The most prolific slugger in Sonoma Stompers history has returned as Joel Carranza has signed with the Stompers as a player/coach.
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The Sonoma Stompers Baseball Club’s first roster transaction of the 2016 season sits in stark contrast to the exodus of talent the team experienced last August. Former Pacific Association single-season home run record holder and fan favorite Joel Carranza was signed by the Stompers on Monday.
Carranza belted a then-league-record 19 home runs in 2014, and drove in 64 runs. Last season he hit .358 with 10 homers and 39 RBIs in 44 games before being signed by the Canadian-American League’s Trios-Rivieres Eagles of Quebec. Carranza helped take the Eagles to the CanAm championship with a .267 average and four homers in 11 games down the stretch.
A career .306 hitter in professional baseballs, spanning 6 different seasons, has a lifetime OBP (on-base percentage) of .377, with a slugging percentage of .533 and an OPS (on-base plus slugging percentages) .910.
“We’re thrilled Joel is returning to Sonoma,” Fightmaster said. “He’s been one of the faces of this franchise since he arrived on the scene in 2014. We’re excited to see what he can do for our lineup that has been fun to watch already in the early going this year.”
Carranza will serve as the Stompers' hitting coach, too.
The Stompers open their home season Tuesday with a 6 p.m. tilt against the Vallejo Admirals. Sonoma (4-2) took two of three from Vallejo (3-3) in the first series of the season last week.
Joel will also be one of the players featured at June's Stompers Kids Camp, Tuesday June 14 - Thursday June 16th Featuring an appearance by former Giant J.T. Snow on June 15. For more information or to register, visit http://www.stompersbaseball.com/kidscamp/.
Full Season tickets, mini-plans and partial season tickets are on sale on our website, www.stompersbaseball.com, or at the Stompers Fan Shop, located at 234 West Napa Street in Sonoma. Group events and Group Tickets are also available now. Please email jack@stompersbaseball.com, or call 707.938.7277 for questions and more information.