The Bells are excited to announce the return of three position players from the 2021 season. Catcher Garner Christensen, infielder Ty Saunders and infielder Jack Van Remortel will return to Bellingham this summer.

Christensen joined the Bells on the back end of the 2021 season and took on a primary role as a bullpen catcher. He appeared in six games and is slated to see more action this summer.

“Garner is a solid catch and throw guy that provides the ball club with mature at-bats from the left side of the plate,” Bells head coach Adam Geaslen said. “A high character individual that we are very happy to have returning to Bellingham this summer.”

Christensen graduated from Burlington-Edison High School and will play for San Joaquin Delta College this spring.

Ty Saunders tied for first in games played with the Bells last summer at 46. He quickly became a fan favorite with his consistent production at the plate and lockdown defensive play in the infield.

“It’s difficult to truly quantify how valuable players like Ty are to a team,” Geaslen said. “A middle infielder that can and will play anywhere that you ask him to…the ultimate team guy both on and off the field. Ty is a skilled defender with a plus arm that provides us with a great switch-hitting option up and down the line up.”

Saunders, sophomore at the University of Portland, is also staying close to his home of Anacortes, Wash. He ended last season with a batting average of .205 and produced 22 runs and 17 RBI.

Jack Van Remortel is entering his senior year at the University of Michigan before traveling west to rejoin the Bells. He sustained an injury in Wenatchee during the second series of the season last year which prohibited him from play the rest of the campaign.

“Jack is a physical player with true power to all fields,” Geaslen said. “He can hold down both corner infield positions with ease and also possesses the speed and athleticism to be an option in the outfield. We are excited that Jack will be representing the Wolverines again this summer in Bellingham.”

Van Remortel appeared in only five games last season, 15 at-bats, but he impressed with a batting average of .267 and scored four runs.