Originally Posted: 7.09.2009
GoldenBaseballLeague.com
American Association and United League Sign Arizona Summer League Players
RHP James Kuzniak goes to Coastal Bend and INF Steve Mays go to St. Paul Saints
Yuma, AZ. July 10, 2009 – The Arizona Summer League announced today that two players have already been signed out of the league during just the first week of play. RHP James Kuzniak was inked by the Coastal Bend Thunder of the United League and INF Steve Mays was signed by the St. Paul Saints of the Northern League. Both played for the El Centro Imperials in the inaugural Arizona Summer League which is an instrcutional showcase for released pros or overlooked college grads.
Kuzniak, 23, 6-0, 180 , RHP was a star at Arizona Western College and was recruited to New Mexcio HIghlands Unvirsity to finish his collegiate career. He went undrafted out of NMHU and was signed by the Yuma Scorpions of the Golden League late in the season in 2008. He was with the Yuma Scorpions in spring training before being released and his one outstanding appearance at the start of the Arizona Summer League was enough for Coastal Bend to sign him and fly him to their home location in the Corpus Christi area in Texas.
Mays, 22, 6-2, 190, INF was the northern Nevada high school player of the year as he led his team to the state championship. He went on to play at Mesa JC in Phoenix for one of the top-ranked junior college programs in the country. Recruited by the University of Nevada he played there before transferring to Cal Stave Monterey Bayto finish his collegiate career . A middle infielder/3B with size and power, he went undrafted out of college and joined the Arizona Summer League after an outstanding tryout at the Indy Pro Showcase in Detroit earlier in the summer. Hitting a startling .833 in his first three games at the pitching-dominated ASL he was quickly signed by the St. Paul Saints of the American Association, the most-storied, and considered the premier, franchise in all of independnent pro ball.
About The Arizona Summer League
The Arizona Summer League is in it’s inaugural season as a serious showcase and development league for released professional and overlooked collegiate players to improve and demonstrate their ability in order to get signed by professional teams. The month long season runs throughout July, but all players are free agents and can be signed at any time. Instructors include some of the most experienced independent and minor league coaches and include Dodger great Mike Marshall, Tigers/Marlins minor league and independent managing legend Benny Castillo, Royals pitcher and Nationals minor league pitching instructor Rusty Meacham, two-time National League All-Star catcher and minor league manager/coach Ozzie Virgil, and Boston Red Sox scout and independent league player placement all-time leader Nick Belmonte. The league plays at the Ray Kroc Complex, former home of the San Diego Padres and Yakult Swallows spring training facility in Yuma, Arizona.
More Info on the Arizona Summer League can be found at www.arizonasummerleague.com