BATTLE CREEK – Players come to the Northwoods League to showcase their talents for Major League Baseball. That’s a big reason the summer collegiate league uses wooden bats, instead of the aluminum bats college players use during their regular season.
So, there can be a learning curve sometimes.
Not the case for a handful of Battle Creek Battle Jacks, who are off to a hot start at the plate for the 2026 season.
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There are four players who are batting over .300 to start this season.
AJ Lucas, at first baseman who played at Moberly Area Community College in the spring, is hitting .327 in 14 games so far over 52 at-bats, including a team-high 17 hits and 13 RBI with six doubles.
Brendan Thompson is giving the Battle Jacks production at shortstop with a .314 batting average in 51 at-bats with 16 hits and 10 runs scored. Thompson played at Cal State Bakersfield in the spring and is from Grand Rapids.
Jake Stedman is hitting .308 in 52 at-bats, providing the second part of the keystone combination for the Jacks at second base with 16 hits. Stedman is also from Moberly Area CC.
Dayne Wimberly currently leads Battle Creek with a .417 batting average, but has only played three games.
On the pitching side, Craig Kabat has started two games in the early going for the Jacks and has not given up a run over eight innings. Relief pitcher Payton Pudenze has appeared in four games and has not given up a run had has a save.
Battle Jacks – Week of June 1-7
Battle Creek lost two games over the weekend to slip to 7-7 on the year heading into action on Monday, June 8. that put the Jacks in a tie for third place in the Great Lakes East, trailing rival Kalamazoo, which finished the week at 9-5.
Upcoming Schedule
After their first off day of the season on Sunday, Battle Creek was scheduled for two home games to start this week on June 8-9. Battle Creek will have a travel day on Wednesday, June 10, before playing Wisconsin Rapids Rafters on June 11-12.
Battle Creek will have a home weekend series on June 13-14, hosting the Rockford Rivets. Saturday, June 13 is Breast Cancer Awareness Night.
Contact Bill Broderick at bbroderi@battlecreekenquirer.com. Follow him on X/Twitter @billbroderick.
This article originally appeared on Battle Creek Enquirer: Battle Jacks baseball being carried by handful of hot bats
Reporting by Bill Broderick, Battle Creek Enquirer / Battle Creek Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Bill Broderick, Battle Creek Enquirer | USA TODAY Network
