Mormon Baseball

Yankees prospect Nik Turley, who planned to attend BYU before he was drafted, seems to be improving at the AA level, but his progress seems to come in fits and starts, a strong start followed by a weaker start. This past week Turley lasted 7 innings, while not giving up a single run. He gave up 5 hits, walked 2 (a 1.00 WHIP for the game) and struck out 4. But Turley’s previous start was a 5-inning loss with a 10.80 era. Still, overall he seems to be making progress, and it doesn’t seem unreasonable to suggest that he may start in AAA next year.

This week’s list is bolstered by the 4 Mormon players who were drafted this year and who started playing this past week: Jaycob Brugman, Jacob Hannemann, Adam Law and Adam Miller. All four played for BYU. There may have been other Mormons drafted this year, but I was unable to find any indication that other players are Mormon. If you know of one, please let me know.

At the plate the best Mormon player this past week was Marcus Littlewood, but his .286 average shows that this was an off-week for most of the Mormons in the minors. Mitch Talbot continues on the DL and both Bryce Harper and Clayton Mortensen played rehab assignments in the minors this week. Also, Brandon Duckworth returned from the DL to the Golden Eagles of Japanese baseball.

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Hitting Stats Leaders:

[none]

Pitching Stats Leaders:

• Nik Turley (Eastern-AA) — 6 wins (tied 8th)

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Current Roster Players:

• Jaycob Brugman — outfielder — Vermont Lake Monsters (New York-Penn League A short season) — Oakland As
  3 for 16 (.188) 1 run, 5 rbi, 1 hr, 2 bb, 1 sb, 5 so
  YTD: .188, 1 run, 5 rbi, 1 hr, 2 bb, 1 sb, 5 so in 16 at bats
• Tyson Brummett — relief pitcher (right handed) — New Hampshire Fisher Cats (AA Eastern League) — Toronto Blue Jays
  0-1, 18.00 era, 3 hits, 2 er, 1 k, 0 bb in 1.0 innings
  YTD: 0-5, 7.36 era, 61 hits, 42 er, 48 k, 22 bb in 51.1 innings
• Taylor Cole — starting pitcher (right handed) — Lansing Lugnuts (Midwest League A) — Toronto Blue Jays
  0-2, 8.22 era, 15 hits, 7 er, 4 k, 3 bb in 7.2 innings
  YTD: 4-6, 4.42 era, 86 hits, 37 er, 52 k, 34 bb in 75.1 innings
• Jeff Gelalich — outfielder — Dayton Dragons (Midwest League A) — Cincinnati Reds
  6 for 23 (.261) 4 run, 2 rbi, 0 hr, 4 bb, 1 sb, 3 so
  YTD: .274, 41 run, 24 rbi, 0 hr, 31 bb, 15 sb, 51 so in 248 at bats
• Austin Hall — pitcher (right handed) — AZL Brewers (Arizona Leauge Rookie) — Milwaukee Brewers
  no information — did not play
• Jacob Hannemann — outfielder — Boise Hawks (Northwest Leauge A short season) — Chicago Cubs
  5 for 24 (.208) 1 run, 2 rbi, 1 hr, 0 bb, 0 sb, 5 so
  YTD: .208, 1 run, 2 rbi, 1 hr, 0 bb, 0 sb, 5 so in 24 at bats
• Bryan Harper — relief pitcher (left handed) — Hagerstown Suns (South Atlantic League – A) — Washington Nationals
  0-0, 54.00 era, 2 hits, 4 er, 1 k, 5 bb in 0.2 innings
  YTD: 3-1, 6.75 era, 17 hits, 17 er, 22 k, 22 bb in 22.2 innings
• Bryce Harper — outfielder — Harrisburg Senators (Eastern Leauge AA) — Washington Nationals
  Rehab assignment from MLB
  1 for 1 (1.000) 1 run, 0 rbi, 0 hr, 1 bb, 0 sb, 0 so
  YTD: 1.000, 1 run, 0 rbi, 0 hr, 1 bb, 0 sb, 0 so in 1 at bats
  MLB YTD: .287, 29 runs, 23 rbi, 12 hr, 25 bb, 2 sb, 30 so in 150 at bats
• 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 — Aberdeen IronBirds (New York-Penn League A short season) — Baltimore Orioles
  Did not play. Reportedly demoted from Bowie Baysox (Eastern League AA)
  YTD: .145, 5 run, 6 rbi, 1 hr, 4 bb, 3 sb, 22 so in 55 at bats
• Adam Law — 3rd base — AZL Dodgers (Arizona Leauge rookie) — LA Dodgers
  3 for 20 (.150) 4 run, 2 rbi, 0 hr, 1 bb, 2 sb, 2 so
  YTD: .150, 4 run, 2 rbi, 0 hr, 1 bb, 2 sb, 2 so in 20 at bats
• Marcus Littlewood — catcher — Clinton LumberKings (Midwest League – A) — Seattle Mariners
  2 for 7 (.286) 1 run, 2 rbi, 0 hr, 2 bb, 0 sb, 3 so
  YTD: .247, 12 run, 6 rbi, 2 hr, 12 bb, 1 sb, 26 so in 89 at bats
• Mitch Maier — outfielder —Pawtucket Red Sox (International League – AAA) — Boston Red Sox
  6 for 21 (.286) 5 run, 4 rbi, 0 hr, 3 bb, 0 sb, 6 so
  YTD: .297, 29 run, 19 rbi, 3 hr, 21 bb, 3 sb, 23 so in 101 at bats
• Taylor Mangum — relief pitcher (right-handed) — Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (Midwest League – A) — Milwaukee Brewers
  0-0, 6.00 era, 4 hits, 2 er, 6 k, 1 bb in 3.0 innings
  YTD: 1-3, 3.34 era, 31 hits, 11 er, 31 k, 12 bb in 29.2 innings
• Adam Miller — pitcher (right-handed) — Missoula Osprey (Pioneer League – Rookie) — Arizona Diamondbacks
  0-0, 9.00 era, 4 hits, 2 er, 2 k, 0 bb in 2.0 innings
  YTD: 0-0, 9.00 era, 4 hits, 2 er, 2 k, 0 bb in 2.0 innings
• Clayton Mortensen — relief pitcher (right handed) — Pawtucket Red Sox (International League – AAA) — Boston Red Sox
  0-0, 4.50 era, 4 hits, 2 er, 4 k, 2 bb in 4.0 innings
  YTD: 0-0, 4.50 era, 4 hits, 2 er, 4 k, 2 bb in 4.0 innings
  Majors YTD: 1-2, 5.34 era, 32 hits, 18 er, 21 k, 16 bb in 30.1 innings
• Matt Neil — starting pitcher (right handed) — New Orleans Zephyrs (Pacific Coast League – AAA) — Miami Marlins
  0-0, 3.27 era, 10 hits, 4 er, 9 k, 5 bb in 11.0 innings
  YTD: 3-5, 5.02 era, 83 hits, 40 er, 62 k, 20 bb in 71.2 innings
• Stephen Parker — 3rd base — Nashville Sounds (Pacific Coast League – AAA) — Milwaukee Brewers
  5 for 27 (.185) 1 run, 3 rbi, 0 hr, 1 bb, 0 sb, 8 so
  YTD: .216, 23 run, 22 rbi, 6 hr, 27 bb, 2 sb, 64 so in 245 at bats
• Shane Peterson — outfielder — Sacramento River Cats (Pacific Coast League – AAA) — Oakland A’s (40-man MLB roster)
  2 for 17 (.118) 2 run, 1 rbi, 0 hr, 3 bb, 0 sb, 2 so
  YTD: .239, 37 run, 38 rbi, 5 hr, 42 bb, 8 sb, 68 so in 238 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, 0.00 era, 5 hits, 0 er, 4 k, 2 bb in 7.0 innings
  YTD: 6-5, 4.19 era, 64 hits, 36 er, 79 k, 38 bb in 77.1 innings

Foreign Leagues:

• Brandon Duckworth — starting pitcher (right handed) — Rakuten Golden Eagles (Japan)
  1-0, 2.57 era, 4 hits, 2 er, 5 k, 2 bb in 7.0 innings
  YTD: 3-3, 4.03 era, 47 hits, 20 er, 30 k, 19 bb in 45.0 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