The Chinooks Alumni Reports continue today with a report on former Chinooks outfielder, Zack Granite. Granite is from Staten Island, New York. After high school, Zack continued his playing career by attending and playing for Seton Hall. In the summer of 2012, Granite would become part of the Chinooks inaugural season roster.
Granite made his Chinooks debut at the first game ever held at Kapco Park on June 4, 2012. He proceeded to play 25 games for the Chinooks. Zack’s speed and base running contributed in many ways for the Chinooks. Due to a season ending injury, Granite left the team shortly before the 4th of July to return home in Staten Island. He ended his Chinooks career with a .275 batting average, 22 hits, 23 runs, and 3 RBI’s. Zack’s most impressive stat was his number of stolen bases in just 25 games, which ended up at 16!
After returning to Seton Hall for another season, Granite was selected in the 14th round (410th overall) by the Minnesota Twins. Zack spent the entire summer with the Elizabethton Twins, who belong to the Appalachian League. He appeared in 61 games and ended the season with a .285 batting average including 69 hits, 39 runs, 24 RBI’s as well as 14 stolen bases. Granite’s success throughout his first season in the minors didn’t go unnoticed as he was voted to the Appalachian League Post-Season All-Star team. His speed and bat is not the only thing that has caught the eye of the Twins as the organization is very impressed by Zack’s defensive capabilities.
With an All-Star honor already under his belt, who knows how soon Granite will be heading north to take his talents to Target Field?
The Lakeshore Chinooks are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Playing its 21st season of summer collegiate baseball, the Northwoods League is the largest organized summer collegiate 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 115 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including MLB All-Stars Max Scherzer (DET), Chris Sale (CWS), Jordan Zimmermann (WAS), Curtis Granderson (NYY), Allen Craig (STL) and Ben Zobrist (TB). All league games are viewable live and free of charge via the Northwoods League YouTube channel. For more information, visit lakeshorechinooks.com.
