BOOMERS PLAYER SPOTLIGHT COLE COOK ISAIAH RIVERA MATT HELWIG MERS BOD MERS 17 P Cook enters his second season with the Boomers in 2025. The lefty starter set a franchise record for single season strikeouts in 2024 with 135, a career best and second most in the league, over 122 innings while finishing 6-5 with a 3.76 ERA. The fifth-year Frontier League hurler was selected as an All-Star and earned the Frontier League Pitcher of the Week award after striking out 11 over seven shutout innings against Florence on May 19, allowing just three hits. The sixth-year professional notched a 16.1 inning scoreless streak in August and posted 10 quality starts while working into the sixth inning on 14 occasions. Cook struck out five or more in 16 of his starts and seven or more 10 times including two with double figures while striking out the side on 10 occasions. The port-sider tossed the third complete game of his career on July 13. Cook, who made 21 appearances and 20 starts for the Boomers, pitched in Nicaragua in the winter of 2024- 25 for Leones de Leon where he was a teammate of several other Boomers. Cook made five starts, finishing 1-2 with a 4.03 ERA with 19 strikeouts over 22.1 innings of work. The Frontier League Pitcher of the Year in 2023 while with Joliet, Cook finished 12-2 in 2023 with a 2.23 ERA in 20 starts, striking out 131 batters in 137 innings. Acquired by the Boomers in a trade with Charros de Jalisco of the Mexican League prior to the 2024 campaign, the 27-year old led the league in wins, ERA and innings while finishing second in strikeouts during the 2023 season. Cook posted 17 quality starts among his 20 outings and logged three scoreless stretches of at least 15 innings. Over two seasons with Joliet, his team won 26 of his 39 starts. Cook finished 11-7 in 2022 with 109 strikeouts over 117.1 innings with 15 of his 19 starts lasting six innings or longer. A native of Washington, III., Cook pitched collegiately at Bradley University and as a senior in 2019 logged the second lowest ERA ever by a Bradley hurler in the metal bat era. 18 P Rivera pitched for the Boomers in 2021 before signing with the Minnesota Twins in 2022. With the Twins, Rivera served as a late-inning reliever, finishing 12 of his 15 outings while logging 25 strikeouts in 15.1 innings of work in the Florida Complex League. Rivera posted four saves and sported a 3.52 ERA. After battling injuries, Rivera looks to return to the mound for the first time since 2022. The northwest suburban native pitched 26 times for the Boomers in 2021 and finished 2-3 with a 5.02 ERA over 57.1 innings, striking out 65. Rivera opened his college career as a two-way player at Harper College before heading to St. Xavier and Indiana Wesleyan. Rivera was a starter at Indiana Wesleyan, striking out 60 over 53.1 innings. 13 P A native of the South Suburbs, Helwig begins his second season with the Boomers in 2025. The righty opened 2024 with a 0.75 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 12 innings before being signed by the Twins. Helwig six appearances in the Florida Complex League with the Twins and allowed just one unearned run over 11.2 innings before returning to the Boomers and pitching six times spanning 6.1 innings with the club late in the season. Helwig attended Lewis University where he made 32 relief appearances over two years. Helwig logged six career saves while striking out 73 in 50.1 innings. Helwig posted an ERA under 1.00 in the Northwoods League in two seasons with Eau Claire, including a 0.61 ERA in 2023 with nine saves in 14 outings, striking out 24 over 14.2 innings. FEEL THE BOOM TRUST HOME OPENER! THURSDAY MAY 8 6:30PM & POST GAME FIREWORKS! SCHAUMBURG BOOMERS WINTRUST FIELD FRONTIER LEAGUE PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL BoomersBaseball.com PARTNER LEAGUE PROFESSION BOOMERS PLAYER SPOTLIGHT COLE COOK ISAIAH RIVERA MATT HELWIG MERS BOD MERS 17 P Cook enters his second season with the Boomers in 2025. The lefty starter set a franchise record for single season strikeouts in 2024 with 135 , a career best and second most in the league , over 122 innings while finishing 6-5 with a 3.76 ERA . The fifth - year Frontier League hurler was selected as an All - Star and earned the Frontier League Pitcher of the Week award after striking out 11 over seven shutout innings against Florence on May 19 , allowing just three hits . The sixth - year professional notched a 16.1 inning scoreless streak in August and posted 10 quality starts while working into the sixth inning on 14 occasions . Cook struck out five or more in 16 of his starts and seven or more 10 times including two with double figures while striking out the side on 10 occasions . The port - sider tossed the third complete game of his career on July 13. Cook , who made 21 appearances and 20 starts for the Boomers , pitched in Nicaragua in the winter of 2024- 25 for Leones de Leon where he was a teammate of several other Boomers . Cook made five starts , finishing 1-2 with a 4.03 ERA with 19 strikeouts over 22.1 innings of work . The Frontier League Pitcher of the Year in 2023 while with Joliet , Cook finished 12-2 in 2023 with a 2.23 ERA in 20 starts , striking out 131 batters in 137 innings . Acquired by the Boomers in a trade with Charros de Jalisco of the Mexican League prior to the 2024 campaign , the 27 - year old led the league in wins , ERA and innings while finishing second in strikeouts during the 2023 season . Cook posted 17 quality starts among his 20 outings and logged three scoreless stretches of at least 15 innings . Over two seasons with Joliet , his team won 26 of his 39 starts . Cook finished 11-7 in 2022 with 109 strikeouts over 117.1 innings with 15 of his 19 starts lasting six innings or longer . A native of Washington , III . , Cook pitched collegiately at Bradley University and as a senior in 2019 logged the second lowest ERA ever by a Bradley hurler in the metal bat era . 18 P Rivera pitched for the Boomers in 2021 before signing with the Minnesota Twins in 2022. With the Twins , Rivera served as a late - inning reliever , finishing 12 of his 15 outings while logging 25 strikeouts in 15.1 innings of work in the Florida Complex League . Rivera posted four saves and sported a 3.52 ERA . After battling injuries , Rivera looks to return to the mound for the first time since 2022. The northwest suburban native pitched 26 times for the Boomers in 2021 and finished 2-3 with a 5.02 ERA over 57.1 innings , striking out 65. Rivera opened his college career as a two - way player at Harper College before heading to St. Xavier and Indiana Wesleyan . Rivera was a starter at Indiana Wesleyan , striking out 60 over 53.1 innings . 13 P A native of the South Suburbs , Helwig begins his second season with the Boomers in 2025. The righty opened 2024 with a 0.75 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 12 innings before being signed by the Twins . Helwig six appearances in the Florida Complex League with the Twins and allowed just one unearned run over 11.2 innings before returning to the Boomers and pitching six times spanning 6.1 innings with the club late in the season . Helwig attended Lewis University where he made 32 relief appearances over two years . Helwig logged six career saves while striking out 73 in 50.1 innings . Helwig posted an ERA under 1.00 in the Northwoods League in two seasons with Eau Claire , including a 0.61 ERA in 2023 with nine saves in 14 outings , striking out 24 over 14.2 innings . FEEL THE BOOM TRUST HOME OPENER ! THURSDAY MAY 8 6:30 PM & POST GAME FIREWORKS ! SCHAUMBURG BOOMERS WINTRUST FIELD FRONTIER LEAGUE PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL BoomersBaseball.com PARTNER LEAGUE PROFESSION