CornBelters Add Michael Baca, Milles Moeller, Gerald Bautista, and James Davison
July 13, 2018 - Frontier League (FL)
Normal CornBelters News Release
NORMAL, Ill. - Prior to opening up the second half of the 2018 season, Manager Billy Horn has announced the signing of Michael Baca, Miles Moeller, Gerald Bautista, and James Davidson.
"Now its second half and I really feel were geared up and locked in and ready to go. Spent this whole break just trying to improve the ballclub and we got four new guys in here, " said Billy Horn.
Miles Moller becomes the second Chicago Dogs pitcher to join Normal along with Tyler Frohwirth and will be a veteran presence in the A two year player at Ball State, he spent the 2016 season with the Horn and the Ottawa Champions and was part of their 2016 CanAm Championship. Moller pitched in 24 games (4 starts) and held a 3-4 record with one save in 53 innings. The following season he was traded to Quebec and helped win his second straight league championship. The Muncie, Ind. native went 3-3 in 35 games (all relief) and picked up 53 strikeouts. As a Cardinal, he pitched in 50.2 innings with one start and picked up his first Division I with 3.0 innings of shutout relief at Akron. Before transferring to Ball State, Moeller played two years at Glendale Community College and posted a 5-5 record in 77.2 innings. Tossed a complete game five-hitter in his final career game against the No. 1 ranked junior college team in the county.
The next Chicago Dog that makes the trip down south is Michael Baca who will provide some defensive help for the Normal infield. This season he batted .216 for Chicago with 25 hits and collected 12 RBI. In 2017, Baca played for the New Britain Bees of the Atlantic League after he finished his collegiate career at Cisco College. He played in 104 games there and knocked 60 hits, seven doubles and scored 21 times. Baca spent time at three different colleges, making stops at New Mexico State and Cisco Junior College in Texas before ending his senior season at Tabor College in Kansas. At Tabor, he hit .342 with six home runs in 65 games.
Gerald Bautista is the second infielder to join Normal for the second half of the season and is the son of former big leaguer Danny Bautista who spent 12 years in the MLB. He began his professional career at 17 with the Cleveland Indians organization and spent 2013 and 2014 in Rookie Ball in the Arizona League. He batted .256 in his first season, had seven doubles and 33 hits in 41 games. Bautista was then promoted the following season (2015) to the Mahoning Valley Scrappers, Short-Season A. After being released from the Indians, he signed with the Vallejo Admirals of the Pacific Association in 2016. Bautista had a .302 average with 38 RBI and 68 hits while hitting four home runs. He then spent the next season with both Vallejo and the Pittsburg Diamonds. This year Bautista has split time with New Jersey and Quebec of the Can-Am league.
Rounding out the four new Belters is outfielder James Davison. The Chicago native was originally drafted in the 39th round of the 2014 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft by the Chicago White Sox but did not sign and went on to play two years at Howard College (Big Spring, Texas). Earned all-conference recognition in both seasons and finished his career with a .419 average, 14 home runs, 36 steals, 69 RBI, and 86 runs scored. The left-handed hitter then transferred to the University of Miami and made 45 starts while serving as starting left fielder. Davison stole team-high 14 bags and ranked third with 27 runs scored and 11 multi-hit games. He then transferred to Division II St. Mary's (Texas). Started and played in all 51 games, batted .326 with a .429 on-base percentage and led the team in stolen bases (21) and triples (4). Davison was lights outs in center field, logged 140 putouts, four assists and just two errors while he made two double plays.
The CornBelters open up the second half tonight against the Evansville Otters at 7:05 p.m.
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