2017 Frontier League All Star Re-Signs With Washington
WASHINGTON, Pa. - Today the Wild Things announced that 2017 Frontier League All Star Chase Cunningham has re-signed with the team, bringing the right-handed pitcher back for a third season, after he joined the team in 2016. It is the first player to officially re-up with Washington in the 2017-18 offseason, though the team has made a flurry of transactions already.
The Johnson, Tennessee, native has been a big part of the Wild Thing pitching staff over the course of the last two seasons, as he's logged 39 starts and 229.2 innings in two seasons with Washington. While he enjoyed some success in 2016, a season in which he won seven games, Cunningham will be looking to build off his successful 2017 campaign when he takes the mound in May.
"I plan on building on last season's accomplishments. I can’t complain too much about my overall performance, but there are definitely some things this offseason I will be working on and plan on bringing to the table for the 2018 season," said Cunningham. "I plan on being that workhorse for the pitching staff day in and day out and going out there whenever my name is called and giving our team my best, and our best chance to win a ball game."
For Cunningham, the decision to come back was rather simple. The team was successful in 2017, as it made its first appearance in the playoffs since 2014 and only its second since 2007. In the end, while the team fell short of winning a championship, it's the desire for more that Cunningham said he is interested in.
"I expect us to be a top-tier team in the league pushing for the championship and anything less than that would be a disappointment in my eyes and I think many of the other guys would feel the same way," said Cunningham. "I’m coming back for a third season because I want to win this whole thing and I have all the confidence in the world in [Coach Gregg Langbehn] Banger and [director of team operations] Tony [Buccilli] to put us in the best spot to do that."
This past season was a huge step forward for Cunningham, as he went 10-3 in 20 starts with a 3.46 earned run average in 125 innings. He also threw the first complete game of his professional career in a game against the Lake Erie Crushers, as he struck out eight batters and allowed just an unearned run in a 6-1, 7-inning win for Washington. For the former Belmont University standout, it's time to build off those successes, and step into an even bigger leadership role as a third-year guy, he said.
"I think with me coming back for a third year, I’ll be able to lead the new guys and show them what being a Wild Thing is all about," he said. "I feel like I am a pretty personable guy, so that should help me bridge the gap between the new guys and front office and how things are suppose to work in the organization, on and off the field. Also, I will lead the pitching staff with my work ethic and overall enjoyment of the game and I think that will rub off on the rest of them."
Success is important, but Cunningham also said factors in his decision to come back were things surrounding the organization, Washington itself and a competitive desire to keep playing the game he loves
"I really do love everything about Washington and the whole atmosphere around the Wild Things," said Cunningham. "Our success last year as a team was great and that playoff run for the last month or so was incredible. The competition day in and day out is really want makes you love the game so much."
The organization is excited to have the 2017 All Star back as well.
“Chase played such a meaningful role in our successful season [last year], and we are happy to have him back," said general manager Steven Zavacky. H"is development from 2016 to 2017 paid dividends and he rightfully earned league recognition as an All-Star. We have had such a special journey with Chase, meeting him at our 2015 college tryout and acquiring him via trade, but I know he has enjoyed his time in Washington more than anything.”
Cunningham will be joined by other returning teammates on the 2018 Washington roster, as more extensions will be announced in the coming weeks on the team website and social media platforms.
