Bees Inaugural Spring Training Underway
Published on April 13, 2016 under Atlantic League (AtL)
New Britain Bees News Release
(New Britain, Conn.) - The New Britain Bees began spring training workouts for the first time in history on Tuesday, and will take the field at New Britain Stadium for the first time today. With the team's inaugural spring training underway, the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball Club has announced the signings of pitchers Colin Moberly, Grady Wood, Craig Stem, Kyle Simon, Jarret Leverett, Brandon Fry, Shawn Haviland and Brian Dupra, along with infielder Steve Carrillo, catcher Nick Murphy, and catcher/coach Craig Maddox. In addition, the team has invited pitcher and Berlin native Anthony Marzi, pitcher Tim Boyce, and infielder/outfielder Quinn Pippin to spring training.
"I was very excited to start workouts yesterday, and we're very excited to get on the new playing surface at New Britain Stadium today," said Manager Stan Cliburn. "We've assembled a talented, versatile roster with a number of local talents, and it will be great to see them on the field today as well as in game action starting tomorrow."
Moberly joins New Britain after a stand out collegiate career at Northland College, where he also played hockey. In 2015, Moberly earned UMAC Baseball All-Conference honors as a pitcher, striking out 65 batters in 73 innings of work. The right-handed native of Ely, Minnesota is a knuckleballer.
A 10th round pick of the Seattle Mariners in the 2012 MLB Amateur Draft, Wood spent the 2015 with the Bakersfield Blaze (A,Mariners) and the Jackson Generals (AA,Mariners), making 43 appearances. Over four minor league seasons, the 6'2", 195 lbs. right-hander has pitched 271 innings over 151 games, striking out 237 batters, all in relief.
Stem joins the Bees following a five-year career in the minor leagues with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Miami Marlins. The right-handed pitcher was originally drafted in the 15th round of the 2011 MLB Amateur Draft. In 236.2 innings in the minors, the 26-year-old struck out 190 batters and saved 23 games.
Simon joins the Bees after spending last season with the Lancaster Barnstormers. A fourth round draft pick of the Baltimore Orioles in the 2011 MLB Amateur Draft, the 6'6", 220 lbs. Simon spent time with the Orioles and Phillies organizations, reaching the AAA level in 2014 with the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. The tall right-hander owns 167 strikeouts in 261.1 minor league innings, working mostly as a reliever.
Leverett joins the Bees in 2016 for his second full season of independent baseball. The left-handed throwing Georgia native spent the 2014 season with the Frontier Greys of the Frontier League, pitching to a 2.72 ERA in 33 games out of the bullpen. Leverett spent time in the San Francisco Giants' organization in 2015, striking out 21 in 33.1 innings.
A native of Canton, Ohio, Fry joins the Bees after spending his entire professional career in the San Diego Padres organization. Originally drafted in the 18th round of the 2013 MLB Amateur Draft, the 22-year old lefty has played in three minor league seasons, appearing in 55 games with 70 strikeouts.
Drafted in the 2008 MLB Amateur Draft out of Harvard University by the Oakland Athletics, Haviland returns to his home state in 2016 to join the Bees' pitching staff. The Farmington High School graduate has pitched in seven professional seasons, most recently reaching Triple-A with the Pawtucket Red Sox in 2015. The right-handed pitcher has struck out 756 batters in 185 minor league games (160 starts).
Dupra joins New Britain following a five-season career in the minor leagues with the Washington Nationals. Selected in the seventh round of the 2011 MLB Amateur Draft out of the University of Notre Dame, the New York native struck out 242 batters in 342.2 minor league innings, all in the Nationals' organization.
A veteran of five independent seasons, the 28-year old Carrillo joins New Britain after spending 2015 with the Florence (KY) Freedom of the Frontier League. A graduate of California State University - Dominguez Hill in Carson, CA, the right-handed hitting and throwing Carrillo has seen time at first base, second base, third base, and leftfield professionally. In 301 games over five seasons, Carrillo has 234 hits, including 48 doubles and 118 RBIs.
Murphy joins New Britain after spending his junior and senior collegiate seasons with the California State University - Northridge Matadors, splitting time between catcher and designated hitter. The right-handed batting Murphy was awarded Academic All-Big West Honors for the 2015 season. This season will be Murphy's first in professional baseball.
A graduate of Southeastern University in Lakeland, Florida, the 5-foot-11, 205 lbs. Maddox joins the Bees after spending last season with the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs. The left-handed hitting Maddox has appeared in 578 games, suiting up as a catcher in 301. Maddox, who spent time with in the Detroit Tigers and Atlanta Braves organizations, has played in eight independent league seasons, owning a career .260 average with 33 home runs and 225 RBIs in 501 games. Maddox will serve as a player and coach for the 2016 season.
Marzi, a native of Berlin, Connecticut and a graduate of UConn, returns to Connecticut to join the 2016 Bees. Marzi pitched to a 3.05 ERA during his career with the Huskies and finished in the top four in school history for innings pitched (297.1) and strikeouts (217). More recently, the left-hander pitched in six games for the New York Yankees' Gulf Coast League team in 2015, allowing no runs in 7.1 innings.
A graduate of the University of Rhode Island, Boyce joins the Bees after spending the 2015 season with Garden State of the Can-Am League. After being drafted in the 2010 MLB Amateur Draft by the Seattle Mariners, Boyce appeared in 50 games over 3 seasons of MiLB experience, striking out 91 batters.
Pippin, a Florida native, played his college ball with Tulane University (2010-12) and the University of Tampa (2013-14). In 129 career college games, the left-handed hitter hit .293 while driving in 43 runs. Pippin also played the 2013 season in the Cal Ripken Collegiate Baseball League, driving in 29 runs in 42 games.
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- Bees Inaugural Spring Training Underway - New Britain Bees
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