TRENTON- There is a new dynamic duo in Trenton, and it is not Batman and Robin. This pair does not wear capes, but rather the pinstripes of the Trenton Thunder, as they go out onto the diamond each night in search of victories. Tyler Wade, the Thunder shortstop, and Dustin Fowler, the new centerfielder, are both 21-year old players...
TRENTON- There is a new dynamic duo in Trenton, and it is not Batman and Robin.
This pair does not wear capes, but rather the pinstripes of the Trenton Thunder, as they go out onto the diamond each night in search of victories.
Tyler Wade, the Thunder shortstop, and Dustin Fowler, the new centerfielder, are both 21-year old players drafted in the 2013 Major League Baseball Amateur Draft by the Yankees. They were teammates last year at Advanced A Tampa, for a month and a half, before Wade was called up to Trenton.
Now, to start the 2016 season, the pair has been reunited, to lead the Thunder attack at the top of the lineup.
Monday night, with the Portland Sea Dogs (2-3) in town for the first of a three game set, the Thunder (3-1) came away with a 5-3 win.
Fowler was 2-for-4, with a single, a double, a walk and a RBI, while Wade walked and scored twice, to lead the Thunder attack.
Wade has been hitting in the leadoff spot, while Fowler has nestled in right behind him, in the two-hole. It gives Trenton speed to burn at the top of the order, as the Thunder implement manager Bobby Mitchell's new aggressive style of play.
Wade especially has looked much more comfortable to start the year than in his stint last season.
"Guys one through nine, we can all run," Wade said. "If we can take an extra bag, and move up an extra 90 feet, we are going to do it."
"Fowler is real fast, and once we get things rolling during the season, we are going to be pretty hard to beat," Wade said.
Both players stole 30-plus bags last year, and should get many more opportunities in 2016. But their main goal is to get on base for the meat of the order, and they have done that so far, in a limited sample size.
"Obviously I am going to be wherever they want me to be (in the lineup)," Fowler said. "But I would love to be a one-two guy, or even a five-six, whatever works best."
"Obviously the pitchers are going to have a lot better stuff," Fowler said. "But I am just looking forward to moving up in the organization, where pitchers are going to throw more strikes."
"More than likely, the pitches are going to be around the zone," Fowler said. "So that is going to help a lot, with me being an aggressive hitter. It is definitely going to be a challenge, to teach myself to get used to better pitches, and show how good a hitter I am."
On the defensive side of play, Wade and Fowler should be favorites of the Thunder staff. Wade has good range and a strong arm, while Fowler can track down almost anything in the vast expanses of the Trenton outfield.
"With (Bobby Mitchell) being an outfield coordinator in the past, I think it will help me a lot," Fowler said. "Working on being as quick as possible, and just the little techniques, it is always great having that in his background to help."
Mitchell, who was a centerfielder in his time in the major leagues, sang the praises of Fowler's play in the field so far in 2016.
"He plays shallow, and that is what good outfielders do," Mitchell said. "And he is a very good centerfielder. He has a lot of confidence going back, and when you have that, you can play that shallow."
"You don't worry about the ball being hit over your head all the time," Mitchell said. "And when you look at it, defensively, from an outfield standpoint, that is what the really, really good outfielders do."
Contact Sean Miller at seanmillertrentontimes@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @TheProdigalSean