The 2016 edition of the Everett Merchants combines seasoned veterans with young, talented upstarts, and manager Harold Pyatte has designs on taking the club back to the National Baseball Congress World Series in early August.
Pyatte, who is entering his 44th season in charge of the semipro team that competes in the Pacific International league, has put together a roster of mostly collegiate players for this summer, with a pair of post-graduates mixed in.
Nine players from the 2015 Merchants return after helping Everett place second in the PIL, falling just short of a trip to Wichita, Kansas for the NBC World Series.
“We’ve got some really good players coming back, and they’ll mix with an influx of good, younger players,” Pyatte said.
Everett begins its 38-game season on Saturday at 3:05 p.m. at Everett Memorial Stadium, playing host to the Laces Baseball Academy’s 18-and-under Elite team. The Laces squad is comprised of local prep standouts.
The Merchants finished the 2015 season with a record of 24-11-1, but finished second in the PIL standings to the Seattle Studs, who earned the league’s automatic bid to the NBC World Series.
The Studs won it all in Wichita, giving them a berth in the 2016 event regardless of how they finish in the PIL. If the Studs and Merchants finish 1-2 in the PIL again this summer, they would both earn trips to the World Series, with Seattle going as a returning champion, and Everett taking the PIL’s automatic berth.
Pyatte will be counting on returners to anchor the lineup and the pitching staff this summer.
Left-hander Dominic DeMiero, fresh off a freshman campaign with Bellevue College that saw him go 7-2 with a 2.74 ERA and earn a selection to the All-NWAC first team, will lead the pitching staff.
“He has great control and command, and has the attitude you want a pitcher to have,” Pyatte said. “He knows how to pitch, and gets great action on his fastball and has a good off-speed pitch.”
Cody Culp, a right-hander who led the University of Hawaii in earned-run average, appearances and saves as a senior in 2016, will slot in behind DiMiero as a starter for Everett.
Pat Siler, another returning right-hander out of Skagit Valley College, will also be counted on to start for the Merchants this summer, with a host of newcomers fighting for innings out of the bullpen.
On the infield, Jordan LaFave is expected to hold down the shortstop position after batting .291 and leading Bellevue with 51 hits on his way to All-NWAC North honors.
Jake Levin, who served as a two-way threat for Central Washington University this spring, hitting .308 with a team-best seven home runs and 30 RBI, will do the same for Everett, playing first base when he’s not on the mound.
Zach Usselman will be another utility performer for the Merchants, serving as both a pitcher and catcher for Everett after doing the same at Bellevue. Usselman is headed to North Carolina State next season.
“He’s got a lot of tools,” Pyatte said of Usselman. He closed for Bellevue and did a lot of catching. He’s a guy that we’re counting on for big things.”
Outfielder Ty Holm, who led the PIL in batting (.397) and paced the Merchants with three home runs and 27 RBI in 2015, will serve as a player-coach this summer.
Fans won’t have many chances to catch the Merchants at Everett Memorial Stadium this summer, as only 12 games, on nine dates, are scheduled to be played at home.
Everett will be competing at the 12-team Grand Forks International Baseball Tournament in British Columbia on June 28-July 3, and then heading back across the border on July 7-10 for the Kamloops International Baseball Tournament.
Another highlight of the Merchants’ schedule, along with their yearly Everett Cup contest against the Everett AquaSox, will be a six-game series with the Alaska Goldpanners in Fairbanks. The Merchants took five of six from the Panners last summer.
Pyatte, 73, is still enjoying helping to mold young ballplayers after all his years with the Merchants.
“I just really enjoy being part of a young man’s life and helping him fulfill his dream. To me, that’s all it’s been about all these years, is to give these kids a place to play,” he said.
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