The Moose Jaw Miller Express have made a habit of signing on players with winning pedigrees over the years, and given how things have gone for the local Western Canadian Baseball League crew over the past two seasons, it’s proven to be a solid strategy.
So that makes Salem University catcher Tyler Shinn a perfect fit for the upcoming campaign.
The Express announced earlier this week that Shinn, a 6-foot-3, 215-pound product of Woolwich Township, N.J., will be joining the team for the 2024 campaign.
Shinn is coming off an impressive showing in the 2023 college season with the Tigers, where he hit a team-best .318 with 10 doubles, two home runs and 40 runs batted in over 132 at bats. Shinn also showed a bit of speed on the basepaths with 10 steals in 11 attempts, and his .887 on base plus slugging percentage also topped all eligible batters in the Salem line-up.
The NCAA Division II squad enjoyed one of their best seasons in recent history in 2023, posting a 31-27 record for their top showing since 2019 and going on to win the New South Athletic Conference championship.
That sent the Tigers to the United States Collegiate Athletic Association Small College World Series, where they’d win their first-round game before bowing out with back-to-back one-run losses.
Shinn hit .244 with five home runs and 22 RBI as a sophomore and .167 with a home run and seven RBI as a freshman.
Shinn and the Tigers open his senior campaign on Friday, Feb, 9 when they travel to the University of North Georgia to open a three-game set. They wrap up their regular season in early May, followed by the playoffs and World Series in the middle of the month, meaning Shinn could be available for the Miller Express on opening day.
The Moose Jaw Miller Express open their 56-game season on Friday, May 24 when they travel to Weyburn to face the Beavers. Moose Jaw’s home opener is the following night against the Medicine Hat Mavericks.
You can follow along with Shinn’s college season at www.salemtigers.com, and you can keep up with all the news from the WCBL at www.westerncanadianbaseballleague.ca while also following the Express on Twitter and Facebook.
