Barnstormers’ roster filling out
With opening day just under three months away, the Chatham-Kent Barnstormers are starting to form their roster.
The Barnstormers made their first signing in November, signing Spencer Marcus and then announcing a handful of import player signings. Here’s a rundown of all of the Barnstormers roster signings so far.
Brock Whitson
A Uruline grad, Whitson is a pitcher. He played for three years on the St. Clair College baseball team. His best year was his last year (2023), where he didn’t allow an earned run in 11 innings.
He threw a five-inning no-hitter in 2022. He was on the St. Clair team that won an OCAA championship from 2021 to 2023.
In three years at St. Clair, Whitson had a 3.73 ERA.
His older brother is long-time Team Canada sledge hockey player Derek Whitson.
Jalen Butcher
An all-around athlete, Butcher is a John McGregor grad who has played senior baseball locally and grew up playing in the Chatham Minor Baseball program. Butcher can play outfield, third base and catcher.
He also played football for the Windsor Fratmen as a defensive back/linebacker.
Sam McKinlay
McKinlay is from Tilbury and is a pitcher. He played at St. Clair College with Brock Whitson.
McKinlay, 22, won three straight gold medals with the St. Clair Saints at the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association championship from 2021 to ’23.
The six-foot-two, 190-pound right-hander made the OCAA championship all-star team in 2023 and was an OCAA second-team all-star in 2022. McKinlay had a 3.50 ERA in his regular-season career with St. Clair.
McKinlay played PJHL hockey with the Blenheim Blades.
Aden Ryan
Ryan is six-foot-two – 190 lbs. right handed pitcher.
He is a young 22 year old player from Tecumseh where he played with the Tecumseh Thunder between 2020-2023.
Greg Kemble
Kemble is a 33 years old catcher, who should provide veteran experience for the Barnstormers. From 2017-2023 he played with the Corunna Senior Giants. Kemble previously played senior baseball in Chatham.
Catalin Morin
The five-foot-10, 180-pound Morin is a two-way player who is a left-handed pitcher, as well as in the outfield. Morin, who is from LaSalle, played with the Lucan Irish last year after trying out for the IBL’s Guelph Royals. He previously played at Fanshawe College and with the Leamington Barons.
Morin played PJHL hockey for Wallaceburg, Port Stanley, Wheatley, Amherstburg
Miles Norman
Norman, who hails from Oregon, is expected to play second base for the Barnstormers.
Norman, who is the nephew of Barnstormers manager Dan Norman, batted .373 during two seasons at Chemeketa Community College in Salem, Ore., in 2019 and ’20. He had 16 runs, 13 stolen bases and 11 RBIs in 37 games.
Sadler Goodwin
Goodwin is from Cordova Tennessee.
Goodwin is 27 years-old. The six-foot-three, 204 lbs Goodwin played four years of NCAA baseball, one year at Tennessee-Martin and three years at Troy. His best year was his senior year at Troy, where he hit .301, hit 10 home runs, and added 56 RBIs.
Goodwin plays short-stop and also pitches, but has also played the corner infield positions in the past.
In 2022, Goodwin played in the Pecos Independent League and played last season in Quebec with the Frontier League’s Trois Rivieres.
Seth Strong
Strong hails from Huber Heights Ohio, which is a suburb of Dayton.
The 27-year-old Strong has a reputation as a slugger who hits the ball hard from the left side of the plate. The six-foot-three, 230lbs Strong has appeared in 144 professional games in the Pecos, Frontier and Pioneer leagues.
Strong has put up impressive stats in the pro game, with a .360 batting average, 26 home runs, and 162 RBI. He can play both first base and third base, as well as catcher if needed.
Spencer Marcus
A graduate of Chatham-Kent Secondary School, Marcus played three years of NCAA Division I baseball at Niagara University. In his senior season, Marcus had a .329 batting average with 28 hits, 19 runs, 15 RBIs, and two home runs. He was named to the MAAC All-Academic Team.
Marcus was the first player the Barnstormers signed.
May 17: Chatham-Kent’s first-ever game will be played on the road in Brantford on May 17. The next day on May 18, Chatham-Kent’s home opener at Fergie Jenkins Field against Kitchener Panthers. First pitch is at 7:05 p.m.