KALAMAZOO, MI – The Kalamazoo Growlers are happy to announce the addition of a pair of catchers to the 2015 roster. Alex Gosser of the University of Arkansas and Max Schuman of the University of Utah will begin their seasons with the Growlers at the conclusion of their 2015 collegiate campaigns.

Alex Gosser: 6’0”-215lbs, C, Bats L/Throws R, University of Arkansas (sophomore), North Little Rock, ARK.

Max Schuman: 6’0”-215lbs, C, Bats L/Throws R, University of Utah (sophomore), Scottsdale, ARI.

In the 2015 campaign, Alex Gosser has made 13 starts behind the plate for the Razorbacks and has appeared in 25 games in all. Gosser has put together a .225 batting average in 40 at bats with 1 RBI and a slugging percentage of .275. He has also compiled 3 walks with 8 strikeouts, 2 extra base hits and an on base percentage of .279. Gosser has also had a stellar glove this season working his way to a 1.000 fielding percentage with 82 put outs, 11 assists and 0 errors. 

During his freshman season at the University of Arkansas, the North Little Rock native redshirted the first 50 games of the season before making his collegiate debut behind the plate on May 9^th of 2014. From that point he made 7 starts behind the plate and made 8 appearances in total. Gosser put together a .320 batting average in 25 at bats with 3 RBI’s and 1 extra base hit. Gosser also had a 1.000 fielding percentage as a freshman to match that of his sophomore campaign with 46 put outs and 3 assists.

A graduate of North Little Rock High School, Gosser was named to the USA Today All-Arkansas Team and the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette All-Arkansas Team following his senior season. He was also selected to play for the East team in the 2013 Arkansas High School All-Star Game and earned 7A all-state honors in 2013, honorable mention all-state in 2012 and all-conference honors in 2011 and 2012. On top of played baseball, Gosser also played football in high school and was an All-State selection as a junior and a senior.

So far Max Schuman has put together a strong 2015 season at the University of Utah. In 27 starts and 33 appearances for the Utes, Schuman has accumulated a .257 batting average in 109 at bats with 4 home runs and 20 runs batted in. He has also drawn 9 walks, hit 2 doubles and 1 triple and put together an on base percentage of .331.

During the 2014 campaign, Schuman put together a .212 batting average in 40 starts and 45 appearances in Salt Lake City. Schuman hit 1 homer in 156 at bats to go along with 4 doubles and 2 triples. He also drove in 18 runs while drawing 16 walks and getting on base at a .287 clip.

The graduate of Arcadia High School in Scottsdale, Arizona was a First-team all-East Valley Tribune pick as a senior as well as an all-city pick and he tied for the Arizona state lead with 12 home runs. Schuman was a second-team all-section selection as a junior while hitting to a .391 batting average. He also drove in 28 runs and hit 12 doubles during his junior season.

Kalamazoo begins its second season on May 26 at Madison. The Growlers’ home opener comes on May 29 against the Battle Creek Bombers. The full Growlers schedule can be found here. For information on 2015 Growlers season tickets, click here.

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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.