Mormon Baseball

The Marlins’ promising prospect in the AA Southern League, Matt Neil, pitched a gem last week, but failed to get a win when his team didn’t score during his 5-inning service. Neil gave up just 3 hits and struck out 6 in the first of his two outings last week. He also pitched 2 innings of relief last night, giving up a run and two walks. Still, his season era, including 9 games in AAA, is now 3.95, while his era for AA this year is 3.05.

Last week Neil was joined in his strong performance by the Pawtucket Red Sox’ Clayton Mortensen, who gave up just 1 earned run in 12 innings. Mortensen, demoted from the majors, where he spent the majority of the season, is 3-0 in AAA, with a 2.95 era over 36.2 innings.

At the plate, Shane Peterson continues his stellar performance, going 13 for 29 last week (.448) with 10 rbis, enough to propel him into the top 10 in rbis in the PCL. For the season, Peterson’s average is now at .260.

This week I learned of another Mormon player who was drafted this year when his father sent me a note. Mason Smith was drafted after High School and was assigned to the AZL Padres (San Diego affiliate) of the Arizona League. Smith played great last week in the pair of games he played, going 3 for 7 with a walk and stolen base, which brought his average for the season so far up to .195.

Kyle Farnsworth, who was recently released by the Tampa Bay Rays, signed a minor league contract with Pittsburgh and was assigned to the Indianapolis Indians, where he appeared twice last week. Mitch Maier remains on the DL and Mitch Talbot’s rehab assignment has apparently stalled, as he didn’t pitch this past week.

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Hitting Stats Leaders:

• Adam Law (Arizona League – Rookie) — .357 BA (2nd); .430 OBP (1st); .848 OPS (10th); 21 stolen bases (2nd)
• Shane Peterson (Pacific Coast League – AAA) — 77 rbis (tied 6th)

Pitching Stats Leaders:

• Taylor Cole (Midwest League – A) — 98 strike outs (7th); 126.2 IP (7th)
• Adam Miller (Pioneer League – Rookie) — 4.53 era (6th); 1.39 WHIP (tied 5th)
• Nik Turley (Eastern-AA) — 9 wins (tied 7th); 121 strike outs (7th)

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Current Roster Players:

• Jaycob Brugman — outfielder — Vermont Lake Monsters (New York-Penn League A short season) — Oakland As
  5 for 15 (.333) 1 run, 1 rbi, 0 hr, 1 bb, 3 sb, 4 so
  YTD: .261, 13 run, 23 rbi, 1 hr, 7 bb, 7 sb, 48 so in 165 at bats
• Tyson Brummett — relief pitcher (right handed) — New Hampshire Fisher Cats (AA Eastern League) — Toronto Blue Jays
  0-0, 0.00 era, 1 hits, 0 er, 1 k, 1 bb in 2.1 innings
  YTD: 1-6, 5.61 era, 85 hits, 49 er, 73 k, 29 bb in 78.2 innings
• Taylor Cole — starting pitcher (right handed) — Lansing Lugnuts (Midwest League A) — Toronto Blue Jays
  0-0, 7.20 era, 5 hits, 4 er, 8 k, 2 bb in 5.0 innings
  YTD: 7-11, 4.05 era, 136 hits, 57 er, 98 k, 56 bb in 126.2 innings
• Kyle Farnsworth — reliever (right handed) — Indianapolis Indians (International League AAA) — Pittsburgh Pirates
  0-1, 16.20 era, 5 hits, 3 er, 0 k, 1 bb in 1.2 innings
  YTD: 0-1, 16.20 era, 2 hits, 3 er, 0 k, 1 bb in 1.2 innings
  MLB YTD: 2-0, 5.76 era, 37 hits, 19 er, 19 k, 7 bb in 29.2 innings
• Jeff Gelalich — outfielder — Dayton Dragons (Midwest League A) — Cincinnati Reds
  8 for 27 (.296) 4 run, 2 rbi, 0 hr, 2 bb, 1 sb, 7 so
  YTD: .258, 59 runs, 36 rbi, 1 hr, 56 bb, 19 sb, 93 so in 403 at bats
• Roy Halladay— starting pitcher (right handed) — Philadelphia Phillies
  Rehab assignment with Lakewood BlueClaws (South Atlantic)
  0-0, 3.00 era, 13 hits, 4 er, 8 k, 6 bb in 12.0 innings
  YTD: 0-0, 3.00 era, 13 hits, 4 er, 8 k, 6 bb in 12.0 innings
  MLB YTD: 2-4, era 8.65, 33 hits, 33 er, 17 bb, 35 k in 34.1 innings.
• Jacob Hannemann — outfielder — Boise Hawks (Northwest Leauge A short season) — Chicago Cubs
  Did not play
  YTD: .268, 9 run, 7 rbi, 1 hr, 2 bb, 4 sb, 12 so in 71 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, 1 k, 1 bb in 1.2 innings
  YTD: 5-1, 4.32 era, 29 hits, 20 er, 40 k, 28 bb in 41.2 innings
• Cale Iorg — Second base — Aberdeen IronBirds (New York-Penn League A short season) — Baltimore Orioles
  Did not play. Released
  YTD: .145, 5 run, 6 rbi, 1 hr, 4 bb, 3 sb, 22 so in 55 at bats
• Adam Law — 3rd base — Ogden Raptors (Pioneer Leauge A) — LA Dodgers
  7 for 22 (.318) 5 run, 7 rbi, 0 hr, 0 bb, 3 sb, 3 so
  YTD: .347, 37 run, 25 rbi, 0 hr, 18 bb, 30 sb, 29 so in 173 at bats
• Marcus Littlewood — catcher — Clinton LumberKings (Midwest League – A) — Seattle Mariners
  3 for 15 (.200) 5 run, 0 rbi, 0 hr, 5 bb, 0 sb, 5 so
  YTD: .242, 31 run, 17 rbi, 3 hr, 34 bb, 1 sb, 49 so in 182 at bats
• Brandon Lyon — relief pitcher —Pawtucket Red Sox (International League – AAA) — Boston Red Sox
  Did not pitched — released
  YTD: 0-0, 1.69 era, 5 hits, 1 er, 3 k, 1 bb in 5.1 innings
  MLB: 2-2, 4.98 era, 43 hits, 19 er, 23 k, 13 bb in 34.1 innings
• Mitch Maier — outfielder —Pawtucket Red Sox (International League – AAA) — Boston Red Sox
  7-day Disabled list
  YTD: .310, 32 run, 22 rbi, 3 hr, 24 bb, 3 sb, 26 so in 113 at bats
• Taylor Mangum — relief pitcher (right-handed) — Brevard County Manatees (Florida State League – A+) — Milwaukee Brewers
  1-0, 2.00 era, 5 hits, 2 er, 5 k, 3 bb in 9.0 innings
  YTD: 3-7, 3.69 era, 63 hits, 26 er, 55 k, 21 bb in 63.1 innings
• Adam Miller — pitcher (right-handed) — Missoula Osprey (Pioneer League – Rookie) — Arizona Diamondbacks
  0-1, 9.00 era, 12 hits, 5 er, 3 k, 2 bb in 5.0 innings
  YTD: 1-4, 4.53 era, 57 hits, 25 er, 34 k, 12 bb in 49.2 innings
• Clayton Mortensen — relief pitcher (right handed) — Pawtucket Red Sox (International League – AAA) — Boston Red Sox
  2-0, 0.75 era, 7 hits, 1 er, 8 k, 5 bb in 12.0 innings
  YTD: 3-0, 2.95 era, 31 hits, 12 er, 34 k, 18 bb in 36.2 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) — Jacksonville Suns (Southern League – AA) — Miami Marlins
  0-0, 1.29 era, 7 hits, 1 er, 8 k, 2 bb in 7.0 innings
  YTD: 4-5, 3.92 era, 110 hits, 45 er, 91 k, 30 bb in 103.1 innings
• Stephen Parker — 3rd base — Nashville Sounds (Pacific Coast League – AAA) — Milwaukee Brewers
  6 for 22 (.273) 7 run, 4 rbi, 1 hr, 6 bb, 0 sb, 4 so
  YTD: .212, 38 run, 34 rbi, 7 hr, 43 bb, 3 sb, 95 so in 353 at bats
• Shane Peterson — outfielder — Sacramento River Cats (Pacific Coast League – AAA) — Oakland A’s (40-man MLB roster)
  13 for 29 (.448) 4 run, 10 rbi, 1 hr, 3 bb, 2 sb, 5 so
  YTD: .260, 64 run, 77 rbi, 12 hr, 69 bb, 17 sb, 112 so in 415 at bats
• Adam Rosales — shortstop — Sacramento River Cats (Pacific Coast League – AAA) — Oakland A’s (40-man MLB roster)
  Did not play — “assigned to new team/level”
  YTD: .280, 7 run, 7 rbi, 1 hr, 3 bb, 1 sb, 8 so in 50 at bats
• Mason Smith — outfielder — AZL Padres (Arizona League – Rookie) — San Diego Padres
  3 for 7 (.429) 3 run, 0 rbi, 0 hr, 1 bb, 1 sb, 1 so
  YTD: .195, 12 run, 9 rbi, 0 hr, 14 bb, 2 sb, 41 so in 118 at bats
• Mitch Talbot — starting pitcher (right handed) — GCL Marlins (Gulf Coast League – Rookie)— Miami Marlins
  Rehab Assignment
  Did not pitch
  YTD: 2-1, 1.38 era, 8 hits, 2 er, 11 k, 3 bb in 13.0 innings
• Nik Turley — starting pitcher (right handed) — Trenton Thunder (Eastern League – AA) — New York Yankees (40-man MLB roster)
  0-1, 18.00 era, 4 hits, 6 er, 2 k, 5 bb in 3.0 innings
  YTD: 9-7, 3.97 era, 103 hits, 56 er, 125 k, 65 bb in 127.0 innings

Foreign Leagues:

• Brandon Duckworth — starting pitcher (right handed) — Rakuten Golden Eagles (Japan)
  0-0, 23.63 era, 7 hits, 7 er, 1 k, 4 bb in 2.2 innings
  YTD: 5-4, 4.29 era, 81 hits, 37 er, 51 k, 36 bb in 77.2 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
• Austin Hall — pitcher (right handed) — AZL Brewers (Arizona Leauge Rookie) — Milwaukee Brewers
• Blaine Howell — relief pitcher (left handed) — unassigned?? (was with Bakersfield Blaze of the California League – A+) — Cincinnati Reds
• 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