KALAMAZOO, MI – The Kalamazoo Growlers are pleased to announce the signing of Stephen Letz from Northern Illinois University for the 2015 season. Letz will join fellow Husky Justin Fletcher at Homer Stryker Field this summer.
Stephen Letz: 6’1” – 200lb, OF, Bats R/Throws R, Northern Illinois (Jr.), Dyer, IN.
Letz comes to Kalamazoo in the midst of great success at Northern Illinois. Through 18 games this season, the junior is tied for the team lead in hits (25) and ranks second in batting average (.357), runs (11), and total bases (32), as well as posting top-five numbers in doubles (4), RBIs (7), slugging percentage (.457), and on-base percentage (.384). Northern Illinois head coach Ed Mathey heralded Letz as a complete package and a “blue-collar kid” who will do whatever it takes to help his team win.
The Dyer, IN native spent two decorated years at South Suburban College before enrolling in DeKalb. Letz was a two-time NJCAA Division II All-American for the Bulldogs and was the only freshman selected to the 2013 All-America First Team. In 52 games his sophomore season, he hit .421 with 10 home runs and 65 RBIs while earning NJCAA Regional Tournament MVP honors.
A two-year starter at Lake Central High School in Chicagoland, Letz batted .358 with six home runs and 32 RBIs during his senior season while leading the Indians to conference and sectional titles.
No stranger to success at the summer collegiate level, Letz won two Midwest Collegiate League championships with the Southland Vikings in 2013 and 2014. Last summer he hit .290 with 10 doubles and 22 RBIs for a Southland team that won 25 of its final 29 games.
Kalamazoo begins its second season on Tuesday, May 26 at Madison. The Growlers’ home opener comes on Friday, May 29 against the Battle Creek Bombers. The full Growlers schedule can be found here. For information on 2015 Growlers season tickets, click here.
The Kalamazoo Growlers are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Playing its 22nd season of summer collegiate baseball in 2015, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 18 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 120 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (CWS), Jordan Zimmermann (WAS), Curtis Granderson (NYM), Allen Craig (BOS) and Ben Zobrist (OAK). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League Website. For more information, visit http://www.growlersbaseball.com.