Stingers add three new players for the 2015 season

Willmar, Minn. – The Willmar Stingers are excited to announce the addition of three more players to the 2015 roster. The signings of Jake Alexander (Central Missouri University), Jake Sale (Illinois State University) and Kyle Gilbert (Florida Gulf Coast University) bring the total number of committed players to twenty-five for the upcoming season of Stingers baseball, their sixth in the Northwoods League.

Alexander, a 5-foot-10 junior, is off to a solid start for the Central Missouri Mules this season. In 19 games in the outfield, he has a .281 batting average. Alexander is third on the Mules team in RBI with 13 and has 3 doubles.

As a sophomore, Alexander was selected to the All-Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Second Team as a utility player after leading Central Missouri and ranking ninth in the MIAA with a .383 batting average. In 2014, he finished third on the team with 62 hits, including five doubles and 35 RBI as well.

Jake Sale, a 6-foot junior, is a right-handed pitcher for Illinois State University and teammates with ’14-15 Stingers outfielder Sean Beesley. Coming out of the bullpen in relief, Sale has led the Redbirds in appearances this season with 14. In his 17.1 innings on the mound, Sale has amassed 9 strikeouts and 2 saves.

Prior to transferring to Illinois State, Sale spent two years at Parkland Community College in Champaign, IL. With the Cobras, Sale had 28 appearances and pitched 28.2 innings. He averaged nearly a strikeout per inning, recording 27 total strikeouts.

Kyle Gilbert, a 5-foot-10 freshman, is a catcher with the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles. Gilbert is one of 7 current Eagles who have played or will be playing for the Stingers. Gilbert has seen some action as a freshman thus far in 2015 with 12 starts and 20 overall appearances. Gilbert has 3 doubles and 4 RBI early on for the Eagles.

Gilbert is from Lake Mary, FL and attended Seminole High School. During both his junior and senior years of high school, Gilbert was nominated to the All-Seminole Athletic Conference first teams.

“We are excited to continue our relationship with Florida Gulf Coast and Illinois State, as well as begin a new one with Central Missouri,” co-owner Ryan Voz said. “All three of these players should provide some excitement at the Beehive this summer,” added Voz.

Field Manager Drew Saberhagen, as well as the Stingers organization will continue to build the roster for the 2015 season. Season tickets for the 2015 season are currently on sale. For more information regarding this press release please contact the Willmar Stingers front office at 320-222-2010 or visit www.willmarstingers.com.

The 2015 season is presented by Marcus Construction. From start to finish Marcus Construction will make your job easier and build a facility you will be proud of.

The Willmar Stingers are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Playing its 22nd season of summer collegiate baseball in 2015, 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 120 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (CWS), Jordan Zimmermann (WAS), Curtis Granderson (NYM), Allen Craig (BOS) and Ben Zobrist (TB). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League Website. For more information, visit www.willmarstingers.com.