Grafton, WI – The Lakeshore Chinooks have rounded out the 2019 roster with a pair of pitchers from Butler University and two position players from the University of Kentucky. Pitchers Derek Drees and Ryan Schmit (Butler) and hitters Tanner Holen and Justin Olson (Kentucky) will add high level Division I experience to this year’s edition of the Nooks.
Derek Drees (RHP/FR) was rated coming out of Benilde-St. Margaret’s HS as 29th-best player out of the state of Minnesota in 2017 and the 14th-best pitcher by Perfect Game. After initially enrolling at Virginia Tech, the son of former Chicago White Sox pitcher Tom Drees transferred to Butler where he is competing as a freshman this season. In seven appearance for the Bulldogs, Drees has struck out seven and walked six in seven innings with a 3.86 ERA while holding opposing batters to a .125 average.
Ryan Schmit (LHP/SO) provides a valuable lefty arm out of the Butler pen. In his sophomore season, the Cary, IL native and graduate of Prairie Ridge HS has made 13 relief appearances with an ERA of 3.44 for the Big East program at Butler. Schmit 13 strikeouts against 11 walks in 18.1 innings of work and has limited opponents to a .229 batting average. The two Butler pitchers will join Lakeshore at the conclusion of the Big East Tournament.
Tanner Holen – Kentucky
Tanner Holen (C/JR) transferred to the SEC Wildcats from nationally-ranked Iowa Western College but has spent most of 2018 playing behind two senior catchers. The Manhattan, KS native helped lead Iowa Western to the 2018 JUCO World Series by hitting . 389 in 40 games with 20 runs, 20 RBI, 13 doubles, one triple. With limited time this season, Holen is looking for valuable playing time as he prepares to compete for the starting job at UK in the Fall.
Justin Olson (1B/OF/FR) will join fellow UK red-shirt, Jake Thompson, with an early appearance on the Chinooks roster after red-shirting for the ‘Cats this season. The Gatorade Player of the Year in Colorado where he played for Pine Creek HS and tied the state home run record for prep players. Ranked as the 9th best first baseman in the country, Olson has power to all fields and has spent the spring improving his timing as he recovers from an off-season injury.
The 2019 season and Summer of 19 is presented by Port Washington State Bank with the home opener set for May 30th at 6:35pm against the Wisconsin Woodchucks. Season tickets, group tickets, and single game tickets are all currently on sale.
The Lakeshore Chinooks are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. 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 200 former Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist (CHC) and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (BOS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET) and Curtis Granderson (TOR). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information, visit www.lakeshorechinooks.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Chinooks as your favorite team.
