 12 games last season for the Cougars. He earned West Coast Conference Player of the Week for batting .333, hitting a home run and throwing out two runners in three games April 15-16, 2022. 

The Santa Clara, Utah native hit .421 with 21 extra-base hits at Snow Canyon High School as a senior in 2021. He batted .413 in 60 games over three years of varsity and was the No. 1 ranked catching prospect and No. 5 ranked Utah Prospect by Prep Baseball Report. 

"Really solid player coming out of high school, very highly recruited,” Darlington said. “Good defensively, blocks and receives well. Solid gap-to-gap hitter. A guy who has some juice and can run one out of the yard."

Bunn is also in his first year at a new school after beginning his playing career at Big Bend Community College. He is batting .269 with a .409 on-base percentage, three home runs and 16 RBI in 33 games at Northern Colorado. Bunn has 10 multi-hit games and is tied for second on the Bears in home runs, is third in walks (18) and is tied for third in doubles (6).  

The Kuna, Idaho, native played two years at Big Bend, batting a combined .389 with 13 home runs and 68 RBI over 61 games in the previous two springs. Bunn earned All-NWAC East Region honors in the outfield in 2022 and was named NWAC Player of the Year in addition to being named an All-American for both seasons. 

“He had some ridiculous numbers at Big Bend and the NWAC in general,” Darlington said. “We didn’t have room for Austin to come in last summer but things come full circle. He reached out about this summer and we had room for a 10-day contract to join the team. He’s a good enough player to be a full-season guy but we had already signed a lot of guys to full contracts.”

Van Rensum is a redshirt freshman at Everett Community College who transferred after not playing at Oregon in 2022. He has a lot of different positions that he can handle between first base, third base and the outfield in addition to working a bit on the mound this spring. Van Rensum is batting .248 in 35 games at the plate and also has a 3.09 ERA in six games on the mound.

The Marysville, Wash. native graduated from Archbishop Mitty High School in 2021 and shined as a sophomore, batting .465 with only two strikeouts in 53 plate appearances. Van Rensum has previous summer collegiate baseball experience with 23 games played for the Everett Merchants over the last two years.

"Really talented outfielder,” Darlington said, “but he can play the corner infield spots as well and has seen some time on the bump which makes him a very valuable 10-day contract for us. We could see him in a lot of different roles."

Hoiland is in his sophomore year at Bellevue College and the two-way standout is committed to play at Cal Poly next year. He is a pitcher and an outfielder with a 1.53 ERA in 11 appearances (all starts) as a pitcher and a .273 batting average in 42 games as a hitter this spring. Hoiland batted .222 in 43 games at the plate and posted a 2.15 ERA in 12 games (one start) on the mound as a freshman.

The Kent native graduated from Kentridge High School in 2021 and hit .365 while recording a 2.96 ERA over two years of varsity baseball. Hoiland played summer baseball for the Spearfish Sasquatch in the Independence League last summer and again excelled as a two-way player, posting a 3.48 ERA in seven games (three starts) while batting .271 in 18 games. 

“I could see him in a relief role for us,” Darlington said. “but you also don’t want to run him too much on the mound just so that you can keep him fresh and playing outfield for you. Good left-handed stick. Another 10-day contract that feels good enough to be a full-summer guy. There’s a chance that we see him beyond those first couple weeks if we can convince him to stay a full summer.” 

Rajo has not pitched yet this spring at Treasure Valley due to injury but is set for a big summer with the AppleSox. He recorded a 4.85 ERA with 16 strikeouts over 13 innings in three games (three starts) in 2022. 

The Pflugerville, Texas, native graduated from Hendrickson High School in 2021. He recorded a 2.05 ERA over three years, including a 1.66 ERA with 80 strikeouts over 54.2 innings in 14 games (eight starts) in his senior year. 

“He’s originally from Texas,” Darlington said, “and he fits that mold of Texas power right-handed arms. He’s got a low-90’s fastball, a really good breaking pitch and mixes that in with his changeup. Good three-pitch mix, really controls the strike zone and knows how to pitch. I’m really thrilled to have him for a full summer with us.” 

The 23rd season in AppleSox history opens up on June 3 at the Bend Elks before the home opener on June 6. Season tickets lock in your seats for all 31 home games and run as affordable as $145 for general admission bleacher seats while reserved premium seating is $245. Additionally, fans can get 10-ticket Double Play Ticket Packs for $60. These 10 general-admission ticket punches can all be used at once or spread out over the course of the season over multiple games. To purchase 2023 ticket packages please visit applesox.com/season-tickets call 509-665-6900 or email allie@applesox.com.

2023 AppleSox Roster Nearing Full Shape

AppleSox head coach Mitch Darlington announced on Thursday the addition of five players to the AppleSox’ 2023 roster. Marty Kaplan, Trent Liolios, Ryan Martinez, Josh Williams and Spencer Green will all join this summer’s team. 

Kaplan is the first-of-two players from Northwestern. He has appeared in eight games and has a .385 average. The left-handed hitting outfielder only appeared in one game in February but has played in five of Northwestern's last eight games. Kaplan graduated from Harvard Westlake High School (CA) in 2022.

"Randy Flores, the Assistant General Manager and Director of Scouting for the St. Louis Cardinals, is a family friend of his,” Darlington said, “and reached out about getting Marty on our team because he had heard good things about Wenatchee. Marty has numerous offers coming out of college. He chose Northwestern over Arizona, Georgia Tech and a few others because his older brother played at Northwestern."

Liolios is also a freshman at Northwestern but has played in 26 of the Wildcats' 34 games so far. He is batting .195 with eight extra-base hits and 15 RBIs in his first year with Northwestern while working as a corner infielder. The Newport Beach, Calif. native hit .270 in 32 games last spring as a senior at Newport Harbor High School. 

"I've got him slotted to play at third base but he can also play first and pitch a little,” Darlington said. “In the fall when we signed him it sounded like the bulk of his work was going to come on the mound. It makes me think that he may have just torn the ball off the cover in the fall to earn a spot in the lineup this spring."

Martinez is in his freshman year at the University of the Pacific (CA). The right-handed has an 8.34 ERA with 14 strikeouts and 13 walks over 21.2 innings in 14 games (three starts). Martinez’s best outing came on Feb 25, when he tossed 3.1 scoreless innings against Milwaukee in his second collegiate appearance. The Las Vegas, Nev. native graduated from Centennial High School last year. 

“His swing-and-miss pitch is a little different,” Martinez said, “and I’ve had some conversations with him about it. He throws a knuckle curve, it’s his go-to swing-and-miss strikeout pitch. He says it’s not a true 12-6 over the top, it’s not really a true slider, it’s just in between and moves sometimes where even he doesn’t know.”

Williams comes to the AppleSox after a big summer last year with the Walla Walla Sweets. He hit .315 with six home runs in 28 games while patrolling the outfield. The Clovis, Calif. Native recorded 11 multi-hit games, including a 2-for-4 game against the AppleSox on July 23. Williams is in his redshirt freshman year at UC Santa Barbara and is batting .217 through 23 at-bats in 27 games. 

“I really think he’s going to have a good summer for us,” Darlington said. “He’s one of those California kids who is going to show up late in mid-June. The nice thing is he is going to be able to stay full season for us and hopefully go on a playoff run and we can keep a talented guy like that on the roster for the full summer.”

Green is in his senior year at Richland High School and is not committed to a college yet. He had originally announced he was joining Oregon State before decommitting. Green was ranked in February as the fourth-best player in Washington state by Perfect Game.

“He’s talented,” Darlington said. “He’s got a low-90’s fastball, a good breaking pitch, just next-level stuff. Really excited to see what he does for us. I could see him in a starting role if he is fully healthy and ready to go.” 

Listen now to the AppleSox Podcast to hear more of Darlington’s thoughts on the five players signed. You can listen to it and other previous roster-release episodes on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. 

Ticket packages for the AppleSox’ 23rd season are now on sale. Season tickets lock in your seats for all 31 home games and run as affordable as $145 for general admission bleacher seats while reserved premium seating is $245. Additionally, fans can get 10-ticket Double Play Ticket Packs for $60. These 10 general-admission ticket punches can all be used at once or spread out over the course of the season over multiple games. To purchase 2023 ticket packages please visit applesox.com/season-tickets call 509-665-6900 or email allie@applesox.com.

AppleSox Sign Chelan Lefty, Four Others To 2023 Roster

AppleSox head coach Mitch Darlington announced on Thursday the addition of five players to the AppleSox’ 2023 roster. Braiden Boyd, Ty Kennedy, Samuel Round, Carson Ohland and Austin Ohland are signed to play for the AppleSox this summer.

Boyd’s prior experience with the AppleSox is limited to one game but it was a memorable one as he made his collegiate debut on Aug. 1, 2022. The southpaw from Chelan struck out three hitters in two innings in a non-league game against the Cascade Collegiate League showcase team prior to beginning his senior year of high school a few weeks later. 

Boyd was part of Chelan’s fourth-place team at the 1A State Tournament prior to suiting up for the AppleSox three months later. He is committed to play at Washington State in 2024 following his graduation from Chelan High School this spring. 

“I’ve had a chance to get to see him a lot from just living in Chelan for the last few years,” Darlington said. “The big thing that jumps out is he is super projectability but he’s also got the right demeanor for a pitcher so there’s a lot of room to grow for him.”

Kennedy is in his freshman year at Washington State and is looking to make his season debut. The middle infielder from Parker, Colo. came to the Cougars with plenty of acclaim as he was rated the sixth-best overall prospect in Colorado and No. 92 shortstop prospect in the country by Perfect Game.

Kennedy shined in two years at Legend High School, batting .388 over 40 games. Kennedy hit .420 with eight extra-base hits in 2021 as a junior and then followed it up with a .371 average and 19 extra-base hits as a senior a year ago. He also proved to be a threat on the basepaths, stealing 20 bags over his two years of varsity. 

“He is one of those dark horse guys that you need to keep an eye on,” Darlington said. “He is the definition of a true utility guy. He's going to be out here opening day and he's slated to be our shortstop for opening week. He was recruited to Washington State as a shortstop and this fall has converted to a corner outfield type in practice and intersquads. He is a guy who it would not surprise me if he played six or seven positions over the summer.”

Round is a right-handed pitcher and an incoming freshman 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. 

He has a 4.89 ERA with 30 strikeouts and 15 walks in 24.1 innings over nine games (five starts). Round has recorded two saves and has also tossed a complete-game shutout. Perfect Game has listed his fastball as high as 91-miles per hour.

"Sam is going to be interesting for us,” Darlington said. “He is a sneaky one who might surprise some people. He has an upper-80's fastball, throws a changeup and a good breaker. Gonzaga just recruits talented arms, whether it’s on their staff right now or guys coming in. That's a credit to their pitching coach, Brandon Harmon. I always trust that what they are sending our way is going to be a good one."

The Ohland brothers will provide the AppleSox a ton of depth from behind the dish. Carson is regarded as one of the top catchers in the country in the Class of 2023. He was named a Preseason High School All-American by Collegiate Baseball and the second-best high-school prospect in Washington by BVM Sports.

The Washington commit is batting .480 with 10 extra-base hits in 17 games this spring as a senior at Tahoma High School a year after hitting .426 in 2022. The 12th-highest catching prospect in the country per Prep Baseball Report is two extra-base hits away from matching last season’s total. 

“He should see plenty of innings behind the dish if his bat os what we are expecting it to be he could see a lot of innings at DH. Definitely going to get some more action behind the dish catching some collegiate arms but is a guy who will be hard to keep out of the lineup on a nightly basis.  

Carson’s older brother, Austin, will also be joining the AppleSox this summer. Austin is a junior at Central Washington and is batting .253 with a team-best six home runs. His average was at .179 through his first 25 games but is batting .354 with eight multi-hit games since March 17. He just had a six-game hitting streak come to an end in the second game of a doubleheader this past Sunday against Western Oregon.

Ohland earned First Team All-GNAC in each of the two previous seasons with the Wildcats. The Maple Valley, Wash. hit .289 in 48 games last season after batting .347 in 27 games in 2021 when he was also GNAC Freshman of the Year. 

“The big thing Austin is going to bring is a power bat,” Darlington said. “He had four in this most recent series against Saint Martin’s. He’s a guy who, when he gets hot, can run them out of the yard. We didn’t have a ton of juice in our lineup last season and Austin helps provide some pop.” 

Listen now to the AppleSox Podcast to hear more of Darlington’s thoughts on the five players signed. You can listen to it and other previous roster-release episodes on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. 

Ticket packages for the AppleSox’ 23rd season are now on sale. Season tickets lock in your seats for all 31 home games and run as affordable as $145 for general admission bleacher seats while reserved premium seating is $245. Additionally, fans can get 10-ticket Double Play Ticket Packs for $60. These 10 general-admission ticket punches can all be used at once or spread out over the course of the season over multiple games. To purchase 2023 ticket packages please visit applesox.com/season-tickets call 509-665-6900 or email allie@applesox.com.

Legumina Becomes 20th AppleSox Alum To Make MLB Debut

Pitcher Casey Legumina became the 20th former Wenatchee AppleSox player to appear in an MLB game when he made his major-league debut on April 15.

Legumina tossed two scoreless innings of relief for the Cincinnati Reds in their 13-0 win over Philadelphia on Saturday. He struck out three, walked one and allowed one hit.

Legumina recorded a 4.90 ERA in five games for the AppleSox in 2016. He struck out 10, walked seven and allowed 10 hits in 7.1 innings. The Chandler, Ariz. native recorded one save when he struck out a pair in a scoreless ninth inning against Corvallis on June 11. 

Legumina also played summer play two years later in the Cape Cod League. He struck out nine, walked one and allowed 10 hits in nine innings over two scoreless starts for the Bourne Braves. 

Legumina was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 25th round of the 2016 MLB Draft in the middle of his AppleSox tenure. He did not sign with Toronto and instead attended Gonzaga and put together a memorable career with the Zags that led to him getting drafted again in the eighth round of the 2019 MLB Draft by the Minnesota Twins.  

The 2016 summer was Legumina’s first collegiate action prior to his freshman year at Gonzaga. Legumina recorded a 3.73 ERA with 117 strikeouts, 31 walks and 132 hits in 130.1 innings over 43 games (11 starts) with Gonzaga. The right-hander recorded a school-record 13 saves in 2018 to earn a spot on the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Stopper of the Year watch list and All-West Coast Conference First Team honors.

This is the third player from the 2016 AppleSox to appear in an MLB game. Michael Toglia made his MLB debut with the Colorado Rockies on Aug. 30, 2022, before Ryan Kreidler debuted with the Detroit Tigers a few days later on Sep. 2. 

To learn more about other AppleSox players to appear in an MLB game please visitapplesox.com/applesox-in-the-pros.

2023 Roster Grows With Five More Additions

AppleSox head coach Mitch Darlington announced on Wednesday the addition of five players to the AppleSox’ 2023 roster. Sawyer Hansen, Trei Hough, Marshall Lipsey, Izzy Lopez and MJ Sweeney are signed to play for the AppleSox this summer.

Hansen is a junior at the University of the Incarnate Word and has appeared in one game for the Cardinals this spring. He spent the three previous years at Iowa Western Community College and will be back pitching in his home state this summer. The Puyallup native graduated from Emerald Ridge High School in 2019.

His collegiate career at Iowa Western began with only appearing in one game between the 2020 and 2021 seasons. Hansen would get his most work to date in the 2022 season, recording a 3.86 ERA with 18 strikeouts and three walks in 14 innings over 10 games (one start) for the Reviers.  

“He’s got an upper 80’s to low 90s fastball,” Darlington said, “with a good swing-and-miss breaking ball that is going to play really nicely for us out of our bullpen. I could see him being a high-leverage left-handed arm, a guy to come in and get us out of a tough inning.” 

Hough is in his second year at Jamestown College after beginning his collegiate career at Treasure Valley in 2021. He recorded a 3.30 ERA with 50 strikeouts and 19 walks in 57.1 innings over 12 games (all starts) last year in his first season with the Jimmies. Hough finished second on the team in strikeouts and innings and his finest outing of last season came when he gave up one earned run on four hits over seven innings, striking out six and issuing just one walk in a victory over Doane in the Great Plains Athletic Conference semifinals on May 7, 2022. 

The Pocatello, Idaho, native comes to the AppleSox thanks to a connection from one of his college teammates, Xander Orejudos, who suited up for the AppleSox in 2022. Orejudos was with the AppleSox from start to finish last summer, batting .317 with 22 runs in 37 games for Wenatchee before adding five hits in three postseason games.

"Honestly I found out about him through Xander,” Darlington said. “Xander shot me a text in the middle of the winter and said 'we've got a guy from Idaho that's interested in coming back out west to pitch for the AppleSox.' I did a little research on him and really liked what he did last year for Jamestown. From everything Xander told me he is the right type of fit for us."

Lipsey has gotten off to a brilliant start with Blinn College in Texas as a freshman, batting .321 with eight home runs, seven doubles and four triples in 40 games. He has more walks (44) than strikeouts (38) and has an impressive .508 on-base percentage for the Buccaneers. He leads Blinn in triples and is tied for first in walks.

The Longview, Texas, native graduated from Spring Hill High School in 2022 and hit an eye-popping .655 with 22 extra-base hits in 38 games. He was originally committed to a premier baseball college in state, but switched that commitment and has continued to thrive with the Buccaneers. 

“We originally signed Marshall from TCU,” Darlington said. “He was there as a true freshman and they sent him to us but he transferred before the start of the spring season. He is having a heck of a spring for them. Not only is Blinn one of the top-10 nationally ranked teams but he’s a good left-handed bat, runs really well in the outfield and is just a good overall hitter.” 

Lopez comes to the AppleSox by way of Missouri State but his college journey begins before that. The middle infielder committed to Texas A&M out of college but redshirted there in 2020. Lopez transferred to McLennan Community College in Texas and spent the next two seasons there. He slashed a combined .277/.378/.390 over 93 games, including driving in 36 runs and collecting more walks (32) than strikeouts (24) in 2022. 

The Fort Worth native was part of the 2021 NJCAA Division-I World Champions and followed it up with an appearance in the JUCO World Series again the next season before transferring to Missouri State. He has appeared in 11 games this spring and comes to the AppleSox with a high defensive acclaim.

“He is going to be a really good defensive option for us,” Darlington said. “He could be a guy who locks down an infield spot all summer. He sounds like that prototypical lockdown shortstop who, whether he is hitting or not, needs to be in the field because his glove is so good.”

Sweeney is a Texas commit who is another big left-handed hitter looking to take advantage of the wind that carries balls out to left field at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium once the sun goes down. He is a senior at St. Augustine High School in California and is batting .310 with four home runs, four doubles and two triples in 10 games. Sweeney is only four extra-base hits away from exceeding last season’s total.  

The Rancho Santa Fe native is the son of former major-leaguer Mike Sweeney, who played in MLB for 16 years, primarily with the Kansas City Royals, from 1995-2010. Mike was a five-time All-Star and spent parts of two seasons with the Seattle Mariners from 2009-10.

“MJ is a big 6-foot-7 left-handed bat,” Darlington said. “He’s got a lot of power but goes the other way really well. He’ll go paint a ball down the left-field line and take his double and then he’ll absolutely turn on a fastball and hit it 400 feet.” 

To hear more of Darlington’s thoughts on these five players signed stay tuned for the newest addition of the AppleSox Podcast tomorrow. You can listen to it and other previous roster-release episodes on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. 

Ticket packages for the AppleSox’ 23rd season are now on sale. Season tickets lock in your seats for all 31 home games and run as affordable as $145 for general admission bleacher seats while reserved premium seating is $245. Additionally, fans can get 10-ticket Double Play Ticket Packs for $60. These 10 general-admission ticket punches can all be used at once or spread out over the course of the season over multiple games. To purchase 2023 ticket packages please visit applesox.com/season-tickets call 509-665-6900 or email allie@applesox.com.

AppleSox Add Four More Players To 2023 Roster

AppleSox head coach Mitch Darlington announced on Wednesday the addition of four players to the AppleSox’ 2023 roster. Griffin Allen, Luke Meyers, Junior Flores and Marcus Harrison will all join this summer’s team.

Allen is in his first season at Ohlone College in California after transferring from Grand Canyon University. He did not pitch in 2022 but has a 2.61 ERA with 42 strikeouts and 13 walks in 38 innings over eight games (six starts). The California Community College Athletic Association awarded him NORCAL conference Pitcher of the Week honors for tossing seven shutout innings with five strikeouts, one walk and one hit on March 4 against San Mateo. 

Allen already has a connection to the AppleSox in that he worked with the team’s pitching coach Mike Callia a summer ago. Allen pitched for the Western Nebraska Pioneers in the Independence League and recorded a 2.55 ERA with 69 strikeouts and 16 walks in 67 innings over 11 games (all starts). He tossed six-or-more innings in seven starts and earned the league’s Pitcher of the Year honor in its inaugural season. 

“I think Griffin Allen is going to be a huge addition for us,” Callia said. “I had the pleasure to coach him last summer and he and I hit it off really well. He’s a really coachable kid and wants to win. When he was reaching out looking for a summer spot and I was in Wenatchee it was a no-brainer. He’s a great teammate and I think fans will enjoy that. He’s a bulldog on the mound but he’s a teddy bear off it.” 

Meyers is in his first year at Central Arizona College, where he has a 4.11 ERA with 21 strikeouts and five walks in 15.1 innings over eight games (one start). His best game so far was a three-inning relief effort against El Paso Community College on Feb. 4. Meyers allowed an unearned run while striking out seven and not issuing any walks. He is teammates there with two former AppleSox players, Felix Schlede and DJ Massey.

The Denver, Colo. native was a multi-position star at Heritage High School as he batted .377 in 44 games and recorded a 2.51 ERA in 21 games in two years on the varsity team. Meyers’ senior year was phenomenal all around as he batted .387 with nine extra-base hits and 14 stolen bases while also recording a 2.53 ERA with 65 strikeouts and 22 walks in 47 innings over 12 games. He appeared in Prep Baseball Report’s West Coast Games in 2021 prior to his senior season and was ranked as the eighth-best prospect in Colorado in 2022. 

“He’s going to be huge for us out of the bullpen,” Darlington said. “I could see him getting a ton of innings for us. He’s not really a long-inning guy but a come in and shut things down guy who makes a lot of appearances.”

Flores began his collegiate career at Hawaii before transferring to New Mexico for this season. The sophomore southpaw has only appeared in one game this spring but toed the rubber nine times last year. He posted a 6.14 ERA with four strikeouts and six walks in 7.1 innings over nine games for the Rainbow Warriors. Flores only allowed one run over his last six games while also striking out one, walking two and only allowing two hits in three innings. 

The Maricopa, Ariz. native graduated from Mountain Pointe High School in 2021, where he recorded a 3.15 ERA with 12 strikeouts and six walks in 6.2 innings over four games. He recorded a save in three of those appearances and also hit .267 in nine games. 

“Junior is teammates with Jack DeDonato,” Darlington said, “which is really how we found Junior. Jack reached out this fall when we invited him back to return to us and he mentioned that he had a left-handed arm who was interested in coming to Wenatchee. Pitching is at a premium in the West Coast League and especially when it is a Division-I arm you can’t pass up on them.”

Harrison has moved into a regular role at Central Arizona after appearing in six games as a freshman in 2022. He has a .269 average with three home runs and 25 RBI in 36 games. Harrison’s home run and RBI totals are tied for the most on the Vaqueros, who are the reigning NJCAA Division-I Champions. He recorded an eight-game hit streak from Feb. 14-25 in which he batted .312.

The Chandler, Ariz. native graduated from Corona Del Sol High School in 2021 and shined in his shortened 2020 junior season. Harrison batted .292 with four doubles and 13 RBI in 10 games. 

“We’re going to see him playing a lot of first base for us,” Darlington said. “This is a guy who we envision batting in the middle of our lineup and competing for some innings at first base. Central Arizona is a program that speaks for itself. Getting a guy who is batting in the middle of their order and who is playing every day for them is great for us.” 

To hear more of Darlington’s thoughts on the four newest members of the 2023 roster stay tuned for the newest addition of the AppleSox Podcast tomorrow. You can listen to it and other previous roster-release episodes on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. 

Ticket packages for the AppleSox’ 23rd season are now on sale. Season tickets lock in your seats for all 31 home games and run as affordable as $145 for general admission bleacher seats while reserved premium seating is $245. Additionally, fans can get 10-ticket Double Play Ticket Packs for $60. These 10 general-admission ticket punches can all be used at once or spread out over the course of the season over multiple games. To purchase 2023 ticket packages please visit applesox.com/season-tickets call 509-665-6900 or email allie@applesox.com.

Five AppleSox Alums Appear On MLB Opening Day Rosters

Today is Major League Baseball's Opening Day and five former AppleSox players have appeared on an MLB roster to begin the season. That figure is the third-best among the 16 West Coast League teams.

Griffin Canning (Los Angeles Angels, 2014 AppleSox Alum), Marco Gonzales (Seattle Mariners, 2010 AppleSox alum), James Kaprielian (Oakland Athletics, 2012 AppleSox alum), , Ryan Kreidler (Detroit Tiger, 2016 AppleSox alum) and Drew Rasmussen (Tampa Bay Rays, 2014 AppleSox alum) all made their respective major-league clubs to begin the 2023 season.

To learn more about AppleSox alums to appear in MLB games, please visit applesox.com/applesox-in-the-pros. To read more on the 40 WCL alums to appear on MLB Opening Day rosters, read more: https://westcoastleague.com/mlb-opening-day-rosters-feature-40-alumni/

AppleSox Sign Five Players From California Colleges

AppleSox head coach Mitch Darlington announced on Tuesday the addition of five new players to the AppleSox’ 2023 roster. Frankie Carney, Cole McGowan, Nick Putnam, Jacob Dahlstrom and Sebastian David all join the AppleSox from California colleges.

“There’s so much good talent in the state of California,” head coach Mitch Darlington said. “Some of these guys are Washington natives heading to California schools, which is cool to see because if you’ve got a place to play it’s hard to beat California. For some of these guys it’s neat to come to Washington for the summer for some cooler temperatures.”  

Carney is the first-of-two players at UC Irvine to join the AppleSox after his freshman year with the Anteaters. He has not appeared in any games yet this season but comes to the AppleSox with some acclaim for his work in high school. Carney batted .402, recorded a 1.149 OPS and stole 18 bags to earn First Team All-Western League honors as a senior at St. Augustine High School in San Diego in 2022. His work earned him a spot on the West team for the East vs. West All-Star Game at Petco Park in a matchup of the top high-school talent in the San Diego area.

The middle infielder got his first taste of college baseball and summer college baseball last year in the South Florida Collegiate League with the West Palm Beach Knights. Carney batted .308 and collected at least one hit in nine-of-15 games and seven of his 10 runs scored came in his final three games. 

“Really good speed,” Darlington said. “Likes to get on the bases and likes to run. Defense is one of his strengths, a really good glove up the middle. We could see him bouncing between shortstop and second base. He can get on base and make things happen. He’s gonna bring a ton of energy, a ton of speed and a good glove up the middle. Three things I love.”

McGowan is the other Anteater freshman signed to join the AppleSox. Like Carney, he has not gotten into any game action this spring but was a tri-sport athlete in high school, playing basketball and rugby in addition to baseball at Redwood High School. 

The San Rafael, Calif. native hit .329 with seven extra-base hits and 19 runs in 27 games as a senior. He batted .299 with five extra-base hits and 12 RBI in 20 games as a junior in 2021. McGowan was ranked as the 58th-best outfielder among high school players in California by Perfect Game. 

“He is another guy with really good speed,” Darlington said. “A guy who gets on base and makes things happen. Cole is a very good defensive outfielder, which is very important at our park where the wind blows out to right.”  

AppleSox fans may recognize the last name of the third addition to this week’s roster. Catcher Nick Putnam, younger brother of 2022 AppleSox pitcher Jake Putnam, has signed to join the 2023 AppleSox. He is in his freshman year at UC Santa Barbara and is looking to make his debut for the Gauchos. 

Putnam hit .253 with two doubles, two home runs and 16 RBI in 27 games as a senior at San Ramon Valley High School in 2022. The Danville, Calif. native continues the tradition of two players from the same family playing for the AppleSox. Other sets of brothers to play for the AppleSox in recent years include Michael and Zach Toglia as well as Marco and Alex Gonzales. 

“Nick is a 6-foot-6 catcher with a lot of power,” Darlignton said. “He can hit doubles, a lot of juice in the bat. It’s tough to crack that lineup there as an underclassmen but he’s a talented kid and I’m excited to keep the Putnam family in Wenatchee.” 

Dahlstrom is teammates with returning AppleSox pitcher Quincy Vassar and is also a West Coast League veteran after pitching in 12 games for Walla Walla in 2021. He has starred in his first year at Vanguard, recording a 3.73 ERA with 36 strikeouts and 15 walks in 31.1 innings over eight games (six starts). Dahlstrom’s best start came on Feb. 11 against Southwestern Assemblies of God University, when he tossed seven scoreless and hitless innings while only allowing one walk and striking out five. 

Dahlstrom previously spent parts of three seasons at Bellevue Community College from 2020-22. He recorded a 3.85 ERA while striking out 96 and walking 32 in 110 innings over 25 games (20 starts). 

“Their head coach had thrown out his name last year and Quincy brought up his name this fall,” Darlington said. “He is off to a great start at Vanguard as one of their starters and is going to be a big asset for us. I could see him getting a few starts with the AppleSox and then see where he goes from there.” 

David comes to the AppleSox as a highly-touted prospect who is committed to play at Stanford next year. He earned First Team All-Metro honors and earned a spot in the Metro League All-Star Game as a junior at Lakeside High School in Medina, Wa. last spring. 

David has previously played for USA Baseball’s 16U/17U National Team Development Program in August, 2021. Baseball Northwest ranked him as the eighth-best prospect in Washington this year. He also was invited to and participated in the Area Code Games in 2021 and 2022.

“Sebastian is a big-time talent,” Darlington said. “I am beyond ecstatic to have him with us. A really special player. A name to keep your eye on as the (MLB) Draft approaches in July. He’s got all the tools of a big-time prospect in the middle infield. The results and where he has been invited kind of speak for themselves.”  

To hear more of Darlington’s thoughts on the five players signed from California colleges stay tuned for the newest addition of the AppleSox Podcast on Thursday. You can listen to it and other previous roster-release episodes on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. 

Ticket packages for the AppleSox’ 23rd season are now on sale. Season tickets lock in your seats for all 31 home games and run as affordable as $145 for general admission bleacher seats while reserved premium seating is $245. Additionally, fans can get 10-ticket Double Play Ticket Packs for $60. These 10 general-admission ticket punches can all be used at once or spread out over the course of the season over multiple games. To purchase 2023 ticket packages please visit applesox.com/season-tickets call 509-665-6900 or email allie@applesox.com.

AppleSox Add Three Players From Oregon Colleges

AppleSox head coach Mitch Darlington announced on Wednesday the signings of three players to the AppleSox’ 2023 roster. Bryce Johnson, Jhett Jacquot and Reeve Boyd are all either currently enrolled at or committed to colleges in Oregon.

Johnson is in his senior year at Eastlake High School and is one of the most touted high-school prospects in Washington. He was ranked as the third-best high school prospect in the state by Prep Baseball Report Washington last fall. Johnson is committed to play at Oregon State in 2024.

The Sammamish native shined in his junior year at Eastlake, recording a 1.77 ERA with 88 strikeouts and 18 walks in 59.1 innings over 11 games. Johnson and the Wolves reached the second round of the 4A State Tournament in 2022.  

“Bryce is going to be huge for us on the mound this summer,” Darlington said. “[His] fastball can run it up to 90 to 91 miles per hour, has a couple of good off-speed spitches and is just a really good competitor. I can see him being a starter for us depending on how he looks in those first few outings of the summer and depending on what Oregon State wants for his inning limit.” 

Jacquot is in his fourth year of school but will be a senior next year at Linfield. He began his college career in the COVID-shortened 2020 season at Iowa Western Community College before transferring to Southeast Community College for the next two seasons. Jacquot did not play in his freshman year at Iowa Western but went on to play in 47 games over the next two years at Southeast. He recorded a .366 on-base percentage and was named an Academic All-American in 2022.

After not pitching in any of his first three years at school Jacquot has taken the mound twice in his first year at Linfield. The Lincoln, Neb. native has shown his versatility by also appearing in five games defensively. 

“Jhett's probably going to be on the mound most of the summer,” Darlington said, “but any time your pitchers can also play a position spot or be a two-way player just makes it easier to coach in the summer." 

Boyd is the AppleSox’ second Oregon State signee playing in Wenatchee this summer. Similar to Johnson he also appeared on Prep Baseball Washington’s Fall Rankings (No. 15). Boyd has primarily played shortstop at Seattle Prep and hit .357 with a 1.010 OPS last year. He was also named MVP of the Pacific Northwest Scout Games last August. 

“He’s a big-time talent out of the Northwest,” Darlington said. “A middle infielder who can play third base at times. Everything you want of a guy who you are recruiting out of high school. I could see Reeve playing a lot of middle infield for us and watching him grow.”

To hear more of Darlington’s thoughts on the three players signed from Oregon colleges stay tuned for the newest addition of the AppleSox Podcast tomorrow. You can listen to it and other previous roster-release episodes on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. 

Ticket packages for the AppleSox’ 23rd season are now on sale. Season tickets lock in your seats for all 31 home games and run as affordable as $145 for general admission bleacher seats while reserved premium seating is $245. Additionally, fans can get 10-ticket Double Play Ticket Packs for $60. These 10 general-admission ticket punches can all be used at once or spread out over the course of the season over multiple games. To purchase 2023 ticket packages please visit applesox.com/season-tickets call 509-665-6900 or email allie@applesox.com.

AppleSox Sign Six NWAC Players To 2023 Roster

AppleSox head coach Mitch Darlington announced on Tuesday the addition of six players from NWAC schools to the AppleSox’ 2023 roster. Michael Schwarz, Joey Pearson, Andrew Monson, Michael Cunneely, Keegan Adams and Easton Amundson are all new to the AppleSox, although Monson and Amundson played in the West Coast League last summer while Adams also played summer college baseball a year ago in the Pacific International League.

“It’s fun to see these junior college players,” Darlington said,“because they’re going to sign somewhere good and go to a Division-I school. Take a guy like Joichiro Oyama, who came to us from Merced and is now at UC Irvine. Watch them grow with us and keep tabs on them as they leave us. A lot of these guys are going to go on and play at a  high level.”

Schwarz is one-of-three players this week with a connection to AppleSox pitching coach Mike Callia, who holds the same position at Lower Columbia College. Schwarz is in his sophomore season with the Red Devils and is 2-0 with a 2.28 ERA, 20 strikeouts and eight walks in 23.2 innings over four games (all starts). His finest outing to date came Feb. 24 when he only allowed two runs on four hits over eight innings in a 7-2 win over Bellevue. 

This is the second consecutive strong season from the 2021 Central Valley HS (WA) graduate. Schwarz earned All-NWAC Second Team honors in the East Region after recording a 2.20 ERA with 79 strikeouts and 28 walks in 77.2 innings over 14 games (13 starts) for the Red Devils.

"He is a special arm,” Callia said. “There aren't too many guys who are two-year aces in the NWAC and he has a chance to do that at Lower Columbia. Just a competitive kid, wants the ball every time. He wants to win and put it all on the line for the team, which is just the type of guy that we want on this team."

Pearson is the other arm from Lower Columbia signed to join the AppleSox this summer. He has only pitched in one game as a freshman this spring after recovering from injury but is coming off a tremendous senior year at Richland in 2022. Pearson tossed two no-hitters last spring, including against Moses Lake in the second round of the Washington State 4A Regionals to help eventually lead Richland to a third-place finish at State. 

Pearson earned SBLive Washington’s top pitcher of the year honor after going 6-1 with a 1.50 ERA, 35 strikeouts and nine walks in 40 innings. Perfect Game also ranked him as the 14th-best high-school player and seventh-best arm in Washington.

“Very special arm,” Callia said. “He has two elite breaking balls and he’s got a chance to play this game for a long time. He brings a lot of energy when he gets on the bump and has great intent with all of his pitches.” 

Monson is set to pitch in his second season in the WCL after appearing in 20 games with the Port Angeles Lefties last summer. He recorded a 3.44 ERA with 36 strikeouts and 16 walks in 31.1 innings over 20 games (one start). Monson did not allow any runs in 11 outings and had a 1.80 ERA after his first 17 games. He pitched once against the AppleSox on June 7 and did not allow any runs over 1.2 innings against the team that went on to lead the WCL in runs. 

The sophomore at Spokane Falls is four innings away from matching his total from a season ago, despite having currently pitched in seven fewer games. Monson has started two of his first three games this spring after solely pitching in relief a year ago. 

“He can run it up and touch 90 with his fastball,” Darlington said, “but has really developed a couple off-speed pitches that are swing-and-miss pitches. He has a good changeup and a good breaking ball and has three pitches that he can throw for strikes. He’s a guy where we haven’t decided what role he will play for us yet but will get a lot of innings.”

Cunneely also joins the AppleSox as a right-hander from Spokane Falls. He has pitched in three games (two starts) in his freshman year with the Sasquatch and has a 3.86 ERA with 13 strikeouts and six walks in 14 innings. Cunneely has tossed at least five innings in both starts while allowing a combined five runs over 11 innings. 

Similar to returning AppleSox right-hander and his teammate at Spokane Falls, Garrett Gores, Cunneely attended Gonzaga Prep. One of his best outings with the Bullpups came on May 14 when he struck out eight in a complete game two-hitter against Central Valley in a District 8 4A loser-out game. 

“Big, tall drink of water,” Darlington said. “Tall, lanky kid who can run it up to 90. Their coach is very high on him and the sky's the limit for this kid. I could see him having a good spring and then make big jumps this summer. I think him being around Mike Callia and some other division-I arms to help tweak some things and mentor him will help him have a good summer for us.” 

Adams is in the midst of taking a gap year before he will join Columbia Basin College next year. His collegiate career began at Centralia College, where he recorded a 3.48 ERA with 32 strikeouts and 22 walks in 54.1 innings over 13 games (11 starts). Adams allowed more than four earned runs in a game twice and recorded a season-high six punchouts in five innings against Green River on May 8. 

The 2021 Decatur High School (WA) graduate’s first time on the mound for the AppleSox this summer will be his game action since last summer with the DubSea Fish Sticks of the PIL. He appeared in three games in league play for the team formerly known as the Highline Bears, but did not pitch against the AppleSox in a pair of non-league games in mid-July.

“He was Centralia’s main guy last spring,” Darlington said. “He was a guy who I tried to pick up at the end of last summer but he had thrown too many innings at that point. He has some things to develop and is training at Diamond Sports trying to increase his fastball velocity. He is a few minor tweaks away from being a really dominant arm.”

Amundson was a key mid-season addition for the Bellingham Bells last summer and now switches jerseys to the team that they faced in the 2022 North Division Championship Game. He opened up his tenure with the Bells on an 11-game hitting streak and finished the summer batting .448 in 14 regular-season games before appearing in three postseason games. 

Amundson is a versatile option defensively as he has played first and third base at Lower Columbia while also playing the outfield for Bellingham. The 2021 Ridgevue High School (ID) graduate only appeared in 19 games as a freshman but has a .286 batting average with a home run and 6 RBI through 16 games this spring

“Big power bat in the middle of our lineup,” Callia said. “He tore the cover of the ball in the fall for us, batting .521. This is a guy who hit at a lot of different levels and has hit for us so far this spring. Just having quality at bats with a big presence in the box is going to be big for us this summer.”

To hear more of Darlington and Callia’s thoughts on the six players signed from the NWAC stay tuned for the newest addition of the AppleSox Podcast on Thursday. You can listen to it and other previous roster-release episodes on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. 

Ticket packages for the AppleSox’ 23rd season are now on sale. Season tickets lock in your seats for all 31 home games and run as affordable as $145 for general admission bleacher seats while reserved premium seating is $245. Additionally, fans can get 10-ticket Double Play Ticket Packs for $60. These 10 general-admission ticket punches can all be used at once or spread out over the course of the season over multiple games. To purchase 2023 ticket packages please visit applesox.com/season-tickets call 509-665-6900 or email allie@applesox.com.

AppleSox Welcome Back Five More Returners To 2023 Roster

AppleSox head coach Mitch Darlington announced on Monday five more returning players rejoining the AppleSox for the 2023 season. Evan Canfield, Jack DeDonato, Garrett Gores, Quincy Vassar and Nino Vultaggio return to give the AppleSox eight players who played for the team last season.

Four of these five players and six of the AppleSox’ eight returning players are pitchers. Darlington believes that each player will take a big step forward in 2023.

“Good pitching is hard to find,” Darlington said. “These six guys that we’re bringing back aren’t bottom of the barrel bullpen guys who didn’t see any innings. Moffitt and Vassar were starters for a full summer for the AppleSox, so you expect them to make a jump individually. Gores, Canfield and DeDonato were three guys who were key plug-and-play guys. They could come in any situation and close the game. You expect that those guys are going to grow themselves individually and lead to better things. You gotta find a way to retain good arms when you have them.”

Canfield regularly provided multi-inning relief efforts out of the bullpen for the AppleSox in 2022. He fired at least three innings of relief four times, including five scoreless innings with eight strikeouts against Kelowna on July 5. The right-hander from Bothell’s finest work of the season may have been his final outing of the summer, a five-inning scoreless start against Walla Walla with five strikeouts on Aug. 5 to earn the win on the night the AppleSox clinched a playoff spot. In total, Canfield went 4-0 with a 1.22 ERA and 33 strikeouts over 29.1 innings in nine games.

Canfield is a redshirt freshman at Edmonds after not pitching for the Tritons in 2022. This summer will be his third consecutive year pitching in the West Coast League after briefly appearing for the Port Angeles Lefties in 2021. Canfield made his WCL debut on Aug. 4, 2021, against the AppleSox. The right-hander struck out seven hitters over 5.2 innings and only allowed two runs. Canfield went on to appear in two more games and posted a 3.00 ERA with 12 strikeouts over 12 innings.

“Some of his best performances were in late-inning relief,” Darlington said. “We never had a true closer and Evan was one of those guys that you could throw in the seventh inning with the lead and expect to finish the game. Really good fastball with a lot of movement but he really has two different changeups that are nasty and swing-and-miss pitches.” 

DeDonato has pitched in five games for the AppleSox over the previous two seasons but this time has signed with the team prior to the start of the summer. He joined the AppleSox in late June last season and recorded a 4.32 ERA with eight strikeouts, 10 walks and seven hits in 8.1 innings over three games. DeDonato was lights-out in his final game of the summer, allowing one run over five innings of relief to pick up the win against Yakima Valley on Aug. 3. He previously pitched in one game with the AppleSox in 2021.

The southpaw from Mercer Island is in his first season at New Mexico. He redshirted at Washington State last season after earning First Team All-State honors as a senior at Mercer Island High School in 2021. DeDonato recorded a 1.56 ERA with 34 strikeouts in 20.1 innings and also was ranked as the second-best left-handed pitcher in Washington by Perfect Game. 

“It was the tale of two different seasons for Jack,” Darlington said. “In the first few outings he struggled to find the zone and did not have his confidence but he recovered late to find it and had some huge moments for us down the stretch. He had an edge late in the season that looked ticked off on the mound, who wanted to go at guys and that was the mindset that he needed to flip the switch.” 

Gores spent the entire summer with the AppleSox and is back in the Apple Capital in 2023. He pitched in 10 games, with Gores’ finest coming on July 7 when he tossed 6.2 scoreless innings at Kelowna. He also stepped up and proved himself a team player a few times when the AppleSox were short on position players. Gores started at third base three times, including twice on a six-game road trip to Victoria and Edmonton after the AppleSox had sustained several injuries. He also started at first base in Game 1 of the North Division Series against Kamloops. 

The Spokane native is in his second year at Spokane Falls, where he recorded a 3.44 ERA and struck out 49 hitters in 52.1 innings over 12 games (five starts) a year ago. Gores has pitched in one game this spring, striking out five over three innings while only allowing a pair of runs on two hits and one walk. He hit .230 in 87 at-bats as a freshman but is hitting .455 through 11 at-bats this season, thanks in part to a 3-for-5 performance on March 5 against Edmonds. He drove in a run while also picking up a double and a triple. 

“Garrett did a lot of great things for us last summer,” Darlington said. “We used him in so many different roles. We used him as a starter, in the back end, in long relief. We would put him in games when our starter got touched up and we asked him to keep it where it was at. He could be used any way that you want. He hasn’t signed anywhere yet but if I were at a four-year school, then I would be all over Garrett Gores.” 

Vassar is set to pitch in his second season with the AppleSox after a standout showing in 2022. The Brewster native earned a spot in the rotation after a strong relief outing in the season opener and held onto it all summer. He tossed at least five innings in six-of-eight starts and struck out at least five hitters seven times. Vassar got the win on the mound in the series-clinching Game 2 of the North Division Series when he allowed two runs (one earned) on six hits and one walk while striking out eight in seven innings.  

The southpaw began his collegiate career at Bellevue Community College before transferring to Vanguard last year. He recorded a 1.91 ERA with 29 strikeouts and only eight walks in 28.1 innings over eight relief outings as a freshman in 2021. Vassar went on to post a 4.78 ERA with 24 strikeouts and just nine walks in 26.1 innings over 20 games (two starts) in 2022. He has already pitched in seven games this year, recording a 1.23 ERA with 20 strikeouts and four walks in 14.2 innings. Vassar has solely been used as a reliever this spring despite primarily being used as a starting pitcher with the AppleSox. 

“Quincy is super competitive.” Darlington said. “I think that’s one of his best attributes. He’s going to fight you tooth and nail and not give you anything easy. He’s going to go out there and expect to win and set the tone for our defense and the whole team.” 

Vultaggio was one of several late-season additions to the AppleSox last August who helped the team down the stretch on their postseason run. He joins the AppleSox on a 10-game contract for the upcoming season after batting a combined .296 in nine games between the regular season and postseason. Vultaggio’s best game was a 4-for-4 performance in Game 2 of the North Division Series against Kamloops when he drove in a run, doubled and scored twice.

Vultaggio transferred to Ohlone College (CA) after appearing in one game with Cal State Bakersfield last spring. He has a .273 batting average, two doubles, two home runs and 17 RBI through his first 13 games with the Warriors. Vultaggio has two multi-hit games and at least one hit in 8-of-13 games. He spent two seasons at Saddleback College before that, batting .292 with four home runs and 22 RBI in 2020 before going on to hit .317 in 15 games in 2021.

“Nino was a good friend of another one of our players last year, Michael Davinni,” Darlington said. “Mike knew we were losing some guys late in the summer and connected us with Nino, who had a great end of the summer with us. He reached out to me about wanting to be back and our roster was filled up at the time but I asked him if he would be available for the opening road trip to Bend and, credit to him, he jumped on it. We expect him to be around for Opening Day and for as long as he can.” 

Stay tuned over the coming weeks as more roster additions are announced for the AppleSox. Next week’s roster release will detail five pitchers joining Wenatchee from the NWAC.  

To hear more of Darlington’s thoughts on 2023 roster player signings subscribe to the AppleSox Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. 

Ticket packages for the AppleSox’ 23rd season are now on sale. Season tickets lock in your seats for all 31 home games and run as affordable as $145 for general admission bleacher seats while reserved premium seating is $245. Additionally, fans can get 10-ticket Double Play Ticket Packs for $60. These 10 general-admission ticket punches can all be used at once or spread out over the course of the season over multiple games. To purchase 2023 ticket packages please visit applesox.com/season-tickets call 509-665-6900 or email allie@applesox.com.

AppleSox Announce First Three Members of 2023 Roster

AppleSox head coach Mitch Darlington announced on Monday the first three players of the 2023 roster. Hunter Gibson, Jack Moffitt, Brandham Ponce are the first three returning players signed to suit for the AppleSox again in 2023. 

“Those guys know what we accomplished last summer and they know what the goal is.” Darlington said. “They know what we’re all about and we expect them and our other returners to be leaders on this summer’s team.” 

Gibson returns to the mound in 2023 for the AppleSox after appearing in 10 games a year ago, tied for the third-most among Sox pitchers. He was sidelined due to injury during the 2022 college season but returned and made an impact on the mound for the AppleSox. He had a 2.70 ERA after his first seven appearances following a five-inning shutout performance in relief against Corvallis on July 17 in which he struck out six, walked and allowed one hit. 

The Ellensburg native recorded a 2.96 ERA with 37 strikeouts and four walks over 27.1 innings in 10 appearances at Big Bend in 2021 as a freshman. Gibson tossed four scoreless innings in his season debut for the Vikings on Feb. 18 against Spokane Falls. He only allowed one hit, struck out six and walked three. 

“He primarily pitched in home games last summer as he lived in Ellensburg and commuted from there around his work schedule,” Darlington said. “He was coming off an arm injury last summer and he had some innings and pitch count limits. I really think you are going to see a different type of pitcher this summer. Him getting a full spring season and his velocity increasing lead me to believe he will have a great season with us after a great season at Big Bend.” 

Moffitt was with the AppleSox from start to finish last season, making his debut on the road in the third game of the season before getting the start in the 2022 North Division Championship Game. He allowed three-runs-or-less in eight-of-10 starts and saved his best for last in the final game of the season as he only allowed one unearned run in a season-high six innings and struck out three Bellingham batters. Moffitt tossed five-or-more innings in three-of-his-final-four starts and struck out a season-high six batters in five scoreless innings against Kamloops on July 20.

Moffitt has been at Gonzaga since 2020 but only appeared in one game over his first three years until this spring. He has pitched in two games, both in relief, after solely being used as a starter in Wenatchee. Moffitt previously played summer collegiate baseball for the Wheat City Whisky Jacks in 2021, posting a 4.75 ERA with 48 strikeouts in 53 innings over 13 games (11 starts).

“I felt like from his first start all the way to the end that he kept getting better and better,” Darlington said. “I think he’s going to come in more polished. He’s a guy with a heavy fastball that got up as high as 94 miles per hour. The big thing for him is going to be developing that off-speed pitch. It’s about finding a changeup that he can locate for a strike and finding a breaking ball that he can throw in any count.”

The AppleSox’ 2022 home run leader is back for 2023. Ponce whacked four home runs in the regular season before adding another one in the postseason. The utilityman appeared at first base (four times), third base (six times), left field (five times), right field (three times) and on the mound (twice) while also serving as the designated hitter once last summer in 22 games with Wenatchee. He thrived at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium, batting .327 with all five of his home runs in 16 games there. 

Ponce transferred to Washington State after two huge seasons at Big Bend and is in his first season in Pullman. His first hit with the Cougs was a big one as he smacked a bases-clearing double on Feb. 18 in a win over Villanova. 

Ponce began his collegiate career at Central Arizona in 2020 when he hit .206 in 20 games for the Vaqueros. He transferred to Big Bend and hit .354 with 3 home runs and 25 RBI in 28 games in 2021 and then batted .339 with six home runs and 42 RBI in 2022. Ponce was named to the ABCA Rawlings All-America Third Team and All-NWAC First Team and was also named NWAC East Region MVP as a utility player. 

“Beyond excited for him to be back with the AppleSox,” Darlington said. “His leadership is one of the biggest reasons why we wanted to have him back. The leadership that he provided for our dugout and the way that he rallied the troops and kept guys focused, kept them locked in. I can’t imagine the summer without Brandham. The guy has an infectious smile and the kid hit some massive home runs for us down the stretch.” 

Stay tuned over the coming weeks as more roster additions are announced for the AppleSox. Next week’s roster release will detail four more returning players. 

To hear more of Darlington’s thoughts on the first three members of the 2023 roster stay tuned for the newest addition of the AppleSox Podcast on Thursday. You can listen to it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

Ticket packages for the AppleSox’ 23rd season are now on sale. Season tickets lock in your seats for all 31 home games and run as affordable as $145 for general admission bleacher seats while reserved premium seating is $245. Additionally, fans can get 10-ticket Double Play Ticket Packs for $60. These 10 general-admission ticket punches can all be used at once or spread out over the course of the season over multiple games. To purchase 2023 ticket packages please visit applesox.com/season-tickets call 509-665-6900 or email allie@applesox.com.