The German Baseball-Bundesliga club Mainz Athletics are bringing American shortstop Dennis Kelly back to Europe. The 28-year-old replaces Tony Baker and also is going to serve as head coach of the second-division team and will work as assistant coach with the newly founded Rhein-Main Baseball Academy.
The club also confirmed in the press release that Swedish outfielder Peter Johannessen is coming back for a second season. They already had extended the contract with American hurler Pat Haugen. However they also lost the promising German pitcher Jan-Niclas Stoecklin to the Mannheim Tornados.
Kelly won batting titles in Sweden, France and Germany. In 2010 he played for the Tornados in the Baseball-Bundesliga and batted .425/.521/.708 with six homeruns, two triples, ten doubles, 39 runs and 26 RBI in 28 games. He also stole 19 bases in 20 attempts.