By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director
SALEM, Ore. -- A total of 13 Willamette University baseball players from the 2016 season are set to compete in summer leagues. Eight players are on teams in California. Five players will see action in other states, with one each in Oregon, Colorado, Hawaii, New York and Washington.
"I am excited for the guys who will be playing this summer," Willamette Head Coach Aaron Swick said. "A number of them will be competing against players from some of the best programs in the country at any level. Our players have routinely made big strides over the summer and I am looking forward to seeing how this group returns to campus in the fall."
Willamette's eight players in California will be playing for eight different teams. Five of the Bearcats are pitchers. Two will play in the outfield and one plays first base.
The pitchers competing in California are Harbour Harrison (So., RHP, El Cerrito, CA/El Cerrito HS), Jett Gallagher (Jr., RHP, Santa Cruz, CA/Santa Cruz HS), Nolan Boggini (So., RHP, El Dorado Hills, CA/Oak Ridge HS), Nathan Gilman (So., RHP, Chino Hills, CA/ Diamond Ranch HS) and Brendan Natuzzi (So., RHP, Napa, CA/Justin-Siena HS).
Harrison will pitch for the Alameda Mariners in the Nor Cal Select League. Gallagher returns to the South Bay Storm of the Golden State Collegiate Baseball League, where he played last summer. Boggini will play for the Sacramento Stealth in the Great West League, with Gilman throwing for the Inland Valley Bucs of the Sunset Baseball League and Natuzzi joining the roster of the Solano Mudcats, who do not have a league affiliation.
Outfielders spending the summer in California are Jake Bradley (So., OF, Laguna Niguel, CA/St. Margaret's Episcopal School) with the Orange County Surf of the Sunset Baseball League and Perry Van Eckhardt (Jr., CF, El Cerrito, CA/El Cerrito HS) with the San Francisco Seagulls of the Golden State Collegiate Baseball League. First baseman Eric Del Prado (Jr., 1B, El Segundo, CA/Loyola HS) will play for the San Diego Waves in the Western Baseball Association.
Ty Wyatt (Sr./Jr., INF/DH, Keizer, OR/McNary HS) will stay in Oregon and play for the Gresham GreyWolves. The Grey Wolves are members of the West Coast League
Making longer trips over the summer to compete in their respective home states are Cameron Igarashi (Jr., OF, Honolulu, HI/Mid-Pacific Institute) in Hawaii, Jack Brett (Jr., C, Aurora, CO/Regis Jesuit HS) in Colorado and Aaron Mell (So., OF, Newcastle, WA/The Overlake School) in Washington. Mason Fessler (Jr., 3B, Woodburn, OR/Blanchet Catholic School) will compete in New York.
Igarashi will see action for Bellahz Baseball in Honolulu, Hawaii. Brett will join the Denver Cougars of the Rocky Mountain Baseball League for the second year in a row. Mell is on the roster for the Eastside Eagles in Lynnwood, Washington. The Eagles compete in the Northwest Collegiate Baseball League. Fessler will play for the Utica Blue Sox of Utica, New York. The Blue Sox play in the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League.
Willamette achieved a 20-19 record during the 2016 season with a relatively young team. The Bearcats had just five seniors on the roster and started four or five freshmen in most games. Del Prado led the Bearcats with a .350 batting average, while Fessler hit .323. Del Prado, Fessler and Van Eckhardt each hit a team-high five home runs.
Harrison recorded a 3-0 record on the mound. Boggini earned a 3.00 earned run average in five appearances as a relief pitcher. Gilman finished the season with a 3.04 ERA.
NOTE: Eligibility year listed for each player is for the 2017 season.
