SCHAUMBURG, Ill. — Former Appalachian State University pitcher Taylor Thurber joined 11 other former Mountaineers in the professional baseball ranks on Thursday when he signed a contract with the Schaumburg Boomers of the independent Frontier League.

Thurber, who pitched for Appalachian State from 2012-15, is expected to make his professional debut on Friday night when the Boomers host the Rockford Aviators. Schaumburg is located 10 miles northwest of Chicago.

Thurber earned first-team all-Sun Belt Conference recognition as a senior in 2015 despite a tough-luck 4-9 record as a senior. The right-hander finished with a 2.35 ERA, .218 opponents' batting average, 73 strikeouts against just eight walks over 95.2 innings in his final collegiate season. He led the Sun Belt and ranked among the nation's top 25 in fewest walks per nine innings (0.75 - second nationally), strikeout-to-walk ratio (9.13-to-1 - fifth nationally), WHIP (0.91 - 16th nationally) and complete games (four - t-22nd nationally).

For his career, Thurber recorded a sterling 3.03 ERA with eight wins, 151 strikeouts and only 26 walks in 70 appearances (196.1 innings).

Thurber is one of three Appalachian State alums currently in the Frontier League, which is comprised of 14 independent clubs across Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio and Pennsylvania. Former teammates Hector Crespo and Tyler Tewell are members of the Frontier League's River City Rascals and Gateway Grizzlies, respectively.

Other former Mountaineers currently playing professional baseball include pitcher Ryan Arrowood (triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes of the Colorado Rockies organization), pitcher Nathan Hyatt (double-A Arkansas Travelers, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim), catcher Jeremy Dowdy (high-A Winston-Salem Dash, Chicago White Sox), infielder Will Callaway (single-A Augusta GreenJackets, San Francisco Giants), infielder Dillon Dobson (rookie-level Arizona League Giants, San Francisco Giants), infielder Michael Pierson (rookie-level Orem Owlz, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim), pitcher Jeffrey Springs (rookie-level Spokane Indians, Texas Rangers) and pitcher Sam Agnew-Wieland (independent Joplin Blasters, American Association). Additionally, outfielder Jaylin Davis has signed a contract with the Minnesota Twins but has not yet made his professional debut as he continues to rehab an arm injury sustained in March.