SCHAUMBURG, Ill. — The 2013 Frontier League Champion Schaumburg Boomers welcome two returning players back in a Boomers uniform for the 2014 season in P/OF Sean Mahley and utility man K.C. Judge and also agreed to terms with free agent Ben Kline, 2013 Manager of the Year Jamie Bennett announced today.

Mahley, 24, was one of three Boomers who joined the Arizona Diamondbacks organization after the Boomers Championship campaign in 2013. The left-hander now returns to Schaumburg primarily as a pitcher in 2014 in the hopes of earning another shot in affiliated baseball and helping the Boomers to another winning season in the process.

Originally drafted by the Boomers in the Frontier League Tryout Camp in 2012, Mahley’s versatility was a huge asset for Manager Jamie Bennett and Schaumburg in 2013. The 2013 Frontier League All-Star Game MVP, Mahley posted a .312/.397/.406 stat line with 19 doubles, three triples and 17 stolen bases as an outfielder. Mahley’s mound work was equally as impressive with the southpaw earning a 1-0 record and a 2.76 ERA in 16.1 innings. Mahley finished five games with four saves in 2013 to go along with 15 strikeouts.

Kline, 25, was selected in the 32nd round of the 2012 MLB first-year player draft by the Tampa Bay Rays. The 6-foot-3 infielder played the last two seasons with the Rays and also spent Spring Training in 2014 with the Chicago White Sox before joining the Boomers as a free agent. In 87 games as a pro, Kline owns a .296/.351/.356 stat line with 13 doubles, two homers and 35 runs batted in. Kline played collegiately at perennial NAIA baseball powerhouse Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Fla. and appeared in 123 games in an Eagle uniform, batting .354 on 172 hits, 38 doubles, four triples, 12 home runs and 105 RBIs.

Judge, 25, returns to Schaumburg after spending 2013 with the Peoria Explorers of the Freedom Professional Baseball League. Judge bounced around with six different teams during his first year as a pro in 2012, including a 12-game stint with the Boomers where he batted .235 with six runs scored and a pair of doubles in a Schaumburg uniform.

With the additions of Mahley, Kline and Judge, the Boomers officially have 33 players signed to contracts for the 2014 season. The latest additions will join outfielders Alexi Colon, Bobby Martin, Matt Petrone, Nick Schulz, Justin Vasquez and Zac Zdanowicz; pitchers Hunter Ackerman, Kayvon Bahramzadeh, Gilbert Barrara, James Bierlein, Cal Bowling, Max Duval, Seafth Howe, Danny Jimenez, Clark Labitan, Matt Lamothe, Dexter Price, Charle Rosario, Erik Shannahan, Anthony Smith and Seth Webster; catchers Michael Valadez, Ty Nelson and Cody Coffman; and infielders Denver Chavez, 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.

The Schaumburg Boomers open the 2014 season with Championship Weekend featuring three straight days of fireworks and giveaways along with the Ring Ceremony on Friday, May 23 when the Boomers open against the Florence Freedom at 6:30 p.m. 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.

COMPLETE PLAYER BIOS

LHP SEAN MAHLEY

A two-time Frontier League All-Star, Sean Mahley is back for his third season as a member of the Boomers.

Mahley, 24, was one of three Boomers who joined the Arizona Diamondbacks after the Boomers Championship campaign in 2013. Mahley returns to Schaumburg primarily as a pitcher in 2014 in the hopes of earning another shot in affiliated baseball.

Originally drafted by the Boomers in the Frontier League Tryout Camp in 2012, Mahley’s versatility was a huge asset for Manager Jamie Bennett and Schaumburg in 2013. Mahley posted a .312/.397/.406 stat line with 19 doubles, three triples and 17 stolen bases as an outfielder. Mahley’s mound work was equally as impressive with the southpaw earning a 1-0 record and a 2.76 ERA in 16.1 innings. Mahley finished five games with four saves in 2013 to go along with 15 strikeouts.

In 2012, the Cambridge, Ohio native posted a .246 batting average in 82 games during the Boomers Inaugural Season with 11 doubles, three triples and three home runs. Mahley was a tough out in the lineup drawing the same number of walks as strikeouts with 39. A strong defender who covered a lot of ground in the outfield, Mahley was one of 10 Boomers representatives at the 2012 Frontier League All-Star Game and owns the first pinch-hit in Boomers history.

Mahley posted solid numbers in college at the University of the Cumberlands, an NAIA school. Mahley led Cumberlands with a .378 batting average as a senior, stealing 14 bases while drawing 25 walks and striking out only nine times in 45 games. 

After transferring from Marietta College, the left-hander was named to the All-Mid-South Conference Team three times. Mahley batted .331 as a sophomore with 14 doubles, three triples, seven homers, 48 RBIs, and 17 stolen bases. The numbers only improved for Mahley during his junior season as he batted .347 with 13 doubles, four triples, seven homers, and 24 steals.

INF BEN KLINE

Kline, 25, was selected in the 32nd round of the 2012 MLB first-year player draft by the Tampa Bay Rays. The 6-foot-3 infielder played the last two seasons with the Rays and also spent Spring Training in 2014 with the Chicago White Sox before joining the Boomers as a free agent. In 87 games as a pro, Kline owns a .296/.351/.356 stat line with 13 doubles, two homers and 35 runs batted in.

Kline played collegiately at perennial NAIA baseball powerhouse Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Fla. and appeared in 123 games in an Eagle uniform, batting .354 on 172 hits, 38 doubles, four triples, 12 home runs and 105 RBIs. He scored 116 runs and accumulated 254 total bases while slugging .523. A two-time first team All-Sun Conference shortstop, Kline earned NAIA All-American Honorable Mention honors as a junior.

UTIL K.C. JUDGE

The Schaumburg Boomers signed free agent utility man K.C. Judge for his second stint with the Boomers on April 21, 2014.

Judge, 25, returns to Schaumburg after spending 2013 with the Peoria Explorers of the Freedom Professional Baseball League. Judge bounced around with six different teams during his first year as a pro in 2012, including a 12-game stint with the Boomers where he batted .235 with six runs scored and a pair of doubles in a Schaumburg uniform.

The Schaumburg Boomers originally acquired INF/OF K.C. Judge in a trade with the Normal CornBelters on July 24, 2012 after a stellar career at California Lutheran University. A preseason Division III All-American as a senior, Judge batted .317 with 11 doubles in 39 games played. In his first year at CLU, Judge broke the school’s record for batting average in a season when he hit .453 and posted an unfathomable .488 average in conference games. Finishing the campaign on a 15-game hitting streak, Judge was named to the All-West Region Third Team and All-SCIAC First-Team.

Judge attended Taft College for his freshman and sophomore seasons and tied for ninth in Taft’s all-time records for hits in a season with 52 before transferring to CLU.