CRESTWOOD, Ill. – American Southwest Conference Baseball East Division Player of the Year Clay Baker (Henderson, Texas) has signed a contract to play professional baseball with the 2007 Frontier League Champion Windy City Thunderbolts.

In Baker’s only season with the Patriots, the second baseman finished the season hitting .401 with 57 runs off of 70 hits, nine doubles, four triples, 10 homeruns, 47 triples with a .640 slugging percentage and a .550 on-base percentage. On top of being named ASC East Player of the Year, Baker also earned ABCA/Rawlings First Team All-West Region honors.

Baker will join former Patriots Brett Amyx, Phil Grau and Kevin Noles on the Thunderbolts roster. With Amyx at first, Noles at third and the addition of Baker at second, there is the chance that Wind City could sport a Patriot-heavy infield at some point in the season.

“Clay had a great year at UT Tyler and was a leader on field for us all year. Looking at his entire collegiate career, Clay is well deserving of a chance play professional baseball” said UT Tyler head coach James Vilade. “We are happy that he has this opportunity and know he will make best of it.

Baker and Thunderbolts will open their season on the road on May 21 against the Evansville (Ind.) Otters.