KINSTON, North Carolina (April 9, 2025) - The Down East Bird Dawgs, along with the Frontier League, an MLB Partner League, are excited to announce the signing of six new pitchers to the inaugural 2025 season roster!  

The Bird Dawgs new signings bring the roster to a total of 32 players including 15 pitchers, three catchers, seven infielders, four outfielders and three utility players. The latest additions are RHP Jacob King, LHP Brandon Kaminer, RHP Anthony Silvas, RHP Spencer Johnston, RHP Danny Beal, and RHP Nate Boyle.

King played all four years of collegiate baseball at Division I UC Irvine from 2020 to 2023. He appeared in just four games in his first season before taking off in 2021 as he posted a 1.98 ERA, appearing in 29 games as a relief pitcher, striking out 45 batters, and earning eight saves. After the season, he was named Perfect Game USA Third Team All-American, Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Freshman All-American, and All-Big West First Team. In 2022, King made 24 appearances on the mound, as he finished the year with a 5.56 ERA, with 29 punchouts. He spent the summer of 2022 in Alaska as he took home the Alaska Baseball League championship with the Anchorage Glacier Pilots while holding an impressive 2.51 ERA in 15 relief appearances, as he secured eight saves. In his final season at UC Irvine, King made 28 appearances out of the bullpen as he held a 3.41 ERA, striking out a career-high 55 batters, and completing the year with eight saves. After an incredible college career, King signed with the Minnesota Twins in 2023. He appeared in two games in the Florida Complex League for the Twins in 2023, as he pitched 1.2 innings. He played in the FCL again in 2024, as he played in one game, making a start as he pitched 0.2 innings. He spent the fall of 2024 in the Arizona Fall League with the Salt River Rafters, pitching in eight games as he held a 7.71 ERA in 9.1 Innings pitched while he struck out 10 batters.

Kaminer came out of high school as an All-American by Louisville Slugger after posting a 1.16 ERA career ERA with 190 strikeouts, which led him to commit to the Division I University of Miami. However, before his freshman season began, he transferred to Florida Southwestern State, making eight appearances with a 6.00 ERA. The southpaw then spent his sophomore year at Wallace Community College-Dothan, where he posted a 5.12 ERA in 65 innings, allowing just nine walks all year with 68 strikeouts. Kaminer’s command of the strike zone allowed him to transfer to Division I Louisiana State University, where he spent the 2020 and 2021 seasons. In 2020, Kaminer appeared in seven games, while posting a 2.84 ERA in 12.2 innings with five walks and 12 strikeouts. In 2021, he pitched in seven games as a reliever, posting no decisions and a 10.38 ERA in 4.1 innings. Kaminer transferred to Division I Georgia State for the 2022 season as a graduate student. While at GSU, Kaminer was a weekend starting pitcher who went 1-1 with a 3.74 ERA in 12 appearances as he collected 42 strikeouts in 43.1 innings. After college, Kaminer spent the summer of 2022 in the MLB Draft League with the Williamsport Crosscutters as he played in 10 games, delivering a 3.75 ERA, while striking out 27 batters. Kaminer made his way to the Pioneer League with the Northern Colorado Owlz, where he spent the 2023 and 2024 seasons. In 2023, he was mainly a starter, playing in 15 games while starting nine as he pitched 50 innings and posted a 9.18 ERA. He returned to Northern Colorado in 2024 but this time as a reliever, as he made 23 appearances while starting just one. He pitched in 30 innings as he posted an 8.70 ERA while striking out 24.

Silvas began his collegiate career at Division I California Baptist, where he spent one season in 2022. He made 15 appearances and six starts on the mound, pitching 28 innings, as he logged a 2-3 record with a 7.71 ERA. Silvas transferred to Riverside City College for 2023 and took off. He played and started in five games, holding a 1.44 ERA, while striking out 33 batters in 25 innings pitched. His time at RCC was enough to get him drafted in the 16th round to the Minnesota Twins during the 2023 MLB Draft. Silvas did not appear in any games in the Twins organization and was released in February.

Johnston started his collegiate career at Frank Phillips Junior College. Throughout two seasons, he delivered 102 innings, as he struck out 88 batters, while walking 23. After Junior College, Johnston played for Division II East Central University from 2020 to 2021, holding a 5.56 ERA across 84.2 innings pitched, while striking out 72 batters. Johnston rounded out his collegiate career as he spent the 2022 season at Division II Arkansas-Monticello, posting a 4.19 ERA in 86 innings, while striking out 71 hitters. Upon graduation, Johnston played professionally during the summer of 2022 for the Joliet Slammers of the Frontier League as he pitched 51.2 innings and held a 2.79 ERA while posting a 5-3 record. After the conclusion of his rookie year, Johnston was traded to the Washington WildThings, where he spent part of the 2023 season. He pitched in six games with a 6.35 ERA. Johnston moved to the Atlantic League for the remainder of 2023, starting with the Lancaster Barnstormers, as he pitched in five games while holding a 6.58 ERA. Johnston finished his 2023 campaign with the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs and found his stride as he started all 11 of his appearances while maintaining a 3.66 ERA. Johnston returned to Southern Maryland for the 2024 season as he delivered 81.1 innings in 15 appearances, striking out 69 batters while posting a 5.98 ERA.

Beal hails from Division I East Carolina University, where he spent all four years of his collegiate career pitching for the Pirates. As a freshman in 2021, Beal appeared in 15 games, posting a 2.25 ERA while striking out eight batters. He spent the summer of 2021 with the Woodstock River Bandits of the Valley League, appearing in seven games while holding an 8.36 ERA as he struck out 16 batters. During the 2022 season for ECU, Beal pitched in 30 games with two starts as he compiled a 5-2 record and 4.97 earned run average with 40 strikeouts against 21 walks in 38 innings. In the summer of 2022, he played for the Asheboro Zookeepers of the Coastal Plain League, making 10 appearances, including two starts, as he delivered a 3.33 ERA with 37 strikeouts and just five walks. For his Junior season for the Pirates in 2023, Beal appeared in a team-high 31 games all out of the bullpen, compiling a 6-2 record and 2.70 earned run average with 65 strikeouts and 12 walks in 53.1 innings of work en route to being named to the American Athletic Conference All-Tournament Team. Before his Senior year, Beal was named to the NCBWA Stopper of the Year Award Preseason Watch List and the Preseason All-AAC Team. Beal continued his strong work on the mound for his senior year at ECU in 2024 as he led the team with 35 appearances, holding an 8-2 record with a 3.38 ERA, collecting four saves, as he struck out 52 batters while walking 23 in 72 innings of work earning an All-AAC Second Team Selection.

Boyle started his college career at Jackson State CC, where he threw 45 innings en route to Region VII Runner-Up honors. He transferred to Division I Virginia Commonwealth University, where he did not appear in any games during the 2020 season. He spent the summer of 2020 with the Bismarck Bull Moose of the Northwoods League, appearing in 10 games as he posted a 1.29 ERA with 15 strikeouts. In 2021, Boyle transferred to Toledo and made three appearances for a total of two innings on the mound. Boyle returned to Bismarck for the summer of 2021, pitching in 21 games while posting a 5.32 ERA as he struck out 21 batters. For Boyle’s final year of college, he transferred to Division II Drury University, where he played in 17 games and held a 6.32 ERA. Boyle returned to Bismarck for a third straight summer in 2022, where he played just eight games while maintaining a 2.25 ERA before being picked up by the Missoula PaddleHeads where he spent the remainder of the summer. For the PaddleHeads in 2022, Boyle posted a 4.54 ERA in 18 appearances while striking out 29 batters. Boyle returned to Missoula for the 2023 season, as he made five appearances while delivering a 3.00 ERA