The Madison Mallards have signed three more players for the 2004 season. The Mallards have received commitments from Northern Iowa?s Nate Trumm, Xavier University?s Jay Johnson and Hawaii?s Keahi Rawlins.
Catcher Nate Trumm has been signed for the 2004 season. The sophomore appeared in four games for the Mallards to start the 2003 season. Trumm hit .309 with a .500 on-base percentage in his brief stint with the Ducks a year ago. He has started 17 games this season and has recorded 11 hits, knocked in four runs, and has also scored six times. Last season Trumm started 37 games at catcher for the Panthers hitting .252. He will join college teammate Jake Hansen on the Mallards 2004 roster.
The Mallards have also signed outfielder Jay Johnson. The junior was named Atlantic 10 Freshman of the Year in 2002 and was a second-team All-conference selection in 2003. This season Johnson leads the Musketeers in almost every offensive category. He is batting .356 with five home runs, 15 RBI and 31 runs scored.
Keahi Rawlins will join college teammate Ricky Bauer in Madison this summer. Rawlins, a sophomore at the University of Hawaii, was drafted in the 36th round of the 2002 draft by the Philadelphia Phillies. The 6?4? right-hander was 5-5 in 2003 with a 4.27 ERA recording 45 strikeouts at Hawaii. So far this season Rawlins is 1-1 with a 3.97 ERA in 11.1 innings of work.
The latest additions bring the Mallards roster to eighteen players signed for the 2004 season. The Mallards have inked ten returnees from the 2003 season.
The Mallards 2004 home opener is June 9th at 7:05 P.M. against the Mankato MoonDogs. The Madison Mallards set a Summer Collegiate Baseball record averaging 4,421 fans per game for a season total of 145,896 fans in 2003.