Our #10 reliever in the 2016 Valley League season may have been the only player born in Germany in the entire league last year.
Matt Kaster, from Purcellville and Wilkes University, lists his hometown as Traben-Trabach, Germany. He also had an outstanding season out of the Cannon bullpen.
In 12 appearances, Matt went 1-2, 3.30, with a 0.920 WHIP, 2.2 BB/9, and 12.1 K/9 in 16 1/3 innings pitched. He added 2/3 of an inning in the playoffs. His WHIP finished 4th of all the relievers considered for this list, and his K/9 is 6th.
Matt has put in 3 seasons at Wilkes. In 2014, as a freshman, Matt went 1-1, 2.63, with 5 saves, 9 hits, 11 walks, and 16 K’s in 13 2/3 innings. He was used a little bit more in 2015, finishing with 22 innings. He went 3-4, 4.91, with 2 saves and 21 K’s. In 2016, he had a dominant year out of the bullpen. Overall, he went 3-3, 1.59, with 3 saves, 25 hits, 12 walks, and 43 strikeouts in 34 innings.
Congratulations on your excellent summer, Matt!