/
.
Cavaliers in the Pros: August Update
Story Links
Aug. 22, 2017
Twitter: @UVABaseball | Coach O’Connor Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The professional baseball season is heading down the final stretch of the regular season. Minor League Baseball heads into the postseason the first week of September, while the Major League Baseball season has just over a month remaining before playoff baseball returns in October. This been another banner year for former Virginia players in pro baseball, which could extend well into October for several former Cavaliers.
For a full list of the 32 former Cavaliers currently competing in Minor or Major League Baseball, click HERE .
Cavaliers All Over MLB Rosters
Nine former Cavaliers are currently on MLB 25-man rosters, while 11 have seen playing time for MLB teams this year.
The former Cavaliers who currently are in MLB (as of Aug. 23): Sean Doolittle (Washington), Phil Gosselin (Texas), Derek Fisher (Houston), Brandon Guyer (Cleveland), John Hicks (Detroit), Jarrett Parker (San Francisco), Mark Reynolds (Colorado), Chris Taylor (L.A. Dodgers), and Ryan Zimmerman (Washington).
Playoff Push
Virginia currently has alumni on four of MLB’s six division-leading teams, including two with the National League East-leading Washington Nationals (Doolittle and Zimmerman). Taylor (L.A. Dodgers), Guyer (Cleveland) and Fisher (Houston) also are playing with first-place teams. Reynolds also is having a big year for the Colorado Rockies, who currently lead the NL Wild Card race.
Among the Batting Leaders
The National League features a pair of former Cavaliers amongst the top 20 in batting. Zimmerman is 11th in the NL in batting with a .307 average, while Taylor is close behind in 14th at .306. Zimmerman also is tied for fourth in the league in home runs (29) and is eighth in RBI (86) and slugging (.584). Mark Reynolds is 10th in the NL in RBI (84) and 17th in home runs with 26.
Doolittle Anchoring Nats’ Bullpen
Sean Doolittle (2005-07 at UVA) was traded to the Nationals from the Oakland Athletics on July 16 and has been sensational in taking over the Nats’ closer role. He is 11-for-11 in save opportunities while pitching in 14 games for the Nationals, who lead the National League East Division by 14 games.
Taylor Continues Huge Year for Dodgers
Chris Taylor’s breakout season continues for the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers. Taylor (2010-12) is batting .306 with 17 home runs, 58 RBI and 14 stolen bases this year and has been particularly hot since the All-Star break, batting .346 with seven homers and 20 RBI.
Reynolds’ Resurgence Continues
At age 34 and in his 11th MLB season, Mark Reynolds (2002-04) is in the midst of one of his most productive campaigns, batting .280 with 26 home runs and 84 RBI for the Rockies. It marks his most homers and RBI since 2011. He has nearly doubled his home run output from the 2016 season.
Zimmerman Sets Nats HR, RBI Records
After earning a National League All-Star nod earlier this year, Ryan Zimmerman (2003-05) has continued his huge season and also has made his mark in the franchise record books. He set the Nationals/Expos record for home runs on July 17, then broke the franchise mark for RBI on Aug. 9. He currently has 244 home runs and 915 RBI. Both totals are the most for any Virginia Baseball alum.
Zimmerman is batting .307 with 29 home runs and 86 RBI in 2017. It’s the second-most home runs of his career (33 in 2009) and his most RBI since 2012.
MLB Quick Hits
– John Hicks (2009-11) is batting .307 with four home runs and 16 RBI in 36 games for the Tigers.
– Brandon Guyer (2005-07) is batting .226 with two homers and 16 RBI in 55 games with Cleveland. He hit a double to lead off the ninth inning and scored the winning run Monday in a 5-4 victory over Boston.
– Derek Fisher (2012-14) is hittng .231 with four homers and 10 RBI in 27 games during his rookie season with the Astros.
– Jarrett Parker (2008-10) is batting .276 with a home run and 14 RBI for San Francisco. Since returning after missing over three months with a broken clavicle, Parker is hitting .318 in 17 games in a regular starting slot in the outfield.
Minor League Quick Hits
– Phil Gosselin (2008-10) was claimed by the Texas Rangers off waivers from Pittsburgh on Aug. 12 and made his team debut with the Rangers on Sunday.
– Artie Lewicki (2011-14) was promoted to triple-A Toledo on Aug. 4 and is 3-0 with a 3.06 ERA in his first three starts for the Mud Hens. Overall, he is 12-4 with a 3.67 ERA in 23 starts this year.
– Josh Sborz (2013-15) is 5-3 with a 2.25 ERA in his last 10 starts at double-A Tulsa. For the year, he is 7-7 with a 3.53 ERA in 21 starts. He has won his last three starts, allowing two earned runs and nine hits in 20 innings.
– Matt Thaiss (2014-16) is hitting .280 in 37 games at double-A Mobile since his promotion from high-A Inland Empire.
– Joe McCarthy (2013-15) is batting .294 with five homers, 49 RBI and a .415 on base percentage for double-A Montgomery.
– Brandon Waddell has a 5-1 record with a 2.38 ERA in eight starts since returning from the disabled list in mid-July. He is 5-3 with a 3.31 ERA in 16 games (15 starts) this season. – Pavin Smith (2015-17) leads the Northwest League (A-ball) in batting with a .337 batting average. Playing for the Hillsboro Hops, Smith has 13 doubles, two triples and 24 RBI.
– Adam Haseley (2015-17) was promoted to the single-A Lakewood BlueClaws on Aug. 14. He is batting .285 in 47 games this year.
– Daniel Pinero (2014-16) has been hot at the plate, batting .457 in his last 10 games with the West Michigan Whitecaps in A-ball. He currently is on a 13-game hit streak.
– Ernie Clement (2015-17) recorded a 21-game hit streak, which was snapped Aug. 12. It is the longest hit streak in the New York-Penn League (A-ball) this season.