Battle Creek Bombers Building for 2015

It's 25 days until pitchers and catchers report to Tigertown in Lakeland Florida….the first sign of baseball and spring.

For Battle Creek, the first sign of summer is May 26 — opening day for the Battle Creek Bombers baseball team.

The Bombers are busy signing players and coaches for the upcoming season. Dre Gleason and Cayce Bredlau, two 2014 Louisville Slugger Freshman All-Americans from Austin Peay State University, will debut with the Bombers this summer. In addition, four other All-Americans will be making their way to Battle Creek this season – giving the Bombers a total of six All-Americans on their Opening Day roster.

“Cayce’s speed is unbelievable, especially in the outfield,” Field Manager Robert Robinson said of Bredlau. “His range is some of the best in the country and that is going to be a huge asset for our pitching staff, especially at C.O. Brown stadium. At the plate, he finds ways to get on base and can use his speed to put himself into scoring position.”

“Dre is a big, physical lefty with a powerful bat that will be critical in the middle of the order,” Robinson said.

Jimmy Correnti returns to Battle Creek for his second season as an Assistant Coach with the Bombers, having been on staff throughout the 2014 season.

Correnti graduated from Florida Southern in May 2014, where he started all four years as a switch hitting middle infielder and earned a degree in Sport Management with a minor in Physical Education - Emphasis Coaching.   Correnti has been involved with the Baltimore Orioles Pitchers Development Program, consisting of biomechanical analysis, delivery drills, shoulder maintenance and performance training.  He is also no stranger to the Northwoods League, as he played for the Wisconsin Woodchucks in two consecutive seasons from 2012-13 in addition to his time coaching with the Bombers in 2014. Prior to the Northwoods League, he played in the New York Collegiate League in 2011. He declined a free agent offer from the Baltimore Orioles to pursue his coaching career.

Matt Reed is coming on board as the Bombers’ pitching coach.

Reed is an Assistant Coach at Pfeiffer University and pitched for at the University of South Florida.   Reed was drafted in the 44th round of the 2008 MLB Draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers and pitched two scoreless innings against the 2012 New York Yankees starting lineup. His father is the current AAA Pitching Coach for the Atlanta Braves.