And just like that, the Kamloops NorthPaws have the basis of a baseball team.
The club announced this morning that they had signed their first-ever player. Trey Newman, a catcher from Utah Valley University, was announced as the team's first signing.
At just 20-years-old, the catcher from Phoenix is said to have "elite defensive abilities." The right-handed hitter swings for good average with some emerging power.
“He has everything you look for in somebody you’re going to have behind the plate,” said head coach Cole Armstrong. “He’s really good defensively. He can really catch and throw the ball, and he works great with the pitching staff.”
"He’s always at the centre of the clubhouse, a guy everybody likes to be around. He plays with a lot of energy and grit.”
Newman explained that his decision to play for Kamloops had much to do with the head coach. He previously worked with Armstrong on multiple occasions including the Arizona Collegiate Wood Bat League season.
“The amount that he cares is crazy. He put in more hours than anybody in the player development side of it,” said Newman. “That’s a guy that’s been in baseball a really long time. He’s been through it and he’s going to have the players’ best interest in mind. He’s a great guy to play for."
For more on the signing, click here.
