Wilson, NC – The Wilson Tobs are happy to announce that the team will once again be home to three familiar faces this summer season. These three talented ballplayers are Drew Devine (Western Michigan University), Chase Wullenweber (Tusculum University), and Logan Eickhoff (Eastern Illinois University). In the upcoming 2021 summer, these young men will look to continue where they left off after a short summer season in 2020.
Marshall, Michigan is where crafty infielder, Drew Devine, calls home. Drew’s 2019 season with the Tobs was cut short due to injury, but not before he was selected as a CPL All-Star and recorded a .266 BA, 18 runs, and 5 stolen bases. In Devine’s 2018-2019 season with Western Michigan, he was awarded Second Team ALL – MAC by having a .359 batting average, .400 on base percentage, 15 doubles (this statistic was tied for seventh most in a single-season in school history), and also 31 runs on his 66 hits. Head Coach Harry Markotay recently touched on the return of Drew Devine to the summer squad saying, “We are incredibly happy to bring back Drew. Devine has been through a ton of adversity these past couple years with overcoming injuries and a couple surgeries. He plays with a ton of heart and is an intense competitor. We will be looking for him to be a leader out there on the field and we look forward to seeing him back in a Tobs uniform.” Once again, the Tobs organization is ecstatic to bring Drew Devine back to Wilson!
Our next Tobs returner is sophomore catcher, Chase Wullenweber. Chase was born in West Chester, Ohio and now plays college baseball with the Tusculum Pioneers. During Wullenweber’s 2019-2020 season with the Pioneers, he excelled with the bat hitting a .310 average, .389 on base percentage, 14 runs, and 22 RBI on only 58 at bats. With the Tobs, Chase had a larger impact on the defensive side of the ball with 123 putouts on 140 total chances, a .986 fielding percentage, and 6 runners caught stealing. The Tobs are excited to have Chase’s leadership and defensive presence at the catcher’s position. Coach Harry Markotay had some words to say for Wullenweber’s return, “ Chase is another guy we are excited to see in a Tobs uniform again after Wully missed out last summer with an injury. He was a big part of the Tobs team in 2019 defensively and we are excited to have him back behind the dish at Fleming. Offensively Chase has been working hard and we believe he will be a big part of our lineup this summer”.
Our last returning positional player goes by the name of Logan Eickhoff. Logan started his college career at North Central Missouri College, but has since transferred and is currently playing ball at Eastern Illinois University. Eickhoff is a swiss army knife when it comes to his play on the field. Logan plays catcher and also outfield,but has been known to play around the entire field for the Tobs. Coach Markotay had a few words to say about Logan and how valuable his return will be this summer, “We will look to use Eickhoff in a variety of roles like we did last summer. He is a great defender anywhere you put him. He was also huge offensively for us last summer and is having a great spring so far. No doubt he will be a big part of our lineup offensively this upcoming summer as well”. As you can see, Coach Markotay has high praise for Logan and his ability to be useful in many ways. In the 2019-2020 summer season with the Tobs, Eickhoff was able to bat with a .310 average while having an on base percentage of .341 and only striking out on 3 of his 42 total at bats. In this current 2021 college season, Logan is off to a fiery start batting with a .435 average, scoring 26 runs, 18 RBI’s, and succeeding on 8 of his 11 stolen base attempts. The Tobs cannot wait to get Logan back in Wilson to see his talent shine again.
Hey fans don’t forget to mark your calendars for the Wilson Tobs 2021 season opener and thirsty Thursday on Thursday, May 27. Stick around Memorial Day weekend for the Tobs always exciting Band Jam & Firework Show on Sunday, May 30! The Tobs Red, White, and Blue Firework Show will be Saturday, July 3. Season tickets and ticket packages are on sale now and can be purchased by calling (252)291-8627, or by visiting www.wilsontobs.com.
The Wilson Tobs enter their 25th season as a founding member of the Coastal Plain League. The upcoming season for the Tobs will see community outreach, increased participation in helping the less fortunate, a Pettit Cup Championship team, and more exciting entertainment than ever before. We would like to dedicate each successful season to the Wilson Community, Coastal Plain League Organization, Host Families, Corporate Partners, and the Dedicated Fans.
The Wilson Tobs have played host to over 100 alumni taken in the draft and have produced a dozen players who have gone on to play in the MLB, including Cy Young MVP winner Justin Verlander. For more information on the Wilson Tobs, visit our website www.wilsontobs.com.