Schmitz, Heili Lead Group of First Signees for A’s
March 15, 2016
The A's have announced the first player signees of the 2016 season, lead by the return of pitcher Eric Schmitz and pitcher-infielder Nate Heili. Four new recruits have also signed on to play with the club this summer.
The A’s have announced the first player signees of the 2016 season, lead by
the return of pitcher Eric Schmitz and pitcher-infielder Nate Heili.
Four new recruits have also signed on to play with the club this summer.
While at UW-Whitewater, Schmitz was a first team all-WIAC choice and
the iron-arm righthander still holds the Whitewater career record for
appearances. Schmitz was 5-0 with a 1.88 earned run average last year.
Employed by Kohler Co., Schmitz helps coach pitchers at Sheboygan North
High School and with the city’s American Legion team.
Heili, a Sheboygan Falls High School grad, emerged as the A’s
starting shortstop until an injury ended his season. He finished with a
.329 batting average. He is currently playing at UW La Crosse where he
will be working as a pitcher-infielder this spring. He is projected to
fill both of those roles with the A’s this summer as well.
The four newcomers are infielders Trevor Cho and Mitchell Sutton who
were Homestead High School teammates, and Mitchell McConnell, and
pitcher Dan Behlke.
Cho, a first team all-stater, is a redshirt freshman at St. Cloud
State University (NCAA Division Two) where he is the projected starting
shortstop next season. He hit .360 with 35 RBI and six home runs at
Homestead High School last season.
Sutton, a teammate of Heili’s at UW-La Crosse (NCAA Division Three),
works mostly at first and third base. He joined Cho in the Wisconsin
State Coaches Association All-Star game last summer.
McConnell, from Belgium, plays second base and hit .357 and .369 for
Ozaukee High School. He is at Upper Iowa University (NCAA Division Two).
Behlke is at Scranton, PA’s Lackawanna College (NJCAA Division Two).
He played his high school ball for Fond du Lac in the Fox Valley
Association.
The A’s will open the season May 21 against the Appleton Legends in
the annual Project G.R.I.L.L. game. The game will be a non-league game,
although the Legends are a Northeastern Wisconsin Baseball League
opponent.
– See more at:
http://www.sheboyganbaseball.org/news/articles/2016-03-13/schmitz-heili-lead-group-of-first-signees/#sthash.96t9NqEl.dpuf
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