Familiar bullpen arms sign in Kitchener

KITCHENER - The Panthers bullpen depth just got a whole lot deeper, while continuing to stay true to the team’s local feel!

Four familiar arms from the Region of Waterloo are returning to the organization for the 2024 season: Jack Anderson, Nathan Laird, Jose Vasquez and Brady Schnarr.

Anderson is heading into his third season in the IBL, though he has been used seldomly during both 2021 and 2023.

He has a combined eight appearances for the Panthers, where he has a career 6.00 ERA in 12 innings. He has 14 strikeouts to his credit, compared with six walks.

Laird has consistently been the first option out of the bullpen for the Panthers, since joining the organization in 2021.

He is going into his fourth season with the Panthers. He was called into action 13 times last season, where he posted a 10.80 ERA in 16.2 innings, striking out 18 and walking 13.

He’s looking to get back to his 2022 numbers, a 2-1 record in 18 appearances, a 5.46 ERA in 29.2 innings, striking out 31 batters to 20 walks.

Vasquez is heading into his third IBL season.

After pitching in Brantford in 2016, he took a break from the IBL and played two years in Winnipeg (Frontier League). In 2020, he was signed with London before the pandemic wiped the season out, and signed in Kitchener for 2023.

With the Panthers last season, the big Cambridge native split time as a starter and reliever. In 10 appearances (six of them starts), he had a 5.18 ERA in 41.2 innings. But the impressive strikeout artist posted 55 K’s, compared to nine walks.

He also recorded two of the three wins in the first-round playoff series victory over London.

Schnarr enters the fifth year of his IBL career, and expected to be a key reliever in the bullpen once again.

In 2023, Schnarr made 14 regular season appearances and recorded an astounding 0.62 ERA in 14.1 innings of work.

The University of Montevallo alum also made an appearance as a right fielder during the final game of the regular season against Hamilton last year. In that game, he recorded his first career IBL hit.

PHOTOS: Dan Congdon Photography

The Panthers begin its 105th IBL season at home to the Hamilton Cardinals on Thursday, May 16. Get your season tickets, FLEX packs or single-game tickets HERE.

JACK ANDERSON

Position: Pitcher

Hometown: Waterloo, ON

Height: 6’3”

Weight: 200 lbs

Hits/Pitches: R/L

Birthdate: August 22, 1998

Pronunciation: J-ah-k An-durr-sin

JOSE VASQUEZ

Position: Pitcher

Hometown: Cambridge, ON

Height: 6’4”

Weight: 215 lbs

Hits/Pitches: R/R

Birthdate: August 31, 1996

Pronunciation: Hose-eh Vass-kez

NATHAN LAIRD

Position: Pitcher

Hometown: Kitchener, ON

Height: 6’0”

Weight: 190 lbs

Hits/Pitches: R/R

Birthdate: June 4, 1997

Pronunciation: Nay-thin Lay-rd

BRADY SCHNARR

Position: Pitcher

Hometown: Waterloo, ON

Height: 6’2”

Weight: 195 lbs

Hits/Pitches: R/R

Birthdate: August 26, 1997

Pronunciation: Bray-dee Shh-narr