Arizona Fall League Rosters

Colling Cowgill; Photo: UK Athletics

We let you know about some of the BluGrass Baseball players that would be participating in the prestigious Arizona Fall League when preliminary rosters were first released, but with the league starting its schedule Tuesday I thought we’d look at the final rosters. Clicking on the team name will take you to its full roster.

Mesa Solar Sox

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Peoria Javelinas

NONE

Peoria Saguaros

RHP Daniel Meszaros — Lexington Legends
RHP Logan Ondrusek — Louisville Bats
RHP Sean Watson — Louisville Bats
1B Yonder Alonso — Louisville Bats
OF Chris Heisey — Louisville Bats

Phoenix Desert Dogs

NONE

Scottsdale Scorpions

RHP Chaz Roe — Lafayette High School
OF Collin Cowgill — UK

Surprise Rafters

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Thursday Links: Cotuit Kettleers Eliminated

College Baseball, Minor League Baseball

Chris Bisson; Photo: UK Athletics

Wednesday was a losing night for Bluegrass Baseball teams, and Kentucky connections. Check out the Cape Cod League finals and other storylines in Thursday morning’s hot links.

UK infielder Chris Bisson and the Cotuit Kettleers lost in game two of the Cape Cod League finals, giving the title to the Bourne Braves. Bisson was 0-3 with a walk in the 5-1 loss.
Phillies top prospect Michael Taylor hit for the cycle to lead the Lehigh Valley IronPigs to their first win in seven games against Louisville this season with a 10-9 victory Wednesday.
Pirates first round pick Tony Sanchez and the West Virginia Power defeated Lexington 9-2 in the series opener.
“Cat Scratches” reports on Braden Kapteyn’s NYCBL MVP, which was first reported here and on the BluGrass Baseball twitter.
Baseball America named Louisville outfielder Drew Stubbs best baserunner, best defensive outfielder and best outfield arm in the International League in a survey of IL managers. (Subscriber only)
EKU Alum Christian Friedrich and Lexington Legend Jordan Lyles both received votes in the South Atlantic League best pitcher poll conducted by Baseball America to SAL managers.
Will Graves (Former Kernelite) at the Associated Press reports on UK Athletics 15x15x15 plan.
Jason Stella profiles Louisville Bat Kevin Barker at Examiner.com.

Summer League News: Kapteyn NYCBL MVP

College Baseball

Braden Kapteyn; Photo: UK Athletics

UK rising sophomore Braden Kapteyn was named the MVP of the New York Collegiate Baseball League Wednesday. Kapteyn batted .319 with four home runs and 24 RBI for the NYCBL champion Amsterdam Mohawks. Braden also starred on the mound with 2.47 ERA in 47 innings for the Mohawks. Kapteyn came a triple shy of the cycle in the NYCBL championship clinching game and drove in six runs. Braden was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in 2008 and contributed to UK as a two-way player during his freshman season.

In other UK related Summer League news, second baseman Chris Bisson was 1-4 with a run scored in the Cotuit Kettleers’ 15-5 loss in game one of the Cape Cod League finals Tuesday. Cotuit will try and even the series against the Bourne Braves in game two tonight. The Cape Cod League championship series is a best of three contest.

Wednesday Links: Kentucky Starters Dominate

College Baseball, Major League Baseball, Minor League Baseball

Jordan Lyles

How about this pitching line for an evening? 18.1 innings pitched, eight hits, two runs, one earned run, 16 strikeouts and eight walks. That’s the combined pitching line of the three starting pitchers for Kentucky minor league teams Tuesday. Only one of the pitchers picked up a win, but a 0.50 ERA and 2-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio isn’t bad.

Travis Wood picked up the win for Louisville with six innings pitched, six hits, one earned run, three walks and one strikeout against Lehigh Valley.
Nick Barnese took a no decision after pitching six and one-third innings and allowing two hits, one unearned run, three walks and eight strikeouts against Greenville.
Jordan Lyles also received a no decision, in a 1-0 Legends’ loss to Asheville, after pitching six shutout innings and allowing one hit, two walks and striking out seven.
The Legends also dropped the suspended game finished Tuesday night 5-0 to Asheville. The two losses drop Lexington to 8.5 games out of first place (into a tie for sixth) and may end any hopes of a playoff run for the Legends.
UK Athletics has a story about Chris Bisson leading the Cotuit Kettleers to the Cape Cod League championship series.
According to BlueJays.com Toronto GM J. P. Ricciardi is still hopeful that the team will sign its first five draft picks before the Monday deadline, including UK pitcher James Paxton.
The Columbus Dispatch profiles AAA Indianapolis manager Frank Kembas Jr., an EKU alum and former Cincinnati Reds minor leaguer.
LCA alum Robbie Ross surrendered three runs, including an RBI to UofL alum Chris Dominguez, in five innings to earn a no-decision for short-season Spokane.
UK alum Ryan Strieby was back in the lineup for AA Erie and playing first base again Tuesday. Strieby had been out of action since July 20 with a wrist injury. He went 1-4 with a run scored and a walk in his return.
UK alum Sawyer Carroll is 4-12 with a double and a triple in his first four games for AA San Antonio.

Tuesday Afternoon Notes

College Baseball, High School Baseball

Gavin Patton

A few afternoon notes to pass along:

Larry Vaught at the Danville Advocate Messeneger interviews Danville native and UK baseball commitment Blake Perry. Perry’s commitment was first reported here on BluGrassBaseball.com.
In Vaught’s story Perry mentions that his teammate OF Gavin Patton has also committed to play for UK in 2011.
Patton batted .418 in 28 games in 2008-2009 and has been selected to participate in the International Power Showcase Home Run Derby along top prospects like SI cover boy Bryce Harper and Dante Bichette Jr. I’m working on an interview with Patton that I hope to have on the site later this week.
We’ve talked a lot recently about the Kentucky college signees who have been drafted in 2009 with the signing deadline coming up Monday, but at PGCrosschecker.com you can browse a database of all 2009 college commitments.
Doug Haller of the Arizona Republic talks to UK alum Brandon Webb, who says he plans on pitching somewhere in 2010 and would love to return to the Diamondbacks.

Tuesday Links: Brown SAL Player of Week

College Baseball, Major League Baseball, Minor League Baseball

Steve Brown

Legends outfielder Steve Brown was named South Atlantic League player of the week after a week that saw him go 12-28 (.429) with three home runs and 11 RBI. Check out more on Brown’s honor and other BluGrass Baseball storylines in this mornings hot links:

Minorleaguebaseball.com has a breakdown of each league’s player of the week including Brown.
The Legends’ game was suspended due to rain with one out in the fifth inning. Lexington and Asheville will resume that game where it left off at 6:05 p.m. today before playing tonight’s scheduled game which has been shortened to seven innings.
Kevin Barker’s home run gave Louisville a 4-3 victory over Lehigh Valley.
The “Other Beckham” (Jeremy, Tim’s brother) hit his first professional home run in an 8-4 Bowling Green victory over Greenville.
UK second baseman Chris Bisson was 1-6 with two runs scored in the Cotuit Kettleers’ series clinching victory against Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox in the Cape Cod League semi-finals. UK pitcher Matt Little surrendered two runs in the game in 2.2 innings of relief for Yarmouth-Dennis.
UK baseball has announced a “5-Tool Camp” scheduled for Labor Day weekend.
The Associated Press reports that Toronto Blue Jays GM J. P. Riccardi wants MLB to move up the signing deadline for draft picks after the team has failed to sign eight of its first 10 picks, including UK pitcher James Paxton, so far.
Here is a piece I wrote for Examiner.com about the top prospects on the Lexington Legends’ roster.
EKU alum Christian Friedrich continued his domination of California League opponents by striking out eight in 6.2 innings to lower his ERA to 1.32 and earn his third win in the league.
According to Baseball America, the Tigers placed former UK pitcher Scott Green on the 7-day disabled list and the Padres placed former UK pitcher Andrew Albers on the 60-day DL.

Sunday Links: Kentucky Teams 0-3

College Baseball, Minor League Baseball

Steve Brown

Steve Brown’s 2-4, one home run, two RBI performance was a rare highlight on a winless night in the Bluegrass Saturday. Check out that storyline and more in these Sunday morning links.

Brown’s two RBI were Lexington’s only runs in a 6-2 loss to Asheville.
Mike Sheridan had two RBI on his birthday for Bowling Green, but the Hot Rods fell 9-2 to Greenville.
Twins prospect Phillip Humber allowed no earned runs in a 3-2 victory over Louisville.
The Southtown Star writes about Louisville pitcher Tony Zych’s freshman All-American honor.
Brett Dawson at the Courier-Journal reports that UK has chosen a firm to negotiate financing for facilities renovations including a new baseball stadium.

Brian Adams Out for Football Season

College Baseball, Major League Baseball

UK football freshman WR Brian Adams will miss the entire 2009 season after suffering a blood clot this summer and having one of his ribs removed. Adams had to leave summer school and will be held out of all contact for the fall. UK football coach Rich Brooks said “We almost lost him,” this morning at football media day.

This news is relevant to BluGrass Baseball readers because Adams was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the 45th round of the 2009 draft. I would think this officially ends any chance of Adams signing a baseball contract. I don’t know whether Adams plans to play baseball at UK as well, but I’m working to get an answer about that and will let you know as soon as I hear.

UK Baseball News

Major League Baseball, Minor League Baseball

Some afternoon UK baseball notes to pass along:

Philadelphia Phillies sixth round pick and UK signee Stephen Inch has signed with the Phillies according to the Philadelphia Daily News. The note is about half way through the story. Inch could have followed in the steps of James Paxton and Chris Bisson in being the next Canadian star for UK.
I’m told the Cats have received a commitment for the 2011 season from Danville, Ky., native RHP Blake Perry. Perry will graduate from the Pendelton School at IMG Baseball Academy in Brandenton, Fla., in the Spring of 2010.
Still looks like James Paxton will sign an above-slot deal with the Blue Jays just before the Aug. 17 deadline. James is one of the youngest juniors in the draft so there remains a slim possibility he could return to UK or pitch in Independent ball for a year.
The UK coaching staff is working hard re-recruiting their remaining drafted commitments from 2009. The next 12 days will be very important for the pitching depth of the 2010 Cats. Remember UK currently has only one of its weekend starting pitchers returning if Paxton signs, and it lost its top mid-week starter to the draft in junior Clint Tilford.

Draft Update

College Baseball, High School Baseball

James Paxton

With the non-waiver trade deadline officially in the past the next important date on the baseball calendar is the Aug. 17 deadline to sign draft picks. 2009 is the second year that teams have faced an August deadline to sign draft picks, but the date was pushed back from Aug. 15 to Aug. 17 because of the 15th falling on a weekend. With that deadline just two weeks from today, I thought we’d look at the remaining unsigned players with Kentucky ties. (Contract status is according to Baseball America’s draft database)

ADDED: JON HEDGES, JAMES JONES, TIM DUNN 8/5/09

UK Players and Signees

LHP James Paxton — 1st Supp. (37) Toronto Blue Jays
RHP Stephen Inch — 6th Round Philadelphia Phillies — Vauxhall Academy, Edmonton
RHP Jordan Cooper — 17th Round Pittsburgh Pirates — Central HS, Shelbyville, Tenn.
LHP Taylor Rogers — 37th Round Baltimore Orioles — Chatfield HS, Littleton, Colo.
RHP Sam Kidd — 39th Round Philadelphia Phillies — Ohio County High School, Hartford, Ky.
C Luke Maile — 43rd Round Boston Red Sox — Covington Catholic HS, Park Hills, Ky.
OF Brian Adams (Football)– 45th Round Cincinnati Reds — South Forysth HS, Cumming, Ga.

UofL Players and Signees

SS Jason Thompson — 11th Round Boston Red Sox — Germantown (Tenn.) HS
1b Andrew Clark — 31st Round Chicago Cubs
RHP Matt Koch — 37th Round Boston Red Sox — Washington HS, Cherokee, Iowa

WKU Players and Signees

RHP Matt Ridings — 25th Round Washington Nationals

Other Kentucky Natives

RHP Tyler Blandford — Davies County High School; Oklahoma State — 5th round Seattle Mariners
RHP Daniel Webb — Heath High School, Paducah, Ky.; Northwest Florida State JC — 18th round Toronto Blue Jays
RHP Patrick Cooper — Boyle County, Ky.; Des Moines Area CC — 34th round Arizona Diamondbacks
1b Jon Hedges — Owensboro, Ky., Olney Central College — 43rd round Minnesota Twins
RHP James Jones — Ballard County High School, John A Logan College — 45th round Cleveland Indians
RHP Tim Dunn — Carlisle County High School, Tevecca Nazarene University — 46th Round Cincinatti Reds

Kentucky pitcher James Paxton is the only one of the listed players who is almost certain to sign, and Davies County product Tyler Blandford was said to have second-round talent so the Mariners might offerr him over slot money to not return to Oklahoma State. The Phillies and Red Sox will likely make a late push to sign UK recruit Stephen Inch and UofL recruit Jason Thompson, their sixth and 11th round picks respectively. You can probably feel safe counting on the rest of these players to end up on campus in the fall, but that won’t make sleeping any easier for the state’s college coaches over the next two weeks.