Virginia Cavaliers Official Athletic Site
Open Search
Baseball
. Baseball

Arizona Fall League Starts Wednesday for Former Cavaliers

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Four former Cavaliers – Ernie Clement, Daniel Lynch, Jake McCarthy and Bennett Sousa – will participate in the MLB’s Arizona Fall league that’s set to commence Wednesday (Sept. 18). Each Major League Baseball team sends six of its top prospects annually to the league.

A total of 20 of MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 Prospects will play in the the AFL including Lynch who comes in at No. 73. The league is comprised of 180 players, divided up into six teams and two divisions. Last season the Cavaliers were represented by four former student-athletes – Connor Jones, Joe McCarthy, Daniel Pinero and Pavin Smith.
 
Ernie Clement (2015-17) – Mesa Solar Sox (Indians)
Clement spent the majority of the season playing for double-A Akron of the Eastern League. He batted .261 (15th highest in the league) with 46 runs scored, 15 doubles and a team-high 16 stolen bases. In 394 at bats, Clement struck out only 33 times, the least among any Eastern League player with more than 200 at bats. Clement was promoted to Triple-A Columbus where he helped the Clippers to an International League West Championship and berth into the Triple-A National Championship. Clement batted .281 (9-for-32) with two doubles and two RBI in eight postseason games for Columbus.

AZL Profile: http://mlb.mlb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=l119&t=p_pbp&pid=676391

Daniel Lynch (2016-18) – Surprise Saguaros (Royals)
Lynch has climbed his way to the No. 3 prospect in the Kansas City Royals system and is considered one of the best left-handed pitching prospects in the game. For A-Advanced Wilmington, Lynch earned a Midseason All-Star nod. He finished the year with a 5-2 record and 3.10 ERA in 78.1 innings pitch. The Henrico, Va. native struck out 77 batters while walking only 23. Lynch was the game 1 starter in the Carolina League Championship series in which Wilmington took home its first Mills Cup in two decades., He’s currently the No. 73 overall prospect according to MLB Pipeline.

AZL Profile: http://mlb.mlb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=l119&t=p_pbp&pid=663738

Jake McCarthy (2016-18) – Salt River Rafters (Diamondbacks)
After taking home organizational All-Star honors in 2018, McCarthy played 53 games for the Class-A Advance Visalia Rawhide in 2019. The left-handed swinging outfielder batted .277 with two home runs and 30 RBI. He was only caught twice in 20 stolen base attempts. His season was cut short in mid-July after a trip to the injured list.

AZL Profile: http://mlb.mlb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=l119&t=p_pbp&pid=664983

Bennett Sousa (2015-18) – Glendale Desert Dogs (White Sox)
A 10th round pick in the 2018 MLB Draft, Sousa has soared the White Sox system and finished his year in Double A with the Birmingham Barons where he pitched 2.2 innings of scoreless relief. The left-hander started the year in Single-A where he made 21 relief appearances while holding a 2.51 ERA in 32.1 innings pitched. He nearly duplicated his efforts for High-A Winston-Salem, tossing 30 innings in 20 relief outings with a 2.70 ERA.
 
AZL Profile: http://mlb.mlb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=l119&t=p_pbp&pid=656986
 

 

Related Stories