The two Stompers veterans are returning as player-coaches for their fourth season.
Sonoma, Calif.--The Sonoma Stompers Professional Baseball Club, presented by Virginia Dare Winery, welcome back two very familiar faces to help defend their 2016 title in their fourth season. Designated hitter Joel Carranza and pitcher Mike Jackson Jr. have both agreed to terms and will join the Stompers for their forth seasons with the club as player-coaches. Both players have been a part of the Stompers since the team’s inaugural season, and were contributors on the 2016 Pacific Association Champion squad.
Carranza had one of the best individual seasons in franchise history in 2016. The Pembroke Pines, Florida native headlined a dominate offensive attack on his way to his first Most Valuable Player Award in the Pacific Association. He led the league in batting average at .316, and was second in home runs with 15. It was a long time coming for Carranza who is the franchise leader in home runs with 44 in three seasons.
Carranza spent part of the 2015, and 2016 season with the Trois-Rivieres Aigles of the Canadian-American Association before returning to Sonoma on Jun 8, 2016. Carranza is looking forward to once again calling Sonoma home as the Stompers defend their title.
“Sonoma has always felt like a home away from home to me,” Carranza said. “Since day one everyone in town and the Sonoma Stompers organization has supported me and made me feel like family. With such a great support system between the front office, my host family and all the fans, it makes coming back to Sonoma an easy decision. I'm looking forward to the season, seeing the team again and doing everything I can to help this organization win another championship.”
The veteran right-hander Jackson Jr. had one of the best seasons of his professional career in his third season in Sonoma as the ace of the pitching staff. The Pittsburgh product lead the Pacific Association in wins (8-2) and was second in ERA at 2.84. Jackson Jr. had one of the most dominant stretches of any pitchers in the league in the second half of last season.
Jackson Jr. dominated the league going 5-0 with a 1.49 ERA in his last five starts of the season. Jackson Jr. finished the season with the Long Island Ducks of the Atlantic League after being called up on August 15. Despite missing the last few weeks of the regular season, Jackson Jr. still finished second in the Pitcher of the Year voting behind San Rafael’s Patrick Conroy. The Sonoma fan favorite will return to mound in Sonoma with hopes of building upon what he accomplished last season with the club.
Team President and General Manager Theo Fightmaster was thrilled to bring back two important pieces of the 2016 team back to Sonoma.
"It's hard to describe just how important these guys are to our organization," Fightmaster said. "They've both been here since Day One. They're integral to what we've accomplished, and what we hope to accomplish this season."
Sonoma begin its season on Jun. 2 against the Pittsburg Diamonds. Season Tickets for the upcoming 2017 season at People’s Home Equity Ballpark at Arnold Field are available now on stompersbaseball.com. The Stompers’ home opener is on Jun. 13 against the Vallejo Admirals.
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 jen@stompersbaseball.com, or call 707.938.7277 for questions and more information.