FORMER ALL-BIG 12 SELECTION JOINS BEACH BUMS

4/24/2012 - TRAVERSE CITY MI -- With Fan Fest and spring training right around the corner, the Traverse City Beach Bums are excited to announce the newest member of the roster, infielder Brian Heere. Photo credit: Ken Carr courtesy of the Lake County Captains.

Heere comes to the Beach Bums after two seasons in the Cleveland Indians system. Last year with the Lake County Captains, Heere hit .245 with three homers and 35 RBI in 88 games. In 2010, the infielder was the 41st round selection of the Indians in the draft and was assigned to the Mahoning Valley Scrappers where he hit .255 with a homer and 18 driven in.

The lefthanded hitter was drafted by Cleveland after a stellar senior season at the University of Kansas where he was named a Phillips 66 All Big 12 First Team performer as an outfielder. Heere hit .393 with six homers and 52 RBI for the Kansas Jayhawks. He also displayed a keen eye at the plate, working 37 walks while striking out just 29 times, compiling an impressive .476 on-base percentage.

Heere was named as a Second Team All-Big 12 selection following his junior season in 2009 when he hit .364 with five homers and drove in 40 for KU. He was also selected in the 48th round of the MLB draft by the Boston Red Sox following his junior season, but did not sign, opting to return to school.

The signing of Heere comes on the heels of the Beach Bums losing shortstop Jonathan Roof to the San Diego Padres. An All-Big 10 selection out of Michigan State, Roof was signed by Traverse City on April 7 out of the Rangers system before being signed by the Padres on April 21.

A member of the 14-team Frontier League, the Beach Bums 7th Annual Fan Fest comes up on April 28. Gates for the event and individual game tickets will go on sale at 8 am. Any fan who buys 10 individual game tickets will receive five for free. All concessions will be open and fans will also be able to get the first look at the Beach Bums Microbrew and Café as well as watch four different high school baseball games throughout the day.

Keep tabs on the Beach Bums and the latest news this off season by following on Twitter @beachbumstc, find us on Facebook or sign up to receive the Beach Bums newsletter right to your inbox! Season tickets are still available so join the Beach Bums Nation and be a part of our 2012 Lucky Seven Season. The Beach Bums will open up the home schedule on May 25 when they take on the Windy City ThunderBolts. For tickets, promotional information or sales opportunities, call 231-943-0100.