Wild Things add another former Black Bear
The Wild Things added a rookie outfielder to their preseason roster Wednesday ahead of the Frontier League season.
Washington signed Jeff Liquori, who had a good season last summer playing in the MLB Draft League for the West Virginia Black Bears. Liquori, a native of Lake Mary, Fla., hit seven home runs and batted .298 with West Virginia.
A left-handed hitter who has experience playing first base, Liquori played his college baseball at Florida International and Florida Southern. At FIU, Liquori batted .296 with nine doubles and 10 home runs in 57 games in 2024. He had 19 multi-hit games.
At Florida Southern, an NCAA Division II school, Liquori was team MVP and first team all-conference in 2022.
Liquori is the latest in a growing list of former West Virginia Black Bears to sign with the Wild Things. He joins center fielder Caleb McNeely and infielder Blaze Brothers on the current roster. Brothers was acquired last week in a trade with Cleburne of the American Association. Washington will send a player to be named to Cleburne to complete the deal.
Former Wild Things catcher J.C. Santini was another of the West Virginia-to-Washington players.
Liquori played at Lake Mary High School and was a teammate of Washington Nationals outfielder Dylan Crews, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 draft behind the Pirates’ Paul Skenes.
The Frontier League will hold its annual open tryout and player draft April 22-23 at Ozinga Field, home of the Windy City Thunderbolts, in Crestwood, Ill. The Wild Things will hold spring training in the days following the draft.
Washington’s season opener is May 10 at Windy City. The home opener will be May 13 against Ottawa.