Lee Mills - 2017-18 Canberra Cavalry

It’s been a number of years between ABL bites for local player Mills. He debuted with the Canberra Cavalry in 2011-12 and last played in 2012-13 but put the cleats back on again for the 2017-18 ABL season.

2017-18 Canberra Cavalry Lee Mills card front - ©2018 Adam East

2017-18 Canberra Cavalry Lee Mills alternate card front - ©2018 Adam East

Jake Turcato - 2017-18 Brisbane Bandits

Turcato is an Aussie youngster who played his second ABL season with the Brisbane Bandits during the 2017-18 ABL season.

2017-18 Brisbane Bandits Jake Turcato card front - ©2018 Adam East

Wilson Lee - 2017-18 Adelaide Bite

After failing to play in the ABL during 2016-17, Lee returned for his seventh ABL season with the Bite in 2017-18.  Lee has been spending much of his Aussie winters playing European Baseball, spending 2017 with the Bonn Capitals and winning the German Bundesliga North MVP award as well as being selected to the  European International Stars team

2017-18 Adelaide Bite Wilson Lee card front - ©2018 Adam East

Michael Suchy - 2017-18 Sydney Blue Sox

Suchy is an American import from the Pittsburgh Pirates organisation who played with the Sydney Blue Sox during the 2017-18 ABL season. In 2017 he played with the West Virginia Black Bears and the Altoona Curve, the Pirates’ Low A and Double A level affiliates. Unfortunately for Suchy he was released by the Pirates before the start of the 2018 season after four years in the organisation.

2017-18 Sydney Blue Sox Michael Suchy card front - ©2018 Adam East

Ulrich Bojarksi - 2017-18 Perth Heat

Bojarski is South African born youngster who moved to Western Australia as a toddler and who considers himself an Aussie. He was signed by the Detroit Tigers organisation in 2016, playing with the Perth Heat in 2016-17 and 2017-18. In 2017 Bojarski played Rookie level ball with the GCL Tigers West team, before starting to move up into Single and Advanced A level ball in 2018.

2017-18 Perth Heat Ulrich Bojarski card front - ©2018 Adam East

2017-18 Perth Heat Ulrich Bojarski alternate card front - ©2018 Adam East

Jeremy Young - 2017-18 Melbourne Aces

Local player Young returned for his fourth season with the Melbourne Aces during the 2017-18 ABL season.

2017-18 Melbourne Aces Jeremy Young card front - ©2018 Adam East

Young had a lot of fun with fellow Aces pitchers Josh Tols and Jackson Boyd in posing for the camera whilst I was grabbing shots of them warming up pre-game. I couldn't resist putting together this "Three Amigos" card.

2017-18 Melbourne Aces "Three Amigos" card front - ©2018 Adam East

Tyler Herr - 2017-18 Canberra Cavalry

American import Herr returned for his third ABL season and his second with Canberra during the 2017-18 ABL season. In between his Canberra stints eh spent 2017 playing for the Salina Stockade in the independent American Association.

2017-18 Canberra Cavalry Tyler Herr card front - ©2018 Adam East

TJ Bennett - 2017-18 Brisbane Bandits

American import Bennett returned for his third season with the Brisbane Bandits during the 2017-18 ABL season. Having been signed by the San Francisco Giants after his first ABL season, he spent 2017 playing between their Advanced, Double and Triple A affiliates. In 2018 he played for their Rookie, Single A and Double A teams before being released.

Just a side note: The ABL and MiLB websites list Bennett as being born in Lethbridge, ON, Canada, whilst I had previously listed him as being American. A quick check online doesn't resolve the situation. Some sites say he was born in Mesa, Arizona. His Facebook profile says he's from Mesa, so I'm going with him being American, not Canadian.

2017-18 Brisbane Bandits TJ Bennett card front - ©2018 Adam East

2017-18 Brisbane Bandits TJ Bennett alternate card front - ©2018 Adam East

Nathan Van Der Linden - 2017-18 Adelaide Bite

Local player Van Der Linden returned for his fourth ABL season with the Adelaide Bite during the 2017-18 ABL season.

2017-18 Adelaide Bite Nathan Van Der Linden card front - ©2018 Adam East

Connor MacDonald - 2017-18 Sydney Blue Sox

After five seasons with the Bandits, Brisbane native MacDonald made the move to the Sydney Blue Sox for the 2017-18 ABL season. Unfortunately for MacDonald he was released from the Houston Astros organisation in July 2017 after spending four years in their farm system.

2017-18 Sydney Blue Sox Connor MacDonald card front - ©2018 Adam East

Jake Fraley - 2017-18 Perth Heat

Fraley is an American import from the Tampa Bay Rays organisation who played witht he Perth Heat during the 2017-18 ABL season. It was a successful stint for Fraley, setting ABL season records for Runs Scored and Stolen Bases before winning the League MVP Award. In 2017 and 2018 he has spent time playing with the Charlotte Stone Crabs in the Advanced A level Florida State League.

2017-18 Perth Heat Jake Fraley card front - ©2018 Adam East

2017-18 Perth Heat Jake Fraley card front - ©2018 Adam East

Mark Hamburger - 2017-18 Melbourne Aces

Former MLB player and American import Hamburger returned for his second season in the ABL and with Melbourne during the 2017-18 ABL season. In between his ABL stints in 2017 he played for the St Paul Saints in the independent American Association as well as a single game for the Somerset Patriots in the independent Atlantic League.

2017-18 Melbourne Aces Mark Hamburger card front - ©2018 Adam East

2017-18 Melbourne Aces Mark Hamburger alternate card front - ©2018 Adam East

Dan Lietz - 2017-18 Canberra Cavalry

Lietz was an American import from the Toronto Blue Jays organisation who played with the Canberra Cavalry during the 2017-18 ABl season. In 2017 he played fro the single A Dunedin Blue Jays and Advanced A level Lansing Lugnuts. After his stint Down Under Leitz was released by Toronto in March 2018 before being signed in May by the Atlanta Braves organisation where he commenced playing for their advanced A and AA affiliates.

2017-18 Canberra Cavalry Dan Lietz card front - ©2018 Adam East

Daniel Nilsson - 2017-18 Brisbane Bandits

Daniel changed his role at the Bandits in the 2017-18 ABL season, having played as a pitcher in his previous seasons with the Bandits and Bite. This season he spent most of his gametime in the outfield.

2017-18 Brisbane Bandits Daniel Nilsson card front - ©2018 Adam East