One of the best all-around players in the Pacific Association from 2015 returns to Sonoma as Yuki Yasuda signed with the Stompers on Saturday.
Bill Hoban/Sonoma Index-Tribune
Tim Livingston, Assistant GM, Baseball Ops. & Media
The Sonoma Stompers Baseball Club – Presented by Virginia Dare Winery – made another significant addition to their team on Saturday when the club signed 2015 Defensive Player of the Year Yuki Yasuda to a contract.
Yasuda, who turned 26 on Saturday, was a tremendous player for the Stompers in 2015 thanks to his ability to play all over the infield, taking over as the team’s primary second baseman a month into the season.
Once he was inserted as a regular with his first game as a starter on July 7, Yasuda was a force at the top of the Stompers lineup. He hit .307/.448/.367 and walked more times than he struck out (40 BB, 38 K) in 252 plate appearances.
By advanced stats, Yasuda had a Weighted Runs Created Plus (wRC+) of 139 in 2015, making him the seventh best offensive player in the league who played in at least 30 games. He was tremendous on the basepaths as well, stealing 16 bases in 18 attempts.
The aforementioned Defensive Player of the Year award for his work at second base was well deserved, as he committed only two errors at the keystone and showed a consistent glove wherever he played on the infield.
In a corresponding move, the Stompers placed first baseman Daniel Baptista on the 7-day Inactive List retroactive to June 15. Yasuda is available to play in tonight’s game.
The Stompers host the Vallejo Admirals tonight at 5 p.m. at People’s Home Equity Ballpark at Arnold Field. The Stompers handily defeated the Admirals Friday night during “Out At The Ballpark”, 11-1 behind a tremendous starting performance from Sean Conroy and four home runs.
Tickets are available for tonight’s game and every home game online at StompersBaseball.com. Fans can also purchase tickets beginning 30 minutes before any home game at the Arnold Field box office and at the Stompers Fan Shop at 234 West Napa Street in downtown Sonoma.
For more information on tickets, please call (707) 938-7277 or email the team at info@StompersBaseball.com.