(Rochester, Minn.) — The Rochester Honkers announced today the hiring of their final two coaches for the 2017 season. Former La Crosse Logger, and NWL All-Star, Josh Frye from Long Beach State will be team’s pitching coach, and Thomas Walker, volunteer coach at University of California Riverside, will work with the team’s hitters and outfielders.
Frye is a second year of coach from Long Beach, Calif. He earned High School All-American Honors as a senior at Millikan High School. He dominated on the mound, with a 41-inning scoreless streak. Frye played four seasons in college with his hometown Long Beach State Dirtbags. He posted an 8-1 record his senior with 52 strikeouts and 19 walks. He also held an impressive 33.2 inning scoreless streak and ended with a career ERA of 2.04.
Frye played three seasons in summer collegiate baseball in the California Collegiate League and with the La Crosse Loggers of the Northwoods League. He played five games for La Crosse at the end of the 2012 season, helping the team to their first Northwoods League Championship. Frye struck out ten batters in six innings in a July 26th win over Battle Creek. He was brought back for the 2013 season, pitching to a 6-3 record in 12 games. He posted a 3.31 ERA with a league-high 79 strikeouts. Frye was named the 2013 La Crosse Loggers Cy Young Award Winner, and a 2013 Northwoods League Mid-Season and Post-Season All-Star. He sits fifth in the Loggers’ career wins list (eight) and sixth in career strikeouts (100).
Frye was signed as a free agent out of college by the Los Angeles Angels and spent one season at the rookie level. He appeared in 17 games out of the bullpen an ERA of 8.07 and 27 strikeouts in 28.0 innings. Since then, he has played for the Frontier League River City Rascals and the Rockingham Rams in Western Australia.
Frye is currently in his second season as the Assistant Pitching Coach for his alma mater Long Beach State. The Dirtbags are 10-9 this season.
Walker is a first-year coach from Long Beach, Calif. He was a four-year letterman at Long Beach Poly High School. He was named an all-league selection three times, Press Telegram Dream Team twice, and once to the All-CIF team.
Walker spent his first collegiate season at Oregon where he batted .227 in 25 games as an outfielder. He transferred to Golden West College for his sophomore season, batting .312 for the season and being named an All-OEC selection.
Walker transferred again to UC Riverside for his junior season. He finished the season eighth in the Big West for batting average and lead the team in doubles, and was named First-Team Big West. After an injury did not allowing him to play his fourth season in 2015, Walker played his last year of eligibility with the Highlanders in 2016, as an everyday starter between first base and the outfield.
Walker has experience in coaching with the Long Beach Cardinals, a travel baseball team organization. He worked with middle and high school players transition to the next level from 2012-2016. He currently is on the coaching staff for his alma mater UC Riverside with Honkers’ Field Manager, Trevor Hairgrove.
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The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. The 24-year old summer collegiate league is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 20 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 160 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including two-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champion Ben Zobrist (CHC) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (CWS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET), Curtis Granderson (NYM) and Lucas Duda (NYM). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website. For more information, visit www.northwoodsleague.com or download the Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play.
