AppleSox Welcome Wenatchee Native, One More Temp Player
May 15, 2017 - West Coast League (WCL) News Release
WENATCHEE, Wash. - The Wenatchee AppleSox are adding Jacob Prater, a 2015 Wenatchee High School graduate and future Seattle U Redhawk, to the 2017 roster. The AppleSox will also bring Yakima Valley CC pitcher Gerald Hein to the Wenatchee Valley on a temporary contract, head coach Kyle Krustangel announced Monday.
Prater, a former Panther, just completed his freshman season at Everett CC. He will transfer to Seattle U in the fall. He hit .310 for the Trojans this spring, and was the only Everett batter to log 100 at bats. In four West Coast League games (2015) he collected three hits and drew two walks with a steal. Prater is the fourth player from Seattle U on the AppleSox roster.
"I'm extremely excited about adding another local player to our roster," Krustangel said. "Jacob has played for the AppleSox in the past, and represents another great Seattle U player on our club. He is also our 21st full-time player from a D-I school, and another guy with collegiate experience. His ability to play virtually every position makes him a no-brainer for us."
Hein, from YVCC, will continue to pitch for Coach Krustangel. He is fresh off a selection as an NWAC Player of the Week and has posted seven wins this year. His 82 strikeouts are one off the league lead, with just the NWAC Baseball Championships left to play.
The AppleSox roster is finalized at 37 players (30 full-time) and represents 19 different schools. Additional player announcements and moves can be followed on the team's official website at www.applesox.com/roster.
The Wenatchee AppleSox open their 18th season of play June 2, 2017 at Walla Walla, and play their home opener in Wenatchee Thursday, June 8, 2017. For more information, fans can visit www.applesox.com.
About the Wenatchee AppleSox:
The Wenatchee AppleSox Baseball Club is part of the West Coast League, one of the premier wood-bat summer collegiate leagues in the country. The AppleSox provide affordable family entertainment for baseball fans throughout North Central Washington, and an excellent environment for college players from around the country to develop their skills.
The AppleSox were founded in 2000. The team has won five WCL Championships (2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, and 2012) and one PIL Championship (2003). Nine AppleSox alumni have reached the major leagues, and multiple currently play at the MLB level, including Jason Hammel (Kansas City Royals), Trevor Brown (San Francisco Giants), and Tommy Milone (Milwaukee Brewers). In 2016, the AppleSox had 18 current, former, or future players taken in the MLB Draft; it was the highest total of WCL teams which turned out a record 83 picks www.applesox.com .
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