WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Wingnuts, proud member of the American Association of Professional Baseball (AA), announced the signings of six players today, including outfielders David Gates, Chris Colton, Heath Keel and Blake Gailen, as well as pitchers Ryan Ashner and Clint Smith.
A seventh-year pro out of Florence, Alabama and the University of Alabama-Huntsville, Gates is expected to add power to the Wingnuts lineup. A 1998 draft pick of the Boston Red Sox and a 2001 draft choice of the Anaheim Angels, Gates spent most of his last two seasons playing Double-A ball with the Texas League’s Arkansas Travelers. Over his career, Gates is a .252 hitter with 67 home runs and 297 RBI in 509 games.
"David is a power threat every time he comes to the plate. He possesses great strength and bat speed and has the ability to make a pitcher pay for his mistakes with a home run”, said Wingnuts Manager Kash Beauchamp. “He should be a power threat in the middle of the batting order."
A 2001 draft pick of the Seattle Mariners in 2001, Colton split last season with Macon of the South Coast League and High Desert of the California League, where he hit a combined .290 with 11 home runs and drove in 38 in 83 games. Over his six-year career, Colton is a .256 hitter with 54 home runs and 265 RBI in 563 games.
"Chris is a very good all around player. He is a good defensive outfielder who knows how to handle the bat. He does everything well”, said Beauchamp. “He can steal bases and can hit anywhere in the lineup and has the ability to be an excellent leader, which is what you need from your more experienced players."
A second-year pro out of Waco, Texas, Keel joins the Wingnuts from the Anderson Joes of the South Coast League, where he hit .291 with 14 home runs and 56 RBI. Prior to turning pro, Keel played two seasons at Texas State University, where he notched 51 hits, including 24 extra base knocks in 87 games.
"Heath has all the tools. He had a remarkable rookie year last year leading all rookies in the South Coast League with 14 HR”, said Beauchamp. “He is an excellent defensive outfielder with the ability to run down balls a lot of players can't get to. His attitude and makeup is off the charts. He is an exciting player and will be a fan favorite."
Another second-year pro, Gailen also played last season for the Anderson Joes, hitting an impressive .365 in 42 games. The West Hills, California native also pitched in 10 games for Anderson last season, going 2-2 with a 2.88 ERA. Gailen played college baseball at UNLV, hitting .288 with 57 RBI and 17 stolen bases in 100 games.
"Blake is a very unique player in that he can both hit and pitch equally well. He is an extremely smart, heady player. He will be called on to both pitch and play left field”, said Beauchamp. “He is extremely tough on left handed hitters with the ability to change his arm angle. He is also one of the best bunters I have ever coached. Although a rookie, he studies and understands the game like a much older player."
A rookie out of Lenexa, Kansas, Ashner played college ball at Belmont University in Tennessee. In two seasons, mostly as a middle reliever, he had a record of 4-5 with 61 strikeouts in 35 appearances.
"Ryan has a chance to be a utility type pitcher with his versatility. Although not a flamethrower, he has excellent command and control of his pitches with an above average slider that will be tough on right handed hitters, said Beauchamp. “He is smart and knows how to set hitters up and evaluate weaknesses in a batter."
Smith, another rookie, joins the Wingnuts from Concordia College in Austin, Texas, where he played two seasons. Prior to attending college the Tow, Texas native was a standout at Tuscaloosa County High School in Alabama, where he went 8-2 as a senior and earned the school’s top pitcher award.
"Clint’s main weapon is a hard sinker. He is a ground ball pitcher that could come in to a game and get a double play ball with the game on the line”, said Beauchamp. “He has excellent velocity and movement and attacks the hitter in an aggressive way."
The Wingnuts now have 14 players under contract for their inaugural season, which will begin on May 7th with a three-game home stand versus the Sioux City Explorers.
The Wichita Thunder, meanwhile, returns to action this weekend with a pair of home games on Friday and Saturday versus the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs. Both games will face-off at 7:05 p.m. For more information on baseball or hockey, please call our office at 264-GOAL or visit our websites www.wichitathunder.com and www.wichitawingnuts.com.
