Cats sign James Bonds, 8 others

The Thunder Bay Border Cats are hoping outfielder James Bonds can hit the living daylights out of the ball.

Bonds is one of nine players the Northwoods League team on Wednesday announced will be joining the Cats for the 2012 season. 

A freshman from California’s College of the Canyons, in 31 games the rookie is hitting .351 with seven doubles, three homers and 23 RBI.

There appears to be promise in several of the other players joining the squad.

Infielder Adam Landecker, a junior at the University of Southern California, is batting .329 with four doubles and 12 driven in, while sophomore second baseman Philip Lyons of Nicholls State Univesity in Lousiana is hitting at a .335 clip with five doubles, a home run and 36 RBI.

Chad Richie appears to have an early line on the closer’s job. A junior at Kentucky’s Georgetown College, Richie is 6-1 out of the bullpen this spring with 12 saves and a sparkling 0.72 ERA.

Also joining the Cats are outfielders Omar Cotto Lozada, a Puerto Rican import, and Sacramento State’s Justin Higley.

Pitchers Blake Fonfara (Lipscome University), Kacey Kemmer (Austin Peay State), Mitch McQueen (Washington State) and Jordan McCoy (Nicolls State) have also signed on for 2012.

The Cats open the season next Wednesday in Alexandria, with the home opener scheduled for June 4 against the same Beetles.