The biggest surprise among local products in summer college baseball leagues might be James Jones, a hard-throwing right-handed pitcher from Ballard Memorial that just completed his sophomore season at John A. Logan.
Jones has sparkled this summer while pitching for Battle Creek (Mich.) in the Northwoods League, one of the nation's better summer leagues. Jones is 3-0 in the league's top 10 in ERA with a 1.60 mark. Control has been an issue for Jones in the past, but in 33 2/3 innings, he's allowed 27 hits to go with 10 walks and 22 strikeouts.
He was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the 35th round of the amateur draft, but remains committed to Louisiana-Monroe. He originally signed with Lipscomb, but was granted a release when that school's pitching coach — with whom he had established a good relationship — left for Louisiana-Monroe.
Jones expects to pitch one year at Louisiana-Monroe with an eye toward next year's draft, but he will listen to an Indians' offer later this summer. The deadline for signing this year's draftees is Aug. 15.
Two other local players are in the Northwoods League. Michigan State shortstop Jonathan Roof (St. Mary) is hitting .336 for St. Cloud (Minn.) with 12 stolen bases. Kentucky outfielder Chad Wright (Heath) is hitting .267 for the Wausau-based Wisconsin Woodchucks and is second in the league with 18 stolen bases.
Middle Tennessee pitcher Chad Edwards (Reidland) is 1-1 with a 1.33 ERA in his second season as one of the top pitchers for Dubois County (Ind.) of the Prospect League, which merged with the Central Illinois Collegiate League last year. In 20 innings, Edwards has allowed 17 hits with four walks and 13 strikeouts.
In the Kitty League, Carlisle County product Tim Dunn is 4-1 with a 1.99 ERA for the Fulton Railroaders. In 31 2/3 innings, he has allowed 24 hits with 10 walks and 32 strikeouts. He is in the Kitty League's top 10 in ERA. Dunn, who was drafted by Cincinnati last month, will meet with the Reds to discuss a potential signing later this summer.
Heath product Drew Williams, who plays at Morehead State, is struggling this summer, hitting .111 for the Maroion Bobcats after sitting out the college season in the spring with a broken wrist.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Minor leaguers update ...
Heath product Clint Tilford made his professional baseball debut over the weekend for the Casper Ghosts (I'm not making it up) in the rookie-level Northwest League. Tilford, a pitcher drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the 31st round after spending three years at the University of Kentucky, worked three innings, allowing two hits and one earned run with one walk and four strikeouts. He also picked up the win in relief.
Former Murray State lefty Daniel Calhoun has been very good in his first two outings, allowing just one hit in six scoreless innings for the Batavia Muckdogs (not making that one up, either), the Cardinals' rookie-level team in the New York-Penn League.
Brandon Braboy, another Heath graduate, is having a good season for Charleston, the Yankees' entry in the low-Class A South Atlantic League. Braboy is 2-1 with a 2.89 ERA in relief, has allowed just 35 hits in 43 2/3 innings and has an impressive 41-9 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
Mike Broadway, the former Pope County star, is struggling at Myrtle Beach, the Braves' high-Class A team in the Carolina League. Broadway is 1-7 with a 6.98 ERA with 23 walks and 22 strikeouts and 38 hits allowed in 29 2/3 innings.
St. Mary products Shawn and Eric Roof are in the Detroit Tigers organization. Shawn Roof, who played collegiately at Illinois, is playing shortstop at Double-A Erie, hitting .259 with 14 RBI and three stolen bases in 116 at-bats. Eric Roof, drafted as a catcher out of Michigan State, is 1-for-13 with two RBI for Oneonta of the New York-Penn League.
Former Murray State lefty Daniel Calhoun has been very good in his first two outings, allowing just one hit in six scoreless innings for the Batavia Muckdogs (not making that one up, either), the Cardinals' rookie-level team in the New York-Penn League.
Brandon Braboy, another Heath graduate, is having a good season for Charleston, the Yankees' entry in the low-Class A South Atlantic League. Braboy is 2-1 with a 2.89 ERA in relief, has allowed just 35 hits in 43 2/3 innings and has an impressive 41-9 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
Mike Broadway, the former Pope County star, is struggling at Myrtle Beach, the Braves' high-Class A team in the Carolina League. Broadway is 1-7 with a 6.98 ERA with 23 walks and 22 strikeouts and 38 hits allowed in 29 2/3 innings.
St. Mary products Shawn and Eric Roof are in the Detroit Tigers organization. Shawn Roof, who played collegiately at Illinois, is playing shortstop at Double-A Erie, hitting .259 with 14 RBI and three stolen bases in 116 at-bats. Eric Roof, drafted as a catcher out of Michigan State, is 1-for-13 with two RBI for Oneonta of the New York-Penn League.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Casey Brockman ... All-American?
Checking out today's USA Today and its All-American baseball team produced a shock — Calloway County's Casey Brockman, named the First Region player of the year by area coaches and a first-team all-state selection, was named to the newspaper's second-team All-American squad.
Amazing, since Brockman hails from rural far western Kentucky and has exactly no Division I baseball offers, although nearby Tennessee-Martin has expressed some interest.
Brockman, who hit .564 with 21 extra-base hits in 91 at-bats for the Lakers, this spring, has been committed to join Murray State's football program as a walk-on quarterback, but things could change very quickly.
Don't be surprised if Brockman suddenly gets some Division I baseball interest — and decides to make a late change of heart in what sport he pursues at the college level.
Amazing, since Brockman hails from rural far western Kentucky and has exactly no Division I baseball offers, although nearby Tennessee-Martin has expressed some interest.
Brockman, who hit .564 with 21 extra-base hits in 91 at-bats for the Lakers, this spring, has been committed to join Murray State's football program as a walk-on quarterback, but things could change very quickly.
Don't be surprised if Brockman suddenly gets some Division I baseball interest — and decides to make a late change of heart in what sport he pursues at the college level.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Mid-America results ...
Christian County nipped Paducah Tilghman in Thursday night's championship game of the Mid-America Summer Hoops Classic at Murray State University's Regional Special Events Center.
Tilghman had advanced to the finals by beating Belleville (Ill.) Althoff, which is expected to be one of the top teams in the St. Louis area next season. Christian walloped Charleston (Mo.) in the semifinals, not long after Charleston had eliminated Massac County in the quarterfinals.
Graves County, which was one of the top half-dozen teams in the event, opted not to compete in the tournament.
Tilghman had advanced to the finals by beating Belleville (Ill.) Althoff, which is expected to be one of the top teams in the St. Louis area next season. Christian walloped Charleston (Mo.) in the semifinals, not long after Charleston had eliminated Massac County in the quarterfinals.
Graves County, which was one of the top half-dozen teams in the event, opted not to compete in the tournament.
All-state baseball honorees ...
Calloway County's Casey Brockman was named to the Kentucky High School Baseball Coaches Association's all-state first team, the only First Region player honored as such.
Marshall County's Cody Forsythe and Tyler Johnson were second-team selections, as was Will Stagner of Trigg County. Lone Oak's Allen Haase was an honorable mention pick.
It's been quite a year for Brockman, who also received some all-state attention as the quarterback for the Lakers' football team that reached the Class 4A state semifinals. As it turns out, he has swung his bat competitively for the last time — he will play football at Murray State.
Marshall County's Cody Forsythe and Tyler Johnson were second-team selections, as was Will Stagner of Trigg County. Lone Oak's Allen Haase was an honorable mention pick.
It's been quite a year for Brockman, who also received some all-state attention as the quarterback for the Lakers' football team that reached the Class 4A state semifinals. As it turns out, he has swung his bat competitively for the last time — he will play football at Murray State.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Mid-America entries ...
It should be a pretty good collection of talent on hand for the Mid-America Summer Hoops Classic at Murray State University's Regional Special Events Center, which begins Tuesday and continues through Thursday.
Paducah Tilghman, Graves County and Christian County were among the top teams at Murray State's team camp earlier this month. Christian should be a top-10 team in Kentucky next season and has several players drawing Division I interest — guard Shaquille Wilson seems ticketed for Missouri State and a pair of juniors, guard Anthony Hickey and wing Donovan Kates, are getting plenty of attention.
Murray has interest in Hickey and another junior point guard, Tilghman's Josh Forrest.
Belleville Althoff and East St. Louis figure to be one of southern Illinois' best teams, Carbondale always fields a solid club and Massac County returns three starters from last season's Class 2A state runner-up squad.
Union City again will be one of the top teams in northwest Tennessee, as will Henry County, which was 22-7 last year.
Helias, the Catholic school in Jefferson City, Mo., finished in third place in the Class 4 state tournament. Charleston is a perennial power in southeast Missouri and reached the Class 3 quarterfinals, giving the eventual state champion their toughest game of the postseason.
The girls' side features all of the First Region contenders, except for Calloway County. Christian County and Webster County are Second Region powers and Obion Central has long been one of the best programs in northwest Tennessee.
And then there is Quincy (Ill.), which is a homecoming of sorts for head coach Sandi Devoe, a Heath alum. Known then as Sandi Griffes, she was a Paducah Sun All-Purchase selection in 1986 and 1987 and played at Paducah Community College. While there, she started dating Fred Devoe, who played for PCC's men's team, and the two went on to Quincy University together before eventually getting married.
Paducah Tilghman, Graves County and Christian County were among the top teams at Murray State's team camp earlier this month. Christian should be a top-10 team in Kentucky next season and has several players drawing Division I interest — guard Shaquille Wilson seems ticketed for Missouri State and a pair of juniors, guard Anthony Hickey and wing Donovan Kates, are getting plenty of attention.
Murray has interest in Hickey and another junior point guard, Tilghman's Josh Forrest.
Belleville Althoff and East St. Louis figure to be one of southern Illinois' best teams, Carbondale always fields a solid club and Massac County returns three starters from last season's Class 2A state runner-up squad.
Union City again will be one of the top teams in northwest Tennessee, as will Henry County, which was 22-7 last year.
Helias, the Catholic school in Jefferson City, Mo., finished in third place in the Class 4 state tournament. Charleston is a perennial power in southeast Missouri and reached the Class 3 quarterfinals, giving the eventual state champion their toughest game of the postseason.
The girls' side features all of the First Region contenders, except for Calloway County. Christian County and Webster County are Second Region powers and Obion Central has long been one of the best programs in northwest Tennessee.
And then there is Quincy (Ill.), which is a homecoming of sorts for head coach Sandi Devoe, a Heath alum. Known then as Sandi Griffes, she was a Paducah Sun All-Purchase selection in 1986 and 1987 and played at Paducah Community College. While there, she started dating Fred Devoe, who played for PCC's men's team, and the two went on to Quincy University together before eventually getting married.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Baseball regional awards ...
Calloway County's Casey Brockman was named the First Region's baseball Player of the Year by a vote of the region's coaches. Brockman hit .564 for the Lakers with four homers and 38 RBI, including a whopping 21 extra-base hits in 94 at-bats. He played several different positions and was also the Lakers' top pitcher, going a surprising 1-4 but with an impressive 1.45 ERA.
Zach Hobbs of Calloway was voted the regional Coach of the Year after leading the Lakers to a 21-11 record.
Brockman and Marshall County third baseman-pitcher Tyler Johnson will represent the First Region in the East-West Senior All-Star Game, with Lone Oak pitcher-outfielder Allen Haase as the alternate selection.
Graves County pitcher-infielder Ryan Hayden and Paducah Tilghman catcher Tyler Bearden will play in the juniors all-star game, with Calloway County's Grant Williams as the alternate.
Zach Hobbs of Calloway was voted the regional Coach of the Year after leading the Lakers to a 21-11 record.
Brockman and Marshall County third baseman-pitcher Tyler Johnson will represent the First Region in the East-West Senior All-Star Game, with Lone Oak pitcher-outfielder Allen Haase as the alternate selection.
Graves County pitcher-infielder Ryan Hayden and Paducah Tilghman catcher Tyler Bearden will play in the juniors all-star game, with Calloway County's Grant Williams as the alternate.
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