Pippins Add Ivy League Outfielder and Junior Right-Hander

Krustangel adds San Diego natives, will reunite with pitcher

YAKIMA, Wash. – Pippins head coach Kyle Krustangel will welcome EJ Kreutzmann, a freshman playing at Columbia University, and will welcome back Landon Schirer, his closer during the 2019 season when he managed the Wenatchee AppleSox, when the Pippins open their season at home in June.

Kreutzmann, a 5-foot-10, 195-pounds two-sport athlete from San Diego, Calif., will patrol the outfield for the Pippins. A star quarterback as well at La Jolla Country Day High School, Kreutzmann lettered in baseball all four years and captained his squad in 2019 and 2020.

“There’s not a lot of Ivy League players in the league, so it’s exciting to get someone from the other part of the country over here,” Krustangel said. “He comes highly regarded from his coaching staff as a guy who’s an everyday player for them, and should be a big contributor for us just like he is at his Division I (team).”

Kreutzmann hit .234 in his last full season in 2019, but with 10 walks and a team-best five home runs, he turned in a respectable .799 OPS. He also led his team with 16 RBI during the campaign.

The last time Schirer pitched in a West Coast League game, he came on in a late-season relief appearance against the Pippins. Under Krustangel’s management in Wenatchee in 2019, he racked up a 1-1 record with six saves and a 4.10 ERA in 19 relief appearances.

Schirer, standing 6-feet-5-inches, played at George Fox University for three seasons, including a shortened 2020 season, before transferring to Angelo State University with junior standing. Notably, he gave up just three home runs in 136.1 innings during his three years at George Fox.

“He’s a fierce competitor, he’s a bulldog on the mound,” Krustangel said of Schirer. “He’s someone that his energy and fierceness on the mound can be contagious to a team. So I’m very excited to bring that mentality onto our team.”

The Pippins are scheduled to open their seventh WCL season at Yakima County Stadium in June. Season tickets, mini season ticket plans and ticket vouchers are already on sale at PippinsTickets.com. Single-game tickets for all 32 Pippins home games will go on sale early this spring.

By Chris Rosato Jr.

February 11, 2021