SteepleCats announce the signings off three player's
 |
Martinez, currently a junior at NSU, is hitting a blistering .472, with 12 home runs and 44 RBI through 36 games this season. He leads the Sunshine State Conference in almost every major statistical category including batting average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, runs scored, hits, runs batted in, home runs, and total bases. Martinez was named the SSC Player of the Week twice already. From February 24 to 28, Martinez was sensational at the plate, hitting safely in all four contests. He batted .733 with eight RBI, eight runs, 1.867 slugging percentage, three doubles, a triple, and four home runs in four victories en route to his second Sunshine State Conference Baseball Player of the Week nod. This followed being tabbed Player of the Week during the first week of the season where Martinez batted .625 with nine runs and nine RBI. Martinez tallied multiple hits, drove in at least one run, hit two home runs, and scored at least one run in all four contests.
Martinez comes to the NECBL this summer after tearing up the New York Collegiate Baseball League last summer. In 25 games for the Saratoga Phillies, Martinez hit .392, with 7 home runs and 19 RBI. His .392 batting average and 7 home runs were both good for second in the league in those respective categories. In 2008 at NSU, he was named to the DAKTRONICS All-South Region baseball second team and NCWBA All-South Region first team after batting .370 with twelve home runs and 56 runs batted in.
“JD played summer baseball last year to gain experience with the wood bat in hopes of being drafted and playing professional baseball one day. Well, he is having an eye-opening season and the MLB scouts have taken notice. It is a very real possibility that JD won’t play for the ‘Cats this summer because he would be drafted. Some scouts have him projected to be a 10th round pick,” said McGrath. “That’s what summer baseball is all about, student-athletes trying to get better for their schools and for a chance to play professionally. If JD signs with a MLB team, then we’ll wish him the best of luck. If he chooses not to sign, we expect JD to hit in the middle of our line-up everyday and become an All-Star in the NECBL.”
MacKoul, a red-shirt freshman at U. of California at Riverside, has seen limited action this season, appearing in only two games. MacKoul was a letter winner at Capistrano Valley High School in Mission Viejo, CA, and pitched his team to a South Coast Conference League championship in 2006. That year, he was also named to Perfect Game’s Top Prospect List.
“MacKoul is a draft eligible red-shirt freshman. Although he hasn’t seen many innings this spring, he possesses a 90+ mph. fastball and as a 6’ 3” left-handed pitcher he could be very attractive to professional scouts. We anticipate Tommy joining our pitching staff this summer and gaining considerable experience on the mound working closely with Coach Verplancke,” said McGrath. “I imagine it’s tough for Tommy to sit and watch all those games from the bullpen. We hope he’ll be anxious to come to North Adams and step on the mound again and start contributing to our success.”
Black, a freshman at the University of Pittsburgh, has not yet played this year due to injury. At Coughlin High School in Wilkes-Barre, PA, Black played three years in the Plains American League. Black is finishing his rehabilitation from surgery on his elbow.
“Black comes highly recommended from professional scouts. Black was a much heralded recruit out of high school and if he wasn’t injured may have been drafted out of high school. The hope was that he was going to be healthy enough to pitch at school this spring, but due to a minor setback in the fall, they decided to save a year of eligibility and red-shirt him this season,” said McGrath. “All indications are that Ray will be healthy this summer and is expected to be a major contributor to the pitching staff. Ray most likely will get stronger and stronger as the season progresses, although Coach Verplancke will monitor him closely to make sure we are taking care of his arm.”
Opening Day is right around the corner. The SteepleCats will open up their season on Friday, June 5, in New Hampshire to take on the Keene Swamp Bats. The SteepleCats play their home opener on Saturday, June 6 against the Danbury Westerners. Game time is 7:00 p.m. at Joe Wolfe Field, and the gates will open at 6:00 p.m. For more information on the roster, schedule and other news, please visit www.steeplecats.com.
In case you haven't purchased your season ticket for the upcoming season, please visit one of these local businesses listed here to purchase your full season's ticket or 10-pack ticket. The Full Season Family Plan is $100; Full Season Individual Plan is $70; Ten-Pack Family Plan is $60; and the Ten-Pack Individual Plan is $45. Tickets are sold at all of the following locations: Adams: Val's Variety; North Adams: Man's World and Moulton's General Store; Stamford, VT: Billmont's Country Store, and in Williamstown at Angelina's Submarine Shop and St. Pierre's Barber Shop.
