The Kalamazoo Growlers adds five players from the SEC and GLIAC to their team ahead of the 2020 season.

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LHP Evan Taylor, 6’4”, (L/L) Sophomore, Arkansas University

Taylor made eight appearances during his freshman season for the Razorbacks for a total of seven innings, in which he surrendered only three hits. Also in those seven innings of work, he struck out 13 batters and held his opponents to a batting average of just .136. 

A native of Florence, Alabama, Taylor was the 25th ranked player coming out of Alabama and ranked 6th at his position by Perfect Game. He attended the 2017 Perfect Game National Showcase after compiling a 2.20 ERA across 50 innings pitched in his junior season. He also played in the 2016 National High School Invitational, and played his travel ball for the Louisiana Knights. Standing at 6’4” and weighing in at 250 lbs, Taylor is an intimidating presence on the mound. 

 

RHP Connor Housley, 6’4”, (L/R) Freshman, University of Tennessee

Housley, a native of Tyrone, Georgia, was a four-year letterwinner at Sandy Creek High School and as a senior earned first-team All-Region and All-County honors. Prior to his senior season, he was named a Perfect Game Preseason All-American. During his senior campaign, he threw four complete games and racked up 65 strikeouts across only 41 innings pitched. Housley was drafted in the 17th round of the 2019 MLB Draft by the Texas Rangers, but chose instead to continue his education at Tennessee. 

Housley has yet to appear in the 2020 campaign for the Volunteers. 

 

 

 

OF Dylan Rogers, 6’2”, (L/L) Freshman, University of Kentucky

Dylan Rogers hails from Spartanburg, South Carolina, and was the top overall recruit in the state from the 2019 graduating class. Ranked 35th at his position nationally by Perfect Game, Rogers was a high profile recruit who racked up several national recruiting accolades, including being named a Preseason All-American as a senior to go along with three Preseason All-American Underclassmen awards prior to his other three seasons at Dorman High School. Rogers is an outfielder by trade, but has experience on the mound as well, and received an invite to play in Perfect Game’s 2018 National Showcase prior to his senior season.

Rogers has yet to suit up for Kentucky this season. 

 

 

 

RHP Grant Jebbia, 6’3”, (R/R) Junior, Davenport University

 

Grant Jebbia is in his debut season with the Davenport Panthers, having transferred in from Lansing Community College where in 2019 he tallied a 3-0 record with five saves and a 2.95 ERA. He allowed only 17 hits and struck out 29 batters. This season for Davenport, Jebbia has scored a win in each of his four appearances, recording 7 strikeouts across all four and allowing no more than one hit in each appearance. In his season debut against Southern Indiana, Jebbia came out of the bullpen to strike out the side of his only inning of work en route to a 14-4 victory.

Jebbia is a native of New Boston, Michigan, where he played his high school ball at Monroe St. Mary’s Catholic. As a senior, he was named Second Team All-League and All-Region. 

 

RHP Ricky Clark, 6’0”, (R/R) Junior, Davenport University

 

Ricky Clark is also in his debut season with the Davenport Panthers, where he made his second appearance out of the bullpen in a 7-6 victory over Hillsdale. He pitched 1.2 innings and gave up only one hit, striking out two batters. Prior to Davenport, Clark played at Ivy Tech Community College, where he was dominant on the mound and in the batters box. Clark hit .320 with a home run and 10 RBI’s to go along with eight stolen bases, while on the mound he amassed a 5-2 record, tossing 52 innings in which he stuck out 52 batters and allowed only 45 hits, notching an impressive 1.90 ERA. 

Prior to Ivy Tech, Clark played his freshman season at Grand Valley State, where he hit .228 with three doubles, a homerun, and 12 RBI’s. He made three separate one inning appearances on the mound for the Lakers, striking out three batters across those appearances.

Clark hails from Schoolcraft, Michigan, and played his high school ball at Schoolcraft High School, just 18 miles south of Homer Stryker Field. As both a junior and senior, he hit over .400 and compiled a 20-1 record on the mound across those two seasons. After both his junior and senior seasons, he was named First Team All-State. An accomplished two sport athlete, Clark was also a football player, winning the Kalamazoo Gazette Football Player of the Year award in 2016 after throwing for 1,547 yards and 21 touchdowns while rushing for 874 yards and an additional 21 touchdowns.