Iron Pigs Bring Local Connection To PNC Field

Published on April 23, 2010 under International League (IL1)
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees News Release


MOOSIC, PA - Because of various factors, most notably mild winters and warm springs, most professional baseball players from the United States come from areas of the country in the south and west.

Players from the Northeast are a fairly rare commodity.

Tonight at PNC Field, not one, not two, but three players with Northeast Pennsylvania connections will be in town with the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, the Triple-A Affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies.

Pitchers Nate Bump, Ryan Vogelsong and outfielder Rich Thompson were either raised or played amateur baseball in our area.

Vogelsong, 32, a native of Downington, PA, and was an All-American pitcher at Kutztown University. After spending the last three seasons in Japan, he inked a free agent contract with the Phillies.

Bump, 33, was born and raised in Towanda, PA and graduated from Penn State University. In 1998, the San Francisco Giants selected him in the first round of the June draft. He became the highest drafted player ever in Penn State history (only 1st rounder). At PSU, he was an All-American for the Nittany Lions and left the school as all-time career leader in wins, SO, GS and IP.

Bump reached the Major Leagues in 2003 with the Florida Marlins and has 113 big league appearances on his resume.

Thompson, who turns 31 today, is a 1997 graduate of Montrose Area Jr./Sr. High School in Montrose, Pennsylvania. He was originally selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 6th round of the 2000 Major League Baseball Draft. He made it to the Major Leagues in 2004 with the Kansas City Royals and has played the last three seasons in the Phillies organization.

The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees and Lehigh Valley IronPigs will play a four game series starting tonight and ending April 26 at PNC Field. Tickets may be purchased at www.swbyankees.com, in person at the box office or by calling 570-969-2255.

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International League Stories from April 23, 2010


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