Jackets Sign Two More Billings Baseball Players (Apr. 22, 2005)

BILLINGS, MT – Montana State-Billings baseball coach Chris Brown announced Friday that he has signed two more Billings natives to national letters of intent to play for the Yellowjackets next year.  Kyle Pryor and Chris Martin, both 2002 graduates of Billings West High School, will join the Jackets after solid careers at Miles Community College.  Each of Brown’s first three recruits are former Billings Scarlets, including Kyle McBride who signed earlier in the week.

Pryor is a 5-foot-9 shortstop who batted .300 in his two years at Miles CC.  He earned all-conference honors as a sophomore in 2004.  At Billings West, Pryor was a four-time state placer in wrestling and played three years for the Billings Scarlets.  Like McBride, Pryor had planned on playing for Southwest Minnesota State until MSU Billings added baseball this winter.  He transferred to MSU Billings for the spring semester.

“The addition of Kyle gives us a solid middle infielder that excels defensively and can hit for average,” said Brown.  “Kyle has above average speed and can make things happen on the base paths.  He is a hard-nosed player that brings leadership, experience and a passion for the game to the ballpark day in and day out.  I think Kyle is the type of ballplayer that you can build a team around.  He not only makes the routine play, but has the innate ability to make the spectacular play that changes the outcome of a game.”

Martin is a 6-5, 220-pound pitcher.  In two years at MCC he was a combined 10-3, including a 5-1 mark as a sophomore when Miles CC won the conference title.  In high school he played two years for the Scarlets and two years for the Cardinals and was a member of the 2001 conference champion Scarlets.

“Chris gives us another high quality starting pitcher that has proven he can win consistently at the collegiate level,” said Brown.  “We are very pleased to have Chris choose MSU Billings, and we look forward to big things from him.  He has the ability to shut teams down and is a smart pitcher who knows how to change speeds and locations.  His repertoire includes a good fastball with movement, an above average change up, and an excellent curve ball.  He is a mature young man that excels on the diamond and in the classroom.”