Grafton, WI –The Lakeshore Chinooks have added local pitcher Alec Marsh (Arizona State University) a right-hander from Milwaukee, as well as catcher Justin Bardwell (Fordham), and C/IF Brian Sobieski (Davenport University) to compete for spots early in the season.
Alec Marsh returns home to the Milwaukee area where he led Milwaukee Reagan Prep to the state playoffs, including a memorable pitching performance to help eliminate top-ranked Hartland Arrowhead in 2015. Marsh earned all-state honors and was a Rawlings/Perfect Game Honorable Mention selection while being rated as the fifth best prospect in Wisconsin. With a good curve ball and a low-90’s fastball, Marsh has been used sparingly by the Sun Devils, making six appearances and pitching eleven innings. He has struck out eight and walked five in his freshman season in the desert.
Justin Bardwell traveled from his hometown of Chino Hills, CA, where he was named a three-time Perfect Game All-American Honorable Mention, to Bronx, NY and Fordham University. As a right-handed catcher, Bardwell earned Atlantic 10 All-Rookie Team honors after starting 49 games as a freshman in 2016. He hit .266 with nine doubles, two triples, one home run, and 26 RBI and collected a 5-for-5 game versus Richmond. This season Bardwell has continued to excel, hitting .295 with 13 RBI and a slugging percentage of .436. With valuable game experience behind the plate, Bardwell get plenty of opportunity early for the Chinooks.
Brian Sobieski is a utility player who can catch, play as a corner infielder, or in the outfield. The junior from NAIA Davenport University was a 2013 graduate of St. Charles East High School in St. Charles, IL. After hitting .459 for Elgin Community College in 2014 and sitting out most of 2015, Sobieski transferred to Coastal Carolina and eventually to Davenport. 2016 Lakeshore pitching coach, Josh Rebandt who joined the DU staff directed him to the Chinooks after seeing Sobieski hit .362 with six home runs, three triples, ten doubles, and 40 RBI in his first 35 games for the Panthers as a junior. Sobieski will bring versatility to the club as the roster settles in over the first few weeks of the Northwoods season.
You can catch your first glimpse of the 2017 Chinooks roster on Saturday, June 3rd when Lakeshore takes on the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters at 6:35pm at Kapco Park. Season tickets, mini game packages, and group tickets are all currently on sale. Single game tickets go on sale to the public Monday, May 1st at 10:00am. For tickets and more information, call 262-618-4659 or visit lakeshorechinooks.com.
The Lakeshore Chinooks 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.lakeshorechinooks.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Chinooks as your favorite team.