Mormon Baseball

After spending the first half of the season this year in the Red Sox’s bullpen, Clayton Mortensen is back on the AAA Pawtucket Red Sox and wasted no time making a case for his return to the majors. Mortensen pitched 4 1/3rd innings of relief last week, giving up just 3 hits and 3 walks, but no runs, while striking out 3. While his era for the week was lower than the 5.34 era he managed over 30 innings in the majors, his other stats were in line with his MLB performance.

That may not be enough to keep Mortensen in the majors for the long term, however, he is likely good enough to again make the team’s 40-man roster when the roster is expanded ahead of the end of the season. Of course, Mortensen might also be a strong enough prospect that the Red Sox will trade him in search of high calibre players that will keep them at the top of the American League East.

Among position players, Adam Law is still stamping on the stats in the Arizona League. While 86 at bats isn’t quite enough to hang your hat on, Law is among the league leaders in many offensive categories: batting average, OBP, OPS, runs scored AND stolen bases. If he isn’t brought up to single-A as part of the shifts due to the MLB 40-man roster later this season or at the beginning of next season, it will be because he doesn’t maintain this level of play. And if he does progress, I’m sure the Dodgers will think they got a great deal from a 12th-round pick.

Jacob Hanneman, Mitch Maier and Mitch Talbot remain on the DL.

.

Hitting Stats Leaders:

• Adam Law (Arizona-Rookie) — .346 BA (tied 3rd), .860 OPS (8th), .441 OBP (3rd), 18 runs (tied 1st); 12 stolen bases (2nd)

Pitching Stats Leaders:

• Nik Turley (Eastern-AA) — 7 wins (tied 7th); 96 strike outs (5th)

.

Current Roster Players:

• Jaycob Brugman — outfielder — Vermont Lake Monsters (New York-Penn League A short season) — Oakland As
  3 for 17 (.176) 1 run, 1 rbi, 0 hr, 0 bb, 0 sb, 3 so
  YTD: .221, 5 run, 10 rbi, 1 hr, 3 bb, 1 sb, 20 so in 77 at bats
• Tyson Brummett — relief pitcher (right handed) — New Hampshire Fisher Cats (AA Eastern League) — Toronto Blue Jays
  0-0, 0.00 era, 2 hits, 0 er, 1 k, 0 bb in 1.0 innings
  YTD: 1-5, 6.60 era, 67 hits, 43 er, 55 k, 26 bb in 58.2 innings
• Taylor Cole — starting pitcher (right handed) — Lansing Lugnuts (Midwest League A) — Toronto Blue Jays
  0-1, 3.86 era, 7 hits, 2 er, 4 k, 2 bb in 4.2 innings
  YTD: 4-8, 4.23 era, 103 hits, 42 er, 64 k, 43 bb in 89.1 innings
• Jeff Gelalich — outfielder — Dayton Dragons (Midwest League A) — Cincinnati Reds
  6 for 19 (.316) 3 run, 3 rbi, 0 hr, 6 bb, 0 sb, 2 so
  YTD: .272, 47 run, 29 rbi, 0 hr, 41 bb, 16 sb, 61 so in 298 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
  On 7-day DL, did not play
  YTD: .280, 5 run, 3 rbi, 1 hr, 1 bb, 1 sb, 7 so in 50 at bats
• Bryan Harper — relief pitcher (left handed) — Hagerstown Suns (South Atlantic League – A) — Washington Nationals
  0-0, 0.00 era, 1 hits, 0 er, 3 k, 0 bb in 2.1 innings
  YTD: 5-1, 4.96 era, 26 hits, 18 er, 31 k, 24 bb in 32.2 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 — 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
  7 for 19 (.368) 4 run, 2 rbi, 0 hr, 4 bb, 5 sb, 4 so
  YTD: .346, 18 run, 8 rbi, 0 hr, 10 bb, 12 sb, 16 so in 78 at bats
• Marcus Littlewood — catcher — Clinton LumberKings (Midwest League – A) — Seattle Mariners
  1 for 9 (.111) 1 run, 4 rbi, 1 hr, 3 bb, 0 sb, 2 so
  YTD: .250, 19 run, 11 rbi, 3 hr, 18 bb, 1 sb, 34 so in 124 at bats
• Mitch Maier — outfielder —Pawtucket Red Sox (International League – AAA) — Boston Red Sox
  Did not play. on 7-day DL
  YTD: .315, 31 run, 22 rbi, 3 hr, 23 bb, 3 sb, 25 so in 108 at bats
• Taylor Mangum — relief pitcher (right-handed) — Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (Midwest League – A) — Milwaukee Brewers
  0-1, 13.50 era, 6 hits, 3 er, 1 k, 0 bb in 2.0 innings
  YTD: 2-5, 3.54 era, 41 hits, 16 er, 40 k, 13 bb in 40.2 innings
• Adam Miller — pitcher (right-handed) — Missoula Osprey (Pioneer League – Rookie) — Arizona Diamondbacks
  0-0, 4.50 era, 4 hits, 2 er, 3 k, 0 bb in 4.0 innings
  YTD: 0-0, 6.32 era, 12 hits, 7 er, 9 k, 1 bb in 12.0 innings
• Clayton Mortensen — relief pitcher (right handed) — Pawtucket Red Sox (International League – AAA) — Boston Red Sox
  0-0, 0.00 era, 3 hits, 0 er, 3 k, 3 bb in 4.1 innings
  YTD: 0-0, 3.48 era, 9 hits, 4 er, 10 k, 8 bb in 10.1 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, 3.38 era, 5 hits, 2 er, 6 k, 2 bb in 5.1 innings
  YTD: 3-5, 4.57 era, 94 hits, 42 er, 73 k, 24 bb in 82.2 innings
• Stephen Parker — 3rd base — Nashville Sounds (Pacific Coast League – AAA) — Milwaukee Brewers
  3 for 14 (.214) 0 run, 1 rbi, 0 hr, 1 bb, 0 sb, 5 so
  YTD: .213, 26 run, 24 rbi, 6 hr, 33 bb, 2 sb, 76 so in 287 at bats
• Shane Peterson — outfielder — Sacramento River Cats (Pacific Coast League – AAA) — Oakland A’s (40-man MLB roster)
  4 for 18 (.222) 1 run, 1 rbi, 0 hr, 2 bb, 0 sb, 3 so
  YTD: .233, 42 run, 45 rbi, 6 hr, 48 bb, 11 sb, 79 so in 292 at bats
• Adam Rosales — shortstop — Sacramento River Cats (Pacific Coast League – AAA) — Oakland A’s (40-man MLB roster)
  1 for 8 (.125) 0 run, 2 rbi, 0 hr, 0 bb, 0 sb, 2 so
  YTD: .273, 4 run, 3 rbi, 1 hr, 2 bb, 1 sb, 4 so in 33 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)
  0-0, 6.00 era, 7 hits, 4 er, 6 k, 1 bb in 6.0 innings
  YTD: 7-5, 4.26 era, 81 hits, 45 er, 100 k, 46 bb in 95.0 innings

Foreign Leagues:

• Brandon Duckworth — starting pitcher (right handed) — Rakuten Golden Eagles (Japan)
  0-1, 10.12 era, 8 hits, 3 er, 2 k, 0 bb in 2.2 innings
  YTD: 4-4, 3.28 era, 49 hits, 24 er, 38 k, 28 bb in 60.2 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