Kentucky prep pitchers highlight wood-bat tournament; Revere stays hot in AFL; Gibson excels for Morehead

College Baseball, High School Baseball, Minor League Baseball

Jon Rauch; Photo from Wikimedia Commons

Latest links and highlights from around Kentucky baseball:

  • Conor Glassey of Baseball America recaps the action from the World Wood Bat Championship, highlighting performances from Lexington Catholic High School right-handed pitcher Tyler Arthur and St. X right-handed pitcher Matt Spalding.
  • Mark Polishuk of MLBTradeRumors evaluates former Morehead St. right-handed pitcher Jon Rauch‘s free agent stock.
  • On Wednesday former NKU right-handed pitcher Josh Lueke earned his first save for the Peoria Javelinas of the Arizona Fall League. Former Lexington Legend right-handed pitcher Kyle Greenwalt pitched four scoreless innings for the win.
  • On Thursday Lexington Catholic alum Ben Revere was 3-6 with three RBI, two runs scored and a stolen base for the Peoria Saguaros of the AFL.
  • Former UofL right-handed pitcher B. J. Rosenberg took the loss after surrendering four runs in one inning for the Mesa Solar Sox of the AFL.
  • Morehead State University sophomore right-handed pitcher Cody Gibson struck out 10 batters in six innings to lead the Gold team to a 2-0 series lead in the Eagles’ fall scrimmage series.

Revere, Strieby among Kentuckians named to AFL

Minor League Baseball

Ryan Strieby; Photo via Flickr by mwlguide

The Arizona Fall League, Major League Baseball’s postseason league for some of its top prospects, has released its preliminary rosters for the 2010 season, and several Kentucky alumni were included. I’ve listed those players below with MLB organization and AFL team:

  • B. J. Rosenberg (UofL) — Philadelphia Phillies — Mesa Solar Sox
  • Josh Lueke (NKU) — Seattle Mariners — Peoria Javelinas
  • Jason Kipnis (UK) — Cleveland Indians — Peoria Javelinas
  • Henry Mabee (Morehead) — Chicago White Sox — Peoria Saguraros
  • Ben Revere (Lexington Catholic) — Minnesota Twins — Peoria Saguraros
  • Michael Broadway (Paducah) — Atlanta Braves — Phoenix Desert Dogs
  • Ryan Strieby (UK) — Detroit Tigers — Surprise Rafters

Several current and former Louisville Bats, Bowling Green Hot Rods and Lexington Legends will also play in the league:

  • Kyle Greenwalt — Lexington Legends — Peoria Javelinas
  • Matt Nevarez — Lexington Legends — Peoria Javelinas
  • Sergio Perez — Lexington Legends — Peoria Javelinas
  • Patrick Urckfitz — Lexington Legends — Peoria Javelinas
  • Koby Clemens — Lexington Legends — Peoria Javelinas
  • Philippe Valiquette — Louisville Bats — Peoria Saguraros
  • Devin Mesoraco — Louisville Bats — Peoria Saguraros
  • Dave Sappelt — Louisville Bats — Peoria Saguraros
  • Neil Schenk — Bowling Green Hot Rods — Peoria Saguraros
  • Henry Wrigley — Bowling Green Hot Rods — Peoria Saguraros

You can see the full AFL rosters via Baseball America here.

BluGrass Baseball rankings in BA’s 2010 Prospect Handbook

Minor League Baseball

The Baseball America Prospect Handbook is simply a must-have for any minor-league baseball fan. My handbook, in which Baseball America ranks the top 30 prospects in each organization, came in today, and since I ordered it straight from BA they included a 31st prospect supplement for each team. I’m listing where Kentucy players rank in their organizations below, but I’ll leave all BA’s analysis out as incentive for you to go buy their great product.

Houston Astros

  • 3) — RHP Jordan Lyles — 2009 Lexington Legends
  • 4)  — RHP Sammy Gervacio — 2005/2006 Lexington Legends
  • 6) — RHP Ross Seaton — 2009 Lexington Legends
  • 8 — OF Jay Austin — 2009 Lexington Legends
  • 11) — SS Tommy Manzella — 2006 Lexington Legends
  • 12) — RHP Daniel Meszaros — 2009 Lexington Legends
  • 14) — LHP Fernando Abad — 2008 Lexington Legends
  • 15) — RHP Matt Nevarez — 2009 Lexington Legends
  • 19) — RHP Arcenio Leon — 2009 Lexington Legends
  • 20) — C/OF Koby Clemens — 2006/2007 Lexington Legends
  • 21) — OF Brian Bogusevic — 2006 Lexington Legends
  • 23) — RHP Evan Englebrook — 2005 Lexington Legends
  • 25) — OF Collin DeLome — 2008 Lexington Legends
  • 26) — LHP Polin Trinidad — 2007 Lexington Legends
  • 27) — RHP Henry Villar — 2009 Lexington Legends
  • 28) — RHP Ashton Mowdy — 2009 Lexington Legends
  • 29) — LHP Brad Dydalewicz — 2009 Lexington Legends
  • 30) — RHP Kyle Greenwalt — 2009 Lexington Legends

Oakland Athletics

  • 27) — LHP Justin Marks — University of Louisville

Toronto Blue Jays

  • 1) — RHP Zach Stewart — 2009 Louisville Bats
  • 7) — RHP Josh Roenicke — 2009 Louisville Bats
  • 20) — RHP Daniel Webb — Ashland, Ky. (Blazer)
  • 22) — RHP Trystan Magnuson — University of Louisville

Atlanta Braves

  • 22) — LHP Richard Sullivan — Louisville, Ky. (Ballard)

St. Louis Cardinals

  • 27) — LHP Ben Jukich — 2009 Louisville Bats

Arizona Diamondbacks

  • 9) — OF Collin Cowgill — University of Kentucky

San Francisco Giants

  • 18) — 3B Chris Dominguez — University of Louisville

Baltimore Orioles

  • 31) — C Craig Tatum — 2009 Louisville Bats

Philadelphia Phillies

  • 24) — RHP B. J. Rosenberg — University of Louisville

Texas Rangers

  • 7) — LHP Robbie Ross — Lexington, Ky. (LCA)

Tampa Bay Rays

  • 4) — LHP Matt Moore — 2009 Bowling Green Hot Rods
  • 6) — SS Tim Beckham — 2009 Bowling Green Hot Rods
  • 10) — RHP Nick Barnese — 2009 Bowling Green Hot Rods
  • 13) — RHP Joe Cruz — 2009 Bowling Green Hot Rods
  • 26) — LHP Frank De Los Santos — 2009 Bowling Green Hot Rods
  • 29) — C Jake Jefferies —  2009 Bowling Green Hot Rods
  • 31) — OF Keyong Kang — 2009 Bowling Green Hot Rods

Cincinnati Reds

  • 1) — INF/OF Todd Frazier — 2009 Louisville Bats
  • 2) — 1B Yonder Alonso — 2009 Louisville Bats
  • 4) — OF Chris Heisey — 2009 Louisville Bats
  • 5) — 3B Juan Francisco — 2009 Louisville Bats
  • 7) — LHP Travis Wood — 2009 Louisville Bats
  • 8 — LHP Matt Maloney — 2009 Louisville Bats
  • 12) — SS/2B Chris Valakia — 2009 Louisville Bats
  • 14) — RHP Logan Ondrusek — 2009 Louisville Bats
  • 19) — RHP Enerio Del Rosario — 2009 Louisville Bats
  • 22)  — LHP Pedro Viola — 2009 Louisville Bats

Colorado Rockies

  • 2) — LHP Christian Friedrich — Eastern Kentucky University
  • 24) — RHP Chaz Roe — Lexington, Ky. (Lafayette)

Kansas City Royals

  • 19) — OF Jordan Parraz — 2007 Lexington Legends

Detroit Tigers

  • 11) — 1B Ryan Strieby — University of Kentucky
  • 24) — 3B Wade Gaynor — Western Kentucky University
  • 28) — RHP Scott Green — University of Kentucky

Minnesota Twins

  • 5) — OF Ben Revere — Lexington, Ky. (Lex Cath)

Chicago White Sox

  • 25) — OF John Shelby — University of Kentucky
  • 26) — RHP Nathan Jones — Northern Kentucky University

Game Time Notes

Uncategorized

Travis Wood

Louisville Bats vs. Indianapolis Indians

  • Full-season minor league ERA leader Travis Wood takes the mound tonight in game one of a four-game set with Indianapolis.  Wood is 2-1 with a 2.55 ERA for Louisville and is with a 1.44 ERA on the season between AA Carolina and Louisville.  Wood has struggled with his conrol in AAA with 14 strikeouts compared to 12 walks, but on the season he has 117 strikeouts and just 49 walks in 143.2 innings.
  • Louisville infielder Wes Bankston is currently enjoying a five-game hitting streak and has three hits in each of his last two games.  During the streak, Bankston is 10-22 (.455) with two home runs and five RBI.
  • Outfielder Drew Stubbs will be among the Bats happy to see the Indians return to town.  Stubbs is 10-28 (.357) with two double and four runs scored in nine games against Indianapolis this season.  Starting pitcher Ben Jukich is 2-0 with a 0.69 ERA in two games against the Indians.
  • Indianapolis will send Pirates prospect Virgil Vasquez to the mound in the series opener tonight.  Vasquez is 7-2 with a 3.88 ERA in 16 starts for Indianapolis this season.  Virgil has 64 strikeouts and just 13 walks in 92.2 innings pitched.

Game Time Notes

Minor League Baseball

Micah Owings

Louisville Bats @ Lehigh Valley IronPigs

  • Despite Reds’ manager Dusty Baker’s suggestion that injured starting pitcher Micah Owings might not have to make a rehab start, Cincinnati decided to send Owings to Lehigh Valley tonight for a tuneup with the Bats.  Owings will be the third Red to make a rehab appearance with Louisville this week.  Relief pitcher Jared Burton will take the Reds’ roster spot of recently traded reliever David Weathers today, and outfielder Chris Dickerson will be activated by the Reds in time for Tuesday’s game.  Owings is 6-11 with a 5.35 ERA for the Reds this season.
  • Right-handed pitcher Logan Ondrusek extended his scoreless innings streak to 7.1 to start his Bats’ career.  Ondrusek made his first appearance for Louisville on July 27 and has yet to surrender a run in six games.  Logan began the season with high A Sarasota before being called up to AA Carolina.  Between the three teams, Ondrusek is 4-1 with a 1.23 ERA.
  • Wes Bankston was the offensive star for Louisville in the Bats’ first series against Lehigh Valley this season.  Bankston was 7-16 (.438) with a home run and four RBI in four games against the IronPigs.  Homer Bailey, Sam LeCure, Justin Lehr and Ben Jukich each picked up a win in Louisville’s four-game sweep of Lehigh Valley.
  • The IronPigs will send Drew Carpenter to the mound in the series opener tonight.  Carpenter is 9-2 with a 2.72 ERA in 19 games for Lehigh Valley.  Drew has 94 strikeouts in 119 innings and has held opponents to a .245 batting average.  Carpenter’s 2.72 ERA ranks sixth in the International League.

Game Time Notes

Minor League Baseball

I’m going to try a new daily post of game notes for each of the minor league teams that will go up on the site around 6 p.m. EST.  The purpose of these posts is to let you know what storylines each team faces going into the game and provide a brief look at the opposition.

Lexington Legends vs. Lake County Captains

  • The Legends are only 3-7 in their last 10 games, and only one batter is batting at least .300 in that span.  Second baseman Andrew Simunic is 6-20 with 6 runs scored in that span.  The only other hitter batting over .250 in those ten games is right fielder Eric Suttle who is batting .273 after appearing in seven of those games.
  • David Duncan is finding his stride after being promoted from short-season Tri-City to Lexington.  Duncan is 0-1 in his last two starts but has only surrendered three runs in 13 innings of work with 14 strikeouts and just one walk.  Duncan pitched seven innings, allowed one run and struck out seven while walking one in a no decision Thursday.
  • Kyle Greenwalt will look to end a two-game losing streak when he takes the mound for Lexington tonight.  Greenwalt has allowed 12 runs over nine and one-third innings in his last two starts.  Greenwalt will likely factor in the decision tonight as he has either a win or loss in each of his last 11 starts.
  • Lake County’s big hitter is right fielder Abner Abreu.  Abreu is batting .305 on the season with seven home runs and 30 RBI.  Danny Salazar gets the start for the Captains tonight.  Salazar is 2-3 with a 4.97 ERA in 13 starts this season.  Opponents are batting .295 against Salazar.