North Battleford's Steven Latos will be returning to the Saskatoon YellowJackets' rotation for the 2014 Western Major Baseball League season.
Latos is currently pitching for Northwood University in Midland, Mich.
"Latos is a senior on his college team. He's a starter and leads his team in strikeouts. This will be his third season with the YellowJackets. In 2013, he started nine games and was second on the team in innings pitched. " said YellowJackets president Rye Pothakos. "Having this kind of experienced, veteran leadership coming back to the pitching staff is a real plus."
The YellowJackets' pitching staff will feature a bumper crop of home-grown talent, according to a press release.
"Saskatoon and area has been producing some top-flight pitching talent now playing in college ball," said Pothakos. "We are pleased to announce that these pitchers are coming home this summer [to] anchor the mound in a winning YellowJackets' season."
Saskatoon's own Kyle Sonntag from the Northern State University Wolves and Nick Stobbe of the University of Mary Marauders will also take the mound for the YellowJackets.
"A half decade ago, the rivalry between the Blue Jays and Cardinals was the most intense in Saskatchewan baseball," said Pothakos. "Sonntag and Stobbe were key parts of this rivalry, and each helped lead his respective team to a provincial championship. Now they are still competing while playing for different teams in NCAA's Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. We're thrilled they've agreed to bury the hatchet for the summer to help the YellowJackets win games."
Sonntag is a sophomore and has been pitching in relief for his college team. This will be his second season with the YellowJackets. Last year, pitching in relief, he posted a team low 3.04 earned run average. Stobbe is a rookie and has pitched his way into the starting rotation of his college team.
Latos, Sonntag and Stobbe are all members of Baseball Saskatchewan's provincial selects team and have competed in Baseball's Canada Cup on behalf of Saskatchewan.
Pothakos also announced an aggressive affiliated-player program to build future local success for the YellowJackets.
"We've got some great players who are coming out of Grade 12 and will be entering college programs next fall," Pothakos said. "Four of these players have been selected to practise this summer with the YellowJackets and to get a taste of college-level baseball. This will give them a head-start on their college development and groom them to be YellowJacket leaders in the future."
The players from Saskatoon affiliated to the YellowJackets are catcher Brayden Resch, outfielder Wyatt Schlosser, infielder Dan Janke and pitcher Jared Lipke.
"Between our regular players and affiliates, all four baseball zones in Saskatoon will be represented on the YellowJackets," Pothakos observes. "It shows the quality of minor baseball across Saskatoon and gives youngsters who are playing minor ball today a direct, concrete example of the opportunities that can come from working hard at a sport they love."
The Saskatoon YellowJackets are a member of the Western Major Baseball League. The WMBL consists of 11 teams in Saskatchewan and Alberta. It provides prairie baseball fans with the opportunity to watch a high level of baseball while giving college baseball players the opportunity to compete and develop their skills outside of the academic year.
The home opener for the YellowJackets is Saturday, May 31 at Cairns Field.
