Mormon Baseball

Most of the minor leagues completed their seasons this past week, and the majors expanded their rosters to 40, leading to shuffling among the minor leagues. Two Mormons in the minors were promoted as a result, one went back to the majors, and a total of 7 Mormons may play in the various minor league post-season games.

Among the best last week was Matt Neil, who was one of those promoted. Leaving the Jacksonville Suns (Southern, AA), Neil started this past week for the New Orleans Zephyrs (Pacific Coast, AAA) and turned in a strong performance, blanking the Albuquerque Isotopes over 6 innings, striking out 6 and walking just 1. Neil also pitched for the Zephyrs earlier in the season, but this was probably his strongest performance there. With luck, he will start the year next year in New Orleans.

The other Mormon promoted was Taylor Cole, who moved from the Lansing Lugnuts (Midwest, A) to the Dunedin Blue Jays (Florida State, A+). Like Neil, Cole turned in a strong performance, but didn’t have as good luck. Cole went 5 innings, giving up 6 hits and just 1 earned run while striking out 2. But his own team didn’t score, so Cole took the loss, despite bringing his season era in the minors down below 4.00. Cole’s performance was strong enough during the season that he should start with Dunedin next year, especially if he helps Dunedin in the playoffs now.

Bryan Harper also pitched well during the past week, giving his Hagerstown Sun’s (South Atlantic, A) an inning of shutout ball in relief. At the plate last week, the best performances came from Cole Miles and Adam Law. Miles, in the independent Frontier League. Miles, returning from the DL, was 1 for 4 (.250) with 2 rbis, while Law, with the Ogden Raptors (Pioneer, A) was 8 for 23 (.348), scoring 8 runs and stealing 4 bases. But in Law’s case, surprisingly, that was an off week and brought his season average down to .358. May we all have off weeks like that.

Mitch Maier (Pawtucket Red Sox, International League AAA) and Mitch Talbot (Las Vegas 51s, Pacific Coast League, AAA) are both on the DL, and may not help their teams in the playoffs, which start this week. In addition to Maier and Talbot, the following players are on teams that made the playoffs:

• Taylor Cole — Dunedin Blue Jays (Florida State League, A+)
• Bryan Harper — Hagerstown Suns (South Atlantic League, A)
• Marcus Littlewood — Clinton LumberKings (Midwest League, A)
• Clayton Mortensen — Omaha Storm Chasers (Pacific Coast League, AAA)
• Nik Turley — Trenton Thunder (Eastern League, AA)

As we did last year, we will provide daily coverage of these players in the minor league playoffs.

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Hitting Stats Leaders:

• Adam Law (Arizona League – Rookie) — .357 BA (1st); .430 OBP (1st); 21 stolen bases (tied 2nd)
• Adam Law (Pioneer League – A) — 18 stolen bases (5th)

Pitching Stats Leaders:

• Taylor Cole (Midwest League – A) — 101 strike outs (tied 9th); 132.0 IP (8th)
• Nik Turley (Eastern-AA) — 11 wins (tied 4th); 137 strike outs (5th)

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Current Roster Players:

• Jaycob Brugman — outfielder — Vermont Lake Monsters (New York-Penn League A short season) — Oakland As
  Did not play — on “Temporary Inactive List”
  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
  0-1, 9.00 era, 4 hits, 3 er, 0 k, 3 bb in 3.0 innings
  YTD: 1-8, 5.75 era, 93 hits, 56 er, 77 k, 34 bb in 87.2 innings
• Taylor Cole — starting pitcher (right handed) — Dunedin Blue Jays (Florida State League A+) — Toronto Blue Jays
  0-1, 1.80 era, 6 hits, 1 er, 2 k, 2 bb in 5.0 innings
  YTD: 7-12, 3.94 era, 147 hits, 60 er, 103 k, 61 bb in 137.0 innings
• Kyle Farnsworth — reliever (right handed) — Indianapolis Indians (International League AAA) — Pittsburgh Pirates
  1-0, 0.00 era, 1 hits, 0 er, 1 k, 2 bb in 2.0 innings
  YTD: 1-1, 4.05 era, 7 hits, 3 er, 3 k, 4 bb in 6.2 innings
  MLB YTD: 2-0, 5.58 era, 37 hits, 19 er, 21 k, 7 bb in 30.2 innings
• Jeff Gelalich — outfielder — Dayton Dragons (Midwest League A) — Cincinnati Reds
  3 for 25 (.120) 1 run, 0 rbi, 0 hr, 1 bb, 0 sb, 8 so
  YTD: .245, 61 runs, 37 rbi, 1 hr, 57 bb, 20 sb, 107 so in 444 at bats
• Roy Halladay— starting pitcher (right handed) — Philadelphia Phillies
  Back in the majors.
  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 — AZL Cubs (Arizona Leauge — Rookie) — Chicago Cubs
  Did not play — Season over.
  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, 2 k, 3 bb in 1.0 innings
  YTD: 5-1, 3.97 era, 32 hits, 20 er, 43 k, 32 bb in 45.1 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
  8 for 23 (.348) 8 run, 1 rbi, 0 hr, 1 bb, 4 sb, 2 so
  YTD: .358, 49 run, 28 rbi, 0 hr, 20 bb, 39 sb, 34 so in 218 at bats
• Marcus Littlewood — catcher — Clinton LumberKings (Midwest League – A) — Seattle Mariners
  4 for 20 (.200) 1 run, 1 rbi, 0 hr, 4 bb, 0 sb, 7 so
  YTD: .230, 32 run, 18 rbi, 3 hr, 40 bb, 1 sb, 58 so in 213 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
  0-1, 9.00 era, 5 hits, 2 er, 5 k, 1 bb in 2.0 innings
  YTD: 3-9, 3.91 era, 74 hits, 31 er, 63 k, 25 bb in 71.1 innings
• Adam Miller — pitcher (right-handed) — Missoula Osprey (Pioneer League – Rookie) — Arizona Diamondbacks
  Did not pitch
  YTD: 1-4, 4.61 era, 62 hits, 27 er, 35 k, 14 bb in 52.2 innings
• Clayton Mortensen — relief pitcher (right handed) — Omaha Storm Chasers (Pacific Coast League – AAA) — Kansas City Royals
  1-0, 4.50 era, 6 hits, 3 er, 2 k, 3 bb in 6.0 innings
  YTD: 4-0, 2.72 era, 40 hits, 15 er, 41 k, 23 bb in 49.2 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) — New Orleans Zephyrs (Pacific Coast League – AAA) — Miami Marlins
  1-0, 0.00 era, 4 hits, 0 er, 6 k, 1 bb in 6.0 innings
  YTD: 5-5, 3.70 era, 114 hits, 45 er, 97 k, 31 bb in 109.1 innings
• Stephen Parker — 3rd base — Nashville Sounds (Pacific Coast League – AAA) — Milwaukee Brewers
  4 for 22 (.182) 2 run, 1 rbi, 0 hr, 1 bb, 0 sb, 7 so
  YTD: .218, 44 run, 43 rbi, 8 hr, 47 bb, 3 sb, 106 so in 399 at bats
• Shane Peterson — outfielder — Sacramento River Cats (Pacific Coast League – AAA) — Oakland A’s (40-man MLB roster)
  2 for 21 (.095) 1 run, 1 rbi, 0 hr, 3 bb, 0 sb, 7 so
  YTD: .251, 70 run, 79 rbi, 12 hr, 77 bb, 17 sb, 127 so in 463 at bats
• Adam Rosales — shortstop — Sacramento River Cats (Pacific Coast League – AAA) — Oakland A’s (40-man MLB roster)
  in majors with Texas Rangers
  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
  Did not play — season ended
  YTD: .209, 13 run, 11 rbi, 0 hr, 14 bb, 3 sb, 45 so in 129 at bats
• Mitch Talbot — starting pitcher (right handed) — Las Vegas 51s (Pacific Coast League – AAA)— New York Mets
  Did not pitch — on 7-day disabled list
  YTD: 2-1, 3.24 era, 15 hits, 6 er, 11 k, 6 bb in 16.2 innings
• Nik Turley — starting pitcher (right handed) — Trenton Thunder (Eastern League – AA) — New York Yankees (40-man MLB roster)
  1-0, 3.60 era, 7 hits, 2 er, 5 k, 3 bb in 5.0 innings
  YTD: 11-8, 3.79 era, 121 hits, 61 er, 141 k, 76 bb in 145.0 innings

Independent Leagues:

• Cole Miles — outfielder — Florence Freedom (Frontier League)
  1 for 4 (.250) 0 run, 2 rbi, 0 hr, 0 bb, 0 sb, 1 so
  YTD: .212, 5 run, 5 rbi, 0 hr, 3 bb, 0 sb, 4 so in 33 at bats

Foreign Leagues:

• Brandon Duckworth — starting pitcher (right handed) — Rakuten Golden Eagles (Japan)
  0-1, 12.00 era, 4 hits, 4 er, 6 k, 2 bb in 3.0 innings
  YTD: 5-5, 4.57 era, 85 hits, 41 er, 60 k, 35 bb in 80.2 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