Wilson, N.C. – The Wilson Tobs are excited to welcome two way players Julian Greenwell and Jay Luikart to the squad for the 2022 season. Both southpaws come to Wilson by way of Wright State University and they are ready to make an immediate impact on the mound or at the plate. 

Greenwell, a sophomore from Columbus, IN, was signed to the Tobs 2021 team but never made it to Wilson due to an injury. The left handed hitting Greenwell brings an intimidating presence to the batter’s box along with the skill set to play both OF and 1B. His first two seasons at the collegiate level were spent as a true two way player, making 10 pitching appearances over the 2020 and 2021 seasons and striking out 20 in only 13 innings of work. He also compiled a batting average of .290 with 8 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR and an OB% of .415. Unfortunately, Greenwell’s injury near the end of the 2021 season has kept him off the bump thus far in 2022, but he has found a way to make impacts elsewhere. He has become an everyday fielder for his Raiders and has been a key part in their potent offense. The sophomore has been on base more often than not this spring accruing 18 walks, a .341 BA, 12 HBP and an incredible OB% of .504! The extra base hits are up as well for the lefty who is slugging .553 with 5 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR with 24 RBIs to show for it. The Tobs are looking to Greenwell to be a big bat in the order with the versatility to drive the ball to each part of the field while being a constant threat on the bases. Coach Markotay is excited to finally see this Raider in a Tobs uniform because Greenwell’s trip to Wilson has been in the works since the fall of 2020. 

Red shirt sophomore Jay Luikart is another bolstering addition to the 2022 Wilson Tobs. Originally from Ashland, OH, Luikart is a left handed hitting utility man who also spends some time on the mound for the Raiders. During his first two seasons at Wright State, he pitched 12.2 innings with 14 K’s and only 4 walks while also allowing only 1 extra base hit. Offensively, he put together 6 2B, 3 3B, 2 HR, 17 BB and only 15 K’s in 89 ABs. So far this spring he has pitched 8.1 innings over 8 appearances and has collected 4 saves while holding opposing batters to an impressive .143 average. On the positional side of things, Luikart is crushing it with 7 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR and slugging .545. The lefty also has 17 free passes to 14 K’s and has 4 stolen bases in 5 attempts. On the field he has been primarily penciled in at CF and boasts a 1.000 fielding percentage with 40 putouts to his credit. During the summer of 2021, Luikart played in the Great Lakes League where he was an allstar while continuing to be dominant on both the mound and at the plate. He finished leading the team in HR, 3 3B, 2 2B and a slugging percentage of .490. Tobs fans are in for a treat this summer having a player like Luikart who can drive in runs, hold down CF and come in to close a game all in the same night. 

With these two lefties coming to town, the Tobs are adding some more firepower to their repertoire. Skipper Harry Markotay is looking forward to being able to call on these southpaws whenever and wherever they are needed. With the season only just over a month away, you can almost hear the crack of the bat and all the runs the Tobs are sure to produce. 

Tobs Fans, don’t forget to mark your calendars for the Tobs 2022 Season Opener and Thirsty Thursday on May 26th. Stick around for Memorial Day weekend and the always exciting Tobs Firework Extravaganza Show on Sunday, May 29th! The Tobs Red, White, and Blue Firework Show will be Saturday, July 2nd. 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 26th 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 Petitt 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 MLB draft and have produced over a dozen players who have gone on to play in the MLB, including Cy Young MVP winner Justin Verlander.