The Moose Jaw Miller Express have announced their first player signing for the 2022 Western Canadian Baseball League campaign, and he brings a bit of a winning pedigree north of the border.
Senior outfielder Michael Speck has suited up for the NCAA Division III Spalding University Golden Eagles the last two seasons, reaching the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship final in 2021 before falling to the Webster University Gorlocks.
The season prior, Spalding held an 11-3 record and had won eight straight to sit in first place in their conference before the COVID-19 pandemic took hold.
And through it all, Speck has been a key contributor.
The Roaring Springs, Penn. native hit .317 in the 2021 campaign -- 13th best in the 10-team SLIAC -- which saw Spalding post a 29-15 record, including 24-4 in conference. His offensive output included 11 doubles and two triples while also showing a bit of pop in his bat with four home runs, putting him in the top 10 in the SLIAC in that category. Speck also had 28 runs batted in while putting together a solid .928 OPS.
Speck was named the SLIAC Hitter of the Week for the week of May 3, 2021 and was named to the SLIAC All-Conference team at season’s end.
Speck capped the 2021 campaign on a 10-game hitting streak as Spalding made their run to the conference final.
A sports management major, Speck also suited up for junior college Spartanburg Methodist in his freshman year and saw his crew reach the National Junior Colleges Athletics Association Eastern District championship before losing out.
You can check out Speck showing his onfield skills as a high school senior by visiting his Perfect Game profile right here.
Spalding University open their regular season on Feb. 19 at LaGrange University, and you can follow along with Speck’s exploits at www.spaldingathletics.com/sports/baseball.
The Moose Jaw Miller Express return to the field for the first time in two years on May 27 when they host the Medicine Hat Mavericks. Follow the team on Facebook at www.facebook.com/mjmillerexpress for the latest news on the upcoming season.