The Buffalo Bandits announced that the team has signed forwards Clay Scanlan and Christian Watts, and transition player Cory Highfield, to one-year contract, pending league approval.
Scanlan (5’10”, 185 lbs., 9/22/2001) ranked third among all Langley Thunder (WLA) players in goals (23) and fourth in points (47) in 17 games played during the 2024 season. He also finished tied for eighth among all WLA players in both goals (10) and points (25) in eight playoff games for the Thunder in 2024. A native of Irving, N.Y., Scanlan was selected by Halifax in the second round (30th overall) of the 2019 NLL Entry Draft.
Watts (6’4”, 192 lbs., 12/26/1999) spent the 2023-24 season on the Bandits practice squad after finishing his collegiate career with 98 points (81+17) in 56 games at Siena College. Watts, who received MAAC All-Second Team honors in 2023, ranked second on the Saints in both goals (34) and points (42) as a graduate student. The East Aurora native was selected to compete in the USILA Senior All-Star Game in 2023.
Watts has played for the Rapids in the UCBLL for two seasons and led the UCBLL in points both seasons. The forward posted 52 points (23+29) in 2022 and followed with 63 points (40+23) in 2023. Watts finished his UCBLL career with a league-record 115 points (63+52). Watts was chosen in the fifth round (82nd overall) of the 2022 NLL Entry Draft by Buffalo.
Highfield (6’2”, 200 lbs., 5/16/1996) played in five games for the Bandits after being acquired via trade from the Rochester Knighthawks in February, notching one assist and collecting 14 loose balls. A three-year NLL veteran, Highfield has played in 25 career NLL games with the Bandits and Knighthawks. The Georgetown, Ontario native has totaled 20 points (12+8) and 83 loose-ball recoveries in his career. Highfield was drafted by Rochester in the second round (18th overall) in the 2019 NLL Entry Draft by Rochester.
