Adelaide Bite young guns commit for next ABL season on back of Adelaide Crows ownership

The Crows’ groundbreaking takeover of Adelaide Bite has convinced two of the nation’s hottest young players to commit their future to the Australian Baseball League outfit.

Adelaide Bite has re-signed young guns Mitch Edwards and Aaron Whitefield on the back of its Adelaide Crows partnership. Picture: Picture Dean Martin

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THE Crows’ groundbreaking takeover of Adelaide Bite has convinced two of the nation’s hottest young prospects to commit their future to the Australian Baseball League outfit.

Aaron Whitefield and Mitch Edwards this week signed on for a second season with the SA franchise, having helped it to the cusp of a playoff berth in their debut campaign.

The Major League-contracted duo joined the Bite last year, soon after the AFL outfit became the sole owner of the club in a landmark deal.

Queenslander Whitefield said having access to Adelaide’s West Lakes training facilities and the stability of its leadership made returning next summer an attractive proposition.

“A club that’s as successful and as professional as the Crows is something that can help build our baseball club and set the standard for the league,” outfielder Whitefield, 22, said.

“The Crows took a chance with the baseball, but they’ve made it a family and have given us access to everything we need.

“I came from Brisbane (Bandits) where we won the championship three years in-a-row, to a team when I played against them last year that was not very good.

“But I had faith and trust in them, and they’ve produced.”

Whitefield was batting at .309 this season as Adelaide sat third in the Southwest conference ahead of Friday night’s crucial series-opener at Melbourne Aces.

Outfielder Aaron Whitefield takes a swing for Adelaide Bite during this Australian Baseball League season. Picture: SMP Images / ABL Media

Catcher Edwards, who had also impressed behind the plate, attributed the team’s success to close bonds between teammates and training three-times-per week at the Crows’ base.

“I was certainly nervous coming to Adelaide, because you’re moving to a new city and at a young age, so it’s nerve-racking,” Edwards, 19, said.

“But I’ve settled in wonderfully. We’re all young professionals who are out here trying to get better and go back to the States and get to our goal in the big leagues.

“The fact that we can come here and work out, and also have use of the recovery pools, means you’re always feeling fresh and you’re getting the work in you need.

“We’ve got some of the best facilities across all of Australian baseball.”

Melbourne-born Edwards, a Collingwood fan, would return to his US club Philadelphia Phillies late next month, to be farmed out to a Minor League affiliate.

The ex-Canberra and Sydney talent would again rely on advice from his Dad, John Edwards, who played in the Minnesota Twins and the Colorado Rockies organisations from 1998-2003.

Whitefield was due at Minnesota’s Spring training after next weekend’s final regular-season series, meaning he would miss the playoffs should the Bite qualify.

But the former state level sprinter was determined to help last campaign’s wooden-spooner get there.

“We probably could’ve won a couple more games, but we’re sitting two games out of first place and this weekend gives us a shot to make the playoffs,” Whitefield said.

“With that and our young players, there’s something to look forward to in the future.

“I think next year and the year after will be really big years for the Bite.”