Battle Creek, MI – The very first Battle Creek Battle Jacks roster is finalized for the start of the 2022 season. The season starts May 30 with a two-game homestand against the Traverse City Pit Spitters. You can find the season schedule here. While this roster is finalized, some players are finishing up their college season and will be with the Battle Jacks a week or two later. Summer baseball is also known for fluctuating rosters as players decide to step away or college coaches keep them on a game limit. With that being said, here is the inaugural Battle Jacks roster.
Pitchers
This is a deep pitching room with 23 arms in the bullpen. Not only is it deep, but it’s experienced. Ten players are of junior status or higher. Another eight are true or redshirt freshmen. The rotation is dominated by righties, with just four of the 23 pitchers being southpaws. Lucas Bixby is the one returning player on the roster. He sported a 2.40 ERA over 17.1 innings of work for Battle Creek last summer.
Lucas Bixby
School: Junior, Vanguard University
Throws: Right-handed
Hometown: Dewitt, Iowa
Will Conroy
School: Redshirt Freshman, Millersville University of Pennsylvania
Throws: Right-handed
Hometown: Raven Run, Pennsylvania
Travis Cowan
School: Senior, Doane College
Throws: Right-handed
Hometown: Denver, Colorado
Nick Davies
School: Junior, Brock University
Throws: Left-handed
Hometown: Ancaster, Ontario, Canada
Rolando De La Cruz
School: Sophomore, Trinidad State Junior College
Throws: Right-handed
Hometown: San Pedro De Macoris, Dominican Republic
Aaron Dolney
School: Sophomore, Eastern Michigan University
Throws: Right-handed
Hometown: Plymouth, Michigan
Jake Habelitz
School: Redshirt Freshman, Middle Georgia State University
Throws: Left-handed
Hometown: Long Beach, California
Sean Knorr
School: Freshman, Kellogg Community College
Throws: Right-handed
Hometown: Ann Arbor, Michigan
Gavin Knust
School: Sophomore, Indiana University Southeast
Throws: Left-handed
Hometown: Saint Anthony, Indiana
Caleb Lanoux
School: Junior, Middle Georgia State University
Throws: Right-handed
Hometown: Orange Park, Florida
Jacob Lycan
School: Junior, Concordia University
Throws: Right-handed
Hometown: Omaha, Nebraska
Garrett Martin
School: Senior, Middle Georgia State University
Throws: Right-handed
Hometown: Gypsum, Colorado
Lex Meinderts
School: Junior, Lyon College
Throws: Right-handed
Hometown: Bergschenhoek, Netherlands
Jeremiah Newman
School: Redshirt Freshman, Georgia State University
Throws: Right-handed
Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia
Cohen Nies
School: Redshirt Senior, Defiance College
Throws: Right-handed
Hometown: Logansport, Indiana
Jaidan Quinn
School: Sophomore, Concordia University
Throws: Right-handed
Hometown: Bonner Springs, Kansas
Noah Richardson
School: Senior, Northern Kentucky University
Throws: Left-handed
Hometown: Windsor, Ontario, Canada
Nathan Ross
School: Freshman, Kellogg Community College
Throws: Right-handed
Hometown: Jenison, Michigan
Brett Sanchez
School: Redshirt Sophomore, Bellhaven University
Throws: Right-handed
Hometown: Slidell, Louisiana
Peter Schaefer
School: Junior, Johns Hopkins University
Throws: Right-handed
Hometown: Knoxville, Tennessee
David Stich Jr.
School: Redshirt Freshman, Temple College
Throws: Right-handed
Hometown: Boerne, Texas
Hank Weiss
School: Freshman, Washington University in St. Louis
Throws: Right-handed
Hometown: Chagrin Falls, Ohio
Robert Whelan
School: Freshman, Green River College
Throws: Right-handed
Hometown: Camp Hill, Pennsylvania
Catchers
The catchers group is experienced, headlined by 2021 Great Plains Athletic Conference Player of the Year, Billy Hancock. Derick Stager is one of five Middle Georgia State players on the roster.
Billy Hancock:
School: Junior, Mount Marty College
Hometown: Wahoo, Nebraska
Derick Stager:
School: Sophomore, Middle Georgia State University
Hometown: Tarpon Springs, Florida.
Infielders
The infield has a good mix of youth and veteran experience. There are three juniors, four sophomores and two freshmen. They come from universities all across the country, ranging from California to Florida and everywhere in between. This should be an exciting group of players.
James Canar
School: Junior, McPherson College
Hometown: Longmont, Colorado
Daunte Decello
School: Redshirt Junior, Indiana University Southeast
Hometown: Hamilton, Ohio
Donovan Garcia
School: Sophomore, Flagler College
Hometown: Odessa, Florida
Josh Getz
School: Freshman, Northwood University (Commit)
Hometown: Milford, Michigan
Joey Grabanski
School: Sophomore, Concordia University
Hometown: Grand Forks, North Dakota
Core Jackson
School: Freshman, University of Nebraska
Hometown: Wyoming, Ontario, Canada
Dillon Kark
School: Sophomore, Michigan State University
Hometown: White Lake, Michigan
Pat Mills
School: Junior, Indiana University Kokomo
Hometown: Russiaville, Indiana
Fisher Pyatt
School: Sophomore, San Diego State University
Hometown: San Diego, California
Outfielders
The group flying around the outfield may be shallow, but don’t think they won’t make an immediate impact on day one. Isaiah Gibbs and Rafael Gomez Jr. are both coming off their junior year, while Tate Peterson is wrapping up his freshman season. Gibbs is the final of five players from Middle Georgia State University that rounds off this roster.
Isaiah Gibbs
School: Junior, William Woods University
Hometown: Ironton, Missouri
Rafael Gomez Jr.
School: Junior, Middle Georgia State University
Hometown: Miami, Florida
Tate Peterson
School: Freshman, Kellogg Community College
Hometown: Grandville, Michigan
