Mormon Baseball

There is significantly less movement before spring training among minor league players. After the minor league seasons end, players who haven’t performed well enough are released, but otherwise not much changes. I imagine this is because where each player is in an organization is decided on a top-down fashion: first the organization decides who is on the major league squad, then who makes the AAA squad, then the AA squad, etc. As a result, the roster of each team in the organization can only be finalized as evaluations are made during spring training. [Of course, this is largely an ongoing process throughout the year, but decisions on where players start the season culminate in spring training.]

As a result, for Mormon players few changes have been made so far. A few have been released or have become free agents. And in the process of reviewing this information, I discovered that one player, Brandon Duckworth, moved to the Japanese league after he was released by the Red Sox last summer.

Of the 14 players identified as Mormon, 5 are at the AAA level (or were at the end of the year). A couple from the major leagues could also end up starting in AAA this year. In addition, 2 were on AA teams, 4 on A teams and 3 on rookie league teams. [This distribution seems skewed to the AAA too much, which makes me think I’m still missing many minor league players who are Mormon.]

Three organizations have two Mormon prospects each, the Brewers, Reds and Blue Jays. Add this to yesterday’s totals of players in the majors and the Blue Jays currently have the most Mormons in their organization (4) followed by the Red Sox and Rays (3 each).

Additional information is always welcome.

.

• Tyson Brummett — right handed closer — Toronto Blue Jays organization (2012 with the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs (Phillies) of the International League – AAA)
  Pre-arb eligible. Arb eligible 2016. Free Agent 2019.
  Has apparently made Toronto’s 40-man roster, but may begin season in AAA.
• Taylor Cole — right handed starting pitcher — Toronto Blue Jays organization (2012 with the Vancouver Canadians of the Northwest League – A)
  Active
  Still listed as with the Canadians, but pitched well enough that he should be moved up a level.
• Derek Cone — right handed starting pitcher — Los Angeles Dodgers organization (currently with the Ogden Raptors of the Pioneer League – Rookie)
  Released.
  Cone ended the 2012 season with a 9.08 era. It seems unlikely that he will be picked up by another team.
• Willie Mays Eyre — pitcher — Texas Rangers organization (2012 with the Round Rock Express of the Pacific Coast League – AAA)
  Free Agent.
  At 34, whether Eyre will be picked up by another team remains to be seen.
• Jeff Gelalich — outfielder — Cincinnati Reds organization (2012 with the Billings Mustangs of the Pioneer League – rookie)
  Active
  Given a mediocre performance in the Pioneer League, he will likely start there again this year.
• Austin Hall — right handed pitcher — Milwaukee Brewers organization (2012 with the AZL Brewers of the Arizona Leauge – Rookie)
  Active
  Given mediocre pitching last year, he will likely start this year in Arizona again.
• Bryan Harper — bull-pen pitcher — Washington Nationals organization (currently with the Auburn Doubledays of the New York-Penn League – A short-season)
  Active
  Despite poor pitching last season, Harper has not been released, and will likely start at the same level this year.
• Blaine Howell —left handed bullpen pitcher — Cincinnati Reds organization (2012 with the Bakersfield Blaze of the California League – A+)
  Active
  Mediocre stats suggest that he will start this year with the Blaze.
• Kyle Hurst — right handed bullpen pitcher — St. Paul Saints of the American Association – Ind.
  Released
  After he was released last summer, Hurst finished out the season with the St. Paul Saints. As his era has been worse each year than the previous year, it doesn’t seem likely that he will be picked up again.
• Cale Iorg — Shortstop — Detroit Tigers organization (2012 with the Toledo Mud Hens of the International League – AAA)
  Active
  With his batting average declining each year as he battled with injuries, Iorg seems a long shot to start in AAA.
• Marcus Littlewood — Shortstop — Seattle Mariners organization (2012 with the Everett WA AquaSox of the Northwest League – A)
  Active
  Considered one of the Seattle Mariner’s top prospects for this year, Littlewood will likely begin the year with the AquaSox.
• Taylor Mangum — right-handed relief pitcher — Milwaukee Brewers organization (2012 with the Helena Brewers of the Pioneer League – Rookie)
  Active
  After moving up to the A level, Mangum struggled a bit, so this year he will probably start at that same level.
• Matthew Neil — right handed starting pitcher — Miami Marlins organization (2012 with the Jacksonville Suns of the Southern League – AA)
  Active
  Promoted to AA last year, Neil will probably start there again this year.
• Stephen Parker — 3rd base — Oakland A’s organization (2012 with the Sacramento River Cats of the Pacific Coast League – AAA)
  Active
  Will likely start at AAA again this year, given last year’s performance.
• Lance Pendleton — pitcher — Tampa Bay Ray’s organization (2012 with the Durham Bulls of the International League – AAA)
  Free Agent
  It seems likely that Pendleton will be picked up by another team – perhaps before spring training.
• Jordan Whatcott —right handed bullpen pitcher — Philadelphia Phillies organization (2012 with Reading Phillies of the Eastern League – AA)
  Active
  Will likely start at AA again this year, given last year’s performance.

Foreign Leagues:

• Brandon Duckworth — starting pitcher — Rakuten Golden Eagles (2012 with the Pawtucket Red Sox of the International League – AAA)
  Released by the Red Sox in 2012, Duckworth has since signed with the Rakuten Golden Eagles in Japan. He pitched in 6 games for them last year, ending up with a 3.22 era.

• Mitch Talbot — starting pitcher (right handed) — Samsung Lions (Korea)
  ?
  It looks like Talbot may have been released — he no longer appears on the team roster.

Other players who may be Mormon:

• Rick Anton – pitcher – LA Dodgers organization
• Tyler Hanks — pitcher — Washington Nationals organization
• Kam Mickolio — pitcher — Arizona Diamondbacks organization (apparently not Mormon, but I don’t have evidence either way)
• Brad Thompson — pitcher — Houston Astros organization
• Other remote possibilities: Jay Brossman, Brian Budrow, Tyler Chism, 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

Non-Mormons who may be confused for Mormons

• Matt Carson — non-Mormon who went to BYU
• Derek Christensen
• Egan Smith —
• Jordan Smith —

2 Responses to “Status of Mormons in the Minors 20 January 2013”