WINONA, Minn. – Four Winona State baseball student-athletes will be playing for teams in the Northwoods League this summer.
Nathan Vela (Eau Claire Express),
Pierce Gritzmaker (Willmar Stingers),
Wesley Johnson (St. Cloud Rox), and
Mason Beltrand (La Crosse Loggers) will each suit up for teams in the premier Northwoods League.
Vela, a redshirt freshman from Greenville, Wis., has been named the opening-day starter for the Eau Claire Express. Vela led the Warriors with a 3.24 ERA this season after appearing in nine games while making four starts and striking out 28 batters in 25.0 innings.
Gritzmaker, a junior from Woodbury, Minn., will pitch for the Willmar Stingers this summer. Gritzmaker made nine starts for the Warriors this season and picked up three wins and one complete-game shutout.
Johnson, a freshman from Sartell, Minn., will be on the mound for the St. Cloud Rox. Johnson led the WSU pitching staff with 43.0 innings across nine starts as a true freshman.
Beltrand, a sophomore from Princeton, Minn., is on the roster with the La Crosse Loggers this summer. Beltrand led Winona State with three saves and struck out 19 batters in 17.0 innings of work.
The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. The league is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 26 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires, and front office staff, over 370 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball.
