Cole McDevitt and Troy Traxler come to Rochester as temporary players.
(Rochester, Minn.) – The Rochester Honkers announced today the signing of catcher Cole McDevitt and outfielder Troy Traxler of the University of Minnesota, to temporary contracts for the 2016 Northwoods League season.
McDevitt, a 6-foot, 185-pound freshman from Apple Valley, Minn., is hitting .429 for the Gophers along with five RBIs and two home runs. McDevitt has played in 11 games for the Gophers and started four. In his first start against Augsburg (Minn.) March 22 he went 2 for 4 with a double and two runs scored.
McDevitt’s brother, Ty, played for the Honkers in 2012 and went 2-0 with one save in eight appearances. In 16.2 innings pitched, he had 17 strikeouts and 11 walks and a 3.78 ERA.
Traxler, a 5-foot-11, 185-pound junior from La Crescent, Minn., is hitting .385 for the Gophers this season. In his 17 appearances, Traxler has collected 10 hits, six RBIs and one home run. In a game against no. 23 ranked Missouri State, He started at the designated hitter, collecting one hit and scored a run. In his senior season at La Crescent High School (La Crescent, Minn.), Traxler hit .495 with two home runs and 22 RBIs in 99 at-bats, earning All-State honors.
The Gophers claimed the regular season Big-Ten conference title, and the number one seed in the Big-Ten Conference Tournament. They open up tournament play against the eighth seeded Iowa Hawkeyes, today.
The Rochester Honkers 23rd season begins on May 31st when the team travels to Eau Claire, Wisconsin to take on the Express. The following night, Wednesday, June 1st, the Honkers battle the Express in their home opener at Mayo Field at 7:05 pm. Season Tickets, Bonus Books, Suites and Patios are now available. Call the Rochester Honkers office at 507-289-1170 for more information. The Honkers are also looking for host families for the 2016 season and ask all interested parties to call the business office for more information.
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The Rochester Honkers are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Playing its 23rd season of summer collegiate baseball, the Northwoods League is the largest organized 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, 150 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (CWS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET), Curtis Granderson (NYM), Lucas Duda (NYM) and Ben Zobrist (CHC). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information, visit www.rochesterhonkers.com.
