HOT TOTS ANNOUNCE THEIR FIRST-HALF ROSTER
MINOT, ND – Opening Day for the Minot Hot Tots is scheduled for May 29th, 2024 and the team has been meticulously building a roster for the upcoming season. The Hot Tots are a summer collegiate baseball team, which means that all players have college eligibility, and they come to Minot to improve their skills in a way that mimics a Minot League Schedule.
Throughout the entirety of the season, players will come in and out of Minot depending on their previous and upcoming college seasons. The Hot Tots are expecting around 75 – 80 players that come to play during the three-month season. These players will not all be on the bench or field at the same time, but will rotate in based on their position on the team.
The team has announced their first round of about 43 players that fans can expect to see during the first half of the season, which will run from Opening Day on May 29th through July 4th.
NICK ALONSO
Position: OF School: Louisiana Tech University
Trading the blue and red of the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs for the blue and red of the Minot Hot Tots, Nick Alonso is a versatile outfield option for the Tots this summer. Alonso was also a member of the Westfield Starfires of the Futures Collegiate Baseball League in 2022 where he would hit .227 at the plate and record 22 putouts defensively.
KADE ARN
Position: RHP School: Bowling Green State University
Kade Arn has been pitching out of the bullpen for Bowling Green over the past two seasons and will make a number of big time appearances for the Hot Tots this summer. Arn has thrown a total of 25 innings for the Falcons while striking out 17 batters.
ADAM BERGHULT
Position: C School: Dallas Baptist University
Adam Berghult is a catcher with a strong ability to hit. His talent in the batter’s box was highlighted as a freshman at North Iowa Area Community College where he hit 13 home runs and drove 42 runs on the way to First Team All-Region and Third Team All-NJCAA honors.
TRAE CASSIDY
Position: C School: Ohio University
You can run but you can’t hide when Trae Cassidy is catching. As a freshman with the Ohio Bobcats, Cassidy threw out five base stealers from behind the plate. He will hope to continue laying down the law at Corbett Field and throughout the Northwoods League.
ANTHONY CORDERO
Position: RHP School: Eastern Florida State College
Anthony Cordero has remained a reliable option as a reliever at Eastern Florida State after starting his career with 12.1 scoreless innings. Cordero has appeared in 39 games for the Titans while maintaining a 2.89 ERA.
EVAN DEMPSEY
Position: P/OF School: Florida Gulf Coast University
When it is crunch time at Corbett Field, you can rely on Evan Dempsey. Against the top teams in the Atlantic Sun Conference, Dempsey was not only a thorn in their side as a hitter, but also on the mound. The Florida Gulf Coast freshman hit .308 with 12 extra base hits including 3 home runs in conference play.
XAVIER ESQUER
Position: IF School: University of Arizona
Coming from quite the baseball family, Xavier Esquer will battle for a spot patrolling the middle infield for the Minot Hot Tots in 2024. Esquer has played two season with the Arizona Wildcats with the most recent spring being his biggest yet, recording his first career collegiate hit against California,
ELIAS FIDDLER
Position: C School: University of Utah
Before putting on the Utah Utes jersey in 2024, Elias Fiddler had himself a solid career at Phoenix College. The catcher from Durango, Colorado hit to the tune of a .354 average as a sophomore adding in 16 extra-base hits. Fiddler will join a stacked catching group with the Tots.
CULLEN FLOWERS
Position: RHP School: Galveston College
It is hard to catch up to Cullen Flowers’ pitches, and the stats show why. Through two seasons with the Galveston Whitecaps, Flowers has struck out 47 batters through nearly 50 innings. Flowers struck out a career-high four Alvin College hitters in a shutout victory late in the season.
RHYS FRANCIS
Position: RHP School: Eastern Florida State College
Following his freshman campaign at Oakland University, Rhys Francis made the move to Eastern Florida State for the 2024 season. This summer, the right-hander will make Minot his home. As a member of the Titans staff, Francis went 2-1 with two saves in 22 appearances.
CODY GREBECK
Position: IF School: Dallas Baptist University
A flash on the basepaths, infielder Cody Grebeck will supply the Hot Tots with plenty of energy around the diamond. Before transferring to Dallas Baptist ahead of his junior season, Grebeck stole a team-high 35 bases and also had a team-best 65 runs scored for Midland College. Grebeck has spent his first three collegiate seasons with three different programs all in his home state of Texas.
SAM HOLTHAUS
Position: IF/OF School: St. Cloud Technical Community College
The two-way phenom, Sam Holthaus, makes his return to Minot after another highly productive season at St. Cloud Tech. Holthaus, who primarily pitched for the Hot Tots last year, had increased success at the dish this spring, batting .395 with 50 RBIs for the Cyclones.
JAEDEN JORDAHL
Position: IF/OF School: University of Charleston
A player capable of playing anywhere on the field, Jaeden Jordahl also makes his presence known at the plate. Jordahl played two seasons at Miles Community College in his home state of Montana, launching ten home runs and bringing in 59 runs over 94 career games with the Pioneers.
RAY KEANE
Position: RHP School: Albion College
Following a collegiate career spent at Albion, right-handed pitcher Ray Keane will put on the Hot Tots jersey this summer. Keane made 13 career appearances with the Britons going 1-2 with an 8.35 ERA.
LUKE KROUSE
Position: LHP School: Bowling Green State University
With the next call to the bullpen, we will find left-handed reliever Luke Krouse. Krouse has made a pitching appearance in 33 games through two seasons at Bowling Green. In his first career outing, Krouse struck out two over 2.1 innings.
JACOB MALLOZZI
Position: RHP School: Mid-America Christian University
From the Swedes to the HiToms to the Evangels and now the Hot Tots, Jacob Mallozzi’s collegiate career has had both great mascots and good pitching. The 6-foot-2 Texan has been on the hill for 42.2 innings in two seasons split between Bethany University and Mid-American Christian. Mallozzi has struck out 34 batters and compiled a 3-2 record with one save.
HECTOR MANGUAL
Position: IF School: Eastern Florida State College
Redshirt sophomore shortstop Hector Mangual brings gold glove defense to Minot after a remarkable spring season in the Sunshine State. Following two seasons spent at Missouri, Mangual found his stride again in 2024 with the Eastern Florida State Titans hitting .357 with 26 runs batted in and 27 runs scored. After the season was finished, Mangual was awarded a Golden Glove by the Florida College System Activities Association.
DEVIN MARTON
Position: RHP School: Minot State University
Devin Marton’s first year in Minot, North Dakota will be a little longer as he joins the Minot Hot Tots in 2024. Marton came to Minot State University from the University of Nevada-Reno. With the Beavers, he posted five strikeouts and a 21.21 ERA in four appearances. Martin is from Northridge, California.
JACK MATOUSEK
Position: OF School: Florida Institute of Technology
Jack Matousek had a first appearance worthy of an encore at Florida Tech this past spring. The left-handed hitting outfielder led the way for the Panthers in on-base percentage at .395. Matousek also sent four home runs the distance and drove in 23 runs. The Jefferson College transfer is regarded as having a powerful swing and has the ability to corner outfield positions as well as first base.
HUNTER MILLER
Position: OF School: University of South Carolina-Beaufort
Since stepping onto the field for the first time, Hunter Miller has made giant impacts for the South Carolina-Beaufort Sand Sharks. As a freshman at UCSB, Miller drove in a team-best 31 runs with five extra base hits. While Miller again paced the team in RBIs, he also improved his extra base hit total to 14 in 2024. Currently in the transfer portal, Hunter Miller is a sound hitter that has the makings of a big contributor to the Hot Tots success as well.
ZAYLEN PERRY
Position: RHP School: Eastern Florida State College
Along with Hot Tots manager Mitchell Gallagher, 6-foot-5 starting pitcher Zaylen Perry moves from Melbourne to Minot. The Eastern Florida State sophomore started six games in 2024, his first with the Titans. In those starts, Perry struck out 27 batters while allowing 14 earned runs for a 4.55 starter ERA. Zaylen Perry previously pitched for the Division I UAB Blazers.
ANTHONY POTESTIO
Position: UT School: University of California-San Diego
Anthony Potestio burst on to the scene in his true freshman season for the UC San Diego Tritons by bringing in 5 RBIs in an early season series against Stephen F. Austin. Potestio’s powerful spring at the plate would continue, finishing the year with a .318 batting average, helped significantly by a .392 month of May with nine runs brought in and six extra base hits. The son of a major leaguer, Potestio will continue a strong first collegiate season in the Northwoods League.
LUCAS PRINGLE
Position: C School: Charleston Southern University
Lucas Pringle was in the starting lineup 26 times this spring in his first season at Charleston Southern. Following a storied career at Neosho College, Pringle has been in the catching mix for the Buccaneers throughout 2024. At the dish in 2024, Pringle hit .258 with two home runs and an .824 OPS. In two years of junior college ball, Pringle slugged 52 RBIs.
WYATT REGINATO
Position: UT School: Colorado State University-Pueblo
In 18 games during his debut season with the CSU Pueblo Thunderwolves, utility man Wyatt Reginato made a splash. The Folsom Lake College transfer went .286 in the box scoring 19 runs and also mashed two home runs in the same game back in February. This will be Reginato’s third year of summer ball having been a member of the Redding Colt .45s and Humboldt Crabs in past years.
AIDAN REICHECK
Position: RHP School: Centenary College of Louisiana
Through two full seasons at Centenary College, Aidan Reicheck has showcased his duality as a pitcher. Following a freshman campaign where Reicheck earned conference Freshman of the Year honors primarily as a starter, the product of Bellaire, Texas transitioned into more of a bullpen role in 2024. Reicheck’s success as a relief pitcher was on full display as he saved the SCAC Championship Game and advanced the Gents to the Division III Baseball Tournament.
JAKE RICHARDSON
Position: OF School: University of South Florida
Floridian outfielder Jake Richardson will make the Corbett Field outfield his home this summer. The graduate of Melbourne (FL) High School recently completed his first year at the University of South Florida. In a small sample size as a freshman for the Bulls, Richardson got in eight at-bats in seven total games with two starts. Richardson’s brother, Jeff, had a collegiate baseball career at Eastern Florida State, where Hot Tots manager Mitch Gallagher is currently an assistant coach.
MATT ROSE
Position: IF School: University of South Florida
Sophomore infielder Matt Rose continues to grow his game on both sides of the field, and will take the next step by spending the summer in the Northwoods League. 2024 was Rose’s biggest season yet, making 32 appearances in the South Florida starting lineup. Rose finished the regular season with a .264 batting average, going on a couple of unstoppable hitting spurts throughout the season. In mid-April, he went a combined 8-16 with six RBIs over four games.
JAKOB RUNKEL
Position: LHP School: Grinnell College
A southpaw from Pennsylvania, Jakob Runkel has two years of collegiate pitching experience with Grinnell College. Runkel transitioned from a full-time reliever in 2023 to a rotation piece at Grinnell this past spring. In eight starts, Runkel totaled 35 innings and a 2-2 record. In half of his starts, the sophomore recorded 10 or more strikeouts. The punch out numbers are projected to continue skyrocketing in Jakob Runkel’s debut season with the Hot Tots.
AYDEN SAUERBREI
Position: RHP School: Minot State University
Welcome back to the Hot Tots, Ayden Sauerbrei. In the summer of 2023, the right-handed relief pitcher made 11 Northwoods League outings striking out 22 in 23 innings. Sauerbrei was called upon to pitch ten times for the Minot State Beavers this spring, his first year of game action at the collegiate level. The redshirt freshman from Surprise, Arizona struck out 18 while walking six. His most impactful appearance came against nationally ranked Augustana, where Sauerbrei fanned seven batters in his season finale.
MATEO SERNA
Position: C School: University of Missouri
Freshman catcher Mateo Serna brought the boom to Mizzou in his first season with the Tigers. Originally from Doral, Florida, the catching prospect also spent time as Missouri’s designated hitter in 28 games played. Serna would go yard four times alongside a .406 slugging percentage.
GRIFFIN SHEARON
Position: RHP School: Minot State University
Despite missing time on the field for Minot State, Griffin Shearon has made his rounds about the region playing collegiate summer ball. In 2021, following his freshman season with the Beavers, Shearon suited up for the Wheat City Whiskey Jacks. The 2022 summer was spent in the Independence League with the Spearfish Sasquatch before appearing in two games for the Minot Hot Tots in 2023. He returns to the Tots after not appearing in a collegiate game this spring.
JONAH SHIELDS
Position: OF School: California State University-Bakersfield
A talented young prospect who was a member of the Minot Hot Tots even before stepping onto the field as a collegian, Jonah Shields is here again to run it back with the Tots in 2024. Since the 2023 Northwoods League season concluded for the outfielder, he has made a debut and good first impression at Cal State-Bakersfield. As an outfielder for the Roadrunners, Shields recorded 50 putouts with an additional three assists. At bat, Shields would lead the team’s qualifiers in batting average with a .294 mark.
ARCHER STANKOWSKI
Position: RHP School: Case Western Reserve University
Utilized as a dependable starter for the Case Western Reserve Spartans, Archer Stankowski helped pitch the way to a UAA Conference Championship. Stankowski made 11 starts this spring, going 6-3 in a total of 56 innings. The right-handed pitcher from Ohio struck out a grand 57 opposing hitters. His career-high strikeout total in a single game was set at 13 in an 8-inning start against Chicago.
BRADY STRELITZ
Position: IF School: Eastern Florida State College
Brady Strelitz has earned a strong reputation in his time at Eastern Florida State where he is coached by Minot Hot Tots manager Mitchell Gallagher. Now, Gallagher gets to bring his talented corner infielder to the Magic City for the 2024 Northwoods League season. In 45 career games with the Titans, Strelitz has a .425 on-base percentage with ten steals. His most recent season showed huge strides in his game boosting his batting average by 60 points.
TANNER TOMPKINS
Position: C/IF School: Concordia University (Nebraska)
An impactful individual on one of the NAIA’s most successful baseball programs, Tanner Tompkins continues to aid in yielding another crop of positive results for the Concordia Bulldogs. Tompkins and the Bulldogs qualified for their fifth-consecutive NAIA National Championship Tournament this spring. As for Tompkins individually, the second-team All-Conference pick in 2022 hit .331 in 2024 with 24 driven in. Over the course of three years in Seward, Tompkins has hit 15 home runs. Tompkins was a member of the Kokomo Jackrabbits of the Northwoods League, Great Lakes division last year.
HUDSON YARBROUGH
Position: RHP School: Alvin Community College
All of these players are known for the Hot Tots as the Tools of the Field powered by ACME Tools and Kubbota. Just like the right tools are important to get the job done right, the right players are crucial to having a successful season.
More players will be coming in during the season, so fans are encouraged to follow the Hot Tots on social media and sign up for their e-newsletter to stay updated on new players to come and watch. Fans can also purchase tickets to games at hottotstickets.com and find all information about promotions and events at hottotsbaseball.com
