A pair of pitchers to return for another summer

PALMER — The Mat-Su Miners are bringing a couple of familiar faces back to Hermon Brothers Field.

The Miners announced late last week pitchers Jason Erickson and Max Peterson will return to the Valley for the 2008 Alaska Baseball League season after suiting up for the Miners during the summer of 2007.

The only catch, according to Mat-Su general manager Pete Christopher, is the fact Erickson — a University of Washington junior — is eligible to be selected in the Major League Baseball Amateur Draft, which begins June 5.

“We’ll have to wait and see what happens,”

Christopher said late last week.

Erickson suffered a broken hand earlier this season. Although he is back working on the UW mound, Christopher is not sure how much that will set the right-hander back in the eyes of the scouts.

In nine appearances, Erickson made six starts for the ‘Diamond Dawgs,’ posting a 3-3 mark with a 3.55 ERA. He fanned 35 hitters in 45 innings.

Last summer, Erickson was 3-3 with a 1.56 ERA in 52 innings. He was named honorable mention All-ABL following the season.

Peterson, a San Jose State sophomore, was the lone Mat-Su player to be named first-team All-ABL last summer.

The southpaw finished the ABL season 5-0 with a 1.31 ERA, and fanned 37 hitters in 34 innings.

The junior college transfer is 5-6 with a 5.22 ERA during his first Division I season at San Jose State, this year.

The Miners have also signed catcher Steve Domecus and infielder Blake Newalu for the 2008 season.

Domecus, a Moorpark Community College sophomore, replaces Mat-Su veteran Chris McMurray on the roster.

McMurray, a University of California-Santa Barbara junior, was slated to return to the Valley for the 2008 season, but scheduling conflicts will prevent him from returning to Alaska for a second summer, Christopher said.

Newalu is a touted prep prospect from Henry County High School in McDonough, Ga. Although it is rare for the Miners to bring a high school player to Alaska, Newalu is not the first player to don a Mat-Su uniform before taking a pitch in college action. Catcher Jay Ponciano played for the Miners in 2006 before making his debut with Washington State University.

The recent Mat-Su additions fill roster spots left by pitchers Anthony Vega and Ryan Byrd, and infielder Chris Morton. All were originally signed by the Miners, but will not make the trip to the 49th state this summer.

Christopher also said St. Mary’s sophomore Kyle Jensen will join the team as an outfield and not a pitcher. The versatile athlete can pitch and play the field and was originally signed by Mat-Su to be part of the Miners’ pitching staff. But that’s before Jensen posted a team-high .421 batting average in 53 starts. He also led the Gaels in runs (48), doubles (17), home runs (13) and RBI (52) during his sophomore campaign.

Erickson is not the only player who could be selected in the MLB draft, Christopher said.

Ventura Community College pitcher Zack Thornton is projected as a high-round pick, according to the Mat-Su general manager.

If a player is drafted it does not necessarily mean a canceled trip to Alaska. Pepperdine outfielder Donald Brown was a late-round pick last year, but opted to play with the Miners during the summer rather than immediately sign a Major League deal.

Christopher said there are also several other players who have suited up for Mat-Su within the last two summers who could be selected in the draft.

Among the players are McMurray; pitchers Craig Bennigson, George Brown, Jared Eskew; infielders John Hee, Ryan Conan, Derek Helenihi, and Michael Ewing; and outfielders Joey August and Joe

Ercolano.

Miners add fourth

assistant coach

Mat-Su has added Jordan Wyckoff to its coaching staff, Christopher said.

Wyckoff, an assistant at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, Pa., will serve as the Miners’ volunteer assistant.

Christopher said it was Wyckoff’s persistence that separated him from other candidates. While at the American Baseball Coaches Association convention in Philadelphia earlier this year, Christopher said Wyckoff tracked him down.

“He made a point of coming to see me,” Christopher said.

This is the second season in which the Miners will have a fourth coach — in addition to head coach Conor Bird, assistant coach Jimmy Kolaitis and pitching coach Ryan Heil.

Last season Heil, a former Mat-Su pitcher, was the volunteer assistant before being promoted to pitching coach during the offseason.

Christopher said the fourth coach proved to be a needed addition to the staff.

“It’s a huge help,” Christopher said, noting the volunteer assistant’s job duties can range from field maintenance to coaching on the diamond.

Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.