Three More Pitchers Added to Pippins Staff
April 9, 2016 - West Coast League (WCL)
Yakima Valley Pippins News Release
YAKIMA, Wash. - Three pitchers - including a pair of left-handers - are the latest additions to the Yakima Valley Pippins' roster for the 2016 campaign.
Drake Atlee, a junior right-hander at Cal State Northridge, Thomas Triantos, a freshman left-hander at Cal Poly SLO, and Trent Schulte, a freshman left-hander at Gonzaga, bring to 15 the number of pitchers currently on the team's roster.
"Pitching has been the backbone of our success as a team since 2014," Pippins manager Marcus McKimmy said. "If we are to reach our goals for 2016 and bring a WCL championship to Yakima, we will again need to find ourselves at the top of the league in team defense. These three arms are a large part of finalizing a quality pitching staff this summer."
Atlee, a 6-foot-2, 190-pounder from Tustin, Calif., who is redshirting this year because of NCAA transfer rules, joins Northridge teammates Derek Molina and Freddy Smith in Yakima this year.
"Drake has a solid-plus fastball at 87-88 mph, with his best pitch being a well above-average slider," McKimmy said. "He pitches for arguably the best pitching coach in the country in Greg Moore at CSUN, and we are thankful that he will join our staff in 2016."
Schulte, a 5-foot-11, 190-pounder from Bainbridge Island, Wash., is the fourth Gonzaga player on this year's squad, along with Jace Van De Brake, Branson Trube and Zach Bonneau. He's pitched two innings in four games for the Bulldogs this spring.
"Trent's off-speed arsenal is what makes him dangerous, especially against left-handed hitters out of the bullpen. Fans will see a mature presence and poise about him that not all freshman have," McKimmy said.
Triantos, from Livermore High School in Livermore, Calif., is a 6-foot-1, 180-pound hurler pitching primarily out of the bullpen for Cal Poly SLO this spring. In five appearances, Triantos is 1-0 with three strikeouts and one walk in three innings pitched.
"Thomas has shown the ability to get opposing teams best left-handed hitters out at the Division I level this year," McKimmy said. "We see him fitting into a similar role for the Pippins this summer."
With the latest additions, the Pippins currently have 30 players on the 2016 roster.
The Pippins' home opener, presented by Legends Casino, is slated for Monday, June 6, at 7:05 p.m. against 2015 West Coast League champion Bend, Ore. Season tickets and ticket mini plans are available for purchase at Hunky Shaw's Team Shop, 12 S. Second St. in the historic Larson Building in downtown Yakima. Ticket packages also can be purchased by calling 509-575-4487 or online at pippinsbaseball.com. Single-game tickets go on sale Friday, April 15.
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West Coast League Stories from April 9, 2016
- Three More Pitchers Added to Pippins Staff - Yakima Valley Pippins
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