SCHAUMBURG, Ill. — Three key pieces from a team that spent 51 days atop the standings in 2012 are back in a Schaumburg Boomers uniform in 2013 as Manager Jamie Bennett today announced the signings of 3B Frank Pfister and SS Gerard Hall and the return of 1B/DH Steve McQuail, who will be playing out the option on his 2012 contract.

"Getting these three guys back is a huge step in the right direction for our club and aside from their abilities on the field, the intangibles that these guys bring ignites the emotions of our ball club,” Boomers Manager Jamie Bennett said. “They all exemplify what we want from our players on the field, in the clubhouse and in the community. Frank, Gerard and Steve all have high expectations not only for themselves, but for the success of this team."

Pfister, the starting third baseman for the West Division at the league’s all-star game, owns a franchise-record 15-game hitting streak and led the Frontier League with 121 hits in 2012. Hall, a switch-hitting middle infielder, collected the first hit in franchise history and was off to a strong start in 2012 before a shoulder injury ended his season. McQuail, a New York native, finished in a tie for fourth overall in the Frontier League with 20 home runs on the season despite playing in just 69 games with Schaumburg. The Boomers slugger belted a home run every 3.45 games or one every 13.15 at at-bats after being released by the Toronto Blue Jays early in the 2012 season.

Hall, Pfister and McQuail will be joined by up to 31 players when the Boomers open Spring Training on Thursday, May 2. Schaumburg will open the 2013 season at beautiful Boomers Stadium with a 24-man final roster when they take on the Windy City ThunderBolts on Thursday, May 16 at 6:30 p.m.

Season Tickets, ticket packages we call Boomer Bundles and great Group Discounts for parties of any size and budget are available now by calling 847.461.3695. For more information, log on to www.boomersbaseball.com.

PLAYER BIOS

Pfister, 26, led the Frontier League in hits with 121 and finished with a .306 average, 21 doubles and 13 home runs and was the unquestioned leader of the Boomers in the clubhouse. The infielder appeared in every one of the Boomers 96 games in 2012, playing primarily third base but also seeing time in 11 games at shortstop. Pfister finished second only to McQuail with 13 home runs and second only to outfielder Chad Mozingo in doubles with 21. 

Pfister came to the Boomers after spending four seasons in the Cincinnati Reds organization, where he totaled over 300 games played. The Reds chose Pfister in the 17th Round of the 2008 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. The Los Angeles native played every position in the infield and also logged time in the outfield during his tenure with the Reds, advancing as high as Triple-A Louisville in 2011. 

The Reds selected Pfister out of Emory University in Georgia, a NCAA Division III school, where he posted one of the best careers in school history. Pfister finished ranked third all-time in hits and RBIs, while posting the seventh best batting average. Starting 150 games over a four-year career, Pfister struck out only seven times as a senior for the Eagles in 2008 and was named as the MVP of the University Athletic Association. 

Pfister established a school record for hits in 2007, racking up 87, one of the top single season marks in NCAA Division III history. Along the way, Pfister posted two impressive hitting streaks of 25 and 18. The 25-game streak was the second longest of the year in the nation. The three-time First Team All-Conference choice earned MVP of the South Region Tournament and was also named to the National Championship All-Tournament team.   

Hall, 24, was an impact player for Schaumburg early in 2012 despite appearing in just 21 games. The switch hitter was batting .333 when he first injured his shoulder during the first home series in Boomers history and was placed on the 14-day injured reserve list on May 27. Hall belted a three-run home run in his first game back in the lineup on June 11 to lead the Boomers to a 5-3 win in Joliet over the Slammers. Hall continued to be a tough out at the top of the order and played outstanding defense up the middle until he reaggravated his shoulder injury, which required season ending surgery.

Prior to joining Schaumburg in 2012, Hall spent the previous two seasons in the Royals organization after signing as an undrafted free agent out of Old Dominion University near the end of the 2009 season. Hall appeared in two games with the then Rookie League Burlington Royals that season but got his first taste of regular playing time as a professional in 2010 in the Low-A Midwest League. Hall batted .224 in 121 games, splitting time at both shortstop and second base. 

Hall once again began the season in the Midwest League in 2011, this time with the Kane County Cougars who became the Low-A affiliate of the Royals in the offseason. Hall had an outstanding first half and earned an All-Star selection after batting .280 with 14 doubles and four triples in 157 at bats before the break. Hall moved up to the Class-A Advanced Wilmington Blue Rocks to finish the 2011 campaign and batted .255 in 32 games, adding 6 doubles and a triple.

A Second Team All-Colonial Athletic Conference selection as a senior at Old Dominion, Hall appeared in 149 games during his tenure as a member of the Monarchs Baseball Team. A career .304 hitter, Hall collected 26 doubles, 6 homers and 73 RBI in addition to 31 stolen bases over the course of his three seasons at ODU.

McQuail, 23, hit a homer in his first game as a member of the Boomers on June 17 and didn’t stop hitting the ball over the fence. Despite a full month less than others on the home run leaders list, McQuail’s 20 bombs was good enough for fourth amongst Frontier League sluggers. McQuail finished with a .251 batting average with nine doubles and 57 runs batted in playing primarily first base and designated hitter for Manager Jamie Bennett in 2012.

McQuail came to the Boomers after two seasons in the Toronto Blue Jays system. Originally selected in the 30th round of the 2010 MLB June Amateur Draft out of Canisius College, McQuail went straight to Single-A Auburn in the New York-Pennsylvania League. The 6’2” slugger, who played outfield exclusively with the Blue Jays, batted .229 in 111 games with 18 home runs and 57 runs batted in between Auburn and Vancouver.

At Canisius College, a Division I school in Buffalo, NY, McQuail excelled during his three-year career as a shortstop and designated hitter. A .347 career hitter in college, McQuail smacked 20 home runs in 2010 as a junior to go along with 21 doubles and a .397 batting average. His 81 RBI that year were good for 12th in the nation and McQuail was named to the ABCA-Rawlings All-American Third Team.