The Joliet Slammers’ 2017 roster is beginning to take shape.
The addition of Joseph Ortiz, a former Cubs prospect who pitched in 32 major-league games for the Texas Rangers in 2013, is being counted on to help the Slammers build on a 2016 campaign where they won the Frontier League East Division championship.
The Slammers also have some area products who will make their Frontier League debuts this season.
Zach Jones, a Northwestern graduate from Glenview, will play the outfield and first base for Isom. Maxwell Biedrzycki, a University of Illinois Springfield graduate and Plainfield native, will add depth to the Slammers’ pitching staff.
The 2017 Frontier League Tryout Camp and Draft will be held April 24-25 at GCS Ballpark, home of the Gateway Grizzlies. All 12 teams will be present, along with scouts from multiple major-league franchises.
The Slammers open at home on Tuesday, May 16, against the Traverse City Beach Bums.
This story appeared in The Herald-News on April 10, 2017.
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