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1-13-2021
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL TRADEMARKS AND COPYRIGHTS ARE USED WITH PERMISSION OF MLB ADVANCED MEDIA, L.P. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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The Joliet Slammers are a professional minor league baseball team that plays in downtown Joliet, Illinois at DuPage Medical Group Field -just 40 minutes southwest of Chicago. They are the only professional sports team in Will County, which is the fastest growing county in the suburban Chicago area. In addition to great baseball, the Slammers pride themselves on providing affordable, family fun.
Welcome to the Joliet Slammers 2021 Digital Program! There are two ways to move around the program. First, you can click on one of the green boxes with the white letters at the bottom of the screen to go to that page, or you can use the orange left or right arrows to move from page to page in order. For fans using their phones, the first option is not available, but you can swipe right or left on your phones to move forward and backward through the different pages. Now that you know how to move around the program, please enjoy the Joliet Slammers 2021 Digital Program!
Dear Slammers Fans,
It’s great to see you back this year. Although we had baseball last summer, it just wasn’t the same (for a recap of the City of Champions Cup, keep reading!). We’re excited to be playing Frontier League baseball again. Since our last Frontier League game in 2019, a lot has changed. The Frontier League has added several teams, become an MLB Partner League, and we hired a new manager. For more details on all these changes, keep reading the 2021 program!
For this year, please bear with us and abide by all of our guidelines. We must ensure our fans are following the CDC and state guidelines so that we can keep operating. We appreciate your cooperation. For a full listing of current guidelines, please see the next page.
Back by popular demand this year are a few of the fan favorites. $2 Tuesday, Fireworks Fridays, Princess Night, and Super Hero Night are all back on the schedule for 2021. Kids can also run the bases after every non-fireworks game. And don't forget, you can bring your pet (on a leash or in a carrier) on Tuesday, July 13, Sunday, August 1, and Monday, September 6.
A special thank you to everyone who supported us over the last year including, but not limited to: the City of Joliet, our sponsors, and our fans. It’s been difficult for everyone, but by working together, we’ve just about crossed the finish line! And while we’re at it, a special thank you to our frontline workers including nurses, doctors, emergency personnel, grocery store workers, truck drivers, and teachers to name a few. We couldn’t have done it without you! And on a personal note, thank you to Matthew Gustafson for contributing to and editing this program.
I hope you enjoy your time here at DuPage Medical Group Field, and as always, please let me know if you have any questions or concerns. Thanks for supporting the Slammers!
Heather Mills
General Manager
Fully vaccinated fans (2 weeks following their final shot) are able to go without a mask when attending games at DuPage Medical Group Field. Fans who are not vaccinated should continue to wear a face covering per CDC guidelines.
As part of our commitment to maintaining a safe environment for all, the Slammers players, coaches, and all staff will be vaccinated. Staff who are fully vaccinated (2 weeks following their final shot), will no longer be required to wear a mask.
Slammers Fans,
As you read this, our communities are emerging from the very long shadow cast by the pandemic. Life as we know it is returning to normal but not without a great sense of loss - and gratitude. The Frontier League is grateful to you for your support and to the Joliet community as professional baseball makes its long-awaited return, and the game once again plays a role in nationwide healing by providing fans with fun, excitement, and wholesome family entertainment. We have a new resolve to deliver all of that during each of your visits to DuPage Medical Group Field.
Since our teams last competed, the Frontier League has been named as a Partner League to Major League Baseball. This designation honors our longevity and past successes in providing players the opportunity along their journey to the highest levels of professional baseball. It also strengthens our collective efforts to grow the game and extends our reach to engage younger fans.
Our league has also grown. In fact, we are the largest of MLB’s four Partner Leagues with a footprint that captures our legacy teams in the Midwest and now teams in the East and to the North in Canada! Cities like Chicago, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Quebec, and New York City are all a long home run away from communities that we call home, making accessibility easy for MLB scouts and value to our partners and sponsors even more significant.
I am very grateful to lead the Frontier League of Professional Baseball into a new phase of growth and opportunity. You have our commitment that we will build upon the brand of our league, which means, most importantly, that we will be obsessively focused on providing you, our fans, with the very best experiences possible at our ballparks. It also means that more players that you watch right here in a Slammers uniform will display the talent and the will to reach the big leagues. Through this early date in the season, we have seen a record number of player contracts purchased by Major League Baseball teams.
The future is very bright and on behalf of our league ownership and hard-working staff at all our ballclubs, we welcome you back to the joy of Frontier League baseball.
Sincerely,
Jon C. Danos
Chief Executive Officer
Frontier League of Professional Baseball
On September 24, 2020, the Frontier League announced they were an Official Partner League of Major League Baseball.
“We welcome the Frontier League as a Partner League and look forward to working with them toward our shared goal of expanding the geographic reach of baseball,” said Morgan Sword, Executive Vice President of Baseball Economics & Operations, MLB.
The Frontier League has already signed a new agreement with MLB covering player transfers. Over the course of the next year future topics for discussion involve joint marketing and promotion initiatives, aligning on processes involving amateur players turning professional, and further expansion of the Partner League system. Other MLB Partner Leagues include the Atlantic League, Pioneer League, and American Association.
Name |
Organization |
Team |
Team Website |
Michael Kelly |
Houston Astros |
Sugar Land Skeeters (AAA) |
|
Steve Moyers |
Seattle Mariners |
Arkansas Travelers (AA) |
|
Bobby Milacki |
Minnesota Twins |
Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (Low A) |
|
Kipp Rollings |
Kansas City Royals |
ACL Royals Gold (Rookie) |
n/a |
Kevin Watson Jr. |
Los Angeles Angels |
ACL Angels (Rookie) |
n/a |
Cameron Aufderheide
RHP
Hometown: Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 200 lbs
Birthday: 7/22/1996
Aufderheide enters his second season with the Slammers after pitching for the team in the City of Champions Cup. Aufderheide posted a 3.35 ERA in 43.0 innings in 2020 with the Slammers. Cam had an impressive strikeout to walk ratio of 39/6. He attended Saddleback Junior College and the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. Aufderheide hails from Rancho Santa Margarita, California and attended high school with fellow Slammer, Tyler Depreta-Johnson.
Lane Baremore
UTL
Hometown: Marble Hill, MO
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 205 lbs
Birthday: 2/15/2000
Baremore was selected with the fourth overall pick in this year’s Frontier League Draft by the Slammers, and is coming off of a great season for the Quincy University Hawks of Quincy, Illinois where he hit .348/.400/.391. The infielder starred in both baseball and basketball at Meadow Heights High School in Patton, Missouri, located in the southeast corner of the state.
Patrick Causa
2B/SS
Hometown: Sinking Spring, PA
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 185 lbs
Birthday: 1/8/1997
This will be Causa’s first season with the Joliet Slammers. He played in 2020 for the Washington Wild Things of the independent Yinzer Baseball Confederacy batting .273 in 16 games. In 2019, Patrick played for the GCL Mets. Causa graduated from Mt. St. Mary’s University with a degree in Business & Finance.
Trevor Charpie
RHP
Hometown: Anaheim Hills, CA
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 195 lbs
Birthday: 12/30/1993
Charpie will be suiting up for the Slammers for his 2nd straight season. He pitched in 12.1 innings with a 1.46 ERA and 21 strikeouts in the 2020 City of Champions Cup. Prior to joining the Slammers, Charpie pitched in the Tampa Bay Rays organization reaching as high as the AA Montgomery Biscuits. Charpie is also a yoga instructor.
Zack Costello
C
Hometown: Leesburg, VA
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Height: 6'
Weight: 190 lbs
Birthday: 7/9/1997
Costello joins the Slammers for his second year in professional baseball. In 2020, the catcher played for the Skylands Cardinals of the All American Baseball Challenge, and played for the Winnipeg Goldeyes and Kane County Cougars of the American Association this year before being signed to play in Joliet. In 2019, Costello graduated from Mount St. Mary’s, where he put up a statline of .346/.429/.925 with 5 home runs in 45 games for the Mountaineers. Fellow Slammers Brian Parreira and Patrick Causa attended “The Mount” as well.
Braxton Davidson
1B/OF
Hometown: Asheville, NC
Bats: Left
Throws: Left
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 240 lbs
Birthday: 6/18/1996
Davidson will join the Slammers in 2021 after spending 6 years in the Atlanta Braves minor league system. He was drafted by the Braves in the 1st round of the 2014 draft out of T.C. Roberson High School in Asheville, North Carolina.
Tyler Depreta-Johnson
SS/2B/3B
Hometown: Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Height: 5'9"
Weight: 175 lbs
Birthday: 5/10/1996
Depreta-Johnson joins the Slammers after playing for the Tully Monsters in the City of Champions Cup in 2020. He brings affiliated experience to the table as he is a former 35th round pick of the Texas Rangers out of Houston Baptist University in 2018. In his 2nd season in the Rangers system, he played 4 games in AAA with the Nashville Sounds.
Logan Dubbe
RHP
Hometown: Glenelg, MD
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 195 lbs
Birthday: 3/22/1995
Dubbe returns to Joliet for a second year after briefly playing last year in the City of Champions Cup with the Joliet Tully Monsters. That year he appeared in 3 games with 2 starts, earning a 2.70 ERA in 13.1 innings pitched. Before his professional debut last year, Dubbe attended Washington College and then Valdosta State University, with a 3.42 ERA in 113.0 innings pitched in his college career.
Jackson Dvorak
1B/3B/OF
Hometown: New Lenox, IL
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 205 lbs
Birthday: 5/12/1998
Dvorak comes to the Slammers after a killer 2021 season with Lewis University, where he had a .338/.422/.623 stat line with 8 home runs in 41 games. The year before, he played summer ball with the Rockford Rivets of the Northwoods League, hitting for a .347 batting average in 59 plate appearances. Before transferring to Lewis, Dvorak played for the University of Missouri-St. Louis Titans from 2019 to 2020.
Dylan Hardy
OF
Hometown: D'lberverille, MS
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Height: 5'1"
Weight: 175 lbs
Birthday: 1/20/1997
This year is Hardy’s first in the Frontier League and third in professional baseball, having previously played in the Boston Red Sox organization from 2018-2019, where he reached as high as AAA while showing off his defensive versatility, as he played over 50 games at each outfield position. Hardy was born in D’Iberville, Mississippi, and his favorite minor league baseball team(besides the Slammers of course!) is the Biloxi Shuckers of the Southern League.
Dylan Hecht
RHP
Hometown: Pleasanton, CA
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 225 lbs
Birthday: 3/29/1994
Hecht joins the Slammers after two years with the Pittsburg Diamonds of the Pacific Association, where he made 12 relief appearances with two strikeouts. Before then, he attended UC Santa Barbara and then Sonoma State. In 2014, Hecht pitched for the Bourne Braves of the Cape Cod League, where he had a 2.35 ERA in 6 games with 11 strikeouts.
Kyle Jacobsen
OF
Hometown: Acworth, GA
Bats: Right
Throws: Left
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 190 lbs
Birthday: 6/1/1998
2021 is Jacobsen’s first year in professional baseball. After being selected in the 33rd round of the 2017 MLB Draft by the Milwaukee Brewers, he decided to play college baseball instead, first at the University of South Carolina and then at Hillsborough Community College in Tampa, Florida. At Hillsborough CC, he put up a stat line of .359/.466/.506 from 2018-19, in addition to hitting .315/.455/.510 over two summers with the Duluth Huskies of the Northwoods League.
Tyler Jandron
LHP
Hometown: Negaunee, MI
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 200 lbs
Birthday: 5/21/1995
Jandron returns to the Slammers for his 2nd season, after starting 14 games for the 2019 team finishing with a 3.59 ERA and 87 strikeouts in 85.1 innings. Jandron was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2018 and played for the Short Season A Missoula Osprey of the Northwest League.
Alonzo Jones Jr.
OF
Hometown: Columbus, GA
Bats: Switch
Throws: Right
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 200 lbs
Birthday: 2/24/1997
Alonzo joins the Slammers after playing with the Tully Monsters in the 2020 City of Champions Cup. During his time as a Tully Monster he walked (14) more than he struck out (10) while also stealing 9 bases in 9 tries. Jones was a 25th round draft pick for the Oakland Athletics in 2018 out of Vanderbilt University.
Riley Ottesen
RHP
Hometown: Highland, UT
Height: 6'
Weight: 180 lbs
Birthday: 10/30/1994
Ottesen comes to the Slammers after two years in the Dodgers organization from 2018-2019, where he advanced as far as the Midwest League with the Great Lakes Loons, and in 2019 had an ERA of 3.32 in 21.2 innings pitched and an average of 12.9 K/9 with the AZL Dodgers Lasorda. Before he was drafted in the 5th round of the 2017 MLB Draft, he attended the University of Utah, where he pitched in the Pac-12 Conference, one of the premier college baseball conferences in the country. He entered Utah as a well known player in the state, having been named Utah’s Mr. Baseball for 2013 by the Deseret News.
Brian Parreira
C/1B
Hometown: Annapolis, MD
Bats: Left
Throws: Right
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 225 lbs
Birthday: 9/21/1995
Parreira is currently the longest tenured Slammer on the roster having played 70 games over 3 seasons, and is the only member of the 2018 Frontier League Champions team still in the organization. In the 2020 City of Champions Cup, Brian hit 4 home runs with a .400 on base percentage in 100 plate appearances.
Chris Roycroft
RHP
Hometown: Sleepy Hollow, IL
Height: 6'8"
Weight: 240 lbs
Birthday: 6/21/1997
Roycroft enters his first season in pro ball in 2021. Chris is a graduate of Willowbrook High School and was a two sport athlete at Aurora University, pitching for the baseball team and playing forward for the basketball team.
Mario Samuel
LHP
Hometown: Aurora, IL
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 230 lbs
Birthday: 3/27/1995
Samuel will be putting on the Slammers uniform for the 3rd straight year. In 2019 and 2020, Samuel had a 2.64 ERA in 61.1 innings for the Slammers. Mario played college baseball at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside.
Austin Shea
RHP
Hometown: Cumming, GA
Height: 6'5"
Weight: 215 lbs
Birthday: 3/22/1996
Shea was signed to play for the Slammers in 2020 before joining the Chicago Deep Dish in the 2020 City of Champions Cup. Shea led the Deep Dish in innings (46.1), strikeouts (41), games started (8), and wins (5). Austin attended Toccoa Falls College.
Keon Taylor
RHP
Hometown: Rialto, CA
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 175 lbs
Birthday: 11/8/1997
This year is Taylor’s first in minor league baseball, having just graduated from Georgetown College in Kentucky, where he sported a 2.39 ERA across 120.2 innings pitched with 167 strikeouts over 3 years. His 167 strikeouts gave him 12.5 K/9 during his time with the Tigers. He also spent two years in the summer Northwoods League, one each with the Rochester Honkers and Mankato MoonDogs, with a 3.56 ERA in 36 relief appearances with 12 saves.
Brad VanAsdlen
RHP
Hometown: Minooka, IL
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 225
Birthday: 10/31/1997
VanAsdlen is a newcomer to the Slammers, although he is certainly not new to the area, as he went to Minooka High School and Joliet Junior College. He pitched in 73.2 total innings at JJC with 61 strikeouts over 2 years before heading to Palm Beach Atlantic University, where he played for 3 years, with two of them shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While the White Sox are closer to him geographically, the Cubs are more near and dear to his heart as his favorite team.
Brylie Ware
3B/1B/RF
Hometown: Sedgwick, KS
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 220 lbs
Birthday: 7/17/1996
Ware enters his first season with the Slammers after playing in the City of Champions Cup in 2020. Playing for the NERDS Herd, Ware batted .301 in 83 at bats. Brylie was selected in the 23rd round of the 2019 MLB Draft by the St. Louis Cardinals. He played one season in the Cardinals system playing for the State College Spikes.
Adam Zuk
RHP
Hometown: Plainfield, IL
Height: 6'
Weight: 200 lbs
Birthday: 4/11/1997
Zuk is a newcomer to professional baseball, as he just recently finished his senior season at Millikin University, where he had a 3.00 ERA over 13 games started and 81 innings pitched with 85 strikeouts. During his college career with the Big Blue, he accumulated an impressive career stat line of a 2.88 ERA, 9.6 K/9, and only a 1.127 WHIP in over 162.1 innings pitched. In addition, Zuk is a Joliet area native, as his hometown is Plainfield and he attended Plainfield North High School. Finally, he was CCIW Academic All-Conference four times during his college years.
On December 8, 2020, the Joliet Slammers announced the hiring of Aaron Neickula as the fourth manager in team history. Prior to joining the Slammers, Aaron was the Field Coordinator for the Oakland Athletics, where he was responsible for coordinating, managing, and leading all on-field activity for minor league Spring Training, Extended Spring Training, Arizona Summer League, and the fall Instructional League. An additional component to that position included helping create and lead the A’s minor league leadership development program. After graduating from Fenwick High School in Oak Park, IL, Aaron attended the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign majoring in Communications and playing baseball for hall of fame coach Richard “Itch” Jones. Drafted in the 22nd round as a catcher by the Athletics in 1998, Aaron played five minor league seasons, four with the A’s and one with the San Francisco Giants, reaching the Triple A level.
After his playing career, Aaron began coaching in 2004 within the minor league system of the Athletics. Starting as a hitting coach for the Kane County Cougars, Aaron began his managerial career in 2006, managing the Cougars. He went on to manage at various levels, the highlight being when his team the Midland Rockhounds, won the Double A Texas League Championship in 2014. He credits his tremendous coaching staff and phenomenal players, including current A’s third baseman Matt Chapman and current Dodgers infielder Max Muncy, in securing the Championship. Subsequently, he was promoted to a hybrid role of Field Coordinator and manager of the Vermont Lakemonsters, New York-Penn League affiliate of the Athletics. After holding this position for 5 years, Aaron was promoted to his current role of full time Field Coordinator, a position he strongly feels aligns with his professional goals and ambition. Throughout his tenure as a professional coach, he has assisted many players in achieving their dream of playing in the Major Leagues.
After coaching for 10 seasons and realizing the significant importance and impact that effective leadership has in not only developing players, coaches, and leading teams, but also in driving an organization to excellence, Aaron chose to earn a Master’s degree and enrolled at Lewis University studying Organizational Leadership. Graduating in 2016, Aaron understands the importance of a growth mindset and that the learning process is ongoing and considers himself a devout student of athletics, leadership, and maximizing human potential. One of Aaron’s favorite quotes by Matshona Dhliwayo, “A Lifelong learner is a lifelong winner,” embodies what he feels is an essential component to achieving personal excellence.
Additionally, Aaron has been offering private baseball and softball instruction for youth in the Chicago area since 1998. Entering his 23rd year of instruction, he thoroughly enjoys the privilege of coaching amateur athletes. Focusing his instruction on what he calls the “what & why” principle, Aaron explains what it is the athlete is working on and why it’s important and the benefits it will have on his/her skill development. He has also dedicated his instruction to developing both the athletic and mental skills of every athlete with whom he works. Devoted and committed to the learning process, Aaron is focused to bringing his professional experiences and dedication to personal growth and development to the Hawks organization.
A current resident of Yorkville, IL, Aaron thoroughly enjoys spending time with his family. A father to three beautiful girls, Ariyana, Hailey and Trinity, he and his wife Renee both enjoy the outdoors, birdwatching, exercising, reading, and cooking.
Wes Anderson
Pitching Coach
Anderson currently serves as the Minooka High School baseball team pitching coach. He also works as the Pitching Coordinator for Mission360 and in 2020 served as the roving pitching coach for the Joliet Slammers Collegiate League.
Anderson played for Minooka High School before pitching for Joliet Junior College, advancing to the NJCAA DIII College World Series in 2000. He is Driveline Foundations of Pitching and Basics of Pitch Design certified, as well as being Rapsodo Baseball Pitching certified.
Wes lives in Channahon with his wife Hayley, two sons Calvin and Bastian, two dogs Grace and Marshall, and a cat Sweetness. His favorite MLB team is the Cubs and while New York Strip Steak is his favorite food, you “can’t go wrong with hot dogs” (even if he does eat ketchup on his hot dogs!).
Madison Femia
Bullpen Coach/First Base Coach
Madison Femia will act as Nieckula’s bullpen coach and first base coach. Femia currently serves as a baseball coach at Waubonsee Community College. She also acts as an assistant coach with the 15U Hawks. Femia will be the 3rd female coach in Frontier League history, and the first full season female coach to travel with a team.
Her favorite baseball memory is playing in South Korea for Team USA. Her dream baseball job would be to first work as an MLB manager before later becoming an MLB General Manager.
Madison lives in Geneva with her parents, who she considers to be her best friends, her cat Tux, and her dog Lenny.
Ben Hewett
Bench Coach/Assistant Hitting Coach
Ben Hewett will act as Nieckula’s bench coach and assistant hitting coach. Hewett runs a baseball/softball organization in Montgomery called the Illinois Hawks and trains clients full time in all aspects of the game.
He previously played for the Slammers from 2011-2013, winning a championship with the team in 2011, which is his favorite baseball memory. In 2020, Hewett was named as the Slammers All-Decade Team catcher.
Ben grew up in Framingham, MA and is a Boston Red Sox fan. Fenway Franks are his favorite baseball food. Hewett’s dream baseball job would be an MLB coach. He has two dogs, Boston and Yogi and is engaged to be married. He resides in Oswego.
Matt Shepardson
Quality Assurance Coach
Matt joins the Slammers as the Quality Assurance Coach for the 2021 season. He brings certifications and advanced training in baseball analytics, swing analysis and coaching, pitching fundamentals, and mental skills and performance. He has spent the last six seasons with Illinois Hawks baseball and softball, and also has experience in player evaluation and scouting.
Single Season Records
Offensive
Hits: 135.....Grant DeBruin, 2013
Doubles: 29.....Grant DeBruin/Carter Bell, 2012/2016
Triples: 6.....Josh Flores, 2011
Homeruns: 23.....Justin Garcia, 2018
RBIs: 77.....Erik Lis, 2011
Walks: 57.....Russell Moldenhauer, 2014
Stolen Bases: 35.....Josh Flores, 2011
Pitching
Wins: 13.....Jake Renshaw, 2011
Strikeouts: 109.....Liam O’Sullivan, 2016
Saves: 28.....Ryan Quigley, 2011
Franchise Leaders
Offensive
Games Played
Hits
Doubles
Triples
Home Runs
RBI
Stolen Bases
Franchise Leaders
Pitching
Innings Pitched
Strikeouts
Wins
Saves
In 2020, a year in which most minor league baseball teams across the county didn’t operate, the Slammers created the City of Champions Cup and played a 54 game schedule in 53 days. The Frontier League cancelled the league’s 2020 season on June 24. On July 16, just 24 days later, the Slammers and 3 new teams opened the City of Champions Cup.
In those 24 days the Slammers created three additional teams (names, logos, merchandise), hired four managers, signed approximately 125 players, and created a schedule.
Named for the iconic Chicago pizza
Managed by Glenallen Hill
Finished with a 10-17 record
Named for the Old Joliet Prison
Managed by Billy Petrick
Won the City of Champions Cup with a 21-5 Record
Named for the well known candy
Managed by Corky Miller
Finished with a 7-19 record
Named for the State Fossil of Illinois the Tullimonstrum gregarium
The Tully Monster fossil is found only in Illinois and just to the south west of Joliet
Managed by Scott Spiezio
Finished in 2nd place with a 15-12 record
Each team, including the Slammers, was managed by a former MLB player. Billy Petrick, former former Slammers and Chicago Cubs pitcher managed the Slammers,Glenallen Hill, best known for his home run onto one of the Wrigley rooftops, managed the Deep Dish, Corky Miller, former Reds catcher and current Reds catching coordinator, managed the NERDS Herd, and Scott Spiezio, postseason hero for the Angels and Cardinals, managed the Tully Monsters.
Players for all four teams came from across the country. Some were prospects recently cut from affiliated organizations, some were current Slammers, some were prospects currently under contract with MLB organizations that were loaned to the teams, and a few were former MLB players themselves trying to stay sharp for a chance at 2021.
The talent level was the highest ever to play in downtown Joliet. With limited pitching staffs and unusual schedules, it was important to not have pitchers throw too many innings. In an effort to make the game fun, it was decided that any game ending in a tie after 9 innings would be decided by a home run derby. Each team picked two players at the start of every game, one to hit and one to throw to the batter. If the game ended in a tie, each team would get 5 pitches. The team hitting the most home runs would win the game. This occurred several times throughout the season and fans and players loved it. Everyone hoped for the Deep Dish to require the Home Run Derby, as Brewers prospect Andre Nnebe could hit home runs further than most people have seen hit at DuPage Medical Group Field.
In the end, the Slammers prevailed and took home the City of Champions Cup. Players, scouts, agents, and MLB teams were happy to have a place for players to play, and the Slammers were happy to be able to pull off a season, when so many others were unable to do so.
Equipe Quebec
Due to the uncertainty regarding the reopening of the United States-Canada border, the Frontier League regretfully announces that the Ottawa Titans and Trois-Rivieres Aigles will not field teams for the 2021 season. To complete the 2021 schedule, a team from the Province of Quebec will be formed by the Aigles and Capitales and managed by Pat Scalabrini, manager of the Quebec Capitales.
This team will be composed of the Canadian players from the Titans’, Aigles’, and Capitales’ current rosters along with the remaining players under contract to Quebec.
The new team will spend the first half of the 2021 season on the road and visit each of the 13 other stadiums, beginning at Gateway on May 27. Should the border open, they will play what would have been their home games at Stade Canac in Quebec City and Stade Quillorama in Trois-Rivieres. Up to 27 home games are possible. If the border has not reopened by July 23, these games will be played at the opponent’s stadium.
Evansville Otters
Located: Evansville, IN
Stadium: Historic Bosse Field
Mascot: none
Manager: Andy McCauley
Website: www.evansvilleotters.com
Florence Y'alls
Located: Florence, KY
Stadium: UC Health Stadium
Mascot: Y'all Star
Manager: Brian White
Website: www.florenceyalls.com
Gateway Grizzlies
Located: Sauget, IL
Stadium: GCS Ballpark
Mascot: Izzy the Grizzlie and Lizzy the Polar Bear
Manager: Cameron Roth
Website: www.gatewaygrizzlies.com
Lake Erie Crushers
Located: Avon, OH
Stadium: Mercy Health Stadium
Mascot: Stomper
Manager: Dan Rohn
Website: www.lakeeriecrushers.com
New Jersey Jackals
Located: Montclair, NJ
Stadium: Yogi Berra Stadium
Mascot: Jack the Jackal
Previous League: Can-Am
Manager: Brooks Carey
Website: www.jackals.com
New York Boulders
Located: Pomona, NY
Stadium: Palisades Credit Union Park
Mascot: BoulderBird
Previous League: Can-Am
Manager: T. J. Stanton
Website: www.nyboulders.com
Schaumburg Boomers
Located: Schaumburg, IL
Stadium: Wintrust Field
Mascot: Coop the Boomer
Manager: Jamie Bennett
Website: www.boomersbaseball.com
Southern Illinois Miners
Located: Marion, IL
Stadium: Rent One Ballpark
Mascot: Grounder and Lucky
Manager: Mike Pinto
Website: www.southernillinoisminers.com
Sussex County Miners
Located: Augusta, NJ
Stadium: Skylands Stadium
Mascot: Herbie the Miner
Previous League: Can-Am
Manager: Bobby Jones
Website: www.sussexcountyminers.com
Tri-City ValleyCats
Located: Troy, NY
Stadium: Joseph L. Bruno Stadium
Mascot: SouthPaw
Previous League: New York-Penn League
Manager: Pete Incaviglia
Website: www.milb.com/tri-city-valleycats
Washington Wild Things
Located: Washington, PA
Stadium: It's About the Warrior Field at Wild Things Park
Mascot: The Wild Thing
Manager: Tom Vaeth
Website: www.washingtonwildthings.com
Windy City ThunderBolts
Located: Crestwood, IL
Stadium: Ozinga Field
Mascot: Boomer
Manager: Brian Smith
Website: www.wcthunderbolts.com
Dietrich Enns
After going 2-0 with a 0.72 ERA, 42 strikeouts and one walk in 25 innings and dominating in the City of Champions Cup for the Tully Monsters, Enns was signed by the Tampa Bay Rays and finished the MLB season on the Rays taxi squad. Enns was invited to the Rays 2021 Spring Training where he pitched in 4 games for a total of 6.1 innings striking out 8 and finishing with a 2.84 ERA. Enns started the season with the Durham Bulls, the Rays AAA team.
Ian Krol
Krol pitched for the NERDS Herd in the City of Champions Cup, throwing in 19 games, striking out 31 batters, walking 3, and allowing just 1 earned run in 19.1 innings for a 0.47 ERA. During the winter, Krol was signed by the Detroit Tigers and invited to MLB Spring Training. He pitched in 7 games, striking out ten and not allowing a run in 7 innings. Krol started the season with the Toledo Mud Hens, the Tigers AAA team. On July 7, Krol was called up to the Detroit Tigers.
Kaleb Ort
Ort previously pitched for the Slammers in 2016 and 2017 before being picked up by the New York Yankees. During the 2020 Rule 5 Draft, Ort was selected by the Boston Red Sox after reaching as high as AAA Scranton Wilkes-Barre in the Yankees system. During 2021 MLB Spring Training, Ort threw 6 innings in 6 games with 8 strikeouts and a 1.50 ERA. Ort is currently the closer for the Worcester Red Sox, the Red Sox AAA team.
Heather Mills
General Manager
The 2021 season marks Heather’s ninth year with the Slammers and her thirteenth season working in professional baseball. She joined the Slammers in 2013 as Box Office Manager and became the Slammers General Manager in 2016. Heather previously worked for the Kane County Cougars and the Memphis Redbirds after graduating from Southeast Missouri State University with a degree in Sport Management. In addition to working at the Slammers, Heather is a member of the SEMO Sport Management Advisory Board and is also a board member of the Pitch and Hit Club of Chicago. In her spare time, she enjoys baking, photography, reading, enjoying a cup of English tea, following the Cubs, and watching all the Muppet Show episodes over and over again now that they’re available on Disney+. She is looking forward to attending the Chicago Symphony and seeing a Broadway show when things get back to normal.
John Wilson
Vice President, Sales & Marketing
John comes to the Slammers with significant, high-level experience in sports. Wilson is a graduate of Indiana State University and has worked in sports since 2004. He has spent time with the Minnesota Timberwolves of the NBA, Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the NFL, Sacramento River Cats and Pawtucket Red Sox both Triple A affiliated baseball teams, and most recently served as General Manager of the Frontier League’s Southern Illinois Miners. John, his wife Calleigh, and daughters Harper and Everleigh reside in Morris.
Tom Fremarek
Director of Food & Beverage
Tom’s 35-year career has allowed him to manage entertainment venues like Brookfield Zoo, Sportsman’s Park Racetrack, and Navy Pier, along with being a GM for Holiday Inn and an invested owner in Jimmy Buffett’s Cheeseburger in Paradise. Tom is a passionate Chicago Bears fan and loves his dog, Staley. Tom grew up loving Ernie Banks, so as Ernie used to say, “Let’s play two!” Tom is also the proud father of Dr. Nicole Fremarek.
Lauren Rhodes
Director of Sales
Lauren is a Blackburn College graduate with a degree in Sport Management. While at Blackburn, she played three years of softball and assisted with coaching one year due to injury. This will be Lauren’s sixth season with the Slammers. Prior to being hired by the Slammers, Lauren interned with the Chicago Bandits Professional Softball Team. In her spare time, you will find her obsessing over Harry Potter, the Packers, and her fur children. She has two cats, Loki and Leo, and a dog named Stella. Fun fact, Lauren is a certified EMT and a REALTOR®!
Ken Miller
Director of Community Relations
Ken is a longtime Coal City resident and has been with the Slammers since their inaugural season in 2011. Ken is no stranger to the sports world − having coached high school sports for 47 years. In 2016 he was inducted into the Illinois Football Coaches Association's Hall of Fame. Ken also worked in education for 34 years. He serves as an officer and board member of the Pitch and Hit Club of Chicago, Chicago’s Professional Baseball Organization. Outside of work, Ken enjoys charity work and visiting with his five grandchildren.
Kurt Gustafson
PA Announcer
Kurt Gustafson is entering his fifth season as the Slammers’ Public Address Announcer. Kurt graduated from Marquette University in 1992 with a degree in Business Administration. He earned his Juris Doctor from the Northern Illinois University College of Law in 1995 and has been a practicing attorney for 25 years in the State of Illinois. Kurt lives in Chicago with his wife, Heather and their son Matthew, who can often be seen in and around the stadium helping out wherever needed.
Sean King
Team Videographer/Video Production Manager/ Live Stream Director/Producer
Sean is a graduate from the Illinois Center of Broadcasting. He has eight years of professional video experience in sports production. This will be Sean’s sixth season with the Joliet Slammers, and fifth as the Video Production Manager. His ultimate dream is to one day make his very own Movie or Tv Series.
He founded his own company “1080 Productions” and has Produced some of Slammers' fan favorite’s such as, “The 2018 Prison Intro Video” and “The 2018 Championship Video”. He is excited to see where his company goes from here, all while working hard to capture amazing footage for every Slammers fan to see!
Fun Fact about Sean, He loves everything about the Marvel Universe!
To view Sean’s company media pages, you can visit his Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/1080Productions23 or you can visit his Website at https://1080productions23.wixsite.com/video-photo
Lonnie Wilkins
Broadcaster
Beginning his 5th season broadcasting Joliet Slammers baseball is Lonnie Wilkins. Growing up in neighboring Wilmington he got to attend many games in Joliet as a kid. Wilkins graduated from Western Illinois University in 2016 with a degree in Sports Broadcasting. During his tenure at WIU Wilkins broadcasted Western Illinois Baseball and co-hosted award-winning radio programs. Wrigley Field is another ballpark that he refers to as his “400ft cubicle” as he is a member of the Cubs Productions team for select gamedays.
Joe Zalewski
Video Board
Joe is a graduate of the Illinois Media School and is certified in Television, Radio, and Sports. While at IMS Joe interned with the South Bend Cubs. After graduation, Joe worked for multiple teams in the Chicagoland area including the Chicago Steel, Chicago Fire, Chicago Wolves, Windy City Bulls, and Chicago Bears. This will be Joe's fifth season with the Joliet Slammers. In Joe's spare time you can find him in the gym, or watching Bears, Blackhawks, Cubs, White Sox and Bulls games. Additionally, he loves country music and going to country concerts!
Bill Downing
Broadcaster
Bill is a native of the Woodridge/Downers Grove area, after graduating Downers Grove North High school in 1987 he joined the United States Navy and was stationed on the USS Deyo DD-989 out of Charleston South Carolina. With 15 years of sports broadcasting experience including the 2018 NCCAA College Baseball World Series, The Voice of Dominican University Sports, Aurora University, Track announcer at the Dirt Oval @ Route 66 raceway, and NBA-NCAA shot clock operator (Windy City Bulls), he joins the voice of the Joliet Slammers Lonnie Wilkins in the broadcast booth.
Eric McGill
Photographer
Eric is a sports photographer from the mountains of Northeast Georgia. He picked up a camera in 2015, and hasn’t put it down since. Prior to attending North Georgia Technical College to earn
his Associate’s Degree in Photography, Eric attended Emmanuel College and played on the baseball team for one season. This will be Eric’s second season with the Slammers, where he has got his start in sports photography. His goal is to capture images for Sports Illustrated and the Olympics one day.
Alyssa Martinez
Graphic Design
Alyssa Martinez is a Joliet, IL native and Joliet Central Alumni. She is a Graphic Designer and Photographer who received her BFA in Graphic Design from Columbia College in Chicago. She started interning with the production team at the Joliet Slammers during the 2019 season and currently co-leads content creation for the production team. One of her goals is to one day work within the White Sox organization doing graphics and social media.
City of Champions Cup Team |
Name |
MLB Organization |
2021 Opening Day Team |
Opening Day Team Website |
Joliet Slammers |
Korry Howell |
Milwaukee Brewers |
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (High A) |
|
Joliet Slammers |
Andrew Shaps |
Los Angeles Dodgers |
Great Lakes Loons (High A) |
|
Joliet Slammers |
Nick Dalesandro |
Arizona Diamondbacks |
Hillsboro Hops (High A) |
|
Joliet Slammers |
Jace Vines |
Kansas City Royals |
Omaha Storm Chasers (AAA) |
|
Joliet Slammers |
Jake McSteen |
Atlanta Braves |
Augusta GreenJackets (Low A) |
|
Chicago Deep Dish |
Andre Nnebe |
Milwaukee Brewers |
Carolina Mudcats (Low A) |
|
Chicago Deep Dish |
Colin Barber |
Houston Astros |
Asheville Tourists (High A) |
|
Chicago Deep Dish |
Glenallen Hill Jr. |
Arizona Diamondbacks |
Visalia Rawhide (Low A) |
|
Chicago Deep Dish |
Erik Ostberg |
Tampa Bay Rays |
Bowling Green Hot Rods (High A) |
|
Chicago Deep Dish |
Cyrillo Watson |
Los Angeles Dodgers |
Tulsa Drillers (AA) |
|
Tully Monsters |
Alex McKenna |
Houston Astros |
Corpus Christi Hooks (AA) |
|
Tully Monsters |
Nick Meyer |
New York Mets |
Binghamton Rumble Ponies (AA) |
|
NERDS Herd |
Terence Doston |
Milwaukee Brewers |
Extended Spring Training |
n/a |
NERDS Herd |
Ashton Creal |
Cincinnati Reds |
Extended Spring Training |
n/a |
NERDS Herd |
James Free |
Cincinnati Reds |
Dayton Dragons (High A) |
|
NERDS Herd |
Kevin Watson Jr. |
Los Angeles Angels |
ACL Angels (Rookie) |
n/a |
NERDS Herd |
Hayden Cantrelle |
Milwaukee Brewers |
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (High A) |
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- ABV% 4.74
- Calories 144
Angry Orchard: Angry Orchard Crisp Apple has a bright, crisp apple flavor, just like biting into a fresh apple. It is a perfect balance of sweetness and bright acidity from culinary apples and dryness of traditional cider making apples, resulting in a complex, yet refreshing, hard cider.
Truly Hard Seltzer: Truly Hard Seltzer is pure and clean. It contains no gluten, liquor or spirits. The alcohol (ABV 5%) comes from fermenting all natural cane sugar. ... All Truly varieties are 12 ounces and have 100 calories, a measly 2 carbs, one gram of sugar, and 5% alcohol.
Twisted Tea: Twisted Tea Half & Half is real iced tea with lemonade flavor that's blended with smooth, triple-filtered alcohol, resulting in an authentic Southern-style iced tea taste. The perfectly balanced blend of alcohol, tea and fresh lemon flavor create a refreshing, smooth beverage that's just a little twisted.
Bells Two Hearted: Brewed with 100% Centennial hops from the Pacific Northwest and named after the Two Hearted River in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, our American IPA is bursting with hop aromas ranging from pine to grapefruit from massive hop additions in both the kettle and the fermenter.
Founders All Day IPA: Keeps your taste satisfied while keeping your senses sharp. An all-day IPA naturally brewed with a complex array of malts, grains and hops. Balanced for optimal aromatics and a clean finish.
Goose Summer Beer: As summer heats up, this light-bodied session ale with fresh orange aroma is crisp, easy drinking and endlessly refreshing. Brewed with hops from Elk Mountain Farms, Goose Summer Ale will be a staple at backyard BBQs and outdoor adventures for the whole summer.
Ole Smoky Moonshine: Harkening back to its homegrown roots, Ole Smoky® Original Moonshine is made with the same renegade attitude of its forefathers. Our hundred-year-old recipe produces a white whisky as smooth and bright as the promise of a Saturday night when anything can happen and likely will.
Deep Eddy Vodka: Deep Eddy Ruby Red Vodka starts with our award-winning Original Vodka and is infused with real Ruby Red Grapefruit juice and lightly sweetened with real cane sugar for a deliciously tart, refreshing taste, perfect for day-drinking with family and friends.
Evan Williams Bourbon: Our Kentucky Straight Bourbon is full of character and simply done right. Named after Evan Williams, who opened Kentucky's First Distillery along the banks of the Ohio River in 1783, it's aged far longer than required by law. The result is a Bourbon that's smooth, rich, and easy to enjoy.
Blackheart spiced Rum: Named after the fictional, sultry seductive pirate Blackheart, this spiced rum is full of black cherry flavor with remnants of vanilla and cinnamon and slight hints of orange and lemon. With a medium body and peppered finish, this rum is ideal for mixing.
Hypnotiq: is a pale blue liqueur produced in France. It is made from a proprietary blend of tropical fruit juices, premium French vodka, and "a touch of Cognac." You cannot miss the bottle on the liquor store shelf
Editor & Contributor
Matthew Gustafson
Graphic Design
Javier Nevarez
Photography
Eric McGill
www.facebook.com/ericmcgillphotography
Contributor
Andrew Horwath
Contributor
Craig Lichtenwalter