Mormon Baseball

Matthew Neil

Former BYU pitcher Matt Neil was promoted by the Marlins to their AAA club, the New Orleans Zephyrs, and pitched well in his first AAA start, lasting six innings while giving up just 2 hits and 1 run. The move puts Neil on the same team with vetran pitcher Mitch Talbot (also Mormon), who has returned to the U.S. after playing in Korea. Talbot is currently on the DL, and hasn’t played since April 7th.

Neil’s pitching performance was matched by another prospect, but in the AA Eastern League. Nik Turley, currently with the Yankees’ affiliate Trenton Thunder, also lasted 6 innings and gave up just 1 run, but Turley struck out 6 and walked 2 in his outing. And with Turley on the Yankees 40-man roster, he seems more likely to make an appearance in the majors.

Also pitching well this week was the Blue Jay’s Josh Johnson, who lasted 3 innings in a rehab assignment with the Dunedin Blue Jays (Florida State League, A+) and gave up just 1 run while striking out 5.

Among position players the standout this week was Marcus Littlewood, who returned from the DL to go 3 for 7 (.429) with 3 walks and a home run.

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Hitting Stats Leaders:

• Shane Peterson (PCL-AAA) — .426 OBP (8th)

Pitching Stats Leaders:

• Nik Turley (Eastern-AA) — 4 wins (tied 8th)
• Taylor Cole (Midwest-A) — 45.0 innings (8th)

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Current Roster Players:

• Tyson Brummett — relief pitcher (right handed) — New Hampshire Fisher Cats (AA Eastern League) — Toronto Blue Jays
  0-0, 5.14 era, 8 hits, 4 er, 8 k, 2 bb in 7.0 innings
  YTD: 0-4, 6.88 era, 40 hits, 27 er, 33 k, 20 bb in 35.1 innings
• Taylor Cole — starting pitcher (right handed) — Lansing Lugnuts (Midwest League A) — Toronto Blue Jays
  1-0, 4.91 era, 10 hits, 6 er, 4 k, 6 bb in 11.0 innings
  YTD: 2-2, 4.60 era, 46 hits, 23 er, 33 k, 23 bb in 45.0 innings
• Jeff Gelalich — outfielder — Dayton Dragons (Midwest League A) — Cincinnati Reds
  6 for 22 (.273) 4 run, 0 rbi, 0 hr, 4 bb, 3 sb, 5 so
  YTD: .272, 26 run, 12 rbi, 0 hr, 18 bb, 11 sb, 29 so in 147 at bats
• Austin Hall — pitcher (right handed) — AZL Brewers (Arizona Leauge Rookie) — Milwaukee Brewers
  (opening game June 20)
• Bryan Harper — relief pitcher (left handed) — Hagerstown Suns (South Atlantic League – A) — Washington Nationals
  1-0, 7.36 era, 1 hits, 3 er, 2 k, 2 bb in 3.2 innings
  YTD: 3-0, 2.84 era, 7 hits, 4 er, 14 k, 7 bb in 12.2 innings
• Blaine Howell — relief pitcher (left handed) — unassigned?? (was with Bakersfield Blaze of the California League – A+) — Cincinnati Reds
  no information — did not play
  
• Cale Iorg — Second base — Bowie Baysox (Eastern League AA) — Baltimore Orioles
  2 for 11 (.182) 2 run, 3 rbi, 1 hr, 3 bb, 2 sb, 8 so
  YTD: .179, 3 run, 3 rbi, 1 hr, 3 bb, 2 sb, 19 so in 39 at bats
• Josh Johnson — starting pitcher (right handed) — Dunedin Blue Jays (Florida State League – A+) — Toronto Blue Jays (Rehab assignment)
  0-0, 3.00 era, 3 hits, 1 er, 5 k, 0 bb in 3.0 innings
  YTD: 0-0, 3.00 era, 3 hits, 1 er, 5 k, 0 bb in 3.0 innings.
  MLB YTD: 0-1, 6.86 era, 28 hits, 15 er, 19 k, 9 bb in 19.2 innings.
• Marcus Littlewood — catcher — Clinton LumberKings (Midwest League – A) — Seattle Mariners
  3 for 7 (.429) 2 run, 1 rbi, 1 hr, 3 bb, 0 sb, 1 so
  YTD: .282, 7 run, 1 rbi, 1 hr, 7 bb, 0 sb, 12 so in 39 at bats
• Mitch Maier — outfielder —Pawtucket Red Sox (International League – AAA) — Boston Red Sox
  Disabled — on 7-day DL — did not play this past week – last played April 22
  YTD: .321, 8 run, 7 rbi, 1 hr, 5 bb, 0 sb, 4 so in 28 at bats
• Taylor Mangum — relief pitcher (right-handed) — Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (Midwest League – A) — Milwaukee Brewers
  0-1, 9.00 era, 2 hits, 1 er, 0 k, 0 bb in 1.0 innings
  YTD: 1-3, 2.89 era, 19 hits, 6 er, 15 k, 7 bb in 18.2 innings
• Matt Neil — starting pitcher (right handed) — New Orleans Zephyrs (Pacific Coast League – AAA) — Miami Marlins
  Promoted from the Jacksonville Suns (Southern League – AA)
  0-0, 1.50 era, 2 hits, 1 er, 3 k, 3 bb in 6.0 innings
  YTD: 1-2, 3.69 era, 38 hits, 16 er, 28 k, 10 bb in 39.0 innings
• Stephen Parker — 3rd base — Nashville Sounds (Pacific Coast League – AAA) — Milwaukee Brewers
  4 for 20 (.200) 2 run, 3 rbi, 2 hr, 1 bb, 0 sb, 4 so
  YTD: .241, 16 run, 14 rbi, 6 hr, 14 bb, 2 sb, 36 so in 141 at bats
• Shane Peterson — outfielder — Sacramento River Cats (Pacific Coast League – AAA) — Oakland A’s (40-man MLB roster)
  3 for 17 (.176) 2 run, 4 rbi, 0 hr, 5 bb, 1 sb, 8 so
  YTD: .288, 30 run, 20 rbi, 3 hr, 33 bb, 6 sb, 34 so in 132 at bats
• Mitch Talbot — starting pitcher (right handed) — New Orleans Zephyrs (Pacific Coast League – AAA)— Miami Marlins
  On 7-day DL – last pitched April 7th
  YTD: 1-0, 0.00 era, 2 hits, 0 er, 3 k, 2 bb in 5.0 innings
• Nik Turley — starting pitcher (right handed) — Trenton Thunder (Eastern League – AA) — New York Yankees (40-man MLB roster)
  1-0, 1.50 era, 1 hits, 1 er, 6 k, 2 bb in 6.0 innings
  YTD: 4-2, 4.08 era, 38 hits, 21 er, 47 k, 24 bb in 46.1 innings

Foreign Leagues:

• Brandon Duckworth — starting pitcher (right handed) — Rakuten Golden Eagles (Japan)
  0-0, 1.50 era, 4 hits, 2 er, 4 k, 5 bb in 2.0 innings
  YTD: 2-3, 4.30 era, 43 hits, 18 er, 25 k, 17 bb in 37.2 innings

Last Year’s players released: (could still be picked up by other teams)

• Derek Cone — starting pitcher (right handed) — Los Angeles Dodgers organization Released.
  Cone has returned to school at ASU pursuing a degree in Accounting
• Willie Mays Eyre — starting pitcher (right handed) — Texas Rangers organization
  Retired
• Kyle Hurst — relief pitcher (right handed) — Independent
  Released
• Lance Pendleton — starting pitcher (right handed) — Tampa Bay Ray’s organization
  Released
  Now a salesman with Baker Hughes
• Jordan Whatcott — relief pitcher (right handed) — Philadelphia Phillies organization
  Released

Other players who may be Mormon:
[We need to determine if these players are Mormon before publishing further information about them.]

Rick Anton, Jay Brossman, Brian Budrow, Tyler Chism, Dallas Christison, Stephen Fife, Tyler Hanks,Steve Hirschfeld, Zachary Jones, Ryan Khoury, Kam Mickolio (apparently not Mormon, but I don’t have evidence either way), Cole Miles, A. J. Murray, Jordan Taylor Pratt, Tanner Robles, Braeden Schlehuber, Justin Smith, Matt Spring, Brad Thompson

Non-Mormons who may be confused for Mormons

Matt Carson (non-Mormon who went to BYU), Derek Christensen, Egan Smith, Jordan Smith