Chris Proctor, the author of some of Lancaster’s biggest moments in 2023, has signed a contract for the 2024 season, it was announced today by manager Ross Peeples.
He becomes the tenth player under contract with the Stormers for the upcoming campaign.
Proctor, who turns 27 on March 8, came to the Stormers in a trade with the High Point Rockers for RHP Cole Akers late in the 2022 season. He hit .243 for Lancaster with three homers and 19 RBI, then contributed a pair of game sealing hits in the two games at High Point in the championship series.
Last season, he led Lancaster to a come-from-behind, 4-3, win at Gastonia in the second game of a Memorial Day doubleheader, as the Gastonia native launched a grand slam in the sixth inning at CaroMont Health Park.
Proctor wrecked Gastonia’s hopes a second time on August 25, snapping a no-hit bid by right-hander Brett Daniels with a double in the sixth inning.
The lefty batter finished the season batting .272 with four homers and 25 RBI. Often used as the designated runner, Proctor accumulated 13 stolen bases for the year. He
missed several weeks with a thumb injury sustained in early June. He returned to action, August 10.
He also stood out in the Championship Series, scoring seven runs and stealing four bases as the Stormers took down the South Division champions in five games. He had six hits and three walks in the series for a .529 on base percentage.
Prior to his arrival in the Atlantic League, the Duke University product spent four seasons in the Detroit Tigers system, briefly reaching Class AAA in 2021.
“Proctor is a solid catcher who controls the bat well,” said Peeples. “He also holds his own in the outfield. He definitely brings value to our locker room and has been a big reason we have won the last two years.”
The Stormers begin their quest for a third straight Atlantic League title on April 25 at Long Island. The home opener is slated for Tuesday, April 30 as the Stormers host the Atlantic League’s latest entry, the Hagerstown Flying Boxcars.