BELLINGHAM, WA — Monday, March 23, the Bellingham Bells announced that four new hitters are joining the 2026 roster. Catcher Jake Lyall, corner infielder Nate Johnson, shortstop Keijiro “KG” Hattori and outfielder Mic Paul. 

Jake Lyall is a catcher from Loyola Marymount University currently in his sophomore season with the Lions. He bats from the right side and is a dangerous arm behind the plate.

With Marin Catholic High School he led his league in caught stealing and backpicks as a junior and senior. He also was named to the all-league teams three times: honorable mention as a sophomore, first team as a junior and second team as a senior.

He played 10 games with the Lions last season, but is getting more playing time this season with the NCAA Division I Lions and has played 20 games. He played in the Pacific Empire League last season with the West Coast Kings and had 17 hits in 22 games. He’ll be behind the plate at Joe Martin Field this summer with the Bells.

Nate Johnson is a switch-hitting corner infielder (first and third baseman) from Tulane who is playing in his sophomore season with the Green Wave. He’s a California native from Westlake High School where he was the 24th-best shortstop in the 2024 class.

Last season, Johnson played in 41 games (17 starts) for Tulane and had a .411 on-base percentage. This season is shaping up to be a breakout year as he’s batting .340 in 19 games and has slugged two home runs so far.

He played a brief stint in the California Collegiate League last summer for the Conejo Oaks and in five games hit .385 with one home run of his five hits. He’ll look to get a full summer’s worth of work in Bellingham with the Bells this year.

Keijiro “KG” Hattori is an incoming freshman for Cal Poly as a shortstop for Redondo Union High School currently. He bats left-handed and is viewed as a top-500 nationally ranked recruit for the 2026 class.

Hattori was named 2025 Perfect Game Preseason All-American Second Team in the California Region. His speed and glove stand out as key parts of his game, but his gap-to-gap hitting was something Cal Poly head coach Larry Lee noted as a strong part of his game.

Before heading to Cal Poly, Hattori joins the Bellingham Bells fresh out of high school to help prepare for his promising collegiate career.

Mic Paul is a left-handed batting outfielder from the University of Washington. In his first year with the Huskies, Paul is hitting .257 through 21 games. He transferred to UW from LSU where he spent three seasons redshirting and coming off the bench for the Tigers.

He played in 37 games for LSU as a freshman and redshirt sophomore, but never started. He hit just .176, but had just 17 at-bats. His breakout season for Washington is coming after a change of scenery opened the door for full-time playing and Paul has impressed.

The Olympus High School alum from Salt Lake City isn’t unfamiliar with the spotlight. He was the top outfielder in his 2022 class and No. 69 nationally for his position. His DI offers flooded in after being named First Team All-State as a senior and preseason All-American twice. He’ll be an eclectic addition to the Bells outfield this summer.

The Bells open the 2026 season on the road March 29 at Kelowna but host Wenatchee for the home opener on June 2 at 6:35 p.m.