Pitchers Wegman, Schryver, and Wilpon all set to come back to Newport for second summer
By: Nick Lima, Director of Media Relations for Newport Gulls
The Newport Gulls are welcoming back pitchers Brad Wegman, Hunter Schryver, and Bradley Wilpon to the roster for the upcoming summer season. The three pitchers each played prominent roles in the team’s 2015 NECBL campaign.
“We are always excited to have our Gulls return and lead the new group of players during the summer,” said team President and General Manager Chuck Paiva. “Brad, Bradley, and Hunter will be able to provide direction and continuity with our program for the new players arriving in Newport for the first time. Another advantage is, after another year of college baseball, they will only get better and be more prepared for the summer.”
Wegman is currently a sophomore at the University of Southern California. In his previous season with the Trojans, he had five appearances out of the bullpen, striking out four batters while yielding zero walks. In his first season with the Gulls last summer, he owned a 1.42 ERA, which was good for second lowest on the team. Wegman was also tied for second in both wins (four) and fewest walks (four) in 10 appearances.
“Wegman was very good last summer and got more confident with every appearance,” Paiva said. “He has a good low-90s fastball with a plus slider, and he really competes. He was named to the NECBL All-Star team, so it is always good to bring a pitcher of his caliber back for another summer.”
Schryver, who began his NECBL career with the Ocean State Waves in 2014, is currently a junior at Villanova University. In his most recent season with the Wildcats, he started 12 games, second most on the team, while giving up the second fewest hits among starters (64) and striking out 36. Last summer with the Gulls, Schryver posted a 2.85 ERA, which was second lowest among left-handed pitchers. He was also second on the team in strikeouts, with 34 through 10 games.
“Hunter pitched significant innings for us last summer as a starter and reliever,” said Paiva. “He was effective in both roles and has good enough stuff to close if he needed to. Hunter is an asset to any pitching staff, and I expect him to be a leader on this 2016 staff.”
Wilpon is currently a junior at the University of Pennsylvania. While he saw limited innings last spring with the Quakers, with the Gulls last summer he tied for fourth on the team with nine appearances, and finished his summer tied for the fewest walks allowed by any Gulls pitcher, with three.
“I expect Bradley Wilpon to come here and have a strong summer after another season at Pennsylvania,” Paiva said. “He is a hard worker with good command of three pitches.”
The Gulls, who were eliminated in the division championship series in 2015, look to make another strong postseason run in 2016. As has been the case throughout the franchise’s history in Newport, Paiva said, returning Gulls quickly become leaders both on and off the field in their second summer in the city by-the-sea.
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