(Central Islip, N.Y., April 11, 2022) – The Long Island Ducks today took the field at Fairfield Properties Ballpark for the first time in 2022 to begin their spring training workouts. The team included three additions, as the Ducks announced the signings of outfielder L.J. Mazzilli and infielders Sam Travis and Michael Wielansky
Mazzilli begins his third season with the Ducks and ninth of his professional career. He has spent the past two seasons (2019, 2021) with Long Island, combining to hit .298 with 24 home runs, 143 RBIs, 248 runs, 42 doubles, 85 walks and 34 stolen bases over 223 games. Additionally, the 31-year-old has played in 15 postseason games with the Flock, compiling a .364 batting average with one homer, eight RBIs, 10 runs, 20 hits, eight walks and four stolen bases. He was selected as an Atlantic League All-Star in 2019, helping lead the Ducks to a league championship, and was selected to the Atlantic League’s Red, White and Blue All-Defensive Team in 2021.
Most recently, the Connecticut native played in 101 games with the Ducks during the 2021 campaign. He batted .303 with 11 homers, 69 RBIs, 77 runs, 113 hits, 16 doubles and was a perfect 19-for-19 on stolen base attempts. Defensively, he committed just four errors and posted a .979 fielding percentage. The righty hitter also posted the longest hitting streak (19 games) and on-base streak (25 games) by a Ducks player in 2021. Prior to joining Long Island in 2019, he spent six seasons in the New York Mets organization and one in the New York Yankees system. He reached the Triple-A level with both, hitting .265 with a .336 on-base percentage over 607 games. Mazzilli was originally selected by the Mets in the fourth round of the 2013 amateur draft.
Travis begins his first season with the Ducks and eighth in professional baseball. The infielder joins the Ducks after spending three seasons (2017-19) in the Major Leagues with the Boston Red Sox. He combined to play in 111 MLB games, posting a .231 batting average with seven home runs, 24 RBIs, 35 runs, 59 hits, 13 doubles, one triple and three stolen bases. The Chicago native made his MLB debut on May 24, 2017, at Fenway Park against the Texas Rangers, with his first Major League hit coming off Martin Perez. He went on to hit his first big league homer on September 21, 2018, off Cleveland’s Shane Bieber.
The 28-year-old spent the 2021 season with Triple-A Tacoma in the Seattle Mariners organization. He played in 71 games, hitting .256 with 11 homers, 41 RBIs, 38 runs, 71 hits, 19 doubles and two stolen bases. Previously, the righty hitter was named an MiLB.com Organization All-Star and a Carolina League Mid-Season All-Star in 2015. He hit .313 while posting a .378 on-base percentage in 66 games that season with Single-A Salem, earning a promotion to Double-A Portland. Travis was originally selected by the Red Sox in the in the second round of the 2014 amateur draft.
Wielansky begins his first season with the Ducks and fourth in professional baseball. The utility infielder spent the first three seasons of his career (2018-21) in the Houston Astros organization, reaching as high as Triple-A Sugar Land in 2021. He totaled four home runs, 39 RBIs, 64 runs, 86 hits, 16 doubles, five triples, eight stolen bases and a .324 on-base percentage in 122 games during that time.
The St. Louis native combined to play 18 games with Sugar Land and Double-A Corpus Christi in 2021. During the 2019 season, he played 61 games with Single-A Quad Cities, hitting .254 with two homers, 25 RBIs, 33 runs, 53 hits, nine doubles, four triples and a .345 on-base percentage. The 25-year-old began his career with Tri-City in the New York-Penn League in 2018, appearing in 43 games. Wielansky was originally selected by the Astros in the 18th round of the 2018 amateur draft.
The Ducks also invited five players to spring training: pitchers Alex Katz and James Varela, outfielder Matt Catalfo, and infielders Dylan Flynn and Jesse Russo. Katz, a native of Manhasset, previously pitched in 13 games with the Ducks in 2019 and reached Double-A in the Chicago Cubs organization in 2021. Varela, a Levittown native, pitched with the Grand Junction Rockies of the Pioneer League in 2021 and the Los Angeles Angels organization in 2019. Catalfo, a Manhasset native, Flynn, a Smithtown native, and Russo, a Westbury native, all receive invites after taking part in the Ducks Open Player Tryout on Saturday, April 9.
CLICK HERE to see the full Ducks spring training roster
The Ducks will host four spring training games at Fairfield Properties Ballpark in preparation for the 2022 season. Long Island will take on the California Dogecoin, a team from the Liberation Professional Baseball League, and the Long Island Black Sox, a local amateur team, in two exhibition games apiece. Here is a look at the spring training schedule:
Friday, April 15 – Ducks vs. Dogecoin – 1:00 p.m.
Saturday, April 16 – Ducks vs. Dogecoin – 1:00 p.m.
Monday, April 18 – Ducks vs. Black Sox – 1:00 p.m.
Wednesday, April 20 – Ducks vs. Black Sox – 1:00 p.m.
Admission to the game on April 16 will be free for all fans as part of the team’s Fan Fest event, with gates opening at 10:30 a.m. Admission to other three exhibition games will be free for Ducks full season ticket holders, while a $5 donation to the QuackerJack Foundation will apply for all other fans. Gates for those three games will open at 12:30 p.m.
Following spring training, the Ducks will begin the 2022 season on Friday, April 22, with Opening Night at Fairfield Properties Ballpark. The Ducks will host the York Revolution at 6:35 p.m., with the ballpark gates opening at 5:35 (5:20 for full season ticket holders). The first 1,500 fans in attendance will receive Ducks Baseball Caps, courtesy of P.C. Richard and Son, and it will also be an Angela’s Pizza Friday. Fans are encouraged to be in their seats by 6:15 to enjoy pregame team introductions. Tickets for the game, and all Ducks games, are available by visiting the Fairfield Properties Ballpark box office, calling (631) 940-TIXX or CLICKING HERE.
The Long Island Ducks are members of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, a Professional Partner League of Major League Baseball. Over 8 million fans have enjoyed the Ducks brand of affordable, fun entertainment at Fairfield Properties Ballpark since inception in 2000. For further information, visit LIDucks.com or call 631-940-DUCK (3825).
About the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB)
The Atlantic League is the first Partner League of Major League Baseball, a player gateway to the major leagues, and a leader in baseball innovation. The ALPB has sent over 1,000 players to MLB organizations while drawing 44 million fans to its family friendly ballparks over its 24-year history. For more information, please visit AtlanticLeague.com.
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