The Solingen Alligators will add two new American players for the upcoming season in the German Baseball-Bundesliga. The 28-year-old infielder Damon Lessler and the 23-year-old starting pitcher Josh Rickards will join the team in March. The club also announced that shortstop Chris Beck and third baseman Christian Nsien are not coming back. While Beck apparently is rumored to replace Ryan Lilly in Heidenheim, Nsien is returning to the Capitals because of his day job.
Damon Lessler is supposed to succeed Beck as shortstop and leadoff hitter. The switch hitter, who was born in Castro Valley, CA, also can play second base, third base and in the outfield. He played four years college ball for Mesa, Sonoma State, Mississippi Valley State and Southern Miss and later three seasons for the Sioux Falls Canaries and Traverse City Beach Bums in the independent American Association and Frontier League. He is currently working as a youth coach in California and is also expected to coach in Solingen.
The left-handed pitcher Josh Rickards was born in Upland, PA. He attended Cardinal O’Hara High School in Springfield, PA before going to Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY. He pitched four seasons in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, being named team captain in his senior year. In 2009 he had a 5-3 record with an ERA of 5.60 and 53 strikeouts (50 walks) in 80 1/3 innings. He is the third new pitcher for the Alligators besides Andre Hughes and Nils Hartkopf, who returned earlier this offseason. Solingen also relies on Jens Cornelsen, Robin Drache and Sebastian Bernards to provide enough depth for the Baseball-Bundesliga and the European Cup Qualifier.
