EXL: Hluboká brings in an experienced American batter
Sokolo Hluboká announced another player to strengthen their ranks for the upcoming season. This time it is a foreigner as American Jantzen Witte comes to Southern Bohemia.
Thirty five year old Jantzen Witte has a lot of experience with MiLB, where he played 10 years in Boston Red Sox, Seattle Mariners, San Diego Padres, and Texas Rangers organizations. The most of his experience comes with AAA level, where he played 579 games, finishing with OPS .754 and 58 homeruns. Witte played the most games at third base, but he also has playtime on the second and the first base.
In 2022 he moved to Japan where he signed with Seibu Lions. However, he did not have a good spell in NPB and only played 35 games with BA .192.
He built a good reputation during his seven years in Red Sox organization. „He is a damn good player,“ said his former teammate Bobby Dalbec for The Athletic. „And he is the guy who cements the collective together. These cemeting guys are strange…He is well balanced, relaxed, but when he sets out to do something, he will just do it. He never says anything bad.“
His former manager from Pawtucket farm revealed he wasn’t far to play in MLB. „The last few year he was close to being called up,“ said Billy McMillon for The Athletic in 2020. „His name was mentioned, but for many reasons it didn’t happen.“
He could be a mentor for the young players in Sokol as he brings huge number of experience. „He is a man, to whom you come when you are not certain if something is right or not,“ said one of his teammates C.J. Chatham, „in baseball it’s the little things, who can upset you, when you [don’t know them], when you are young. You only need to ask him and you get an answer.“
„Janten’s arrival is a huge step forward for us. His experience and his skills will be invaluable not only for our team, but also for the development of the younger players in the club,“ said the Sokol’s chairman David Šťastný in the press release.
„My family and I are excited to be a part of Hluboká this year! I am really looking forward to help the team to succeed and to know the Czech Republic including the local community,“ adds Jantzen Witte.
„We finished sixth in the previous year, this year we would like to be in top 4 in Czech baseball Extraliga and ideally, we would like to compete for a medal. The same as all Hluboká’s players I am looking forward to the upcoming season and I believe it will bring us a lot of unforgettable baseball moments, new members and the support of the fans and partners,“ closes David Šťastný the press release.
