Sheboygan A's Baseball

Brewers Open Spring Training Against Familiar Names

Posted: March 4, 2015

When the Milwaukee Brewers open up Spring Training action today, Brewers fans from the Sheboygan area might really recognize several of their opponents.

The Brewers will be taking on the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee Panthers in an exhibition contest at 2:30 PM CST at Maryvale Baseball Park in Arizona.

UW-Milwaukee, the state’s only NCAA Division One baseball program, features eight players who have already worn a Sheboygan A’s uniform. In addition, first year volunteer assistant coach and 2011 Milwaukee Brewers draft pick Chad Pierce is also a Sheboygan A’s alumni, having played two seasons with the A’s in 2006 and 2007.

“It’s a pretty neat thing to see” said Sheboygan A’s Vice President C.J. Skelton. “We have had a great connection with UW-Milwaukee in the past, and some of their top players in school history have also been Sheboygan A’s. It’s great that they trust sending us several players each season.”

Dan Barwick, Zach Brenner, Gunnar Eastman, Blake Fleischman, Sheboygan Falls native Cole Heili, Eric King, Derek Peake, and Eric Solberg have all played for the A’s in recent years, with Barwick, Brenner, Fleischman, Heili and Solberg all members of the A’s 2014 Langsdorf League championship. Barwick is reportedly out for the season with an arm injury.

The Brewers are scheduled to start right-hander Mike Fiers, with relivers Corey Knebel and Taylor Williams among the other pitchers scheduled to work against the Panthers. The Brewers open Cactus League play in Tempe, Ariz., against the Angels on Thursday.

“It’s hard to know who to root for in a situation like this” said Skelton. “We all love the Brewers, but I think for Wednesday, we are rooting for the guys in black and gold to do well, since that could be a springboard to the rest of their season..”

The Sheboygan A's are members of the Wisconsin State League and Northeastern Wisconsin Baseball League. The A's have helped develop more than 43 players that have reached professional baseball, including 2002 World Series Champion Jarrod Washburn (Anaheim Angels). All Sheboygan A's home games are played at Wildwood Baseball Park in Sheboygan. Connect with the A's on FacebookTwitterInstagram and YouTube.