Jalen Garcia Headlines Roster Additions
The Billings Mustangs have added three players to its roster as of Tuesday, June 20.
Headlining the additions, outfielder Jalen Garcia returns to the Billings Mustangs for his third season. Garcia has played 163 games for the Mustangs. In his professional career, the Billings native has a .334 average with 27 home runs, 36 doubles, and 22 triples for an OPS of .968. In 2021, Garcia earned Pioneer Baseball League Rookie of the Year honors, slashing 16 home runs and 75 RBIs for a .350 average and an OPS of 1.034. In 2022, Evans hit .315 with 11 home runs, 11 doubles, nine triples, and 56 RBIs. Evans provides depth and experience to an already talented outfield. He is expected to enter the lineup right away.
The Mustangs are also adding depth to its catcher corps. John Michael Faile, out of North Greenville University, joins to play first base and catcher for Billings. Faile sits alone in the NCAA D-II record books for the most career home runs hit (81) and most career RBIs (337). In 2021, Faile received a spot as an Division-II All American. He also earned the Conference Carolinas Player of the Year award for slashing .438 with 23 home runs, 11 doubles, and a triple, good for 78 RBIs. In his last season for the Crusaders, Faile earned Conference Carolinas Player of the Week honors twice. Faile is coming off a second-team all-conference season, batting .335 with 20 home runs, 13 doubles, and 86 RBIs in 61 games. In 2022, Faile earned first-team all-conference. In 54 games, Faile hit .416 with 16 home runs, 11 doubles, and 84 RBIs. As a freshman, Faile earned a nod for NCAA D-II third-team All American, and the honor of conference Freshman of the Year. In that season, he went .391 with 18 home runs, 14 doubles, and 70 RBIs.
As well as a catcher and outfielder the Mustangs are also adding a utility player to its ranks in Wyatt Crenshaw. Crenshaw spent his graduate season at Arizona State University in the PAC-12, where he hit .264 with nine home runs, 16 doubles, and 32 RBIs. In 2022, Crenshaw earned Division-II All American second-team honors for his season at Colorado Christian University. There, he hit .417 with 16 homers, 19 doubles, and 70 RBIs.