WASHINGTON WILD THINGS GEAR UP FOR A STRONG 2024 SEASON
In three years under manager Tom Vaeth, the Washington Wild Things have won two division titles and made a Frontier League Championship Series.
The 2023 season was only the second season since 2017 the Wild Things failed to qualify for the Frontier League postseason, but, after a slow start, Washington finished 47-49, just five games out of a playoff spot.
The year started well at 6-1, but May finished 8-9 with a six-game skid in there. The month of June wasn't kind to the club, with a 9-17 finish. After that, Washington rebounded well and finished strong, but shy of the dance.
The team did get some good individual performances.
Anthony Brocato was named a postseason All Star outfielder after clubbing 28 homers and driving in 69 runs to go along with a .282/.359/.601 slash line. Brocato has since moved on and is with the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs in the Atlantic League.
Andrew Czech slashed .260/.428/.543 with 21 homers and 60 RBI last season while drawing 88 walks, setting a new franchise record for single-season walks (Kane Sweeney, 87, 2017). Czech returns along with Wagner Lagrange, who hit .304/.352/.531 with 25 doubles, 19 homers and 69 RBI in 92 games. Both of those guys were heavily considered for both mid and post-season all star selections.
After winning the Frontier League Rookie of the Year award in 20222, lefty Kobe Foster pitched his way to a 7-5 record and a 2.66 ERA in 2023, good for a top five ERA in the Frontier League across 101.1 innings. He fanned 94 and walked only 24 in that work, and returns for the 2024 season after pitching with Perth in Australia in winter ball.
Also back on the mound after strong starts to their pro careers in 2023 are Zach Kirby and Dariel Fregio. Kirby didn't pick up a win but was excellent in eight games (seven starts) last season, posting a 2.83 ERA and 35 strikeouts to 13 walks in 41.1 innings of work. Fregio was named Pitcher of the Week twice after impressive weeks with performances against Gateway and Windy City, the latter of which was a complete game shutout in his final start of the season. He was 4-2 with a 3.99 ERA in 11 games (10 starts).
With the switch flipped to 2024 and a steadfast commitment to competing for a championship, Washington has remained committed to strike throwers on the mound and athletes in the field. The longball will certainly be a part of the Wild Things' game offensively, but it remains even more important in Washington to string hits together, use extra-base hits, steal bases and play rock-solid defense.
The Wild Things have brought in guys with affiliated experience in the field and at the plate in infielder Jalen Miller, who clubbed 32 doubles and 12 homers while driving in 51 in the Atlantic League last season after spending 2015-2022 in affiliated ball, infielder/outfielder Alexander Ovalles, who has five years of MiLB experience under his belt, utility man Daniel Harris IV, who played with the Rockies farm system last year and Tyreque Reed, a power hitter who played in the Rangers and Boston organizations.
Couple those guys with outfielders Robert Chayka and Caleb McNeely, who were both around last season, infielders Carson Clowers and Tommy Caufield, who were also in Washington in 2023 and others, and Washington likes what is has in its position players. Chayka was in the conversation for Rookie of the Year in 2023, which, had he won, would've signaled the third-consecutive season that award went to a Wild Thing.
Washington also added catcher Ricardo Sanchez, who drove in more than 80 in two seasons with Trois-Rivieres combined, college standout and Adelaide Giants (ABL) outfielder Briley Knight, and returns catcher JC Santini.
On the mound, Washington will turn to guys with a good strike-throwing reputation from affiliated ball in Jordan DiValerio and Malik Barrington, who figure to be in the mix for rotation spots, as well as Foster, Fregio and Kirby. Gyeongju Kim, a righty that punched out 116 batters in 82.2 innings last year at Dordt, also figures to be in the mix for starting space or in the pen.
Washington brought in hard-throwing arms with Tanner Propst, who split 2023 between Empire State and Tri-City, Alex Carrillo, who has spent a few years in Mexico, and some others.
The pen will also see the return of Justin Goossen-Brown, Lukas Young and others, with more additions including affiliated lefty Yeury Gervacio.
The Wild Things have made the postseason 11 times in 21 Frontier League seasons. The team was the quickest to 1,000 franchise wins in the history of the league and has won eight division titles.
Washington opens the season May 10 with a three-game home series against the Schaumburg Boomers. The full promotional schedule and single-game tickets, as well as group tickets, premium area reservations and more are available at washingtonwildthings.com.
You can follow the team throughout the season on the team's various social media platforms, through a subscription on FloSports to watch games live and archived, by following the team on MixLR, the audio home of the club (free audio broadcasts), and through the team's official podcast, Into the Wild, which is available on most major podcast platforms and YouTube.
There is a comprehensive season preview podcast episode available as well, beyond this piece.
