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While the spring season is several months away, baseball season is already beginning at the Vermilion campus of Minnesota North College.
The school has one of the largest incoming recruiting classes in program history, with fall workouts beginning this weekend and the first in a series of scrimmages coming up on Sept. 7.
Two former Ely Timberwolves are among 21 firstyear players in the Vermilion program.
Infielder-pitcher Elliot Levens and pitcher-catcher Brecken Sandberg are both part of a group that will be looking for playing time as the Ironhawks rebuild after a 20-win season last spring.
They were part of an Ely Legion team that placed second in the Northeast Substate this summer, and they’ll join Ely teammate and first baseman Erron Anderson, who is back for his sophomore season with the Ironhawks.
“It’s always nice to get some local players on to the roster,” said head coach Tom Coombe. “Erron is one of our top returning players and coming off a huge summer in Legion, while Elliot and Brecken are both very capable of contributing for us. I’m excited to see what they can do at the college level.”
Graduation took a heavy toll on the Vermilion roster, but reinforcements arrive this weekend in the form of the large recruiting class.
The group includes:
• T.J. Frein, P-1B, Bloomington, Minn. (Jefferson);
• Jo Jo Taverna, C, Bloomington, Minn. (Jefferson);
• Martin Cubillan, C-3B, St. Paul, Minn. (Two Rivers);
• Colbie Parker, OF-P, Inver Grove Heights, Minn. (Simley);
• C.J. Styron, 1B-P, Milton, Wash.;
• Diego Ordonez, 3B-SS2B, Lake Jackson, Tex.;
• Cole Smith, OF, Missoula, Mont.;
• Andrew Ritter, P-SS, South Saint Paul, Minn.;
• Andrew Melgeorge, P, Superior, Wisc.;
• Griffin Stiel, OF, Hinckley, Minn.;
• Ty Ellsworth, OF, North Branch, Minn.;
• Jake Lehman, OF, Madelia, Minn.;
• Dylan Spears, P-3B, San Antonio, Tex.;
• Dylan Coello, IF, Pembroke Pines, Fla.;
• Eli Hazuga, 1B, Stanley- Boyd, Wisc;
• Charlie Mohr, IF, Forest Lake, Minn.;
• Cody Klein, P-IF, Hinckley, Minn;
• Andrew Wehrman, OF, Silver Bay, Minn,;
• Riley Hanka, P-3B, Fridley, Minn.
The first-year players will join about 10 holdovers from the 2024 team.
“We have a talented group coming in, but we still need to see how they fit together and how they competed at the college level,” said Coombe. “The fall will be very important for us as we try to figure some things out.”
Vermilion hosts Hibbing (Sept. 7), Mesabi (Sept. 25) and Rainy River (Oct. 1) in fall scrimmages at Veterans Memorial Field, and the Ironhawks also have their annual alumni game Sept. 28.
