Resident Feature

Northgate Grad Ian Villers enjoys first year in the minor leagues

Ian Villers was a star pitcher for Northgate, graduating in 2018 and going on to pitch for the Cal Bears at UC Berkeley for three years. He was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the yearly amateur draft in 2021. 

The season began with a trip to Scottsdale where all the new rookies had to quarantine for 10 days in a hotel, then go through testing before they could proceed to physicals, then practicing and bonding with the other rookies. They played a short season of rookie ball, then had the winter off. So this 2022 season is his first full season in professional baseball. Although the major league players were locked out of baseball until March 10, the minor league players were allowed to begin spring training as planned. He started with a pitchers’ mini camp in February and on March 3 minor league practices began. The players take part in some activity every day, whether it’s a light day of stretching, running, going over signs and playing catch, or a more intense day of weight lifting and throwing in the bull pen. “The Giants are a great organization,” Villers says. “They take care of our arms.” Games ran from March 15 through early April, and at the conclusion of spring training each player will find out their assignment for the season. He added, “Every day you have to have your A game. But I get to wake up every day and put on a jersey and play baseball; I love it!” 

Send your local sports stories to knavolio@bestversionmedia. com. 


By Kara Navolio, Resident since 1991