ROCHESTER, Minn. – The Honkers are welcoming a strong West Coast presence this summer, as four players from the University of the Pacific make their way to Med City. The group features two pitchers, an infielder, and an outfielder: Justin Iglesias, Nathen Nino, Robert Orr, and JT Shank. These young men bring built-in chemistry and versatility to Rochester’s roster.
Justin Iglesias is a 6-foot-4, 205-pound sophomore right-hander from Castro Valley, California. As a freshman with Pacific, Iglesias gained valuable experience, appearing in 20 games with two starts. He finished the season with a 2–1 record and a 6.84 ERA, with his longest outing coming against Cal State. Iglesias will look to continue developing and refining his craft with the Honkers this summer.
Rochester will also add another experienced right-handed arm in Nathen Nino. A Fresno, California native, Nino is a redshirt senior who brings a wealth of experience after competing at Fresno City College before joining the Tigers. In his redshirt junior season at Pacific, Nino nearly doubled his production from the previous year, appearing in 17 games with four starts. Over 29.1 innings pitched, he recorded 24 strikeouts, including five in his Tigers debut.
The Honkers are also adding a versatile athlete in Robert Orr. While Orr is expected to see time as an infielder, he is no stranger to the mound. A true jack-of-all-trades, Orr spent much of his freshman season pitching at San Joaquin Delta College before transitioning into a utility role during his sophomore year with the Pacific Tigers. In 24 at- bats, he collected five hits, including a home run.
Rounding out the group is JT Shank, a 6-foot-1, 215-pound redshirt sophomore from Colorado. While Shank did not compete during his sophomore season, he made an impact as a freshman, appearing in 34 games and starting 18. He tallied 14 hits in 75 at-bats, showcasing his ability to contribute offensively.
This group of Tigers is set to make an exciting move to the Midwest, giving Rochester a blend of talent, versatility, and West Coast Conference experience as the Honkers prepare for the summer season.
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The Rochester Honkers are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. Now in its’ 32nd season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 24 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, 360 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time All-Star and 2016 Roberto Clemente Award winner Curtis Granderson, three-time Cy Young Award winner and two-time World Series Champion Max Scherzer (TOR), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist and Brandon Crawford and World Series Champion and Cy Young Award winner Chris Sale (ATL). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and 2019/2021 Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and 2021 All-Star, MLB Gold Glove winner and 2019 Second Team All-MLB shortstop Marcus Semien (TEX). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website. League games are viewable live on FloSports. For more information, visit www.rochesterhonkers.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Honkers as your favorite team.
