GASTONIA, N.C. – The Gastonia Ghost Peppers have signed LHP Nick Wells for the 2025 season, announced by general manager Brady Salisbury on Sunday.
Gastonia welcomes back Wells, who pitched for the club in 2023 and 2024.
The southpaw was a third-round draft pick by the Blue Jays in 2014. He was traded to the Mariners a year later in a package for RHP Mark Lowe. Wells pitched for Seattle’s organization for five years until 2019, when he was traded to the Nationals for RHP Austin Adams. The Haymarket, Virginia, native reached Triple-A Rochester with Washington’s system in 2021.
Wells has been a key piece for Gastonia in each of the past two seasons. The lefty made 30 appearances out of the bullpen in 2023, recording a 2.90 ERA and striking out 37 in 31 innings. He was a crucial part of Gastonia’s deep playoff run.
Last season, Wells transitioned to a starter by adding two pitches – a splitter and sweeper. In seven outings, six of them being starts, Wells went 3-0 with a 2.55 ERA and struck out 42 batters in 35.1 innings with the Baseball Club. In early July, the left-hander had his contract purchased by the Toros de Tijuana of the Mexican League.
With the addition of the lefty arm, the Ghost Peppers have now signed 24 players for 2025.
The players who have signed so far are:
RHP Jimmie Sherfy
RHP Parker Kruglewicz
RHP Ryne Inman
RHP Matt Hartman
RHP Nick Snyder
RHP Duane Underwood Jr.
LHP Nick Horvath
LHP Ryan Hennen
LHP Kevin Smith
LHP Adam Scott
LHP Justus Sheffield
LHP Nick Wells
C Gavin Stupienski
C Luis Aviles
INF Jake Hoover
INF Alan Alonso
INF Ethan Skender
INF Braxton Davidson
INF Jack Reinheimer
INF Richie Martin
OF Eric De La Rosa
OF Kevin Watson Jr.
OF Narciso Crook
OF Dalton Guthrie
The team will complete the player signing announcements over the next week.
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Gastonia Ghost Peppers begins its second season of operations with Zawyer Sports & Entertainment – a sports ownership group with professional teams operating in the U.S. and the fifth season for the franchise at CaroMont Health Park in the FUSE District of Gastonia. The Ghost Peppers have made the ALPB Playoffs for three consecutive seasons, setting the league record for highest win percentage in a three-year span (.651 from 2022-2024.)
In their inaugural season, the Ghost Peppers had seven players with contracts purchased by other leagues, whether that be MLB-affiliated clubs or leagues outside the country. They also had two former players make their MLB debuts in 2024 — Spencer Bivens (Tigers) and Bryan Sammons (2024.) Bivens is on the Giants’ 26-man roster in 2025. J.C. Escarra, who played for Gastonia in 2023, is currently on the Yankees’ 26-man roster.
The Ghost Peppers open the 2025 season on Friday, April 25 against the York Revolution. Game time is set for 7 p.m. Single game tickets are currently on sale. Contact the Ghost Peppers office at 980-415-2255, or visit www.ghostpeppersbaseball.com for more information.
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About the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB) – Celebrating its third decade, the Atlantic League is Major League Baseball’s first Professional Partner League, a player gateway to the major leagues, and a leader in baseball innovation. Over its 26-year history, the ALPB has sent over 1,400 players to MLB organizations while drawing over 47 million fans to its 10 family-friendly ballparks that stretch from New York to North Carolina. Please visit www.AtlanticLeague.com.