Elk Grove native, Sac State alum to play for Yolo High Wheelers

Jeremiah Martinez
·2 min read

(FOX40.COM) — When the Yolo High Wheelers make their debut in May, their roster will include a local player.

Elk Grove native and pitcher Jack Zalasky will be on the mound for the High Wheelers in the team’s inaugural season. He previously played for the Sacramento State baseball team, attending the university from 2019 to 2023.

Zalasky was announced as the High Wheelers’ first player on Feb. 5. The Elk Grove native is a third-generation Sac State Hornet, with his father Patrick playing baseball for the university and his grandfather playing for the football team.

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While at Sac State, Zalasky led the Hornets in Earned Run Average (ERA) in 2021 and 2022. ERA is a statistic that calculates the average number of earned runs scored against a pitcher in every nine innings pitched, according to MLB.com. 

Zalasky holds the school record for strikeouts per nine innings with an average of 11.1. He’s also second on the all-time Hornets’ list for saves (26), pitching appearances (95), and saves in a season (11).

According to the High Wheelers, Zalasky debuted professionally in the MLB Draft League with the Mahoning Valley Scrappers in 2023. The MLB Draft League is a collegiate summer league where draft-eligible prospects can showcase their talents.

Zalasky logged 16 innings in 12 appearances with the Scrappers.

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The High Wheelers are the newest team in the Pioneer Baseball League — an independent baseball organization — and will host their first home game on May 21 at Phil Swimley Field at Dobbins Stadium at UC Davis.

The Rocky Mountain Vibes will be the High Wheelers’ first opponent at the 3,500-seat venue.

The team’s nickname refers to Davis as a cycling club hub and the city as the home to the U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame. The High Wheelers’ colors will be black, yellow and orange.

The High Wheelers are the PBL’s second expansion on the West Coast after the Oakland Ballers.

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