The Chatham-Kent Barnstormers' bats are getting a big boost.
The team announced Thursday morning that 2024 IBL MVP Seth Strong will be returning to the lineup.
The first baseman affectionately referred to as "The Panda" led the entire IBL in home runs last year with 16 and also racked up a .344 batting average.
Strong was named as a South All-Star last season and he was an IBL First Team All-Star following the season.
The 28-year-old played 26 games in the Frontier League earlier this year for the Lake Erie Crushers, playing his last game on June 11.
He only scored one home run and put up a .209 batting average with the Crushers, making 107 plate appearances.
Barnstormers GM Harry Muir said his conversations with Strong started after he was released by the Crushers on June 13 but added that things really picked up when Strong showed up for Tuesday's game against Brantford.
"We had talked a couple of weeks ago... and he was still looking to sign with another Frontier League team, so I didn't know what was going on there and then I heard a rumour that he was going to be at the game, so I texted him," said Muir. "I had no inclination whatsoever that he wanted to come back, but obviously when I saw him, I asked, 'What are your intentions?' and he was like, 'Well, I brought my baseball stuff'... so we talked, hashed out an agreement and that was it."
Muir said they had come to a verbal agreement on Tuesday and then finalized everything by Tuesday night before the league approved the signing on Wednesday.
He said Strong's presence on first base and at the plate will give the team a good boost heading into the second half of the season.
"Seth fills what we don't have in our lineup right now... that guy who can hit a home run at any at-bat and that really makes a difference in how teams pitch us," said Muir. "This will really send some vibes through the league that we're taking this seriously."
The Barnstormers are currently sitting in second place in the IBL standings with 13 wins and 8 losses.
Their next game is on the road in Kitchener at 7:30 p.m. Thursday.