2014 Legends Season Preview: Position Players

Coming off a successful 2013 season, the Menlo Park Legends are back and ready for more action in 2014! This season, the Legends have been accepted into the California Collegiate League (CCL), one of the premier collegiate/semi-professional summer baseball leagues in the country. Making the move along with the Legends to the CCL are a few familiar teams from the Far West League: the Neptune Beach Pearl, the Walnut Creek Crawdads, and the Pacific Union Financial Capitalists. These three teams along with the Legends will comprise the Northern division of the CCL. The Legends hit the ground running this year with early season match-ups against two teams annually ranked within the nation’s top 15 organizations; the Santa Barbara Foresters and the San Luis Obispo Blues. General Manager David Klein expects this sixth season to be a true test for the Legends and he is excited to see how the team will compete.

Returning Players

• Kyle Zirbes (Second Base/Shortstop) returns to the Legends after having a very solid 2014 season at Cañada College, batting .343 with 2 home runs and 23 RBI’s. Kyle is sure to be a threat on the basepaths all summer long, as he also stole 28 bases and scored 31 runs for the Colts.
• Wes Hoskins (First Base/Designated Hitter) was limited to just 23 at-bats in the 2014 collegiate season due to injury, but is now healthy and ready to give it all for Menlo Park. Wes was a 2013 All-American and will generate some serious power for this Legends squad. Fans, get your gloves ready!
• Matt Glomb (Third Base) played the first half of the season at the College of San Mateo, but was forced to miss the second half due to a knee injury. Now fully rested, Glomb will be a vacuum for the Legends at third.
• Brandon Coborn (Center Field) will be holding down the outfield for the Legends in 2014. His electrifying speed and quickness will help him turn hits into outs all season long.
• Dane Vande Guchte (Second Base) will be a staple at second base for the Legends once again. GM David Klein describes Dane as a “rock-solid second baseman who makes a lot of contact and knows how to get on base”.
• Logan Trowbridge (Right Field/Catcher) is a very versatile player and will see time this season in the outfield and behind the plate. He is a great bunter with an extremely high baseball IQ that Klein expects to be a leader on the field.
• Steven Miller (Pitcher) shuts down right handed batters with his unique 3/4 arm slot throwing motion. Get ready to see a lot swinging strikeouts when Steven slams on the breaks with his time-stopping changeup.
• DJ Sharabi (Pitcher) is coming back for his 3rd summer with the Menlo Park Legends. The “Most Legendary Legend”, Sharabi will be sending opposing teams’ hitters back to the dugout all season long.

Up the Middle

• Mark Mathias (Shortstop) will be a regular 2014 Legends team as soon as he returns from Cal Poly. A top hitter at one of the best baseball schools in the nation (Cal Poly San Luis Obispo), Mathias is ready to take on shortstop after being named the Big West Player of the Week in April 2014. Mathias is leading the Big West with a .383 average.
• Trevor Demerritt (Shortstop) will provide great defense up the middle for the Legends. He also is very adept on the bases with his superb speed and awareness. Hot Corners
• Dylan Cook (Third Base/First Base) was named to the 1st team in the Coast Pacific Conference for Cañada College in 2014. A graduate of Menlo-Atherton High School, Cook is a great teammate and will be solid on both corners of the infield.
• Ryan Drobny (First Base/Third Base) is a strong left-handed hitter from Cal Poly. GM David Klein says, “I expect him to come in hot and provide a serious threat in the middle of our order”.

Outfield

• Jordan Winawer (Center Field) will be splitting time with Brandon Coborn in center. This last season he batted .436 for the Cornell Big Red and the Legends are excited to see that success carry over to the 2014 summer.
• Cole Loncar (Right Field) hit .353 for Mesa Community College in the 2014 spring season. Ranked 6th in the Arizona Community College Athletic Conference in doubles, Loncar will be a real power threat in the Legends order. He should adapt well to the CCL style of play, as he’s played in a wood bat league while at MCC.
• Wes Leow (Left Field) started out the 2014 season on the bench for Washington State University, but soon worked his way into the starting lineup. He hit a pinch hit three run home run in his collegiate debut for the Cougars against #17 San Diego State University.

Behind the Plate

• Colton Frabasilio (Catcher) started every game for the D-1 St. Louis Billikens at Catcher. He has gotten quite a bit of attention from professional clubs and will be a good battery man for the Legends.
• Dakota Hernandez (Catcher) was the starting Catcher for Brigham Young University in 2013, but had to redshirt the 2014 season due to injury. However, GM David Klein says that Hernandez is “fresh and ready to go protect the plate this summer for the Legends”.