Virginia Baseball in the Pros: The Season Opens
Tuesday, April 13 2010 by Tiki
Periodically during the season, I am going to give some updates as the status of the Virginia baseball alumni in the professionals. While everybody knows about stars like Ryan Zimmerman of the Nationals and Mark Reynolds of the Diamondbacks, there are a whole bunch of Virginia guys playing in the minors, and they are harder to track. I’ve done much of the leg work, and the results are below. Players are listed in descending order of what level they are playing at.
This first update is mostly just a list. In further updates, I’ll provide a little more information, including scouting reports and an idea of who the real prospects are.
Major League Players
Javier Lopez – Lopez is the oldest player on this list, as he was drafted in 1998. He is currently playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates, as their left handed relief specialist. Already this season, he has appeared in 4 games, giving up 2 runs on 4 hits and a walk, with 2 K’s. Lopez won a ring with the Red Sox in 2007.
Ryan Zimmerman – Sure, everybody already knows this, but I’m going to include him anyway. Zimmerman is the starting 3B for the Nats and won a Gold Glove last season. So far this season, he has struggled at the plate, recording just 4 hits in 19 ABs. Three of those hits are doubles, and he has 2 RBI.
Mark Reynolds – After hitting 44 HRs last year, Reynolds has begun the 2010 season with 2 HRs in his first 6 games. However, beyond that he has struggled with just 1 other hit and 7 K’s in just 20 ABs. He does have 4 walks.
AAA
Joe Koshansky – Joe moved from the Rockies organization to the Brewers organization last year. He is currently playing for the Nashville Sounds, the Brewers AAA team.
Sean Doolittle – Doolittle is targeted for the Sacramento River Cats, the Athletics AAA team. However, due to offseason surgery on his patella tendon (knee), he is working in extended spring training. He will likely report to Sacramento at the end of April. He could potentially get a call up to the big club this season, depending how his knee holds up and how the team is performing.
Mike Ballard – Ballard got roughed up a little bit in his first start for the Oklahoma City Redhawks, the Rangers AAA club. He had a decent season in AA ball last year, and now starts out in the rotation in AAA.
Casey Lambert – After Tommy John surgery last year, Lambert is still rehabbing. He will likely report to the Iowa Cubs in AAA when his rehab is complete. After bouncing between starting and relieving the past couple of years, it is expected that Lambert will work solely out of the pen for now.
AA
Michael Schwimer – Schwimer is working out of the bullpen for the Reading Phillies of the AA Eastern League. He has appeared in 3 games, and given up 1 run on 3 hits and a walk, with 4 K’s. He has also recorded save.
Brandon Guyer – Guyer is the starting RF for the Tennessee Smokies, the Cubs AA team. He is 6/18 on the season with 2 walks, 4 K’s, a double and a triple. He also has 2 SBs.
Andrew Dobies – Dobies is working out of the pen for the Portland Sea Dogs, the Red Sox AA team. This season he has 2 appearances totaling 4 IP, and has given up 1 ER on 4 hits and a walk, with 5 K’s.
David Adams – Adams has been one of the best players in the Eastern League early this season, playing for the Trenton Thunder. He is currently 11/20 over his first 5 games, with 4 doubles and a HR. He has 5 RBI, 4 R and 3 K’s. Too bad he’s owned by the Yankees.
Jacob Thompson – Thompson started this season in AA ball, playing for the Mississippi Braves. He had a successful season last year over two different leagues, pitching as a starter for the most part. It appears that he is working out of the pen for now, though. He is 0-1 with an ERA of 9.00 on the season. In 2 IP, he’s given up 2 hits, 2 walks and 2 ER with 2 Ks.
High-A
Andrew Carraway – Starting pitcher for the High Desert Mavericks, the Seattle affiliate in the California League. Carraway was great last year, finishing 8-0 over 2 different leagues. In his first start this season, he gave up 2 ER in 6 IP on 6 hits and struck out 5. He earned a no decision.
Pat McAnaney – Starting pitcher for the Visalia Rawhide, the Diamondbacks affiliate in the California league. McAnaney is repeating this league after spending his entire season last year there. He wasn’t bad last year, but he wasn’t particularly good either. In his first start of the 2010 campaign, he went 5 innings, and gave up 3 runs on 4 hits and a walk, striking out 4. He did earn a W.
Jeremy Farrell – Farrell is the starting 3B for the Bradenton Marauders of the Florida State League. He has started the season on fire, with 6 hits including 3 HRs in his first 4 games. He is batting .429, with a 1600 OPS. He also has 12 RBI and 4 runs scored.
Mike Mitchell – Mike Mitchell started in LF and batted leadoff on opening day for the Modesto Nuts, the Rockies affiliate in the California League. He was 2 for 3 with 2 runs and a stolen base. However, he has not played since, after taking a pitch off his hand. From what I’ve been able to gather, it is a minor injury, just swollen, and he should be back soon. Mitchell is repeating the California League, and could move up to AA soon if he keeps hitting.
Beau Seabury – A teammate of Mitchell on Modesto, Seabury appears to be the 2nd catcher. He has played in only one game, and went 0 for 3. This is his first year in high-A after spending 2 seasons in low-A ball.
Greg Miclat – Miclat is the starting SS for the Frederick Keys, the Orioles affiliate in the Carolina League. Miclat is repeating the Carolina League after struggling last year. So far this year, he is 3/10 with 2 doubles and 2 runs, in 4 games.
There are a few other Virginia guys who will likely begin the season in leagues that haven’t started up yet. This includes Jeff Lorick and Robert Poutier, who were drafted last year. Both played rookie ball last year, and are probably going to remain there for the beginning of this season. Matt Avery played AA ball for the Nationals last year, but I have been unable to find him on any roster anywhere this year. He may be injured, or he may have been released.
It is possible that I missed people, so if you’ve got any information at all on any Virginia guys in the pros, please feel free to contact me. I’ll happily include them in the next update.