ROCKERS ROUNDUP: Rockers sign first player for upcoming season
Feb. 21—HIGH POINT — The High Point Rockers have signed their first player for the upcoming season — left-handed pitcher Jake Kuchmaner.
Kuchmaner comes to High Point following a stellar career at East Carolina. A Waxhaw native, he won a state championship at Marvin Ridge High in 2015 before joining the Pirates, where he went 21-9 in five seasons.
East Carolina made three NCAA Regional appearances during his career and won two regional titles. Kuchmaner, who was selected first team All-American Athlete Conference, threw the first perfect game in program history in 2019.
A starter with outstanding control, Kuchmaner struck out 188 batters over 229 innings during his career while walking just 63. He was first team all-conference in 2019 while earning consecutive national player of the week honors.
The Rockers will open the season at the Lexington Legends on Thursday, April 25. They will play their home opener Tuesday, April 30, at Truist Point against the Charleston Dirty Birds.
GONZALEZ NAMED MANAGER OF NJ JACKALS
HIGH POINT — Albert Gonzalez has been named the manager of the New Jersey Jackals of the Frontier League.
Gonzalez has been an assistant coach with the Rockers since it began in 2019 and has coached alongside manager Jamie Keefe for seven seasons, going back to their time with the Rockland Boulders of the Can-Am League.
In 2020, Gonzalez split time with the Boulders and the BR Bandits of the Liberation Professional Baseball League. He led the Boulders to the playoffs and the Bandits to a league championship that season.
He has also been head coach at Monroe (N.Y.) College and an assistant coach at Felician (N.J.) University and Yeshiva (N.Y.) University.
After spending his first two years as High Point's bullpen coach, Gonzalez has served as the Rockers' bench coach for the past two seasons while also serving as the club's player personnel director.
TRUIST POINT TO HOST COLLEGE GAMES
HIGH POINT — Truist Point will host over a dozen games this college baseball season — including High Point University's game against N.C. A&T in April and the Big South Conference championship in May.
Greensboro College will host nine dates (including a pair of doubleheaders) while GTCC will play Patrick & Henry on April 3, in addition to HPU's game April 16 and the Big South tournament May 23-25.
Greensboro College's games will be: March 8 vs. Adrian College, 1 p.m.; March 9 vs. Maryville, 1; March 10 vs. Rochester, 3:30; March 12 vs. Lynchburg, 4; March 23 vs. Methodist, 4; March 24 vs. Methodist (DH), 1; April 10 vs. Guilford, 5; April 26 vs. NC Wesleyan, 5; and April 27 vs. NC Wesleyan (DH), 1.
