Decorated RHP Maddox Long returns to Green Bay for final collegiate season
Ashwaubenon, Wis.—With just under 50 days away from Opening Day of the Northwoods League season, the Rockers have strengthened the pitching staff in a big way with the signings RHP Maddox Long (Harding University), LHP Heitaro Hayashi (Wagner College), LHP Jayden Martin (Wallace-Hanceville CC), and LHP Simon Aluko (Shorter University).
Maddox Long – RHP – 6’5”/290 – Senior
After playing a major role in guiding the 2023 Rockers to a Northwoods League Championship, Maddox Long will return to Green Bay following his senior season in hopes of landing a professional opportunity. After joining the Rockers at the midway point that summer, Long went on to post a 3-0 record with a 1.76 ERA in six appearances, all starts. One of the most decorated Division II players in the country, Long has started ten games for Harding University this spring and has posted a 8-2 record with a sparkling 1.20 ERA. In 67.1 innings, he has allowed just 45 hits, 9 earned runs, while striking out 86 batters. Opponents are hitting a mere .191 against him. A season ago, he racked up a plethora of accolades including ABCA All-America (third team), ABCA Central Region Pitcher of the Year, ABCA All-Central Region (first team), GAC Pitcher of the Year, and All-GAC (first team) honors after ranking sixth in Division II with 107 strikeouts in a school-record 105.1 innings pitched. He currently ranks 1st in school history in strikeouts for a career, 4th in innings pitched, and tied for 7th with wins at the university. Long is a native of Morrilton, Arkansas.
Heitaro Hayashi – LHP – 5’11”/200 – Junior
A native of Tokyo, Japan, left-hander Heitaro Hayashi is appearing in his junior season at Wagner College in Staten Island, New York. This spring he has appeared in nine games, making four starts, and carries a 3-1 record with a 5.40 ERA. In 26.2 innings, he has struck out 19 batters. Hayashi is no stranger to summer baseball as he excelled with the Walla Walla Sweets in the West Coast League last year. Starting five games for Walla Walla, Hayashi tossed 20.0 innings with 19 strikeouts and a 4.05 ERA.
Jayden Martin – LHP – 6’8”/230 – Redshirt Sophomore
Left-hander Jayden Martin is having an excellent spring season for Wallace-Hanceville Community College where he has appeared in eight games, making seven starts so far on the season. He has thrown 32.2 innings while recording 31 strikeouts to go along with a 4-2 record and 3.31 ERA. Standing 6’8”, the Lilburn, Georgia native has spent his 2023 summer season playing in both the MLB Draft League as well as the Appalachian League where he struck out 27 batters in 27 innings pitched between both stops that summer.
Simon Aluko – LHP – 6’3”/220 – Redshirt Sophomore
Hailing from Ackworth, Georgia, Aluko garners a sidearm slot similar to a player he has spent time training with and modeling his game after, Atlanta Braves lefty and former Northwoods Leaguer Chris Sale. This spring Aluko has appeared in 12 games at Shorter University where he has thrown 16.0 innings and recorded 24 strikeouts and two saves. The left-handed pitcher is no stranger to summer ball as he played for the Jamestown Tarp Skunks in the Perfect Game League last year where he posted a 1-0 record and 2.31 ERA and one save. In 11.2 innings, he only allowed four hits while striking out 18. In the summer of 2023 in the Perfect Game League he appeared in 10 games while posting a 3.12 ERA and two saves. That summer he threw 17.1 innings of two-hit ball while striking out 35 batters.
Single game tickets are on sale now. Season ticket packages, group tickets and the Pep’s Drafthaus Flex Packs are available now. Visit www.greenbayrockers.com or call the ticket office at 920-497-7225 to reserve your seats today. The Rockers front office at Capital Credit Union Park is located at 2231 Holmgren Way in Ashwaubenon. Office hours are Monday-Friday 8:30am-5pm.
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The Green Bay Rockers are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. Now entering its 32nd season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in history with 24 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, 360 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time All-Star and 2016 Roberto Clemente Award winner Curtis Granderson, three-time Cy Young Award winner and World Series Champion Max Scherzer (TEX), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist and Brandon Crawford (STL) and World Series Champion Chris Sale (ATL). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and 2019/2021 Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and 2023 World Series Champion, MLB All-Star, MLB Gold Glove winner and two-time All-MLB first team shortstop Marcus Semien (TEX). League games are viewable live on Northwoods League+ (at watch.northwoodsleague.com), ESPN+, and the Northwoods League Network. Learn more and find complete streaming schedules at watchnwl.com. For more information, visit www.greenbayrockers.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Rockers as your favorite team.