BELLINGHAM, WA – The West Coast League recently announced the 2024 All-Star rosters that featured seven Bellingham Bells, four position players and three pitchers. The WCL All-Star Game is July 17 at Joe Martin Field in Bellingham, Wash. This will be the third All-Star Game hosted by the Bells and is the first WCL All-Star game since 2019.

The Bellingham Bells will be represented by third baseman Nate Kirkpatrick, first baseman Jacob Mejia, shortstop Roman Martin, catcher Conner Smith, right-handed pitchers Tyler Van Dyke and Josh Flaugher and left-handed pitcher Nic Peterson. Doors open for the All-Star Game at 3 p.m. with a fan fest beginning the celebrations. A pro style skills showcase runs from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. with the All-Star Game ceremonies beginning at 6 p.m.

Nate Kirkpatrick – 3B – Yavapai College

Nate Kirkpatrick is having his best career year in the West Coast League this season. He is currently batting .310 and he leads the Bellingham Bells in hits in 2024. This is Kirkpatrick’s second season with the Bellingham Bells and his third season in the WCL after playing for the Ridgefield Raptors in 2022. Kirkpatrick recently announced he will attend Yavapai College after not playing collegiate baseball this fall after departing from Saint Mary’s College in the fall. The sure-handed third baseman looks to showcase his new swing, featuring a new leg kick for timing, and put on a show July 17 at Joe Martin Field.

Jacob Mejia – 1B – California State University, San Bernardino

Jacob Mejia is in his first season as a West Coast League player. Mejia has been the everyday first baseman and cleanup batter for the Bellingham Bells this season. He currently leads the Bells in batting average hitting .311 and also leads the team in RBIs with 24. Mejia is tied for second in the WCL in home runs with four this season. He has been the Bells iron man this season as he has played in all but one game for the Bells this summer, that one game being a non-league matchup. At CSUSB Mejia hit .287 at the plate with a .931 OPS. This was his first season with the Coyotes after transferring from College of the Desert where he hit .407 in 2023 and was a First Team All-Conference selection in the Inland Empire Athletic Conference. Mejia will display his powerful left-handed swing at the 2024 All-Star Game next week.

Roman Martin – SS – UCLA

Roman Martin has been an impact player ever since joining the Bellingham Bells in mid-June. Martin, through 19 games, is slashing .282/.414/.437 with 11 runs scored and 10 RBIs. After a freshman season at UCLA where he hit .304, Martin has been an everyday player at mainly shortstop but also has appeared at second and third base. Before he was a Bruin, Martin was representing Team USA with the 18U National Team in fall of 2022. In eight games, Martin made every start at shortstop and helped Team USA win gold at the WBSC Baseball World Cup Americas Qualifier. Martin additionally earned Trinity League Rookie of the Year honors and Trinity League MVP honors in his time at Servite High School in Anaheim, CA. This will not be the first time Martin has been involved with a league’s All-Star celebrations as in 2022 he participated in the MLB-USA Baseball HS All-American Game at Dodger Stadium during the 2022 MLB All-Star Week. 

Conner Smith – C – Santa Clara University

Conner Smith is spending his first summer in the West Coast League. With the Bellingham Bells he has been a consistent batter and defensive catcher this season. Smith is third on the team in RBIs with 14 total. Behind the plate he has not committed an error in 156 innings with 142 putouts and 8 assists. Smith is batting .259 with two home runs of his 21 total hits. This season at Sierra College he hit .213 in 39 games with three home runs and 23 RBIs on 27 hits. Smith recently announced his commitment to transfer to Santa Clara University in the NCAA’s West Coast Conference. Smith recently started taking reps at first base and should be a constant batter in the middle of the order moving forward with the Bells. Smith will display his right-handed swing and strong arm at the WCL All-Star game this Wednesday.

Josh Flaugher – RHP – (Transfer Portal)

Josh Flaugher recently entered the transfer portal after his junior season with Texas A&M Corpus Christi where he appeared in 18 games. Flaugher is in his third WCL season after spending the previous two seasons with the Port Angeles Lefties. In his first year with the Bells he has a 0.90 ERA in 20 innings with 17 strikeouts. Batters are hitting just .123 against Flaugher in his five appearances and four starts. Before transferring to Texas A&M Corpus Christi he attended Edmonds College where he had a 2.44 ERA in 2022-23 with 84 strikeouts to 33 walks in just over 92 innings. Flaugher throws a low-90s fastball as well as a curveball, slider and changeup for an effective four pitch mix.

Tyler Van Dyke – RHP – Stetson University

Tyler Van Dyke is with the Bellingham Bells for his first summer spent in the West Coast League. This summer Van Dyke is yet to allow an earned run in a team high 22 innings pitched. He has a 3-0 record in five appearances and has struck out 24 batters to seven walks. Batters are hitting .137 against him and he has just a 0.77 WHIP. This season with Stetson University he made 17 appearances with 29.2 innings pitched and a total of 32 strikeouts. Before Stetson he attended Seminole State College in Sanford, Fla. Van Dyke throws a low to mid-90s fastball, a cutter, slider, changeup and curveball, all which he can throw for consistent strikes. Van Dyke could very well be the All-Star Game starter, the official starter has not yet been announced.

Nic Peterson – LHP – University of California, Santa Barbara

Nic Peterson is playing in the West Coast League for the first time in his career. The left-handed pitcher from UC Santa Barbara is yet to allow an earned run in five games and over a total of 16 innings. Four of his five bullpen appearances have been in long relief. Peterson has a total of 14 strikeouts to just one walk and is holding opponents to a .167 batting average. In his freshman season at UC Santa Barbara he made two bullpen appearances and recorded his first career strikeout on April 26 against California State University, Fullerton. In his time at Orange Lutheran High School he became an All-Trinity League Second Team as a senior. Peterson enters the All-Star Game to represent the Bellingham Bells as their only relief pitcher selected to the roster.

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Learn more about the 2024 WCL All-Star Game here.