Updating former players in professional ranks, current players in summer leagues
Cullowhee, N.C. - As the summer moves along towards the rapidly approaching fall athletic seasons, Western Carolina Baseball is remaining in the news headlines. Here is a brief look around with current news and notes surrounding both current and former Catamount baseball players:
Two Former Catamounts in the Major Leagues:
Western Carolina currently has two players in Major League Baseball as pitcher Greg Holland is on staff with the Kansas City Royals and most recently, right-handed pitcher Mark DiFelice was recalled from the Nashville Sounds over the weekend, joining the Milwaukee Brewers club in Boston.
Holland, who was recalled by the Royals in early May, earned his first career Major League victory on his first day back in uniform. He tossed an inning and a third including a perfect 10th inning as Kansas City got an extra innings, walk-off victory over Texas back on May 19. On the season, Holland is 1-1 with a 1.17 ERA with 20 strikeouts against five walks in 15.1 innings pitched.
DiFelice, who was 15th-round pick by the Colorado Rockies in the 1998 First Year Player Draft, posted a 2-1 overall record with a 2.17 ERA in Nashville this season after missing the entire 2010 season while recovering from shoulder surgery. It is his second stint with the big league club after also being called up in 2008. He returned to the mound for Milwaukee on Sunday, tossing an inning in the 12-3 road loss to the Red Sox.
Another former WCU hurler, Jared Burton, is on the 60-day disabled list with the Cincinnati Reds, placed on the DL in late April. He started the season on the squad's 15-day disabled list this year. Burton was selected by the Oakland A's in the eighth round of the 2002 MLB draft before being selected by the Reds in the first round of the Major League phase of the Rule 5 Draft on Dec. 7, 2006.
Update on Former Catamounts in the Minor Leagues:
Jonathan Greene - Frisco RoughRiders - Double-A, Texas League:
Is currently hitting .312 to rank third on the team and has legged out a team-high tying 19 doubles and hit eight home runs to again rank third on the squad for the RoughRiders ... Ranks third on the team with 42 RBI ... Greene was selected by the Texas Rangers in the eighth round of the 2007 First-Year Player Draft.
Brent Greer - Visalia Rawhide - Class A Advanced, California League:
Is hitting .211 on the season with three home runs and a double, driving in seven runs ... Greer was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 14th-round of the 2009 MLB First-Year Player Draft.
Nick Liles - San Jose Giants - Class A Advanced, California League:
Helped the Giants farm club win the first half championship in the California League ... Holds a .319 batting average with 12 doubles and a home run ... Is currently listed on the club's seven-day disabled list ... Liles was selected by the San Francisco Giants in the seventh round of the 2009 MLB First-Year Player Draft.
Chris Masters - Lynchburg Hillcats - Class A Advanced, Carolina League:
Has made 10 starts among his 15 seasonal appearances, posting a 4-3 record overall with a 3.25 ERA ... In 72 innings pitched - which ranks second on the squad on the season - has a team-best 66 strikeouts against 31 walks while holding opponents to a .236 batting average ... Currently ranks seventh in the Carolina League in strikeouts ... Masters was selected by the Atlanta Braves in the 11th-round of the 2009 MLB First-Year Player Draft.
Matt Benedict - State College Spikes - Class A Short Season, New York-Penn League:
Was assigned to the State College Spikes where made his professional debut in the team's third game of the season, starting the squad's home-opener against Williamsport ... Benedict retired all nine batters he faced in his first game as a pro, striking out two in three innings of work in factoring in a no-decision as a part of a 3-0 victory... Benedict was selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 30th-round of the 2011 MLB First-Year Player Draft.
Kyle Deese - Johnson City Cardinals - Rookie, Appalachian League:
The right-handed reliever received his assignment to the Johnson City (Tenn.) Cardinals which has opening day on Tuesday, June 21 ... Deese was selected in the 23rd-round of the 2011 MLB First-Year Player Draft.
Updates on Current Catamounts in Various Summer Leagues (as available):
Aaron Attaway - Haymarket (Va.) Senators, Valley League:
Has started seven of the 11 games in which he has seen action, currently hitting .281 with a pair of doubles and four RBI.
Andrew Blackwell - Waynesboro (Va.) Generals, Valley League:
Has made a team-high six relief appearances with 8.1 innings pitched without a decision ... Has struck out 10 against four walks, scattering 10 base hits with eight runs allowed but only two of which were earned for a 2.16 ERA.
Adam Curtis - Waynesboro (Va.) Generals, Valley League:
Posted a 1-2 record thus far this summer with four appearances including two starts ... Has worked 12 innings, scattering 15 base hits with seven strikeouts against six walks.
Cameron Dullnig - Green Bay (Wisc.) Bullfrogs, Northwoods League:
Has a .220 batting average with 11 base hits including two doubles and a home run in 50 at bats thus far on the summer ... Tallied four RBI with one sacrifice hit ... Has walked three times and drawn four HBPs ... On the mound, Dullnig has posted a 2.70 ERA through four appearances including one start ... Has tossed 6.2 innings, surrendering seven hits with two earned runs with nine strikeouts against five walks.
Luke Gragg - Lake Norman (N.C.) Copperheads, Southern Collegiate Baseball League:
Through eight games played, is hitting .333 to rank fifth on the team ... Has a pair of doubles and three RBI, scoring five runs ... Has been hit twice by pitches to go along with a walk to bolster his on-base percentage.
Preston Hatcher - Haymarket (Va.) Senators, Valley League:
Has made three appearances with one start, tossing 10 innings overall with seven strikeouts against nine walks ... Allowed seven runs, only five of which have been earned for a 4.50 ERA.
Ross Heffley - Falmouth (Mass.) Commodores, Cape Cod League:
Is currently hitting .258 on the summer through the first eight games with half of his hits (4) going for doubles.
Cody Jones - Morganton (N.C.) Aggies, Southern Collegiate Baseball League:
Has only seen action in three games, posting a 1-for-6 start to the summer for a .167 batting average ... Has drawn two walks against three strikeouts at the plate to date.
Adam Martin - Matsu (Alaska) Miners, Alaska League:
Starting seven of the eight games in which he has seen action, is hitting just .160 with four hits including a double and four RBI.
T.J. Page - Waynesboro (Va.) Generals, Valley League:
Has made three appearances including two starts, tossing a team-high 15 innings on the summer without a decision ... Limited opponents to five hits against with just one for extra bases with three earned runs surrendered for a 1.80 ERA ... Has seven strikeouts against six walks while limiting opponents to a .102 batting average against.
Taylor Sandefur - Falmouth (Mass.) Commodores, Cape Cod League:
Has made three relief appearances, tossing four innings surrendering four earned runs on seven hits with four strikeouts against four walks ... Has a 1-1 overall record with a 9.00 ERA ... Is tied for the team lead with one victory on the summer to date.
Dykota Spiess - Waynesboro (Va.) Generals, Valley League:
Starting all 12 games in which he has seen action, is hitting .267 with a pair of doubles ... Has scored five runs and driven in four ... Has one stolen base on the summer.
Macon Smith - Kernersville (N.C.) Bulldogs, Carolina Virginia Collegiate League:
Starting 10 of the 11 games in which he has seen action, ranks third on the team with a .375 batting average with three doubles and a home run ... Has also drawn seven walks and been hit by two pitches for a .512 on-base percentage.
Kyle Stewart - Haymarket (Va.) Senators, Valley League:
Has tossed 13 innings in two starts without a decision, striking out 17 against just two walks ... Has allowed six runs, five of which have been earned for a 3.46 ERA ... Opponents are only hitting .240 against him on the summer.
Tyler White - Gastonia (N.C.) Grizzlies, Coastal Plain League:
Is hitting a team-high .347 with eight doubles and a team-leading 14 RBI for Gastonia ... Currently ranks sixth in the Coastal Plain League in batting average, while his 25 hits currently ranks second and his eight doubles rank him tied for first in the league.