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Cal U. shortstop signs with Things

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It took a long, one-month wait, but Matt Peters finally got the call he was hoping for. On the other end was manager Bob Bozzuto asking the former California University shortstop if he would like to play for the Wild Things.

“I was excited when they called. We kept in touch,” said Peters, a graduate of Upper Darby High School, just outside of Philadelphia. “I’m excited to just play pro baseball and excited to start my pro career.”

The signing of Peters Saturday was one of four moves made by Washington. Backup catcher Jim Vihalik and infielder Brady North were released, and right-handed pitcher Kyle Vazquez was signed. Saturday night’s game against the Frontier Greys was postponed because of rain. The two teams play a doubleheader – two seven-inning games – today beginning at 1:05 p.m.

“To stay ready to play, I was hitting at my high school,” said Peters.

Peters got some looks from Division I programs but not scholarship offers.

“I was looking at West Chester and Cal,” he said. “My high school coach played at West Chester and they played Cal. Cal’s shortstop was graduating and I had a good chance to play immediately.”

Bozzuto said he wanted to sign Peters prior to the Frontier League draft but Peters wanted to wait and see whether he would get drafted.

“He can play short, third, second,” Bozzuto said. “He’s got a lot of pop in his bat for a middle infielder and can run. His versatility really benefits our squad. We worked him out a couple weeks before the draft. He didn’t get drafted, so we called him, brought him in and signed him. He looked good when we worked him out and that’s the hardest part for college seniors. They don’t have a normal routine, batting practice and game competitions. Sometimes, they can get a little stale and drift away from it at the most critical point of their career.”

Peters (6-0, 195) was a four-year starter at shortstop for Cal and had a .446 batting average – sixth best in the country for Division II players and the best mark in the program’s 45-year history. He also led the team with 16 stolen bases in 17 attempts. Peters hit six home runs and drove in 44 runs, helping Cal to a 25-22 record as a senior. He had a 23-game hitting streak, the longest at Cal in more than a decade.

“He makes good contact and it makes a nice sound coming off the bat,” said Bozzuto. “He can play this game.”

Bozzuto felt Peters got lost in the number of people eligible for the Frontier League draft.

“We stated our intention with him when he was playing (at Cal),” said Bozzuto. “His big thing was that he didn’t get drafted. I told him we would sign him before the draft. He was a free agent after the draft.”

Bozzuto said the moves were planned a couple weeks out and were not influenced by the team’s struggles of late.

“Obviously, if you have an injury, you have to replace him,” said Bozzuto. “These are moves we’ve looked at for a couple weeks. But it doesn’t mean that these were the players. It could have been another player here or there.”

North was hitting .080 in 25 plate appearances and Vihalik was at .081 in just 11 at-bats. Vazquez had an 8.52 ERA in four appearances that included one start.

“Brady North did a great job for us, even though his average doesn’t show it,” said Bozzuto. “He was our fourth outfielder and we needed an infielder. He played that role really well. … Vazquez’s last outing was pretty good. We had to release him to re-sign him to follow league rules. He has a 92-plus fastball and one of the best curveballs in the league.”

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