Willmar, MN- The Willmar Stingers announce today that they have signed four University of Nebraska – Lincoln Cornhuskers. Three are position players, infielder Rhett Stokes (junior), outfielder Hayden Lewis (freshman), and catcher Max Buettenback (freshman). The fourth is left handed pitcher Brooks Kneifl (freshman). These four players will all be in their first season with the Stingers during the 2024 Northwoods League season.

Stokes, will be playing in his first season with Lincoln where he is majoring in nutrition, exercise and health science. Prior to Nebraska, Stokes played at The New Mexico Military Institute. He had a productive season in junior college during 2023.  That season earned Stokes a selection for The Texas/New Mexico NJCAA All-Star Game.

Rhett on the Broncos led all of junior college with 11 triples as a freshman and 101 runs scored as a sophomore. In New Mexico, he played in 114 games, hitting .399 with 32 doubles, 16 triples, 19 homers, 98 RBI, 165 runs and 35 stolen bases. He compiled 28 multi-hit games in 2023, including 10 games with at least three hits. Named team offensive MVP after hitting .362 with 12 doubles, 11 triples, six homers, 39 RBI and 64 runs in 55 games as a freshman in 2022.

Lewis, majoring in Business Management, redshirted last season at Lincoln. Hayden had success-ridden seasons at Platte Valley High School. He earned many state and conference awards during his high school career.

At Platte Valley, he earned all-state and second-team Super State recognition. That award was backed by hitting .468 with four home runs and 20 stolen bases as a senior. In his junior year, he batted .500 with 31 RBI and six homers on the way to first-team Super State, first-team, and all-conference honors. Lastly, Hayden played with the East Cobb Astros and was named to the Perfect Game Southeast Classic All-Tournament Team.

Buettenback, a Lincoln local, will be studying special education while attending the University of Nebraska. Max was a multi-sport athlete at Lincoln Southeast High School. Though he lettered in both baseball and football, Max excelled in baseball. He was ranked No. 7 overall prospect in the state of Nebraska by Prep Baseball Report.

Playing for the Knights, he was a three-time all-conference and all-state selection with the Knights. His production was consistent. Max hit .485 at the plate and helped Southeast High School to a 17-11 record as a senior after leading the team to a district title, preceding that they earned fifth-place finish at the state tournament as a junior. His batting average .436 with 15 doubles, two triples, a home run, 16 RBI and 45 runs as a junior after hitting .452 with six doubles, a triple and three homers as a sophomore.

Kneifl, Mount Mary High School (S.D.) is also majoring in special education as a freshman. Brooks was recognized for his talent on a national level. He was ranked the No. 146 left-handed pitcher nationally and the No. 10 overall prospect out of Nebraska by Perfect Game.

The Blue Devils saw Brooks lead them to a third-place finish at state and a district title as an all-state honoree.  He had a 6-3 record with 83 strikeouts and a 1.92 ERA in 47.1 innings of work as a senior. Brooks also earned all-state recognition as a junior.

The Willmar Stingers are excited to welcome four new faces to the franchise. All four players have excelled so far in their careers, the Stingers hope to capture that talent and chemistry to lead to another successful season in 2024.

Season ticket packages, group tickets, and Kwik Trip 5-game and 7-game plans are available. The Kwik Trip ticket plans include premium select games throughout the summer that includes the 2024 Home Opener and Fan Appreciation Night.

Visit willmarstingers.com or call 320-222-2010 to reserve your seats today. The 2024 season is presented by J.D. Kreps Financial Group, empowering investors with powerful financial advice.

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The Willmar Stingers 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 31th season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 26 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, over 325 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 World Series Champion Max Scherzer (NYM), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and World Series Champion Chris Sale (BOS). 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 at watchnwl.com and on ESPN+. For more information, visit www.willmarstingers.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Stingers as your favorite team.