Four College Baseball Stars Sign with Larks for 2018 Season
Published on April 27, 2018 under Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Bismarck Larks News Release
BISMARCK, ND - Four college baseball stars have signed with the Larks for the 2018 Season. Matt Warkentin and Evan Miller will head north from Xavier University. Dylan Rock of the University of Texas - San Antonio and Kip DeShields from Youngstown State will join the pair this summer.
Matt Warkentin, a 6'6" 250lbs first-baseman from Leamington, Ontario, Canada, is in his first season and junior campaign with Xavier. Matt played last season at Johnson County Community College, where he hit .359 with 16 home runs and 70 runs batted in for the nationally ranked junior college. For the 2018 season, Warkentin has started 34 of Xavier's 35 games, posting a .266 batting average with 9 home runs, 5 doubles and 24 runs batted in. He leads Xavier in home runs and runs batted in and is currently 2nd in slugging percentage. He also is 2nd on the team in fielding percentage (.992).
"Warkentin is a very special player. He is a physical specimen, at 6'6" 250lbs, that can really swing the bat," said Larks Head Coach, Sean Repay. "He has had huge power numbers everywhere he has played and has led the team in runs batted in at every stop along the way. These are all things I look forward to seeing Matt carry over and doing for us this summer!"
Evan Miller, a 6'0" 175lbs right-handed pitcher from Harrison, Ohio, is currently playing his freshman season at Xavier University. As a freshman, Miller currently leads Xavier in appearances out of the bullpen with 15. He has appeared against nationally ranked opponents such as Kentucky, Louisville, Florida State and Miami all in high pressure situations. Miller has logged 21 innings out of the pen, registering 18 strikeouts along the way.
"It's not very often that a freshman leads the team in appearances out of the bullpen," Repay said. "That tells me one thing. Xavier's coaching staff trusts Miller at the highest level. Miller will be someone I have a great deal of trust in this summer as well. I would expect for him to be one of the first guys out of the pen to help us stay in a tight baseball game."
Dylan Rock, a 6'1" 205lbs outfielder from Sugar Land, Texas, is in the middle of his freshman campaign at University of Texas-San Antonio. Rock has started 26 games in the 2018 season, posting a .273 batting average with 4 doubles, 1 triple, 5 home runs and 11 runs batted in. Rock's 5 home runs lead the Roadrunners.
"Rock comes highly recommended by Coach Carlson whom I have a great deal of respect for," Repay told the Larks. "He struggled out of the gate, as most freshmen at the D1 level do, but has gone on an absolute tear lately. He is a strong, athletic young man who is going to fit into the mix in our outfield. I look forward to having him being a positive voice on this team as well."
Kip DeShields, a 6'5" 230lbs. right-handed pitcher from Beloit, Ohio, is currently in his junior season for Youngstown State. Last season, he pitched for St. Petersburg College, where he appeared in 19 games where 16 of those were made out of the bullpen. DeShields finished with a record of 2-2 with 4 saves striking out 30 batters over 29.2 innings. In his first season with Youngstown State, DeShields has appeared in 13 games, registering 2 saves while striking out 18 batters in 18 innings.
"I am very excited to have DeShields this summer," Repay said of the right-handed pitcher. "He is a guy that has been used as both a starter and back end of the bullpen/closer. We're going to see what he can do in both roles and whatever he is most comfortable in doing. I expect him to help us in a big way on the mound this summer!"
Northwoods League Stories from April 27, 2018
- Rafters Sign a NIU Husky and a Southwestern College Jaguar to 2018 Squad - Wisconsin Rapids Rafters
- Kingfish 2018 Full Promotional Schedule Now Available - Kenosha Kingfish
- Rox Announce 2018 Promotional Schedule - St. Cloud Rox
- Four College Baseball Stars Sign with Larks for 2018 Season - Bismarck Larks
- Madison Mallards Announce 2018 Promotional Schedule - Madison Mallards
- Rochester Honkers Sign Minnesota Native Slugger - Rochester Honkers
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