By JOHN BOHNENKAMP
The Burlington Bees’ roster has grown heading into the final days before the Prospect League season begins.
The Bees have 34 players committed for the 2024 season, which begins next Tuesday with a road game against the Clinton LumberKings. Teams can carry up to 40 players on their active roster.
Among the players is catcher Reese Moore from Iowa, who was a third-team All-Big Ten selection on Tuesday. Moore is hitting .293 with five home runs and 32 runs batted in for the Hawkeyes, who open Big Ten Tournament play on Wednesday.
Seven former players are among the returnees. Two players from Burlington — pitchers Zach Leuschen and Jacob Zahner — are among the players coming back for a second season with the team.
Owen Oreskovich is back for his third season as the Bees’ manager.
A look at the Bees’ roster, including current statistics:
CATCHERS (3)
Michael Carrano (Parkland College) — Hit .284 with three home runs and 16 RBIs.
Nick Meyer (Mount Mercy) — Hit .118 in 17 games
Reese Moore (Iowa) — Hitting .293 with five home runs and 32 RBIs.
INFIELDERS (9)
Skyler Agnew (Hawaii Pacific) — Hit .291 with two home runs and 27 RBIs.
Landon Akers (Bellarmine) — No stats this season.
Carson Bittner (Phoenix College) — Hit .313 with 11 RBIs in 41 games.
Boston Halloran (Oakland) — No hitting stats in two games.
Jackson Lindquist (Rock Valley College) — Hit .415 with 10 home runs and 56 RBIs.
Merrick Mathews (Iowa) — Hitting .300 in nine games, with one home run and six RBIs.
Ty Plummer (Iowa) — No stats this season.
Kinnick Pusteoska (Tennessee Tech) — No stats this season.
Jackson Rooker (Tennessee Tech) — No stats this season.
OUTFIELDERS (5)
Luke Bragga (Tennessee Tech) — No stats this season.
Cooper Donlin (Hawaii Pacific) — Hit .313 in 32 games.
Cedric Dunnwald (Mount Mercy) — Hit .214 in 21 games. Hit .239 for the Bees last season.
Jackson Reid (Chandler Gilbert CC) — Hit .200 with one home run and 10 RBIs.
Scotty Savage (Milwaukee Area Tech) — Hit .280 with eight RBIs in 27 games.
PITCHERS (17)
Shea Blanchard (Hawaii Pacific) — 3-0 with a 6.21 ERA in 10 appearances with six starts. Has 19 strikeouts in 33 ⅓ innings.
Nathan Chapman (McHenry County College) — 1-1 with a 6.75 ERA in 5 ⅓ innings.
Ryan Donley (Oakland) — 9.00 ERA in five appearances this season. 3-1 with a 6.41 ERA for the Bees last season.
Jack Duncan (Western Illinois) — 2 ⅓ innings in three appearances for the Leathernecks, with a 23.14 ERA
Joe Evans (Morton College) — 3-1 with a 5.73 ERA in nine appearances. Had 35 strikeouts in 37 ⅔ innings.
Chase Golden (Western Illinois) — 0-0 with a 17.36 ERA in 11 appearances. Went 1-2 with a 4.86 ERA for the Bees last season, with 27 strikeouts in 16 ⅔ innings.
Noah Harbin (Maryville University) — 3-3 with a 4.06 ERA. Has 34 strikeouts in 31 innings.
Bobby Helt (Lake Erie College) — 5-5 with a 5.16 ERA. Three complete games this season. Went 0-1 with a 5.91 ERA for the Bees in 2022.
Preston Kaufman (Marian University) — 1-1 with a 7.11 ERA in four appearances this season. Had a 6.63 ERA in 14 appearances with the Bees last season.
Erik Kiewiet (Mount Mercy) — No stats this season.
Zach Leuschen (Southeastern CC) — 2-0 with a 5.68 ERA in 11 appearances this season. 1-0 with a 7.40 ERA with the Bees last season.
Vinny Mauro (DMACC) — 1-1 with a 9.22 ERA, 13 strikeouts in 13 ⅔ innings.
Jimmy McCarthy (Morton College) — 1-1 with a 12.19 ERA in seven appearances. Struck out 19 in 14 ⅔ innings.
Michael Schaul (Mount Mercy) — No stats this season.
Jacob Sjuts (DMACC) — 0-1 with a 6.35 ERA, 14 strikeouts in 17 innings.
Jackson Wohlers (Rock Valley College) — 2-3 with four saves. Has 27 strikeouts in 18 ⅔ innings.
Jacob Zahner (Southeastern CC) — 2-0 with a 6.23 ERA this season. 0-2 in nine starts for the Bees last season.
Photo: Jacob Zahner is one of the returning players on the 2024 Burlington Bees’ roster. (Steve Cirinna/Burlington Bees)
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