Mormon Baseball

With the end of the minor league season this past week, it seems like some players let up and stopped playing as hard while others somehow excel. In the latter group this year is Elliot Johnson of the Columbus Clippers of the International League (AAA). Johson was 8 for 15 last week (.533) with a home run, 5 walks, 3 runs scored and 6 rbis. Johnson improved his minors record for the season to a .236 average over 314 at bats.

A bit behind Johnson last week was Brett Pill, who plays for the Kia Tigers of the Korean League. Pill was 10 for 22 last week (.455) with a home run (his 17th), 4 runs scored and 5 rbis. Pill’s season average is up to .317. Adam Law also improved last week, hitting 7 for 22 (.318), helping him finish with a .273 average.

On the mound, Adam Miller finished strong in the Midwest League (A), blanking out his opponents over 2 innings and giving up just 3 hits. He was nearly equaled by Taylor Cole in the Florida State League (A+), who gave up just 2 hits and a walk over 2 innings, but one of those led to an unearned run, and a loss for Cole.

With the expansion of the major league rosters this week, John Buck and Shane Peterson joined their MLB teams — the Angels and As respectively. Tyson Brummett finished the season on the DL; with luck we will see him back on a team next season.

The minor league post season started last night, and a Florida State League (A+) contest between the Dunedin Blue Jays and Daytona Cubs included Mormon players on each side. However, Taylor Cole of the Blue Jays didn’t pitch in that game. A total of 9 Mormon players are on teams that will play in the post season:

• Jaycob Brugman
• Taylor Cole
• Jeff Gelalich
• Jacob Hannemann
• Bryan Harper
• Elliot Johnson
• Clayton Mortensen
• Tyler Pill
• Boone Whiting

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Hitting Stats Leaders:

• Jacob Hanneman (Midwest League – A) — 32 stolen bases (tied 10th)
• Adam Law (California League – A+) — 19 stolen bases (tied 17th); .349 OBP (24th); 41 walks (tied 21st)
• Shane Petersen (Pacific Coast League – AAA) — .308 average (tied 8th); 90 RBIs (tied 3rd); 101 runs (2nd); .381 OBP (tied 10th); .841 OPS (19th); 167 hits (1st); 66 walks (4th)
• Mason Smith (Arizona League – R) — 22 walks (tied 15th)

Pitching Stats Leaders:

• Taylor Cole (Florida State League – A+) — 3.07 era (5th); 8 wins (tied 11th); 171 strikeouts (1st); 1.16 WHIP (4th); 132.0 innings (16th); 23 starts (tied 16th)
• Bryan Harper (Carolina League – A+) — 3 saves (tied 24th)
• Tyler Pill (Eastern League – AA) — 3.83 era (13th); 9 wins (tied 15th); 120 strike outs (3rd); 1.16 WHIP (5th); 124.2 innings (21st); 21 starts (tied 21st)
• Boone Whiting (Pacific Coast League – AAA) — 1 complete game (tied 7th)

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Current Roster Players:

• Darwin Barney — 2nd base — Albuquerque Isotopes (LAD) — Pacific Coast League (AAA)
  Did not play – promoted to the majors
  YTD: .257, 5 run, 1 rbi, 0 hr, 3 bb, 0 sb, 5 so in 35 at bats
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• Jaycob Brugman — Outfield — Stockton Ports (OAK) — California League (A+)
  4 for 22 (.182) 3 run, 3 rbi, 1 hr, 2 bb, 0 sb, 6 so
  YTD: .280, 67 run, 72 rbi, 21 hr, 51 bb, 8 sb, 115 so in 443 at bats
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• Tyson Brummett — Pitcher — Chattanooga Lookouts (LAD) — Southern League (AA)
  Did not pitch — on the 7-day DL
  YTD: 4-5, 2.79 era, 69 hits, 22 er, 57 k, 21 bb in 71.0 innings; 1.27 WHIP
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• John Buck — Catcher — Salt Lake Bees (LAA) — Pacific Coast League (AAA)
  2 for 13 (.154) 2 run, 1 rbi, 0 hr, 1 bb, 0 sb, 4 so
  YTD: .294, 13 run, 15 rbi, 2 hr, 13 bb, 0 sb, 22 so in 119 at bats
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• Taylor Cole — Pitcher — Dunedin Blue Jays (TOR) — Florida State League (A+)
  0-1, 0.00 era, 2 hits, 0 er, 4 k, 1 bb in 2.0 innings; 1.50 WHIP
  YTD: 8-11, 3.43 era, 126 hits, 55 er, 181 k, 46 bb in 144.1 innings; 1.19 WHIP
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• Jeff Gelalich — Outfield — Bakersfield Blaze (CIN) — California League (A+)
  3 for 18 (.167) 2 run, 1 rbi, 1 hr, 3 bb, 0 sb, 7 so
  YTD: .238, 72 runs, 49 rbi, 11 hr, 49 bb, 21 sb, 131 so in 446 at bats
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• Jacob Hannemann — Center Field — Daytona Cubs (CHC) — Florida State League (A+)
  3 for 13 (.231) 1 run, 1 rbi, 0 hr, 0 bb, 0 sb, 1 so
  YTD: .251, 74 run, 51 rbi, 8 hr, 42 bb, 37 sb, 111 so in 487 at bats
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• Bryan Harper — Pitcher — Potomac Nationals (WSH) — Carolina League (A+)
  1-0, 3.86 era, 2 hits, 1 er, 4 k, 1 bb in 2.1 innings; 1.29 WHIP
  YTD: 3-0, 3.19 era, 53 hits, 21 er, 51 k, 25 bb in 59.1 innings; 1.31 WHIP
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• Elliot Johnson — Infield — Columbus Clippers (CLE) — International League (AAA)
  8 for 15 (.533) 3 run, 6 rbi, 1 hr, 5 bb, 0 sb, 4 so
  YTD: .236, 43 run, 37 rbi, 5 hr, 43 bb, 10 sb, 82 so in 314 at bats
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• Adam Law — Left Field — Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (LAD) — California League (A+)
  7 for 22 (.318) 3 run, 4 rbi, 0 hr, 2 bb, 0 sb, 3 so
  YTD: .273, 65 run, 37 rbi, 0 hr, 41 bb, 19 sb, 69 so in 403 at bats
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• Marcus Littlewood — Catcher — High Desert Mavericks (SEA) — California League (A+)
  2 for 14 (.143) 2 run, 0 rbi, 0 hr, 2 bb, 0 sb, 4 so
  YTD: .246, 46 run, 48 rbi, 9 hr, 43 bb, 5 sb, 66 so in 325 at bats
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• Brandon Lyon — Pitcher — Salt Lake Bees (LAA) — Pacific Coast League (AAA)
  Did not pitch — free agent
  YTD: 0-6, era 4.08, 33 hits, 8 er, 8 bb and 9 k in 17.2 innings; 2.32 WHIP
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• Mitch Maier — Outfield — Northwest Arkansas Naturals (KC) — Texas League (AA)
  3 for 15 (.200) 2 run, 0 rbi, 0 hr, 1 bb, 0 sb, 6 so
  YTD: .233, 14 run, 8 rbi, 3 hr, 9 bb, 0 sb, 30 so in 90 at bats
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• Adam Miller — Pitcher —South Bend Silver Hawks (AZ) — Midwest League (A)
  0-0, 0.00 era, 3 hits, 0 er, 1 k, 0 bb in 2.0 innings; 1.50 WHIP
  YTD: 5-1, 3.21 era, 55 hits, 20 er, 46 k, 19 bb in 56.0 innings; 1.32 WHIP
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• Clayton Mortensen — Pitcher — Omaha Storm Chasers (KC) — Pacific Coast League (AAA)
  0-0, 27.00 era, 8 hits, 6 er, 1 k, 2 bb in 2.0 innings; 5.00 WHIP
  YTD: 5-4, 4.74 era, 86 hits, 40 er, 22 bb and 62 k in 76.0 innings; 1.42 WHIP
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• Matt Neil —Pitcher — Montgomery Biscuits (TB) — Southern League (AA))
  Did not pitch — released
  YTD: 1-2, 7.40 era, 34 hits, 17 er, 4 bb and 19 k in 20.2 innings; 1.84 WHIP
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• Stephen Parker — 3rd base —Nashville Sounds (MIL) — Pacific Coast League (AAA)
  Did not play
  YTD: .000, 0 run, 0 rbi, 0 hr, 0 bb, 0 sb, 0 so in 0 at bats
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• Shane Peterson — Outfielder — Sacramento River Cats (OAK) — Pacific Coast League (AAA)
  5 for 23 (.217) 1 run, 2 rbi, 0 hr, 4 bb, 0 sb, 7 so
  YTD: .308, 101 runs, 90 rbi, 11 hr, 66 bb, 11 sb, 139 so in 543 at bats.
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• Tyler Pill — Pitcher —Binghamton Mets (NYM) — Eastern League (AA)
  0-0, 3.60 era, 5 hits, 2 er, 7 k, 1 bb in 5.0 innings; 1.20 WHIP
  YTD: 9-5, 3.97 era, 121 hits, 57 er, 124 k, 32 bb in 129.1 innings; 1.18 WHIP
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• Travis Pitcher — Pitcher —AZL Athletics (OAK) — Arizona League (R)
  Did not pitch — season complete
  YTD: 1-2, 7.88 era, 29 hits, 21 er, 32 k, 19 bb in 24.0 innings; 2.00 WHIP
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• Adam Rosales — Infielder — Round Rock Express (TEX) — Pacific Coast League (AAA)
  Did not play — promoted to majors
  YTD: .276, 42 runs, 43 rbi, 7 hr, 28 bb, 3 sb, 61 so in 272 at bats.
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• Mason Smith — Outfielder —AZL Padres (SD) — Arizona League (R)
  0 for 6 (.000) 1 run, 0 rbi, 0 hr, 2 bb, 0 sb, 3 so
  YTD: .199, 20 run, 10 rbi, 1 hr, 22 bb, 2 sb, 53 so in 151 at bats
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• Nik Turley — Pitcher — Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (NYY) — International League (AAA)
  2-0, 3.60 era, 11 hits, 4 er, 5 k, 5 bb in 10.0 innings; 1.60 WHIP
  YTD: 5-3, era 4.43, 59 hits, 32 er, 45 bb and 48 k in 65.0 innings; 1.60 WHIP
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• Boone Whiting — Pitcher —Memphis Redbirds (STL) — Pacific Coast League (AAA)
  0-1, 6.35 era, 8 hits, 4 er, 7 k, 0 bb in 5.2 innings; 1.41 WHIP
  YTD: 4-7, 4.19 era, 96 hits, 45 er, 99 k, 44 bb in 96.2 innings; 1.45 WHIP
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Independent Leagues:

• Cole Miles — outfielder — Florence Freedom (Frontier League)
  5 for 24 (.208) 4 run, 4 rbi, 0 hr, 3 bb, 2 sb, 8 so
  YTD: .273, 44 run, 33 rbi, 6 hr, 31 bb, 29 sb, 59 so in 304 at bats
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Foreign Leagues:

• Brett Pill — Kia Tigers — Korean League
  10 for 22 (.455) 4 run, 5 rbi, 1 hr, 1 bb, 2 sb, 4 so
  YTD: .317, 53 runs, 54 rbi, 17 hr, 20 bb, 8 sb, 50 so in 281 at bats.
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Last Year’s players released: (could still be picked up by other teams)

• Blaine Howell — relief pitcher (left handed) — (was with Bakersfield Blaze of the California League – A+) — Cincinnati Reds
• Cale Iorg — released (was with Aberdeen IronBirds (BAL) — New York-Penn League (SS))
• Taylor Mangum —Released (was with Brevard County Manatees (MIL) — Florida State League (A+))
• Mitch Talbot — Free Agent (was with Las Vegas 51s (NYM) — Pacific Coast League (AAA))

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Other players who may be Mormon: [We need to determine if these players are Mormon before publishing further information about them.] Rick Anton, James Brooks, Jay Brossman, Brian Budrow, Eric Byrnes, Chris Capper, Tyler Chism, Dallas Christison, Shaun Cooper, Stephen Fife, Tyler Hanks, Steve Hirschfeld, Travis Huber, Zachary Jones, Goose Kallunki, Ryan Khoury, Kam Mickolio (apparently not Mormon, but I don’t have evidence either way), A. J. Murray, Jordan Taylor Pratt, Tanner Robles, Braeden Schlehuber, Justin Smith, Matt Spring, Brad Thompson, Tyler Wagner

Non-Mormons who may be confused for Mormons Matt Carson (non-Mormon who went to BYU), Derek Christensen, Parker Morin, Egan Smith, Jordan Smith, Keenyn Walker
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