Wake Forest University will once again have solid representation on the 2016 Harrisonburg Turks. 7th-year Head Coach Tom Walter (Turks Alum) has sent a bevy of Demon Deacons to the ‘Burg over the years including Mac Williamson (San Francisco Giants) and Niko Spezial. This year two highly thought of right hand pitchers will toe the rubber for the Turks,  John McCarren and Donnie Sellers.

John McCarren is a veteran pitcher out of Manasquan, New Jersey, standing 6’3 and weighing 195 pounds. Currently a junior, he has excelled over the past three years as a reliever. This season he has a 3-1 record and is on track to post a career best 2.72 ERA. McCarren has been one of the bright spots for the Demon Deacons this season. Coach Walters on John’s prospects this season: “John has had two good years in our bullpen and will be even better this year. An offseason program dedicated to strength and refining his delivery has produced great results. He is throwing with more velocity, better life on his fastball and his off-speed stuff has improved dramatically. We like having the ball in his hands.”

 

Donnie Sellers is a 6’0, 185 pound sophomore reliever from High Point, North Carolina who picked up four wins in a up and down freshman season. This year Sellers has vastly improved his numbers, bringing his ERA down from 5.34 to 3.32 with a team-high 5 saves. He comes to the Turks with a lot of individual and team accolades, especially in high school where he was First Team All-State in both 2012 and 2013 when his school, Westchester Country Day, won back-to-back state championships. Coach Walters is very pleased with Donnie’s development: “Donnie has a power arm, a power breaking ball, fields his position extremely well and is a fantastic athlete. All that combined spells ‘closer’. We fell that before year’s end he should be as good as any closer in the country. Fastball command and his change-up are the keys to making the closer role his.”

Two players on the rise, from an established program, led by a former Harrisonburg Turk. Sounds like a plan to me! Can’t wait to meet these guys and have a great summer in Harrisonburg!