The Australian Baseball League is a better competition than you may think. It’s closer to the “top level” of World Baseball than any other major North American sport in Australia. The Giants lead the country in players that have played for the club and moved on the MLB with 12 over the past 10 seasons.
We’re home to many former and future big leaguers as well as some of the best Australian talent. This year we saw 20-year-old South Aussie Curtis Mead, a member of our team the last four seasons, progress from Low-A all the way to Triple A. The guys can flat out play.
With the 2021-22 ABL season cancelled due to COVID-19 implications, the Giants have released a playing list exclusively of local players. The team will play at least six exhibition series vs the Perth Heat, Melbourne Aces, Team Australia Futures and Brisbane Bandits.
It’s an opportunity to see how the players go against interstate talent. If you’re a bit of a numbers junky, click here for all the stats.
Let’s get to know the team.
Pitchers
Lachlan Wells: Is Wells in contention to become our ace? An expected starter for one of our games. Wells is one of the best pitchers on Team Australia, having pitched for them in the World Baseball Classic and the Premier12. He’s been affiliated with the Minnesota Twins for the past five years. He’s a deceptive left handed pitcher making his Giants debut after spending the last few years with the Sydney Blue Sox.
Mitch Neunborn: He dazzled in his first season with the Giants in 2021 and now calls Adelaide home. Neunborn’s stellar season on the mound earned him the Rookie of the Year for the Australian Baseball League and a spot on Team Australia. He throws the ball up to 94mph and has a tricky slider to keep runners off balance. He’s only allowed one run in local club ball this season for West Torrens, cementing himself as the top arm in South Aussie baseball.
Luke Wilkins: An 11-year Australian Baseball League veteran who made the move to the Giants last year after a decade with the Sydney Blue Sox. Wilkins can be used as a starter or as a reliever. He throws the ball up to 95mph. He’s been a regular on Team Australia and can be used in many situations.
Sam Street: Making his debut with the Giants, Street is a five year veteran of the ABL after spending four years with the Melbourne Aces and one with the Canberra Cavalry. He has a career 3.95 earned runs average in the ABL. Street is also a member of Team Australia, having played for the Green and Gold in the 2017 World Baseball Classic and 2019 Premier12 Tournament. A former Pittsburgh Pirate affiliate.
Riley Yeatman: 17-year-old Riley Yeatman makes his long anticipated Giants debut. The kid busted on the scene in 2021 with a stellar season in South Australia. He put up big numbers with East Torrens in the South Australian Baseball League, won the Pitcher of the Year in the Super League (Adelaide) and signed a professional contract with the San Diego Padres. A player on the up-swing.
Jackson Brebner-Russ: He’s been involved with the Giants for nearly a decade now. Brebner Russ throws the ball over 90mph and has been used primarily as a reliever the last few seasons. Brebner-Russ is one of the strongest and most reliable arms in the local competition for Sturt, winning the 2021 Grand Final MVP.
Jayden Bastow: Making his Giants debut, Bastow flies in from Sydney. He just finished a three year Junior College Career at Cook Community College and will be facing the elite of the elite in Australian baseball for the first time.
Nathan Vanderlinden: He won the 2021 Adelaide Giant of the Year for a reason – he will do anything for his team! He can start games, close games, relieve games, play defensive innings and even start in the field. Vanderlinden is a reliable middle-reliever who can eat some innings.
Tom Fitzgerald: He’ll be one of the most anticipated arms to hit the mound this year for the Giants. Fitzgerald has seen remarkable improvement this season compared to last in the local leagues. Through 40 innings his walks have decreased (34 to 12), his strike outs are up (38 to 54), and his ERA is down (4.37 to 1.51). Can this translate to the next level up? He’s one of the best guys around so we’re all hoping so!
AJ Verastegui: The Venezuelan has been in South Australia for four years. Formerly affiliated with the Tigers, AJ set the single season strike out record in the local South Australian competition in 2020-21 with Golden Grove.
Will Kortekaas: He was one of the top rated junior pitchers in the country for a while but a nasty arm injury in late 2019 set him back. It wiped out a couple seasons on baseball at full strength but Will is looking ready to rumble. Kortekaas is putting up some solid numbers with first-place West Torrens this year in club ball.
Jordy Grose: A story of hard work for this South Australian. Grose has steadily climbed the ranks from lower division pitcher to one of South Australia’s best. Grose was on the Team of the Year last season in the South Australian Baseball League. He was 13-0 with a sub-2.00 ERA. This year he’s putting up giant numbers again in the Super League and club ball and has earned a spot on the team.
Craig Barnett – He’s been lighting up the local Victorian Club Ball scene, and slots in to the Giants roster!
Catchers
Mitch Edwards: The 21-year-old just finished his third season with the Philadelphia Phillies but was unfortunately released. The Australian will be looking to find his form to potentially earn another minor league contract somewhere. Edwards put up one of the best seasons by a catcher in Adelaide Giants’ history in 2019 when he hit .318.
Griffin Weber: The 21-year-old is part of the “Golden Generation” of South Australian Baseball. He was on the South Aussie squad that won the U16 and U18 National Championships, ending a 30+ year drought. Weber has been with the Giants for a few seasons now and is the starting catcher at Henley & Grange.
Infielders
Rixon Wingrove (1B): Rixon’s raw power has him as a tantilising prospect in the Philadelphia Phillies’ organisation. The newly turned 21-year-old just finished his first full season at Low-A in the USA and returns to Australia to play for Sturt Baseball Club. He’s on Team Australia’s radar. Last year he pounded the baseball, hitting two dramatic Walk Off homers.
Mitch Lightbody (2B): This will be Lightbody’s sixth season with the club. The South Aussie has been mainly used as a defensive substitute, pinch runner and spot starter. He’ll get a good look at what he can do as a starter.
Darcy Barry (SS): The 18-year-old just committed to go to Northern Iowa Community College next season. He was on the Team Of the Year in club ball last year and is having another strong season with the bat. Congrats to the South Aussie on making his debut. He was on the U18 Australian World Cup Team before that event was cancelled due to COVID-19.
Liam Bull (3B): Another 18-year-old South Aussie with a solid bat. In his Adelaide Giants debut in the exhibition All-Star game in Decemeber, Bull hit two home runs in his first two at-bats. What can the kid do with his first real look vs talent that’s a level up to what he is used to?
Wade McConnon (Util): A Melbourne-based club baller who joins us in Victoria for the series. McConnon played for us as an emergency fill-in in the Finals Series in 2021.
Brock Wells – A promising young player out of Geelong that comes from the recommendation of pitching coach Josh Spence. From Victoria.
Outfielders
Jordan McArdle (LF): The 23-year-old South Aussie has played 149 games for Adelaide, the fifth most all time. Had there been no COVID-19 cancellations he would be over 200 games by the end of this season. McArdle has been with the Arizona Diamondbacks and Philadelphia Phillies and was named to Team Australia this year for the Olympic Qualifiers. He’s the defacto leader in the club house. A big left handed bat with a quick swing.
Brodie Arriola (CF): The 20-year-old South Aussie broke the Adelaide Giants’ line up last season when he was named an opening day starter. The Port Adelaide product has put up back-to-back big seasons in club ball. He’s an athletic player with a solid bat.
Max Stagg (RF): The 17-year-old South Aussie puts on the Giants jersey for the first time. Stagg is on the U18 National Team radar right now and a top prospect across the country. Stagg is already a leader at first-place West Torrens. Stagg grew up a Giants fan and gets an opportunity to see how he goes at the next level.
Jack Partington (OF): A cool story. Partington has nearly forced his way into the Giants’ line up after putting up a remarkable year at Henley & Grange and in the Super League. Partington is hitting .409 with 10 runs batted in and a league leading 15 stolen bases in 11 games this year. He plays the game with high-tempo and is as exciting as anyone to watch.
Development
Coaches
Manager – Chris Adamson
Asst. Coach – Scott Gladstone
Asst. Coach – Michael Dunn
Pitch Coach – Josh Spence
Dev. Coach – Brad Harman
EO – Johnny Tsai
