Harding's Ryder Yakel Makes Professional Debut with Schaumberg Boomers

SEARCY – Former Harding pitcher Ryder Yakel signed a contract with the Schaumberg (Illinois) Boomers of the Frontier League Tuesday and made his professional debut Tuesday night in an 11-1 victory over the Joliet Slammers.

Yakel, a native of Lakin, Kansas, was the 2021 Great American Conference Pitcher of the Year after posting a 6-2 record with six saves and a 2.95 ERA. He struck out 60 in 55.0 innings.

In his debut, Yakel pitched a scoreless eighth inning, allowing one hit. He threw six of his seven pitches for strikes.

The Frontier League is an independent baseball league with teams in the northeastern and midwestern United States and eastern Canada. Formed in 1993, it is the oldest currently running independent league in the United States. In 2020, the Frontier League became an official MLB Partner League, collaborating with MLB on initiatives to provide organized baseball to communities throughout the United States and Canada while working to expand the geographic reach of the game.

Yakel began the summer pitching for the Morehead City (North Carolina) Marlins of the Coastal Plain League, a collegiate summer wood-bat league. In 11 relief appearances, Yakel had a 3-2 record and 2.20 ERA. He struck out 28, walked only two in 16.1 innings, and garnered four saves.

Yakel is wearing No. 33 for the Boomers.

According to BaseballReference.com, Yakel is the ninth Harding baseball player to play professionally. He is the first since Hayden Shirley, who pitched for four different teams in 2013 and 2014, including Frontier League teams in Rockford and Crestwood, Illinois.

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Players Mentioned

#32 Ryder Yakel: P; 6' 2"; Fifth Year; R/R

Players Mentioned

#32 Ryder Yakel
: 6' 2"; Fifth Year; R/R
: P

Players Mentioned

#32 Ryder Yakel

Players Mentioned

#32 Ryder Yakel