LOVES PARK, Ill. – The Rockford Rivets are adding two of the top pitchers from the staff at the University of Indianapolis.
The Rivets announced on Monday that righthander Dylan Stutsman and lefthander Brian Wichman will come to Rockford for the Northwoods League season, which begins later this month. Stutsman is the closer and Wichman a starting pitcher for the NCAA Division II school.
“Dylan was a preseason D-II All American closer,” Rivets manager Brian Smith said. “He is doing a great job this spring competing in the strike zone. He's not your typical 93-95 mph closer but he has a solid two-pitch mix that keep hitters guessing. Being able to close games is an ability you have to learn through experience. It's going to exciting to see Dylan up against some of the best college hitters in the country.”
Stutsman is 1-1 with nine saves and a 2.25 ERA in 15 appearances, 14 of them as a reliever. The junior from Bloomington (Ind.) North High School has struck out 22 and walked six in 24 innings.
Wichman is 1-2 with a 3.98 ERA in 12 appearances, eight of them as a starter. The redshirt junior from Columbus (Ind.) East struck out 34 and walked 24 in 31 2/3 innings.
“Brian will compete for a spot in our starting rotation,” Smith said. “His coaches believe that he has a solid three-pitch mix to make him a successful starter in our league. It is our job to put Brian in the best position to succeed and stay healthy. We'll monitor his innings closely this spring, but we’re excited to have another quality lefthanded pitcher on our staff.”
The Rivets’ season begins May 30 at Kalamazoo. The home opener is at 6:35 p.m. June 1 against the Wisconsin Woodchucks. The Rivets are offering a $50 four-game pack that includes a replica Rivets jersey, tickets to four select games and all-you-can-eat food (burgers, brats, hot dogs, grilled chicken, popcorn and fountain soda) for the following dates: Friday, June 2; Saturday, June 24; Friday, July 14; Friday, July 28. The four-pack can be purchased only by calling the Rivets at 815.240.4159 or in person at the Rivets Stadium box office. There are a limited number of jerseys available, so don’t wait to order this four-pack.
The Rockford Rivets are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League, which will play its 24th season of summer collegiate baseball in 2017. The Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 20 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires and front office staff, 160 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including two-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (Washington Nationals), two-time World Champion Ben Zobrist (Chicago Cubs) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (Boston Red Sox), Jordan Zimmermann (Detroit Tigers), Curtis Granderson (New York Mets) and Lucas Duda (Mets). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League Website, NorthwoodsLeague.com.
