SUMMER SLUGGERS: Meet Some of the Pit Spitters

TRAVERSE CITY - The Traverse City Pit Spitters’ 2023 season is already three games in, so let’s get to know three of the Pit Spitters: Aaron Forrest, Glenn Miller and Josh Rebandt.

Aaron Forrest is right-handed pitcher appearing in his second season with the Pit Spitters. The redshirt junior out of Doane College left an impression as the starter of game one. He struck out four while allowing only a single run in his five innings pitched.

Forrest’s journey to get to his current performance level was full of surgeries and recovery. In his first year of college, Forrest underwent three elbow surgeries after tearing his UCL.

“After all the surgeries that I’ve had ... I’m just happy to be here and happy to get the opportunity to compete,” said Forrest. “And give us a chance to win a ring.”

Glenn Miller is an infielder for the Pit Spitters and also is a returner after joining Traverse City toward the end of the 2022 season. Miller is a redshirt junior out of Eastern Michigan and grew up in Pentwater.

His first ever ballgame was at Turtle Creek Stadium when it played host to the Independent League’s Traverse City Beach Bums.

“Growing up and always coming to watch games here, it is just so cool to be the guy on the field,” said Miller.

He remembers the excitement of being a kid at the ballpark and the desire to be one of those players one day. Not to mention, wanting a ball signed by one of the players.

We get so many little kids coming to watch the games,” said Miller. “They’re always coming in for signatures and stuff. Being able to sign every single kid’s ball makes their day, that makes their week.”

Josh Rebandt is the field manager for the Pit Spitters. He has spent all five seasons leading Traverse City and has won two Northwoods League Championships.

The former college baseball player stuck around the sport he loves and he makes it known. He wants his players to feel confident that the coaching staff will lead the team to success.

“We have to love the game of baseball,” said Rebandt. “We have to love being at the field every single day and if we don’t, it all starts at the top. So if we don’t have that passion, our players aren’t going to have the passion to show up every day.”