Ottawa Titans extend Valin, ink Gitter, release Tofteland

The Ottawa Titans have re-signed left-hander Matt Valin for the 2023 season. Photo: Ottawa Titans

October 26, 2022

Official Ottawa Titans Release

Ottawa, Ont. - The Ottawa Titans have re-signed left-handed pitcher Matt Valin and acquired outfielder Jake Gitter for the upcoming 2023 Frontier League campaign.

Valin, 25, joined the Titans’ bullpen in a July deal with the New Jersey Jackals. The hard-tossing lefty pitched to a 3.46 ERA in 12 appearances down the stretch. In 13 innings, Valin surrendered only five earned runs on seven hits, punching out an impressive 26 hitters.

A native of LaFargeville, N.Y., Valin took centre stage in the ninth inning of game two of the FLDS against Quebec on September 10 by inheriting the bases loaded and none out. The southpaw managed to escape the jam by striking out the heart of the Quebec lineup to send the contest to extras.

Entering his fifth season of professional baseball, Valin re-found a home in the Nation’s Capital after making his professional debut under Sebastien Boucher in the Can-Am League in 2019.

Gitter, 24, appeared in his rookie season this past summer with the Frontier League’s Lake Erie Crushers.

In 42 games, Gitter posted a .210 average with eight homers and 28 runs driven in. A graduate of Coastal Carolina University (Conway, South Carolina), Gitter saw action in only nine games for the Chanticleers before turning pro. Prior to Coastal Carolina, he attended Northern Colorado (Greeley, Colorado) for four years, hitting .306 in 93 games.

The multi-tooled outfielder earned player of the week honours for his performance in the Crushers’ three-game set against the Titans July 22-24. Gitter went 6-for-10 in the series with two homers, and six RBI, which included a 4-for-5 night in the middle game of the series.

In other news, the Titans have acquired infielder Ivan Marin from Missoula PaddleHeads of the Pioneer League in exchange for future considerations. Later, the club traded OF Jacob Talamante to Missoula for future considerations.

Also, left-handed pitcher Tyler Jandron has been sent to the American Association’s Winnipeg Goldeyes for right-handed pitcher Erasmo Pinales and infielder Justin Thompson.

Further, the team has released UTIL Dane Tofteland (Grande Prairie, Alta.).