With the configuration of historic Serauxmen Stadium, left-handers are at a premium to protect the right field wall with the massive Save On Foods sign.
The 24-foot wall, which creeps to 300 feet at the line and out to 332 in right centre, is inviting for left-handed hitters — an antidote is lefty throwers, which brings us to today’s exciting announcement of three hard-throwing lefties from San Diego State.
“Trevor Fox, Connor Shaw and Thomas Young are all highly thought-of pitchers who will be key parts of the Aztecs program,” said pitching coach Gorm Heimueller, a lefty himself back in his playing days that included two seasons with the Oakland A’s.
“Our coaching staff is excited to work with them, and help them find success that will push them along in their careers. This league is a challenging one, they will have all the support they need from me to get hitters out. With how fun our park is to play at, and to watch a game at, this will be a great experience for them.”
The five players announced to head coach Cody Andreychuk’s roster today:
LHP Thomas Young, San Diego State, 6-1/180, R/L Carson City, Nevada
LHP Connor Shaw, San Diego State, 6/185, L/L San Diego
LHP Trevor Fox, San Diego State, 6-7.200, L/L San Diego
RHP R’Mani Adams, Arizona Christian, 6-5/235, R/R, Federal Way, WA
OF Andrew Ivy, Arizona Christian, 5-9/165, L/L, Chicago
Fox brings a presence to the mound at 6-7. A two-way player in high school and early in his college days, the junior hit for power in prep and has settled into a key role on the hill for San Diego State.
Shaw struck out 68 batters in 54 innings in closing out his high school days and was ranked nationally as a lefty pitcher in his recruiting class. Young, who has pro ball aspirations, was a two-way star in high school, named player of the year in his region with impressive numbers both at the plate and on the mound.
“Our coaching staff is excited to work with them, and help them find success that will push them along in their careers. This league is a challenging one, they will have all the support they need from me to get hitters out. With how fun our park is to play at, and to watch a game at, this will be a great experience for them.”
– Pitching Coach Gorm Heimueller
The NightOwls have had success with Arizona Christian players in the previous three seasons, particularly Payton Robertson, Bear Pinedo and Deshon Thomas. In Adams, Nanaimo will have a power right-hander who can command key innings in the middle or later part of ball games. He has five strikeouts in three innings of work for the Firestorm already this season.
From Chicago, Ivy is a speedster (39 stolen bases in his college career) who can run balls down in the outfield and the lefty hitter has power in his bat, hitting nine out of the park in the 2024 spring. He spent time in the Northwoods League in the summer of 2024 after a spring at Arizona Christian where he hit .335 with just 30 strikeouts in 51 games.
