Week 2: MLB/MiLB Alumni Roundup

by Matt Plante
Vice President

Week 2:
MLB Alumni Roundup
Paul DeJong of the Cardinals rides an 8-game hitting streak to start off the year, collecting a pair of homers this past week.

Paul DeJong, St. Louis Cardinals
DeJong collected a hit in every game this past week with two homers, a double and 4 RBI’s. DeJong is riding an 8-game hitting streak to start the year. The Cardinals are 4-5 overall and are in the middle of the pack in the NL Central with DeJong hitting .231 with 3 homer and 7 RBI’s.

Tanner Roark, Cincinnati Reds
Roark made two starts this past week, getting No-Decisions for his efforts. Roark went 4.1 innings in his start vs. the Brewers giving up 3 runs off 6 hits and 3 walks while striking out 6. Then Roark made another start vs. the Pirates later in the week, tossing 5 innings giving up 3 runs on 7 hits and 2 walks while striking out 4. The Reds are 1-8 overall to start the year, and Roark is 0-0 with a 5.79 ERA in two starts with 10 strikeouts in 9.1 innings.

Ryan Borucki, Toronto Blue Jays
Borucki still recovering from some elbow soreness in Spring Training is expected to be back with the Blue Jays later this month. The Blue Jays are 3-8 overall on the year.

MiLB Alumni Roundup:
Zach Lewis has an impressive Opening Day start for the High A Dash giving up 0 earned runs while striking out 8 to earn the win. 

Jeremy Rhoades, Salt Lake Bees (Triple A affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels)
Rhoades got assigned to Triple A to start the year this year. In his first game in relief, Rhoades threw one inning giving up 0 hits and 0 runs while striking out 1. Last year, Rhoades had a 2.54 ERA between Double and Triple A baseball with 70 strikeouts in 78 innings.

Zach Lewis, Winston-Salem Dash (High A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox)
Lewis got the start for the Dash on opening weekend, getting a win going 6.2 innings giving up 0 earned runs off 6 hits and 1 walk while striking out 8. Last year, Lewis went 6-5 in Low A with a 2.60 ERA with 3 saves and 103 strikeouts in 103.2 innings of work.

Danny Mayer, Clearwater Threshers (High A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies)
Mayer went 1 for 4 on opening day for the Threshers. Last year, Mayer hit .234 with 7 homers and 21 RBI’s.

Will Kincanon, Winston-Salem Dash (High A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox)
Kincanon blew his 1st save opportunity of the year going 0.2 innings giving up 1 earned run off 4 hits while striking out 2. Last year, Kincanon in Low A went 3-1 with 4 saves and a 3.63 ERA with 42 strikeouts in 34.2 innings.

Sean Hjelle, Augusta GreenJackets (Low A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants)
Hjelle made his 1st start getting a no-decision on opening day tossing 4 innings giving up 1 run off 6 hits while striking out 5. Last year, Hjelle in Rookie Ball had a 5.06 ERA with 22 strikeouts in 21.1 innings of work.

Connor Riley, Inland Empire 66ers (Low A affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels)
Riley will start off in Low A after he is cleared to throw from his shoulder surgery last season.

Jason Goldstein (Minor Leagues with Oakland Athletics)
Goldstein hasn’t gotten assigned yet from Spring Training to a team. Last year, he finished up in Double A with the Midland Rockhounds, where he hit .229.

Michael Costanzo (Minor Leagues with Tampa Bay Rays)
Costanzo hasn’t gotten assigned yet from Spring Training to a team. Last year, he finished up in Rookie Ball with the Princeton Rays, where he went 2-1 with a 2.08 ERA with 6 saves and 37 strikeouts in 26 innings.

Ryan Dunne (Minor Leagues with Cincinnati Reds)
Dunne hasn’t gotten assigned yet from Spring Training to a team. Last year, he finished up in Rookie Ball with the Billings Mustangs, where he went 2-0 with a 2.66 ERA with 5 saves and 26 strikeouts in  23.2 innings.

Marshawn Taylor (Minor Leagues with Arizona Diamondbacks)
Taylor hasn’t gotten assigned yet from Spring Training to a team. Last year, he finished up in Rookie Ball with AZL D-Backs, where he hit .172 on the year.

Other Notables:

Rob Schahill (Free Agent)
Scahill spent Spring Training with the Chicago Cubs. After getting assigned to the Triple A team out of Spring Training he decided to become a free agent to see if another big league club wanted to pick him up as a reliever for them. Last year, Scahill spent most of the year in Triple A for the Charlotte Knights before getting called up to the Chicago White Sox to finish off the year. Scahill has spent 9 years in the big leagues with Colorado, Pittsburgh, Milwaukee and Chicago.

Tyler Ladendorf (Free Agent)
Ladendorf spent this off-season as a free agent looking to get picked up by an MLB affiliate. Ladendorf spent last season with the Triple A, Reno Aces an affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks. Ladendorf has been in the big leagues for two years in 2015 and 2016 with the Oakland Athletics.