Silver Spring-Takoma Thunderbolts

The Thunderbolts look to get back into the postseason this year after coming up just short in 2024. Photo by Brandon Lauchnor.

By Mahaley Wise

Head Coach: Brock Hunter

2023: 12-24 (4th in North Division)

First Game: Wednesday, June 4 at Aces

It's been all rain and no thunder for Maryland weather this summer, but the Thunderbolts are about to shake things up with what promises to be an electrifying season. 

The Thunderbolts are led by Brock Hunter, who is now in his fifth year as head coach and pitching coach. Before joining the coaching ranks, he pitched at Coastal Carolina, where he held a 4-0 record in 27 starts. He is assisted by Max Eckert, who is also Director of Player Development, as well as Dean Wandell and Ryan Mariani, both of whom are former Thunderbolts pitchers. 

Last season, the Thunderbolts finished in fourth place in the North Division with a 12-24 win-loss record, but they plan to strike back with intensity this summer. 

“Heading into the season, I would say our depth is a big strength,” states Hunter.

The Thunderbolts bring a lot to the table with strong offensive players such as Tyson Gill, a utility player from Clarion who finished the season with a .327 AVG. On the mound, they have a lot of options for pitchers to bring the heat. For example, the ace pitcher from Emory University, Josh Zuckerman, is expected to be a big piece of their rotation. Zuckerman finished first on his team and second in the conference with 77 strikeouts after posting a 5-1 record this season. 

Their biggest strength, however, is their unity. “With all of our returners, we should have a great culture of guys who have been through the league and have a lot of experience playing in the Ripken,” points out Hunter. 

Someone who sticks out from this group of returners is Jack McCarthy, an All-Star catcher appearing after a First Team All-Conference season at Marymount. Named Rookie of the Year this spring, he is sure to be a climactic player. Another familiar name is Ryan Cuadros from Marymount, who was an all-star third baseman and stands as the RBI leader for his university. 

The Thunderbolts also have some other potential star players who could light up the stadiums this season. Brady Grimes (Millersville University) sticks out as a two-way player who can cover first base “with a lot of power and throws hard off the mound,” states Hunter. He reminds Hunter of Beck Urofsky - another two-way player and former Thunderbolt member from Cornell. 

Griffin Puvel (Rider University) who previously played for the Olney Cropdusters last summer, is a speedy outfielder. He also demonstrated his offensive prowess this spring, knocking key extra-base hits for Rider. 

The Thunderbolts open the season with a road game against the Alexandria Aces on Wednesday, June 4 at Frank Mann Field. Moving on, they head to Gaithersburg to play against the Giants on Thursday. Their home opener will be against Bethesda Big Train on Friday night.