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Corvallis Knights

Corvallis Knights E-News

February 13, 2017 - West Coast League (WCL)
Corvallis Knights News Release


The Knights had a great start to 2017.

We were named the 2016 Corvallis Business of the Year at the Celebrate Corvallis Awards on Jan. 20 at the CH2M HILL Alumni Center at Oregon State.

The award recognizes a business that has made significant contributions to the economic health of the Corvallis community, including financial contributions, business growth, and the introduction of new or innovative product(s) or service(s); employee development; sound or innovative business practices; community service; and customer service.

Bre Miller and Holly Jones accepted the award on behalf of the team. It is the first time we've won the award, and we are honored! You can read more.

The Knights were also honored with a Northwest Baseball Coaches Achievement Award for our 2016 West Coast League championship at the NWBC convention in Portland on Jan. 21. Dan Segel accepted that honor on behalf of the team.

Knights seek part-time staff, interns for 2017 season

The Knights are now hiring part-time staff and interns for the 2017 season. Available roles include mascot performer, on-field host/emcee and food and beverage staff. To apply, please visit corvallisknights.com/jobs.

Knights add final two players to 2017 roster

Pitcher Chase Kaplan (2015-16) and infielder/outfielder Taylor Travess (2015-16) will return for their third seasons with the Knights this summer. Kaplan is a junior at Kansas; Travess is a junior at Oregon.

Both players earned all-WCL honorable mention honors in 2016. Kaplan led the Knights with 10 saves, and Travess tied for the team lead in home runs with Roman Garcia of San Diego with three.

We now have 12 players returning from our 2016 title team. You can check out our entire 2017 roster.

Season tickets are now available to watch Kaplan, Travess, and the rest of the team. Reserve your seat for all 32 home dates and all three Fireworks Nights, set for June 24, July 3 and August 5, .

Our home schedule begins on Wednesday, June 7, with a 10 a.m. non-league game against the Portland Sea Dogs. It's our sixth annual Science, Engineering & Art Day at Goss Stadium.

For a direct link to our complete 2017 schedule, please click here.

Madrigal makes three preseason All-American teams

Alum Nick Madrigal (2015), a sophomore middle infielder at Oregon State and the 2016 Pacific-12 Conference Freshman of the Year, was named a preseason first-team All-American at second base by Baseball America.

He hit .333 with 11 doubles, five triples, one home run, 29 RBIs and eight stolen bases as a freshman. Baseball America polls Major League Baseball scouting departments to determine its preseason All-America squad.

Madrigal was also named a third-team preseason All-American by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA). He was selected as a first-team preseason All-American by Perfect Game in early January.

WCL championship t-shirts on sale!

To order, email Bre Miller at bre.miller@corvallisknights.com or call Bre at 541-752-5656. Get your champions t-shirt for only $20.

Two alums in Baseball America's top 100 for upcoming MLB draft

Two 2015 alums have been named to Baseball America's list of the top 100 college prospects for the 2017 Major League Baseball draft.

UC Santa Barbara shortstop Clay Fisher is ranked at No. 47 and Oregon State first baseman KJ Harrison is ranked at No. 48. Both are juniors on their respective college teams.

Last month, Harrison, Fisher (73) and left-handed pitcher Cameron Bishop (2015-16) of UC Irvine made Perfect Game's Top 100 list. Harrison was ranked 27th, Fisher 73rd, and Bishop 84th.

Harrison and Bishop were each drafted following their senior year of high school, Harrison by Cleveland in the 25th round and Bishop by Arizona in the 32nd round. Fisher was not drafted. This year's draft is scheduled for June 12-14.

Harrison and Fisher were also named pre-season Pac-12 and Big West Players of the Year, respectively, by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper in CBN's college baseball preview issue.

New Mariner outfielder Mitch Haniger meets the Seattle media

Alum Mitch Haniger (2010) is projected to be the starting right fielder for the Seattle Mariners this season. The Mariners acquired the former Cal Poly star in an offseason trade with Arizona.

Haniger met with Seattle media for the first time in late January. For the complete interview from the Seattle Times, please click here.

Joe DeRoche-Duffin signs with Sioux City Explorers

Alum Joe DeRoche-Duffin (2013-14) has signed with the Sioux City Explorers of the independent American Association for the 2017 season.

DeRoche-Duffin starred at Connecticut in 2015 and 2016. He was the American Athletic Conference Player of the Year in 2016, when he hit .266 (62-233) in 62 games, with 17 homers and 55 RBIs. He led the AAC in homers, was second in total bases, and was twice named the AAC Player of the Week.

He was also named a New England Intercollegiate Baseball Association all-star and an ABCA/Rawlings Northeast All-Region second-team all-star.

As a junior, Joe hit .271 in 53 games, with a team-leading 11 homers, and 39 RBIs. He was an ABCA/Rawlings All-Northeast Region and NEIBA second-team all-star.

Congrats to Joe, a native of Santa Rosa, Calif., who played at UC Santa Barbara as a freshman and Cypress JC as a sophomore before transferring to UConn for his final two years.

ChiSox invite Hayes, Fry to big-league camp

The Chicago White Sox have invited alums Danny Hayes (2009) and Jace Fry (2011) to their major league camp at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Ariz., for spring training. Pitchers and catchers report on Feb. 14 and the first game is against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Feb. 25.

A first baseman, Hayes played in the Arizona Fall League in 2016 after having a solid, albeit injury-shortened, season with Charlotte in the triple-A International League. He rebounded from a rough start to hit .250 (46-184) in 55 games, with 10 homers and 42 RBIs. He was selected in the 13th round of the 2013 draft after playing at Oregon State.

Fry, a left-handed pitcher who also played at OSU, was a second-team all-West Coast League in 2011 and was named the WCL's top pro prospect by Baseball America and Perfect Game. He was selected by the White Sox in the third round of the 2014 draft but has battled arm injuries ever since. He did not play in 2016 while recovering from Tommy John surgery.

Alumni watch:

The Lincoln Saltdogs of the independent American Association signed alum Cody Lenahan (2013) for the 2017 season. The University of Portland product, now 24 years of age, hit .264 with 12 homers, 27 doubles and 49 RBIs in 90 games with the AA's Texas AirHogs in 2015. The Gateway Grizzlies of the independent Frontier League placed infielder Seth Heck (2013), who played at Tacoma CC and at Mississippi State, on the retired list. They had exercised their 2017 option on him on Dec. 14. Seth hit .249 (72-289) in 78 games, with a homer and 26 RBIs for the Grizzlies in 2016. Outfielder Nick Ruppert (2013) of Dartmouth played for the Perth Heat in the Australian Baseball League and hit .258 (16-62) in 18 games, with no homers and seven RBIs. Southpaw Devon Barker (2012-13) played for the Adelaide Bite in the ABL and was 0-0, 5.06 in four games, with seven strikeouts in 5.1 innings. Pitcher Bud Norris (2005), a right-hander from Cal Poly, has signed with the Los Angeles Angels after spending the 2016 season with Atlanta and the Los Angeles Dodgers. An eight-year MLB veteran, he has also played for Baltimore, San Diego, Atlanta and the Dodgers and is 62-78, 4.51 all-time, with 1,012 strikeouts in 1,101.2 innings pitched.

Follow the Knights

The Corvallis Knights e-newsletter is powered by PEAK Internet - a proud sponsor of the Knights. K eep up with the Corvallis Knights by checking out team Director of Media Relations Brooks Hatch's blog.

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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