Waterloo, Iowa – The Waterloo Bucks have announced that infielder Mikal Hill (pronounced MICHAEL) has signed to play with Waterloo for the 2014 season. Hill,
a junior at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte, is the 27th player to be named to the Bucks’ roster for the team’s 20th season.
This season for the 49ers, Hill is hitting .261 in 40 games. The 5’11”, 185-pounder has five stolen bases, 18 RBI, and a .314 slugging percentage.
“When I talked with Coach [Kris] Rochelle at UNC-Charlotte about Hill, he made the comment on how far Mikal has come since fall practices,” said Bucks Field Manager Travis Kiewiet. “Coach talked about how Mikal had all the tools necessary to become an elite player but was very raw when he showed up in the fall. So far this spring, Mikal has been able to put it all together and has become a key player for Charlotte. He'll fit right in here at Waterloo with his ability to make contact from both sides of the plate and defensively is very smooth in the infield.”
A native of Charlotte, North Carolina, the switch-hitter transferred to Charlotte from Miami Dade Community College where he hit .304 with five doubles and 19 RBI in 2013. Hill hit .346 as a freshman in 2012.
Born May 25, 1993, Hill attended Mallard Creek High School where we earned four All-Conference awards and a pair of All-State recognitions. Hill’s cousin, Jordan Hill, is in his fourth season in the National Basketball Association, playing for the Los Angeles Lakers. Mikal is the son of Chris and Beverly Hill.
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.
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The Waterloo Bucks are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Playing its 21stseason 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 Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (DET) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (CWS), Jordan Zimmermann (WAS), Curtis Granderson (NYM), Allen Craig (STL) and Ben Zobrist (TB). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League YouTube channel. For more information, visit www.waterloobucks.com.