With the Oakland County Cruisers sitting out the 2011 season, a dispersal draft took place to determine the player’s 2011 teams. The Windy City ThunderBolts used their 10th pick in the draft and selected Ben Barrone. Barrone is a catcher out of Winona State University. In 2007, he was named the NCAA Division II National Player of the Year by Rawlings/ABCA. After his successful collegiate career he was drafted in the 44th round by the Oakland Athletics. He spent one season in the Arizona Rookie League in 2007. He had 86 at bats, 3 home runs, 18 RBI, and a .244 batting average.
2011 will not be the first time Barrone takes the field as a ThunderBolt, as he made his Frontier League debut for the Windy City ballclub in 2008. For the ThunderBolts, he played in 32 games belted 4 home runs and sported a .175 batting average. He finished the 2008 season with the Midwest Sliders and in 18 games batted .210 and hit 3 more homers. Barrone continued to play for the Midwest Sliders in 2009 and played in 52 games. He had 8 home runs, 21 RBI, and a .250 batting average.
As the Sliders became the Oakland County Cruisers in 2010, Barrone remained on the team to handle the catching duties. Barrone played well enough to earn himself a roster spot on the 2010 East Division All Star Team. He backed up ThunderBolt, Zach Aakhus, in the game that was played in Marion, IL. In 2010, Barrone had 176 at bats and hit 5 home runs to go along with a .205 batting average.
The Windy City ThunderBolts are a member of the twelve-team Frontier League, the oldest professional independent baseball league in the nation. The ThunderBolts open the 2011 season at Standard Bank Stadium on Thursday, May 19th. Season tickets, flex plans, and all group tickets (including suites, picnics, party box, & spa) are on sale now! Single-game tickets for the 2011 season go on sale Saturday, April 30th. For more information please call 708.489.BALL or visit wcthunderbolts.com.
