The La Crosse Loggers baseball club announced the signings of a pair of players from out West today with the acquisitions of freshman catcher Andrew Knapp (California) and junior first baseman/outfielder Corey LaVier (San Diego).

Knapp becomes the eighth Logger signee that was previously drafted out of high school as the Cal-Berkeley backstop was taken in 41st Round of the 2010 MLB Draft by the Oakland Athletics. The 6-1, 180 pound switch-hitting catcher is truly a “chip off the old block” as his father, Mike, was a standout catcher himself at Cal during the 1985 & 1986 seasons and eventually went on to play professional baseball for 11 years. Andrew excelled at Granite Bay High School (California) where he earned 2009 Max Preps Junior Player of the Year honors.

San Diego junior Corey LaVier will be coming to La Crosse with a wealth of collegiate experience under his belt. Before entering USD, LaVier spent two seasons at Cypress Junior College where he hit .380 during both seasons. The 6-3, 210 pound left-handed hitter also enjoyed a successful summer in the Coastal Plains League in 2010, earning All- Star honors while playing for the Fayetteville Swamp Dogs.

LaVier hit .245 with a pair of homers and 32 RBI’s over 196 AB’s in the CPL and stole five bases. The San Dimas, Calif. native is off to a hot start in this 2011 season, hitting at a .360 clip out of the middle of the San Diego lineup over the first 10 games.

Knapp, LaVier and the rest of the Loggers will open the 2011 campaign on Wednesday, June 1 with a three-game road trip to Green Bay.