The Kalamazoo Growlers announce the signing of three athletes from both Texas Tech University and the University of Mississippi, who finished the 2020 season ranked 4th and 8th, respectively, according to D1Baseball.com.

INF T.J. Rumfield, 6’5” (L/R), Redshirt-Freshman., Texas Tech University 

After a redshirt year in 2019, Rumfield played in eight games and started four for the Red Raiders. An effective hitter at the plate, Rumfield hit .435 with three doubles and drove in three. He also walked three times and struck out in two plate appearances. Defensively, he was 24-24 in putouts. His season highlight was a walk-off double in the bottom of the 11th against Rice on March 8. 

 

Rumfield calls Temple, Texas home, where he attended Temple High School and was coached by his father, Toby, who spent 14 years in the minor leagues for four different teams. T.J., was ranked as the No. 3 third baseman in Texas by Perfect Game in 2018. He earned all-state honors through his final three years in high school. He chose Texas Tech over Baylor, Oklahoma State, Duke and North Carolina.

 

OF Cade Sammons, 5’10” (L/L), Freshman, University of Mississippi

 

Sammons played in 13 contests his freshman season, starting in six games. He notched an RBI in two of his three hits while also walking in three at-bats. He scored five times when he reached base. 

 

He hails from Jackson, Tenn., where he attended the University School of Jackson and was a four-year letterwinner in baseball. He was named the No. 28 overall prospect and No. 6 outfielder in Tennessee by Perfect Game in 2019. Sammons was named to the all-region team his final three years and was first-team all-state his junior year.

 

 

 

1B Ben Van Cleve, 6’3” (R/R), Junior, University of Mississippi

 

A native of Indianola, Miss., Van Cleve started eight and played in 11 games for the Rebels in 2020. He recorded 10 hits in 26 at-bats, with three doubles and an RBI. He scored three times,  walked six times and struck out in four place appearances.

 

Before transferring to Ole Miss, Van Cleve attended Northwest Mississippi Community College and won the team’s triple crown, leading in batting average, home runs and RBIs. As a sophomore Van Cleve hit .375 with 13 doubles, 14 home runs, 47 RBIs and a .719 slugging percentage which earned him a placement on the NCJAA all-American second-team.

 

Coming out of high school, Van Cleve was ranked as the No. 1 first baseman in Mississippi by Perfect Game, finished his senior year with a .518 batting average and hit .440 for his career.

 

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The Kalamazoo Growlers 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. Having completed its’ 26^th season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 22 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, over 230 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time Cy Young Award winner and World Series Champion Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist (CHC) and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and World Series Champion Chris Sale (BOS). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and MLB All-Stars Jordan Zimmermann (DET) and Curtis Granderson (MIA). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website. All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information, visit www.growlershbaseball.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Growlers as your favorite team.