Givens to return, McDonough, Kaletha and Johnson in Battle Creek for the first time

Battle Creek, Mich. – The Battle Creek Bombers announce four more additions to the 2017 roster, and all come from John A. Logan College. Infielder Jordan McDonough, outfielder Logan Kaletha and right-handed pitchers Dylan Givens and Trent Johnson provide more depth to the Battle Creek roster. This recruiting update is presented by OnStaff Group.

Jordan McDonough, 5’11”, 195 lbs., Infielder, Bats/R, Throws/R, John A. Logan College (Soph.), Cincinnati, Ohio 

McDonough transferred to John A. Logan College after spending two years at Ohio State University. McDonough has played in 19 of the Vols’ 26 games and is averaging .196. With nine hits, McDonough has brought in nine RBI. His best game this season was against Illinois Central, where he went 2-2 and totaled three RBI.

At Ohio State, he made one appearance as a sophomore and eleven as a freshman. A four-year letter winner at St. Xavier in Cincinnati, McDonough was tabbed to the East Coast Pro Showcase teams after his sophomore and junior seasons and was named a USSSA All-American as a sophomore.

"Jordan was at Ohio State before transferring to Logan and has played against some other guys in this league,” Solemsaas said. “He is a corner infielder who can hit for power. I like his potential as a hitter and can see him doing well swinging wood this summer. "

Dylan Givens, 6’5”, 245 lbs., Right-Handed Pitcher, Bats/R, Throws/R, John A. Logan College (Fr.), Paducah, Ky.

Givens is a freshman getting a lot of time at Logan. He is 2-1 this year in his three starts and has been on the mound eight times this spring. In 26 innings pitched, Givens carries a 2.42 ERA, fanned 25 batters and has only walked seven. Most recently, Givens pitched in the Vols win on March 28 against Dyersburg State. He threw six innings, let up two runs and struck out five batters. 

Givens started three games for Battle Creek last summer. He threw fourteen innings. He will temporarily be with the Bombers this summer.

"Dylan came and threw three games for us at the end of last season and did pretty well. He wasn't quite back to where he was velocity wise after an injury,” stated Solemsaas. “He had a good fall and got back to form and is having a good spring. I'm excited to see where he is at and what he can do."

Logan Kaletha, 6’0”, 190 lbs., Outfielder, Bats/R, Throws/R, John A Logan College (Soph.), Michigan City, Ind.

Kaletha, as a sophomore, is carrying the second-highest batting average for the Vols this spring. In his 91 at-bats, he is sporting a .297, and his four home runs are tied for the most on the team. The Michigan City, Ind., native has totaled the second-most RBI on the roster with 29, and his 27 hits are third-most on the squad. This month, Kaletha is hitting .418 with 23 hits in 55 at-bats. He tallied 28 RBI and registered at least one RBI in thirteen of the last fifteen games.

Last year, Kaletha batted .379, totaled a team second-high 80 hits, brought in 46 RBI and smashed eleven home runs. 

"Kaletha is a tremendous athlete playing center field and really handles the bat well,” Solemsaas said. “After coaching him for one year at Logan, I knew I wanted to coach him again at the Bombers. He is a great teammate and will bring a lot of energy to the team at the top of the lineup and has the potential to be a very good prospect someday."

Trent Johnson, 6’5”, 240 lbs., Right-Handed Pitcher, Bats/R, Throws/R, John A. Logan College (Soph.), Peoria, Ill.

Johnson is off to the best start of his young career. A transfer from Arizona, he has started six games for Logan this year, and he carries a 2.93 ERA. The Peoria, Ill., native has started his spring 5-1, including winning his last five games. In 30.2 innings pitched, Johnson’s 33 strikeouts are third-most for the Vols, and he has only walked eleven batters this spring.

While in high school, Johnson earned all-state honors as a first baseman on two separate occasions. He was also named 2013 Peoria Area Player of the Year.

"Trent has a strong arm and can throw three pitches for strikes,” Solemsaas said. “He had a good summer in the Prospect League last summer and I'm looking forward to seeing him pitch against the teams in our league because I think he can be really good."

Fans can guarantee tickets to the team’s top weekend dates of the season by locking in the Bombers 5-Game Pack. Five-Game Packs are $59 and include the best seats at the team’s five best games with all-you-can-eat food and beverages and guaranteed giveaways. Fans can buy online by going to http://northwoodsleague.com/battle-creek-bombers/tickets/5-game-packs/. Fans can also call the team’s front office at (269) 962-0735 or by email tickets@battlecreekbombers.com.

This recruiting update is presented by OnStaff Group. OnStaff Group is the largest human resource services firm in Southwest Michigan, maintaining an exceptionally experienced and stable staff. Learn how your company can benefit from over 168 years of expertise from a vast variety of organizations and industries today. 

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The Battle Creek Bombers are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. The 23-year-old summer collegiate 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, more than 160 former Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including two-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champion Ben Zobrist (CHC) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (BOS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET), Curtis Granderson (NYM) and Lucas Duda (NYM).  All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information, visit www.battlecreekbombers.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Bombers as your favorite team.