North Shore Navigators welcome D3 duo to pitching staff

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LYNN, Mass. — The North Shore Navigators tapped into New England’s Division 3 ranks for two more members of their 2019 pitching staff, Director of Player Procurement Joe Gill announced on Friday. Saint Joseph’s College’s Matt Bergeron and New England College’s Johandy Gonzalez will join the Futures Collegiate League club for the upcoming summer.

Both right-handed pitchers are both in the midst of their freshman seasons. Bergeron will spend the summer alongside one of his Monks teammates in second-year Navigator and former St. John’s Prep pitcher Zach Begin.

“We’ve consistently had a group of talented Division 3 pitchers for years, so we’re excited to add two more from familiar college programs this summer,” said Gill. “Matt has had an awesome freshman year, and we expect him to be an anchor for our staff like all of the St. Joe’s pitchers who have come to us in the past. Johandy is recovering from an injury, but he will be fresh as his coaches at NEC assured us that he’ll be back healthy when the season begins next month.”

Like Begin did last year, the Salem, N.H., native Bergeron has emerged as one of St. Joe’s key arms, going 5-1 in nine appearances with a 2.31 ERA that ranks second in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference. He racked up 22 strikeouts in his first 39 innings, pitching complete games in three of six starts. The 6-foot-7, 250-pound righty earned Second Team All-State and Most Valuable Player as a high school senior, also playing golf and hockey during his Salem tenure.

Gonzalez has yet to debut for the Pilgrims as he continues to recover from an elbow injury, but the North Andover native is expected to be ready to pitch come summer. The 5-foot-9, 175-pounder completed his scholastic career at Bridgton Academy after playing at both North Andover High and Central Catholic. He was a two-time Merrimack Valley Conference All-Star in high school and also played football.

The Navigator roster continues to be unveiled in advance of the 2019 season, which begins on Thursday, May 30 at Brockton. Following back-to-back games on the road, the team’s Fraser Field debut is slated for Saturday, June 1 at 6 p.m. against the Nashua Silver Knights.