With all the negative news surrounding the start-up Empire League, it’s nice to see a new league that is thriving.
The United Shore Professional Baseball League (USPBL) has announced that they have had their fifth player signed to a major league organization. The USPBL, which has had sold-out crowds all season long at Jimmy John’s field, is proving to be a great stepping stone for young players looking to get into affiliated baseball.
UNITED SHORE PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL LEAGUE SENDS FIFTH PLAYER THIS SEASON TO A MAJOR LEAGUE ORGANIZATIONEastside Diamond Hoppers First Baseman Dalton DiNatale signed by Los Angeles Dodgers
ROCHESTER, Mich. July 24, 2016—The United Shore Professional Baseball League (USPBL) today announced that Dalton DiNatale, a first baseman for the Eastside Diamond Hoppers, has been signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers. He will report immediately to the Dodgers organization.The signing marks the fifth time in the 2016 season that a USPBL player has been signed by a Major League Baseball organization. Earlier this year, Birmingham Bloomfield Beavers pitcher Ross Vance was signed by the St. Louis Cardinals while Beavers infielder Aaron Bossi was signed by the New York Yankees, and Eastside Diamond Hoppers pitcher Chris McDonald and Utica Unicorns pitcher Evan Piechota were both signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates organization.Dalton DiNatale played college baseball at Arizona State University, and he was drafted in 2015 but released after 1 year in the minors. The 6’4” left-handed hitting first baseman was snapped up by the USPBL earlier this year, and DiNatale worked extensively on his hitting during his time with the USPBL this season.“I knew that I needed to make great strides with my swing to get another shot at affiliated baseball. The USPBL offered a great hitting program with top notch instructors so it was a natural fit. Forcehitting.com, the USPBL hitting program, really helped me understand my swing. I also was playing for managers in Jim Essian and Paul Noce with MLB experience, so it was the perfect combination to help me get back to the MiLB. I just want to give it my best shot, and the good Lord willing, things will work out,” said DiNatale when he received news that he was being signed by the Dodgers.“Whether it’s a college kid passed over or an exceptional young man like Dalton who needs just a little bit of help, that’s our goal. We are a finishing school for these young men and we take great pride in making every player better,” said Andy Appleby, Commissioner and Founder of the USPBL.About United Shore Professional Baseball LeagueRochester Hills, MI-based General Sports and Entertainment founded the United Shore Professional Baseball League (USPBL), an independent professional baseball league, in Metro Detroit in 2015. The league plays in the brand new, state-of-the-art $15 million ballpark named Jimmy John’s Field located in downtown Utica, Mich. First of its kind for the region, the USPBL provides a fun and exciting family atmosphere while showcasing top baseball talent to fans of all ages. The inaugural season, which began on Memorial Day 2016, features three teams—the Utica Unicorns, the Eastside Diamond Hoppers and the Birmingham Bloomfield Beavers. Additional teams and ballparks will be added in future years.
Here’s a look at how the other four players are doing after signing:
- Ross Vance (Johnson City Cardinals – Rookie) 7 games, 8.1 IP, 12 K, 4.32 ERA
- Aaron Bossi (GCL Yankees East – Rookie) 11 games, 23 AB, .304 avg
- Chris McDonald (GCL Pirates – Rookie) 4 games, 10.1 IP, 2-1 record, 6.10 ERA
- Evan Piechota (GCL Pirates – Rookie) 3 games, 4.2 IP, 1-0 record, 0.00 ERA
(All stats courtesy of MiLB.com)
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