Durham, NC – One current and seven former Waterloo Bucks have been recognized in the latest issue of Baseball America.  All were honored in the magazine’s 2014 College Preview edition.

Jordan Foley, a junior at Central Michigan University, was ranked as the Mid-American Conference’s number one prospect for the 2014-15 MLB Drafts.  A right-handed hurler who pitched for the Bucks in 2012, Foley was also named the 37^th top junior in the nation by the publication.  Foley enters his junior year with the Chippewas after finishing the ’13 campaign with a 6-6 record, a 3.08 ERA, and 90 strikeouts in 90.2 innings.  A native of The Colony, Texas, Foley appeared in 11 games for Waterloo in ’12, finishing the season with a 4-3 record and a 6.23 ERA.  The righty struck out 32 in 43.1 innings pitched.  Foley was drafted out of high school in the 26^th round of the 2011 MLB Draft by the New York Yankees.

Catcher Richard Gonzalez was ranked as the Southwestern Athletic Conference’s second best prospect for the 2014-15 MLB Drafts.  The Alabama State University junior hit .348 with 35 RBI and 11 stolen bases last year for the Hornets.  Gonzalez played for Waterloo in 2012, where he hit .217 in 12 games with four doubles and five RBI.

Long Island University outfielder Pete Leonello was ranked as the ninth best prospect in the Northeast Conference for the 2014-15 MLB Drafts.  Leonello played for the Bucks in 2012, hitting .296 with 14 RBI and 12 stolen bases in 31 games.  Last season for the Blackbirds, Leonello was named an All-NEC second teamer, starting all 55 games and finishing second the team in batting average with a .329 mark.

Current Buck J.D. Moore was ranked as the fifth best prospect in the Summit League for the 2014-15 MLB Drafts.  The right-handed pitcher played for Waterloo last season and has signed to play with the team in 2014.  Last season for Waterloo, Moore appeared in 22 games for the Bucks, all out of the bullpen.  The 6’2”, 215-pounder finished with a 4-1 record, a 2.08 ERA, and 36 strikeouts with six saves.  Moore was one of eight Bucks invited to attend the Northwoods League Big League Dreams Showcase in July and the righty was ranked as the 58^th top prospect in the NWL’s Top 200 Prospect Report.  Last season for the Jackrabbits, the Mississauga, Ontario native set a single-season school record with 13 saves to go along with 38 strikeouts and a 1.99 ERA.  Moore held opponents to a .175 average in 26 appearances.

Cal Poly junior right-handed pitcher Reed Reilly was ranked as the seventh best prospect in the Big West Conference for the 2014-15 Major League Baseball Drafts.  Reilly pitched for the Bucks in 2012, appearing in four games and finishing the year with six strikeouts and a 16.20 ERA.  Last season for the Mustangs, Reilly finished with 14 saves to go along with a 2-4 record and a 2.29 ERA.

T.J. Renda, a junior at Alabama State University, was named the Southwestern Athletic Conference’s Pitcher of the Year.  A right-handed hurler who pitched for the Bucks in 2013, Renda was named to the mid-season NWL All-Star Team, finishing with a 5-0 record in 10 appearances.  Renda threw 46.2 innings, striking out 33 and finishing with a 2.70 ERA.  Last season for the Hornets, Renda finished with a 9-1 record and a 2.19 ERA with 85 strikeouts.

Third baseman Chesny Young was ranked as the Atlantic Sun Conference’s sixth best prospect for the 2014-15 MLB Drafts.  The Mercer University junior had already been named a Louisville Slugger Preseason Third Team All-American after starting all 61 games last season for the Bears, hitting .401.  A native of Atlanta, Georgia, Young was both a mid-season and post-season NWL All-Star.  For Waterloo, Young hit .325 with 42 RBI and 12 stolen bases.  The third baseman led the league in on-base percentage (.470), runs (62), and walks (60), while compiling three triples that tied him for third in the NWL.

Shortstop John Ziznewski was named the Northeast Conferences’ Player of the Year and ranked as the league’s sixth best prospect for the 2014-15 MLB Drafts.  The Long Island University senior played for Waterloo in 2013 and finished eighth in the league in batting with a .343 average.  Last season for the Blackbirds, Ziznewski was named an All-NEC second teamer and led the team in batting average (.361), runs (43), hits (74), triples (6), home runs (5), total bases (112), slugging percentage (.546), and stolen bases (17).

The February 2014 edition of Baseball America (Issue No. 1405) will be on sale through February 28. 

The Bucks will open the 2014 season on the road versus the Rochester Honkers on May 27, but return to Waterloo for their home opener versus Rochester on May 28.  Season tickets and group outings are currently on sale.  For more information, call the Bucks’ Ticket Line at (319) 232-5633.  Fans are encouraged to stay in touch with the Bucks in the off-season by utilizing their website at www.waterloobucks.com.

The Waterloo Bucks are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Playing its 21^st 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, more than 115 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including MLB All-Stars Max Scherzer (DET), Chris Sale (CWS), Jordan Zimmermann (WAS), Curtis Granderson (NYY), Allen Craig (STL) and Ben Zobrist (TB). All league games are viewable live and free of charge via the Northwoods League YouTube channel.  For more information, visit www.waterloobucks.com.

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