Who will be back with the West Virginia Black Bears in 2017?

Brandon Bingel

Here’s a look at players who are projected to return to Granville for another season with the West Virginia Black Bears. We will know for sure in a few days, but looking at the current roster at the Black Bears website, it looks like 7 players will be back from the 2016 season. The remainder of the team will be made up of players drafted in this week’s MLB draft and possibly a few players will be assigned from the Bristol Pirates (Appalachian League) and the Gulf Coast League Pirates.

Brandon Bingel pitched in 16 games last year for the Black Bears (0-2, 2.91 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 4 saves, 16 SO, 9 BB in 21.2 innings). He was drafted by the Pirates in the 22nd round of the 2016 draft out of Bryant College.

Stephan Meyer was drafted in the 18th round of the 2015 draft out of Bellevue University. After a strong start with the Rookie League Gulf Coast Pirates, he was assigned to the Black Bears on August 26, 2015, and pitched in four games (0-0, 10.2 IP, 0.84 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 10 SO, 2 BB). Spent the entire 2016 with Black Bears, starting 16 games (2-6, 82 IP, 4.50 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 50 SO, 22 BB).

Evan Piechota played college ball at Madonna (Michigan) University. He was signed as an undrafted free agent in July, 2016 and was assigned to the Gulf Coast League Pirates. He was reassigned to the Bristol Pirates on August 1 and then promoted to the Black Bears on August 21, 2016. He appeared in 4 games in relief (2-0, 9.1 IP, 1.93 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 5 SO, 3 BB)

Stephan Meyer

 Jacob Taylor was drafted in the 5th round of the 2015 draft out of Pearl River (Mississippi) Community College. Played in one game in 2015 with the Gulf Coast Pirates before needing Tommy John surgery. Returned to action in August, 2016 with the Gulf Coast Pirates and appeared in one game with the Black Bears.

Nick King was signed by the Pirates as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Georgia on June 30, 2016. He appeared in 28 games for the Black Bears (2B/3B) (.196/.265/.261).

Matt Diorio was drafted out of the University of Central Florida in the 16th round of the 2016 draft. The outfielder appeared in 37 games for the Black Bears in 2016 (.215/.329/.306).

Sandy Santos was signed by the Pirates as an international free agent in 2012. Spent the 2013 and 2014 seasons with the Dominican Summer League Pirates and the 2015 season with the Bristol Pirates in the Appalachian League. The outfielder played in 63 games with the Black Bears in 2016 (.281/.336/.412). He began the 2017 season with the West Virginia Power in the South Atlantic League (.181/.301/.319) and was assigned to the Black Bears on June 13, 2017.

Matt Diorio

Sandy Santos

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Photo Credits: MiLB.com

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