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WCL Bellingham Bells

Four Bells Returning for the 2020 Bellingham Bells Campaign

January 20, 2020 - West Coast League (WCL)
Bellingham Bells News Release


BELLINGHAM, Wash. -To kick off the new decade, the Bells are excited to announce the return of four players who will be rejoining the roster this summer.

"We are thrilled to be welcoming back four key members from the 2019 squad," Bells General Manager Stephanie Morrell said. "All of these players stand to be big contributors on the field, but beyond that, they are all high character, team first individuals who highly embody our culture and what it means to be a Bell."

Up first, Bells 2019 all-star, right-handed pitcher Nick Proctor will continue to be a presence on the mound in his second consecutive season with the Bells. Last summer, Proctor started eight games and appeared in 11, ending with a 5-2 record and an ERA of 2.05.

"Nick was a huge asset to our 2019 team," Morrell said. "He was a true workhorse who the team came to rely on for a quality start. Nick is poised, talented and constantly improving - so we can't wait to see what 2020 brings for him."

Proctor was one of three Bells pitchers to represent the Bells at the 2019 WCL All-Star Game. The 5-foot-9-inch, 190-pound sophomore will continue his collegiate career with the University of California Berkeley Bears this spring and is one of three right-handed pitchers returning to the Bells roster.

Also returning for the 2020 Bells is 6-foot-5-inch, 220-pound RHP Will Armbruester. He appeared in 11 games for the Bells last summer, recording an ERA of 5.08.

"Will is a fierce competitor who gives everything he has every time he steps on the mound," Morrell said. "With a year of college baseball under his belt, we believe Will is poised to play a big role on our pitching staff this summer."

Armbruester graduated from Eastside Catholic High School in 2019 and is the No.4 ranked Class of 2019 right-handed pitcher in the State of Washington, according to Perfect Game.

Brother of former two-year Bell Justin Armbruester, Will attends the University of New Mexico and is currently in his freshman year. The brothers hail from Sammamish, Wash., and both attend UNM.

Justin Tucker is another RHP returning to the team. Tucker appeared in four games last summer with six strikeouts and an ERA of 4.72. In his freshman collegiate season at Pacific Lutheran University, Tucker collected 60 strikeouts and an ERA of 3.59.

"As a 10-day pitcher with the Bells last summer, Justin impressed with his ability to compete and his commitment to constant improvement," Morrell said. "We are excited for Justin to re-join the Bells as a full-time rostered pitcher, and we believe he will be in a position to make big contributions to our staff this summer."

Rounding out the Bells 2020 returning crop is talented outfielder Cole Hinkelman. One of the Bells' top batters in 2019, Hinkelman appeared in 133 at-bats with 35 hits, 15 RBI's and three home runs.

"Cole is exceptionally talented," Morrell said. "For a player who hasn't yet seen one pitch in a NCAA collegiate game, he is gifted at the plate and has a lot of power in his bat. He's also a very dedicated teammate who leads by example and works very hard. We couldn't be happier to have Cole return to the Bells."

The freshman from Stanford University is the No. 11 ranked OF in the nation, and No. 2 in the state of Washington, according to Perfect Game.

The 2020 Bells will begin their season at Joe Martin Field on June 2, 2020.

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