SCHAUMBURG, Ill. — The 2013 Frontier League Champion Schaumburg Boomers, presented by Wintrust Community Banks, agreed to terms with a trio of players including former Chicago Cubs fourth round draft pick LHP Hunter Ackerman, San Jose State University standout Nick Schulz and University of Mount Olive outfielder Matt Petrone.

Ackerman, 23, comes to the Boomers after three seasons in the Cubs organization after being selected in the fourth round of the 2010 MLB First Year Player Draft. For his pro career, the lefty owns a 2-6 record with a 5.14 ERA in 91.2 innings pitched with 103 strikeouts over 36 appearances and 18 starts.

Shulz, 22, joins the Boomers after four years at Division I San Jose State University where the 6-foot-2 outfielder owns a career stat line of .276/.373/.376 with 120 hits in 160 games played for the Spartans. The Mountain View, Calif. native was a two-time All-Star in the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League with his best summer coming in 2013 as he earned a .331 average, six doubles, eight homers and 32 RBI. Along with Boomers infielder Tyler Sciacca, Shulz played under Boomers Hitting Coach C.J. Thieleke for the Oregon Jacks who captured the California Winter League Championship this past February.

Petrone, 23, joins the Boomers after two seasons at Division II powerhouse University of Mount Olive in North Carolina. After appearing in 37 games as a junior, Petrone exploded for an outstanding senior campaign where he posted a .358/.476/.493 stat line with 65 runs scored and 72 hits in all 56 games for the Trojans in 2013. The 5-foot-6 outfielder collected 16 doubles and 44 RBI with 27 stolen bases. Petrone was an on-base machine for Mount Olive drawing 36 free passes against just 13 strikeouts.

With the additions of Ackerman, Petrone and Shulz, the Boomers officially have 27 players signed to contracts for the 2014 season. The latest additions will join outfielders Alexi Colon, Bobby Martin, Justin Vasquez and Zac Zdanowicz; pitchers Gilbert Barrara, James Bierlein, Cal Bowling, Max Duval, Seafth Howe, Danny Jimenez, Clark Labitan, Matt Lamothe, Dexter Price, Erik Shannahan, Anthony Smith and Seth Webster; catchers Michael Valadez, Ty Nelson and Cody Coffman; and infielders Jordan Dean, Brian McConkey, Ryan Normoyle, Tyler Sciacca and Cameron Sherrer on what will be a maximum 34-man roster when Spring Training opens on May 1 at Boomers Stadium in Schaumburg.

Tickets are available now by calling 847.461.3695, online at www.boomersbaseball.com or in person at the Boomers Stadium Box Office located at 1999 S. Springinsguth Road in Schaumburg.

Experience the fun and excitement of Championship Baseball for the first time in 2014 when the Boomers square off against the Florence Freedom on Friday, May 23 at 6:30 p.m. with a jam-packed day of extras, featuring the Championship Ring Ceremony, Championship Pennant Giveaway for the first 3,000 fans courtesy of the Boomers Founding Partners, the first appearance by the Jesse White Tumblers at Boomers Stadium and Post-Game Fireworks, presented by COUNTRY Financial and US 99.5 FM.

COMPLETE PLAYER BIOS

LHP HUNTER ACKERMAN

Ackerman, 23, comes to the Boomers after three seasons in the Chicago Cubs organization after being selected in the fourth round of the 2010 MLB First Year Player Draft. For his pro career, the lefty owns a 2-6 record with a 5.14 ERA in 91.2 innings pitched with 103 strikeouts over 36 appearances and 18 starts.

Prior to entering the draft, Ackerman thrived in his lone season at Louisburg College. The southpaw made 11 appearances and posted a sparkling 1.41 ERA, surrendered just 38 hits and racked up 92 strikeouts over 57.2 innings en route to an 8-1 record.

OF NICK SCHULZ

Shulz, 22, joins the Boomers after four years at Division I San Jose State University. The 6-foot-2 outfielder owns a career state line of .276/.373/.376 with 120 hits in 160 games played for the Spartans. A preseason Western Athletic Conference 2nd Team Selection prior to his senior season, Shulz collected 57 hits in 55 games in 2013 to go along with 11 doubles, three homers and 31 runs batted in.

The Mountain View, Calif. native was a two-time All-Star in the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League as a member of the Licking County Settlers. In 39 games during the summer of 2011, Shulz batted 296 with eight doubles and 18 runs batted in and improved a year later in 2012, with a .331 average, six doubles, eight homers and 32 RBI.

Shulz played under Boomers Hitting Coach C.J. Thieleke for the Oregon Jacks who captured the California Winter League Championship this past February. Shulz led the way for the Jacks offense with an impressive .465/.520/.744 slash line along with three doubles, three homers and 12 runs batted in.

OF MATT PETRONE

Petrone, 23, joins the Boomers after two seasons at Division II powerhouse University of Mount Olive in North Carolina. After appearing in 37 games as a junior, Petrone exploded for an outstanding senior campaign where he posted a .358/.476/.493 stat line with 65 runs scored and 72 hits in all 56 games for the Trojans in 2013. The 5-foot-6 outfielder collected 16 doubles and 44 RBI with 27 stolen bases. Petrone was an on-base machine for Mount Olive drawing 36 free passes against just 13 strikeouts. 

Before finishing his college career at Mount Olive, Petrone batted .350 in 37 games for Guilford Technical Community College with 22 runs batted in and 19 stolen bases to earn All-Region honors. In one year at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, Petrone was named to the All-New Jersey Freshman Team after earning a .290/.371/.371 slash line with 54 hits in 50 games played including six doubles and 17 stolen bases.