ALTON - A player returning for his second season along with a fresh face from a familiar school have signed to join the Alton River Dragons for 2025. Outfielder Preston Wright from Western Kentucky returns for another season and is joined by right-handed pitcher Bauer Dalke from Webster University.
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Wright played in 10 games during the second half of last season driving in six runs. The Mascoutah, IL native is a junior in his first season at Western Kentucky. He previously was a standout in the NJCAA batting .383 and crushing 18 homers at Southwestern Illinois in 2024. Before that he started his college career at Walters State in Tennessee. Along with baseball, Wright was also a member of the Mascoutah football team in high school.
Dalke becomes the latest River Dragon to come from Webster University which has been sending players to Alton for each of the previous three seasons. A freshman pitcher, Dalke is a graduate of Althoff Catholic and native of Belleville, IL. In high school he captained the baseball team while also playing on the golf team.
Wright and Dalke join previously announced players including pitchers Trent Markezich (Saint Xavier), Jackson Parrill (Lindenwood), Collin Quandee (Judson) and position playersTanner Aoki (Mississippi Valley State), Bryer Arview (John A. Logan), Matt Carrano (Parkland), Tom Early (Mississippi Valley State), JJ Jackson (MSOE), Luke Parmentier (Alabama State), Jayden Paytel (Parkland), Mark Wagner (Parkland) and Bret Yarger (Lindenwood)
The 2025 season will mark the fifth season of Alton River Dragons baseball in the area! The team returns to Lloyd Hopkins Field for their home opener Saturday May 31, 2025. The River Dragons are also excited to help Alton Post 125 in hosting the 2025 Illinois American Legion Baseball Junior State Series in late July.
The team is currently selling limited edition “five-game packs” which include tickets to the season’s five-biggest games and comes with a River Dragons jersey, all for only $75.
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