Players tryout for Monterey’s new pro baseball team
In less than a two months the City of Monterey will have a pro baseball team to cheer for. Earlier this year the city approved plans to bring the minor league team to the Central Coast and now they’re looking for local talent to join the roster.
“I’m just excited to play baseball, baseball’s my life,” said Amberjacks hopeful Jerome Bright.
Bright drove from San Francisco to Sollecito Park in Monterey in hopes of joining the team.
“You don’t get too many chances like this,” said Bright. “To get a chance to showcase your talent and make a living out of playing baseball without going through Major League Baseball.”
At the open tryouts coaches are scouting for catchers, pitchers and other players with solid talent and character.
“We’re looking for guys that have the fundamentals that we don’t have to really transition them into anything and it’s not a big jump,” said Monterey Amberjacks Head Coach Justin Thompson. “That they can come out and kind of walk out on the field and compete with these guys.”
Running 60 yard dashes, batting, along with in field and out field plays tested their athletic abilities.
“I’m just gonna go out there and play my game,” said Bright. “Hopefully these guys like what they see.”
They’ll open the roster with 22 players. The new team will play for the Pecos League, a 12-team independent professional baseball league with teams in several other states and now Monterey.
“It’s different, it’s very unique,” said Pecos League director Andrew Dunn. “I think it will fit right in from the plains of Kansas to the Pacific Ocean and everything in between. It really gives us a different identity then what we have.”
It’s anticipated that Monterey now having a Minor League Baseball team will add to their roster as well when it comes to community growth and economic impact.
“We think it’s gone be great in a lot of ways,” said Dunn.
The season will start at the end of May and the first home game will be played June 3rd. Home games will be played every Saturday and Sunday with Monday games being played in Hollister.
The team is also looking for host families to house some of the players. You can sign up for that at montereyamberjacks.com
