Bees’ Roster Starting To Fill

By JOHN BOHNENKAMP

Twenty-four players have committed to the Burlington Bees for the upcoming Prospect League season, including eight NCAA Division I players.

The roster includes two players with local connections — pitcher Jacob Zahner of Burlington (Southeastern Community College) and infielder Kooper Schulte of New London (Central Arizona College).

Several players return from last season — pitcher Nick Tampa, infielder Jayden Hackbarth, outfielder Cedric Dunnwald and infielder Brandon Bickford.

Six open spots remain on the roster. The Bees open the season May 31 at home against the Quincy Gems.

A look at the roster:

PITCHERS

Ryan Donley (LHP, Oakland University) — Hasn’t pitched this season

Luke Fredrick (LHP, Clarke University) — 0-0, 3.00 ERA in 3 appearances

Chase Golden (RHP, Western Illinois) — 14.18 ERA in 18 appearances, 11 strikeouts in 13 ⅓ innings.

Dylan Haslett (RHP, Oakland University) — 10.61 ERA in 9 ⅓ innings.

Preston Kaufman (RHP, Benedictine University) — Hasn’t pitched this season.

Rem Maxwell (RHP, Georgia Southern) — Hasn’t pitched this season.

Aiden McGee (RHP, Minnesota State-Mankato) — 0-0, 3.00 ERA, 26 strikeouts in 18 innings

Jaden Siemer (RHP, Hanover College) — 0-4, 14.04 ERA, 17 strikeouts in 16 ⅓ innings.

Nick Tampa (LHP, Morton College) — 4.26 ERA in 3 appearances. Also plays the outfield, and is hitting .299 with 4 HRs. Hit .205 with the Bees last season, and pitched in 14 games.

Jacob Zahner (RHP, Southeastern Community College) — Hasn’t pitched this season.

CATCHERS

Mason Schwalbach (McHenry County College) — .408, 10 HRs, 57 RBIs

Ian Wolski (Hawaii Pacific) — .327, 1 HR, 13 RBIs

INFIELDERS

Brandon Bickford (Mount Mercy) — .240 with 2 HRs. Hit .250 with the Bees last season.

Jaden Hackbarth (McHenry County College) — .345, 2 HRs, 24 RBIs. Hit .247 with the Bees last season.

Connor Laeng (Concordia-Irvine) — .500 in 5 games.

Kooper Schulte (Central Arizona College) — .242 in 33 games.

Jake Schulz (Concordia-Irvine) — .219, 2 HRs, 10 RBIs.

Caleb Wulf (Southeastern Community College) — .394, 37 RBIs in 47 games.

OUTFIELDERS

Cedric Dunnwald (Mount Mercy) — Hit .200 in three games with the Bees last season.

Drew Gaskins (Oakland University) — 2023 high school graduate

Tanner Holland (Central Arizona College)

Will Mulflur (Iowa) — .000 in 7 games

Trenton Rice (Oakland University) — Hasn’t played this season.

Coy Sarsfield (Iowa) — .154 in 12 games

Photo: Infielder Jaden Hackbarth is one of the players returning to the Burlington Bees this season. (Steve Cirinna/Burlington Bees)