Rockland County, NY (April 29, 2022) – Things will certainly look different on the diamond this summer for the New York Boulders.

Outfielder Jack Sundberg, who set a team-record with 48 stolen bases a year ago, signed this off-season with the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs of the Atlantic League, while second baseman Zach Kirtley inked a deal to play professionally in Mexico. Meanwhile, first baseman Ray Hernandez took his league-leading 23 home runs and decided to make a career change and is now working a pit crew for NASCAR’s Joe Gibbs Racing.

Also gone from last year’s team are outfielders Milton Smith, Jr. and Kevonte Mitchell, shortstop Phil Caulfield and catcher Phil Capra.

It left holes to fill for second-year manager T.J. Stanton.

“We will look very different in the field and lineup,” Stanton said. “A few points that we focused on was defense and lowering our ‘K’ (strikeout) percentage. We might score less that last season, but our run prevention will be much improved.”

There are some familiar faces, though, back for Boulders’ fans – the group led by infielder Tucker Nathans, along with catcher Gian Martellini, outfielder Max Smith and shortstop Austin Dennis, who was signed very early last spring away from New York by the Kansas City Royals.

Nathans, 33, was hindered by an injury down the stretch of the 2021 season but the lefthanded batter still managed to hit .260 with 11 home runs and 43 RBI, while Martellini, 25, who came on board near the midway point of last year, batted a solid .290 to go along with eight home runs and 33 RBI.

“(Tucker) will primarily play second base but also gives us flexibility across the infield,” Stanton said. “(Gian) will also continue to work at first base as well.”

Dennis, 24, played just nine games for the Boulders in 2021 before signing with the Royals. In those nine games, he did hit .375 with a homer and three RBI.

“Once Austin is fully healthy, he will be our shortstop, but he plays elite defense at any position he plays,” Stanton said.

Dennis, like Martellini, are righthanded batters.

Smith, 25, was a late season addition to the Boulders’ roster last season, playing in only 15 games.

The one-time Minnesota Twins’ prospect, Smith, a lefty swinger who should take a liking to Clover Stadium’s short right field porch, will play a corner outfield spot this season.

The list of newcomers in camp, which begins May 2 in Pomona, NY, and expected to compete roster spots is a lengthy one – and includes infielders Gabriel Garcia, Jake McKenzie, Steven Figueroa, Julien Hunt and Chris Kwitzer; catchers Al Reda and Andres Regnault; and outfielders David Vinsky, Gerson Molina, Giovanni Garbella and Erie Garaci.

Garcia, 24, is a righty bat who split time in 2021 with the Milwaukee Brewers’ Class AA/South Biloxi Shuckers and High A/Central Wisconsin Timber Rattlers; while McKenzie, 22, who also bats from the right side, saw time with the Boston Red Sox’ Low-A/East Salem Red Sox and High-A/East Greenville Drive, where he hit .265 in 25 games.

McKenzie also has local ties, hailing from Wallingford, CT and playing at Fordham University in The Bronx through the 2020 season.

“(Garcia) will primarily bounce from third base to first and also catcher,” Stanton said. “(McKenzie) is extremely valuable to us because he can play all around the infield.”

Meanwhile, Figueroa’s signing was sort of a homecoming for the lefty batter. Back in 2019, he played eight games for the then Rockland Boulders; then, in the summer of 2021, he was a member of the New York Brave of the All-American Baseball Challenge. Last season, Figueroa played for the Frontier League’s Tri-City Valley Cats.

Hunt, 27, who swings from the right side, comes to New York after spending last summer with the Wasco Reserve of the Pecos League; while Kwitzer, 27, brings his lefthanded bat to the Boulders after spending 2021 with the Valley Cats, where he hit .261 with five home runs and 17 RBI.

“(Figueroa) will be competing for a utility spot with experience all over the infield,” Stanton said. “(Hunt) will also be competing for a utility spot with a good glove and is very athletic. (Kwitzer) will move around from first base to third base to the outfield.”

Meanwhile, Regnault, 23, was acquired this past December from the Frontier League’s Joliet Slammers in exchange for reliever Tanner Kiest and outfielder Milton Smith, Jr.

Last season, Regnault, in 72 games for the Gateway Grizzlies (Frontier League), hit .317 with 13 home runs and 46 RBI. Born in Caracas, VZ, Regnault spent the 2016-2019 seasons in the New York Mets’ organization, the final season with Kingsport of the Appalachian League.

Reda, 27, is from nearby Montgomery, NY, and played with the West Virginia/Charleston Dirty Birds of the Atlantic League last summer.

“(Andres Regnault) is a huge player for us, but he will start on the inactive list waiting on the Venezuelan government to issue a passport,” Stanton said. “(Reda) has a ton of experience in the Atlantic League.”

Reda and Regnault each hit from the right side, as do Vinsky, Molina, Garbella and Geraci.

Vinsky, 23, spent last season with the St. Louis Cardinals’ Class AA/Central Springfield Cardinals, while Molina, 26, a native of Ciego De Avila, Cuba, was with the New York’s Mets’ Class High-A/East Brooklyn Cyclones in 2021.

Garbella, 25, is coming to New York after hitting .329 in 27 games with San Mateo of the Italian/Serie A league last season; while Geraci, 24, put up good numbers in the Pioneer League in 2021 – batting .321 in nine games with the Ogden Raptors and .275 in 22 games with the Great Falls Voyagers.

“(Vinsky) will probably play left and right field and his bat will be huge after playing (Class) AA with the Cardinals,” Stanton said. “(Molina) is a super athletic centerfielder and a former Cuban league player who also was with the Mets’ system.”

Stanton continued, “(Garbella) is a super exciting guy because of all the success in the Italian Major League and Geraci can play the corner spots in the outfield and first base and has worked all winter improving his bat.”

The manager added, “(We are in) a position where we need to develop young players into true pros. Because we won’t be able to wait on three-run homers, we will need to play a little more of a traditional offense and produce opportunities and runs which can be fun”

Information regarding season tickets and packages, as well as tickets for individual games for the Boulders’ 2022 season are available by calling 845-364-0009 or sliding to www.NYBoulders.com.

Debuting in 1993, the Frontier League is the largest and longest-running of the modern independent leagues and features teams stretching from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi River and from the Ohio River to the St. Lawrence Seaway. In September of 2020, the Frontier League reached an agreement to become a “Partner League” with Major League Baseball.

As a “Partner League,” the Frontier League and its teams will meet on a regular basis with MLB representatives to discuss joint marketing and promotional opportunities, as well as collaborate on initiatives to provide organized baseball to communities throughout the United States and Canada.

More information can be found at www.frontierleague.com.