New look 57’s ready for debut
When the Swift Current 57’s take the field for the opening game of the 2017 Western Major Baseball League season the defending champions will have a new name, team colours, and an entirely new roster aside from five expected returnees.
After announcing that pitchers Bobby St. Pierre and Aidan Goodall, outfielder Thomas Debonville, utility man Bodie Cooper, and first baseman Kyle Macdonald would all return, the 57’s next announced four more position players that will be playing summer ball in Swift Current. Texan outfielders Blake Adams and Nick Canas will join the 57’s along with Colorado born catcher Mason Brown and Edmonton born outfielder Matt Bondarchuk.
Adams is a junior at Tarleton State University. The Longview, TX native hit .331 over 48 games with seven doubles, three triples, and 10 home runs. He also scored 47 runs to go along with 25 runs batted in for the Texans. He was named an outfielder on the Lone Star Conference First-team ALL-LSC.
Canas is a junior at West Texas A&M University. The San Antonio, TX product had a .359 average with 12 doubles, five triples, 35 runs scored, and 29 RBIS over 47 games. He was an honourable mention for the ALL-LSC team.
Brown is a junior at Emporia State University. The Littleton, CO product had a .390 average with 16 doubles, six home runs, 43 runs scored, and 46 RBIS. He was named to the Second Team ALL-MIAA after finishing fifth in the conference in batting average and was named to the Gold Glove Team after throwing out 10 runners on stolen base attempts for the Hornets.
“Blake, Mason and Nick will give us some experience offensively. All three are run producers and have the ability to be impact guys,” said Carnahan.
Bondarchuck was a freshman with Cloud Community College, where he hit .384 with nine doubles, three triples, 51 runs scored, 33 RBIS and 24 stolen bases in 58 games.
“Matt is another young talented player we will have this summer. He set his school’s single season record for hits this spring and has the ability to put pressure on opponents’ defense with his speed,” added Carnahan.
Joining Macdonald in the infield will be a fresh cast of five new players, all of whom have produced some impressive numbers south of the border this season. Adding some Saskatchewan flavor to the infield will be Meadow Lake Saskatchewan’s Brett Esau, who is having a tremendous season at Frank Phillips Junior College in Texas. Esau is hitting .343 with 21 homeruns. The 6’3’’ freshman infielder also had 11 doubles, four triples, and 11 stolen bases to go along with 48 runs scored and 64 runs batted in over 52 games.
Edmonton’s Tauren Langley, Elvis Peralta from Lowell, Massachusetts, Daniel Diaz out of Wilcox, Arizona, and Grant Van Scoy from La Vista, Nebraska round out the 57’s infield.
“All five are very talented young players. They bring a good mix of power, speed and versatility and will be very exciting players to watch this summer,” commented Carnahan.
Langley is a 6’2’’ third baseman who posted a .305 average with 19 doubles, 10 home runs, 36 runs scored, and 45 RBIS at Cloud Community College.
Peralta is 5’9’’ switch-hitter who played at Crowder College, a but has signed a Letter of Intent to play with Division 1 Marshall University. He posted a .375 average, 17 doubles, seven triples, nine home runs, 64 runs scored, and 27 stolen bases in his first 58 games with the Roughriders.
Diaz hit .410 with Eastern Arizona College with 30 runs scored and 30 runs batted in.
Rounding out the infield is Van Scoy from Southeast Community College. The sophomore infielder hit .392 with 12 doubles, seven home runs, 54 runs scored, 45 RBIS, and 22 stolen bases. He has also signed a Letter of Intent to play for the Division 1 University of Illinois.
The 57’s next announced four new pitchers who will join returnees St. Pierre and Goodall for the
2017 season.
Utah’s Joshua Payne, Arizona lefty Justin Mcallister, Kansas native Seth Holman and Massachusetts born Michael Guerrero have confirmed
Swift Current as their 2017 summer baseball home.
“Josh, Seth, and Justin are all experienced pitchers who are putting together great seasons for two of the top teams in Division 2 Baseball. Michael has a live arm and the ability to miss bats. He is the closer for the number two ranked team in Junior College,” said Carnahan of his new pitchers.
Payne is a 6’6’’ senior at West Texas A&M University. The 260-pound righty had a dominant season with a 10-3 record and 2.59 earned run average, with 98 strikeouts and only 17 walks over 80 innings.
Mcallister is a 6’4’’ senior at West Texas A&M University as well. He has eight saves and 44 strikeouts with eight walks over 37.1 innings.
Holman is a 6’4’’ junior at Emporia State University, where he has a 10-2 record, 4.07 ERA with 76 strikeouts and 21 walks over 90.2 innings.
Guerrero is a 5’10 sophomore at Crowder College who has signed a Letter of Intent to join Division 1 Marshall University. He had a 2-2 record with three saves, a 3.26 ERA with 30 strikeouts and nine walks over 22 innings.
The 57’s will play their home opener on June 1 when they host the Moose Jaw Miller Express.