GRIZZLIES ANNOUNCE RETURNING PITCHERS FOR 2024
The Gateway Grizzlies announce that they have re-signed seven pitchers from their 2023 West Division championship team for the upcoming 2024 season, including two starters and the core of their bullpen.
Headlining the returning pitchers is Collin Sullivan, who came to the club in 2023 out of the Arizona Diamondbacks organization, and set a Grizzlies club record with a Frontier League-leading 135 strikeouts against just 35 walks in 110 1/3 innings over 19 games (18 starts). The right-hander also posted a 10-5 record and a 2.69 ERA that placed him inside the league's top-five in both categories. He was voted a Midseason All-Star as well, striking out seven or more batters in 13 of his 18 starts to anchor the rotation all summer long.
Joining Sullivan in that Grizzlies' rotation in 2024 will be Lukas Veinbergs, who returns for his third season as a Grizzlie. The right-hander also had a strong campaign with a 9-3 record in 19 starts, a 4.54 ERA, 90 strikeouts, and 31 walks in 103 innings pitched. Just like in 2022 as a rookie, he was at his very best late in the season, going 4-0 with a 1.60 ERA from July 31st onward, including a nine-inning shutout on August 29th against the Evansville Otters in his last regular season outing. The Pinckney, Michigan native also tossed a "quality start" with two runs allowed in six innings in Game 1 of the Frontier League Division Series at Evansville.
A St. Louis-area native also returns for a third season with his hometown club in 2024 in Alec Whaley. The side-armer from O'Fallon, Missouri set a Grizzlies single-season record with 55 appearances, and owned a 2.91 ERA along with an outstanding 51:11 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 52 2/3 innings in 2023, serving as one of the most-dependable relievers in the Frontier League. Included in his numbers was a stretch of 20 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings from July 16 to August 22 as Gateway sewed up their berth in the playoffs as well as the West Division title.
At the back end of the bullpen, Brian Eichhorn makes his return to Sauget this coming season. After joining the roster mid-year, the Richmond Hill, Georgia native put up a 1.74 ERA in 22 appearances, along with 36 strikeouts and 11 walks in 20 2/3 innings, serving primarily as a set-up man for the Grizzlies' closers Colton Easterwood and Josh Lucas.
Another trusted bullpen arm in Nate Garkow will also come back to the club in 2024. Making 40 appearances in relief, the Glendora, California native led the Grizzlies with seven relief wins, posted a 3.80 ERA, struck out 60, and walked just 18 in 47 1/3 innings after coming over in an offseason trade from the Sioux Falls Canaries in the American Association.
In addition, two Grizzlies rookie arms that joined the roster in the middle of 2023 will return next season. Nathanial Tate comes back to Sauget after a promising first pro season that saw him appear in 14 games while starting twice, striking out 28 and walking 13 in 32 innings with a 5.06 ERA out of East Tennessee State University. He, too, finished the season strong, allowing only two runs in his final nine innings pitched with 14 strikeouts and no walks.
Parker Johnson will also return after showing off terrific "strikeout stuff" in 2023 over seven starts with the Grizzlies. The Anchorage, Alaska native struck out 37 batters in just 34 innings while walking only nine in making his professional debut out of Western Oregon University.
The Grizzlies will release more information on their official player signings for 2024 as the offseason progresses. Follow along with the team on social media (Facebook, X, and Instagram) as well as GatewayGrizzlies.com for updates as the team prepares for an exciting 2024 season!
The Gateway Grizzlies are a professional baseball team, located a mere 10 minutes from downtown St. Louis in Sauget, Illinois. The Grizzlies offer baseball fans affordable, family fun at Grizzlies Ballpark with a great view of the St. Louis skyline. They have also won two Frontier League Organization of the Year Awards, four West Division titles, and the 2003 Frontier League Championship. For tickets or general information, please visit gatewaygrizzlies.com or call (618) 337-3000.
The Frontier League debuted in 1993, and is the largest of the Major League Baseball Partner Leagues, featuring teams stretching from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi River, and from the Ohio River to the St. Lawrence Seaway. More information and the complete 2023 schedule can be found at frontierleague.com.
