(Rochester Minn.) – The Rochester Honkers announced today the signings of left-handed pitcher Eddie Mathis from Bellarmine University, and right-handed pitcher Manny Armendariz from Doane University. They will play for the Honkers this season under temporary contracts to start the season.
Mathis is a 6-foot-1, 170-pound red-shirted sophomore from Pewee Valley, Ky. At South Oldham High School, he earned all-district honors as a junior and threw a perfect game during his senior season. Prep Baseball Report named Eddie as the 24th best pitching prospect from Kentucky and 53rd overall player. Mathis committed to Bellarmine after his senior season.
Bellarmine’s head coach Larry Owens had great praise for Eddie before his freshman season. “His advanced, clean delivery produces strikes with his three-pitch mix. He competes like crazy on the mound and should make a very strong push to start on the weekends next season. Eddie has a bright future and we look forward to watching him in a Knights uniform next season."
As a freshman, Mathis was named second-team All-GLVC as a pitcher. He led the team with a 2.62 ERA in 72.0 innings. He struck out 63 batters (eighth in GLVC) in 12 appearances, including a team-high (tied) four complete games.
After being medically redshirted for the 2016 season, Mathis is back on the mound this spring. In eight games, he is 4-2 with a team-high 3.18 ERA. He has 30 strikeouts with only six walks. On March 18th, Eddie pitched seven scoreless innings on only three hits in a 9-3 win over Missouri-St. Louis. The Knights travels to Lebanon, Ill. for a four-game series against McKendree.
Armendariz is 5-foot-11, 197-pound sophomore from Baldwin Park, Calif. As a junior at Northview High School, Manny went 3-1 as a pitcher with a minuscule 0.64 ERA in six games. That season, he was chosen for the San Gabriel Valley All-Star Underclassmen baseball games. He pitched a complete game shutout against Yucaipa High School during his senior season, striking out eight batters without a walk in the game. Armendariz was named first-team Valley Vista after the season.
In only his freshman season at Doane, Manny led the team with .192 opposing batting average and 46 strikeouts. He went 3-2 with a 3.24 (2nd on team) in 18 appearances. This season, Armendariz is 1-3 with a 9.74 ERA and a save. He has started in four of his seven total appearances. He has totaled 24 strikeouts with 13 walks. The Tigers host Morningside College later today for a doubleheader before a doubleheader tomorrow evening at Hastings College.
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