Mormon Baseball

As baseball reaches the half-way point in the season and the all-star break, the number of Mormons in the majors stands at 13, including two remaining on the DL and two who just returned from the DL. But the prospects for more reaching the majors this year isn’t strong.

The two players in the majors who returned from the DL are pitchers Kyle Farnsworth and Matt Lindstrom. But their returns differed wildly. While Farnsworth dominanted in an inning of relief, Lindstrom got knocked around, giving up 2 runs in 2 innings of relief.

But neither Farnsworth nor Lindstrom managed the best performance of the week, which probably belongs to John Buck, who went 6 for 19 with a home run and 3 walks for the week. Close behind Buck was rookie Clayton Mortensen, who earned a 0.00 era over 3.1 innings of relief for the Red Sox.  In total, during two stints with the Red Sox this year, Mortensen has a 1.20 era over 15.0 innings.

In the minors, one Mormon pitcher appears to have a possibility of reaching the majors soon. Tyson Brummett has put together a strong performance in AAA, with a 2.31 era over more than 50 innings with the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs (Phillies organization) of the International League, especially notable because of his nearly complete game shut-out win this past week. It looks like the only thing keeping Brummett from the majors is whether or not the Phillies need him. Given that the Phillies are in the basement of the NL East (and are expected to dump high-salary players ahead of the trade deadline), Brummett could reach the majors either as a replacement on the Phillies or as part of a trade. Five other Mormons—Brandon Duckworth, Willie Mays Eyre, Cale Iorg, Stephen Parker and Adam Rosales—are playing on AAA teams.

Among the other Mormons in the minors, recently drafted BYU grad Austin Hall has made 3 starts so far for the AZL Brewers in the Arizona League. After an disastrous inning in relief before last week, he settled down and pitched very well last week for 3.2 innings. Willie Mays Eyre, who had been released by Baltimore a few weeks ago, was picked up by the Texas Rangers and promptly pitched 6 innings of shut-out ball last week. In the A+ California League, Blaine Howell returned to the Bakersfield Blaze (Reds) from the 7-day DL, but performed poorly over 3 innings of relief. Other strong performances came from veteran and former major leaguer Brandon Duckworth, who failed to get a win despite 7 innings of shut-out ball for the Pawtucket Red Sox, and from Kyle Hurst, who pitched 2.2 innings of scoreless relief for the Inland Empire 66ers of the California League (A).

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This week’s statistics (Covering games played from June 25 to July 1):

Current Roster Players:

• Darwin Barney—second base—Chicago Cubs
  6 for 24 (.250), 3 runs and 1 rbi and a one strikeout
  YTD: .268, 33 runs, 23 rbi, 3 hr, 5 sb and 16 walks in 269 at bats.
• John Buck — starting catcher — Miami Marlins
  6 for 19 (.316), 4 runs, 5 rbis, 1 hr, 3 walks, 4 strike outs
  YTD: .182, 15 runs, 22 rbi, 7 hr and 34 walks in 187 at bats.
• Jacoby Ellsbury — starting outfielder — Boston Red Sox
  60-day DL — shoulder injury. Expected to be taking batting practice. Will probably return before all-star break.
  YTD: .192, 4 runs, 3 rbi in 26 at bats.
• Kyle Farnsworth — closer — Tampa Bay Rays
  Just returned from 60-day DL — strained right elbow. Has been out the entire season.
  0-0, 0.00 era, 2 k, 1 bb in 1.0 innings
  YTD: same
• Jeremy Guthrie — starting pitcher (right handed) — Colorado Rockies.
  0-1 9.00 era, 9 hits, 6 er, 1 bb, and 2 k in 6.0 innings
  YTD: 3-7, 6.56 era, 97 hits, 52 er, 26 bb, 36 k in 71.1 innings
• Roy Halladay— starting pitcher (right handed) — Philadelphia Phillies
  15-day DL — Shoulder. Out until at least mid-July.
  YTD: 4-5, era 3.98, 56 k, 14 bb in 72.1 innings.
• Bryce Harper — left field — Washington Nationals
  7 for 34 (.206), 6 runs, 2 rbi, 1 hr, 1 bb, 1 sb, 9 so
  YTD: .274, 38 runs, 22 rbi, 8 hr, 25 bb, 8 sb, 49 so in 223 at bats.
• Elliot Johnson — infielder — Tampa Bay Rays
  6 for 20 (.300), 0 runs, 1 rbi, 0 bb, 2 sb, 6 so
  YTD: .268, 22 runs, 20 rbi, 4 hrs, 18 bb, 13 sb, 49 so in 183 at bats.
• Josh Johnson — starting pitcher (right handed) – Miami Marlins
  1-0, 1.50 era, 4 hits, 1 er, 6 k, 2 bb in 6.0 innings.
  YTD: 5-5, 3.80 era, 102 hits, 41 er, 83 k, 31 bb in 97.0 innings.
• Matt Lindstrom — right handed bullpen pitcher – Baltimore Orioles
  Returned from 15-day DL — Finger.
  1-0, 9.00 era, 5 hits, 2 er, 1 k, 1 bb in 2.0 innings
  YTD: 1-0, 2.25 era, 17 hits, 4 er, 15 k, 5 bb in 16.0 innings.
• Brandon Lyon — right handed bullpen pitcher — Houston Astros
  0-1, 5.40 era, 2 hits, 1 er, 2 k, 1 bb in 1.2 innings
  YTD: 0-2, 2.73 era, 30 hits, 9 er, 30 k, 8 bb in 29.2 innings.
• Mitch Maier — backup outfielder — Kansas City Royals
  0 for 1 (.000), 1 run, 0 so
  YTD: .172, 8 runs, 7 rbi, 2 hr, 8 bb, 2 sb, 24 so in 64 at bats.
• Clayton Mortensen — right handed bullpen pitcher —Boston Red Sox
  0-0, 0.00 era, 0 hits, 0 er, 0 hr, 1 k, 0 bb in 3.1 innings
  YTD: 0-0, 1.20 era, 9 hits, 2 er, 2 hr, 13 k, 0 bb in 15.0 innings

Minor League Players who may make the majors:

• Tyson Brummett — right handed closer — Philadelphia Phillies organization (currently with the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs of the International League – AAA)
  1-0, 0.00 era, 4 h, 0 er, 0 hr, 7 k, 4 bb in 8.2 innings.
  YTD: 4-1, 2 sv, 2.31 era, 38 h, 13 er, 3 hr, 53 k, 11 bb in 50.2 innings.
• Taylor Cole — right handed starting pitcher — Toronto Blue Jays organization (currently with the Vancouver Canadians of the Northwest League – A)
  did not play
  YTD: 1-0, 0.82 era, 10 h, 1 er, 0 hr, 9 k, 3 bb in 11.0 innings
• Derek Cone — right handed starting pitcher — Los Angeles Dodgers organization (currently with the Ogden Raptors of the Pioneer League – Rookie)
  0-0, 67.50 era, 6 h, 5 er, 1 hr, 1 k, 1 bb in 0.2 innings
  0-0, 9.00 era, 13 h, 11 er, 2 hr, 6 k, 7 bb in 11.0 innings
• Brandon Duckworth — right handed bullpen pitcher — Boston Red Sox organization (currently with the Pawtucket Red Sox of the International League – AAA)
  0-0, 0.00 era, 2 h, o er, 0 hr, 5 k, 0 bb in 7.0 innings
  YTD: 7-1, 3.39 era, 86 h, 33 er, 9 hr, 77 k, 30 bb in 87.2 innings
• Willie Mays Eyre — pitcher — Texas Rangers organization (currently with the Round Rock Express of the Pacific Coast League – AAA)
  Traded from Baltimore Orioles Organization before June 20.
  0-0, 0.00 era, 1 h, 0 er, 0 hr, 4 k, 0 bb in 6.0 innings
  YTD: 1-3, 6.42 era, 37 h, 24 er, 2 hr, 26 k, 18 bb in 33.2 innings
• Austin Hall — right handed pitcher — Milwaukee Brewers organization (currently with the AZL Brewers of the Arizona Leauge – Rookie)
  0-0, 0.00 era, 2 h, o er, 0 hr, 3 k, 0 bb in 3.2 innings
  YTD: 0-0, 11.57 era, 9 h, 6 er, 1 hr, 5 so, 2 bb in 4.2 innings
• Bryan Harper — left field — Washington Nationals organization (currently with the Auburn Doubledays of the New York-Penn League – A short-season)
  0-0, 20.25 era, 4 h, 3 er, 0 hr, 1 k, 1 bb in 1.1 innings
  0-0, 15.43 era, 14 h, 8 er, 0 hr, 5 k, 2 bb in 4.2 innings
• Blaine Howell —left handed bullpen pitcher — Cincinnati Reds organization (currently with the Bakersfield Blaze of the California League – A+)
  Returned from 7-day DL
  0-0, 6.00 era, 7 h, 2 er, 0 hr, 1 k, 1 bb in 3.0 innings
  YTD: 0-0, 5.79 era, 17 h, 6 er, 2 hr, 4 k, 4 bb in 9.1 innings
• Kyle Hurst — right handed bullpen pitcher — Los Angeles Angels organization (Inland Empire 66ers of the California League – A+)
  0-0, 0.00 era, 2 h, 0 er, 0 hr, 5 k, 1 bb in 2.2 innings
  YTD: 1-1, 10.13 era, 9 h, 6 er, 0 hr, 7 k, 3 bb in 5.1 innings
• Cale Iorg — Shortstop — Detroit Tigers organization (currently with the Toledo Mud Hens of the International League – AAA)
  2 for 14 (.143), 0 run, 1 rbi, 0 hr, 0 bb, 0 sb 5 k.
  YTD: .177, 7 run, 3 rbi, 0 hr, 1 bb, 1 sb, 19 k in 62 at bats
• Marcus Littlewood — Shortstop — Seattle Mariners organization (currently with the Everett WA AquaSox of the Northwest League – A short-season)
  7 for 22 (.318), 5 run, 4 rbi, 1 hr, 3 bb, 0 sb, 4 k
  YTD: .260, 13 hits, 10 runs, 7 rbi, 3 hr, 11 bb, 0 sb, 16 k
• Matthew Neil — pitcher — Miami Marlins organization (currently with the Jacksonville Suns of the Southern League – AA)
  0-1, 7.20 era, 15 h, 8 er, 1 hr, 2 bb, 10 k in 10.0 innings.
  YTD: 7-3, 3.74 era, 88 h, 35 er, 8 hr, 17 bb, 53 k in 84.1 innings
• Stephen Parker — 3rd base — Oakland A’s organization (currently with the Sacramento River Cats of the Pacific Coast League – AAA)
  4 for 14 (.286), 1 run, 1 rbi, 0 hr, 2 bb, 1 sb, 4 so
  YTD: .268, 56 hits, 30 runs, 29 rbi, 6 hr, 23 bb, 4 sb, 59 so
• Adam Rosales — 2B — Oakland A’s organization (currently with the Sacramento River Cats of the Pacific Coast League – AAA)
  6 for 24 (.250) 7 run, 0 rbi, 0 hr, 5 bb, 1 sb, 4 so
  YTD (minors): .268,  28 run, 24 rbi, 3 hr, 16 bb, 3 sb, 40 so
• Chris Shelton — first base — New York Mets organization (status unknown, was with the Buffalo NY Bisons of the International League – AAA)
  Doesn’t appear to be active, even though MiLB.com reports that he is. Hasn’t played since 2010.
• Jordan Whatcott —right handed bullpen pitcher — Philadelphia Phillies organization (currently with Reading Phillies of the Eastern League – AA)
  0-1, 5.40 era, 7 h, 3 er, 1 hr, 2 k, 2 bb in 5 innings
  YTD: 3-1, 2.29 era, 46 h, 13 er, 3 hr, 42 k, 18 bb in 51.0 innings

Foreign Leagues:

• Mitch Talbot — starting pitcher (right handed) — Samsung Lions (Korea)
  1-0, 1.29 era, 6 h, 1 er, 0 hr, 3 k, 1 bb in 7.0 innings
  YTD: 8-1, 3.49 era, 76 h, 31 er, 3 hr, 35 k, 24 bb in 80 innings

Players who may be Mormon:

• Rick Anton – pitcher – LA Dodgers organization
• Eric Byrnes — left field — Seattle Mariners
• Matt Carson — left field — Minnesota Twins organization (currently with the Rochester NY Red Wings of the International League – AAA) — ??non-Mormon who went to BYU??
• Tyler Hanks — pitcher — Washington Nationals organization
• Kam Mickolio — pitcher — Arizona Diamondbacks organization (apparently not Mormon, but I don’t have evidence either way)
• Egan Smith — left handed bullpen pitcher — Toronto Blue Jays organization (currently with the Dunedin FL Blue Jays of the Florida State League – A)
• Jordan Smith — right handed bullpen pitcher — Cinncinnati Reds (on 15-day DL, likely will be assigned to the Louisville Bats of the International League – AAA)
• Brad Thompson — pitcher — Houston Astros organization
• Other remote possibilities: Jay Brossman, Brian Budrow, Tyler Chism, Derek Christensen, Dallas Christison, Stephen Fife, Steve Hirschfeld, Zachary Jones, Ryan Khoury, Cole Miles, A. J. Murray, Jordan Taylor Pratt, Tanner Robles, Braeden Schlehuber, Justin Smith, Matt Spring