Kansas State Baseball In The Pros: Introduction
By Jameson
This column is the first in a new weekly series, that will run throughout the summer. Brad Hill’s squads of recent years being as talented as they have been, K-State has representatives playing at every level of professional baseball. Currently, twelve KSU alumni are playing at various levels in professional baseball. Hit the jump for an update on the progress being made by these K-Staters.
First, a summary of the levels at which K-Staters are currently playing. Carlos Torres is a special case, as he has “bounced” between Triple A Colorado Springs and the big club. A thumbnail sketch of each player will follow.
Major League Baseball: (1*)
*Carlos Torres – Colorado Rockies
Triple A: (2*)
Jared Goedert – Columbus (Cleveland Indians)
*Carlos Torres – Colorado Springs (Colorado Rockies)
*=Torres has split time between the majors and Triple A.
Double A: (2)
Trevor Hurley – Frisco (Texas Rangers)
Evan Marshall – Visalia (Arizona Diamondbacks)
High A: (3)
Justin Bloxom – Potomac (Washington Nationals)
Carter Jurica – San Jose (San Francisco Giants)
A.J. Morris – Daytona (Chicago Cubs)
Low A: (4)
James Allen – Dayton (Cincinnati Reds)
Kyle Hunter – Clinton (Seattle Mariners)
Jason King – West Michigan (Detroit Tigers)
Nick Martini – Quad Cities (St. Louis Cardinals)
Extended Spring Training: (1)
Nate Tenbrink (Seattle Mariners)
The following thumbnails are courtesy of KStateSports.com’s “Summer Baseball Update”, upon which many of JOS’s own updates will be based.
"Jared Goedert (Triple A: Columbus/Cleveland): Goedert began his 2012 season at Double A Akron but was promoted to Triple A Columbus on May 18, an organization he was with for a majority of 2011… In 14 games with the Clippers, the outfielder is hitting .245 (13-for-53) with one double, four home runs and 15 RBI… In a doubleheader at Rochester on Saturday, Goedert doubled in the first game and came back with a 2-for-3 contest in the nightcap… In 35 games for Akron, Goedert hit .395 with 10 doubles, one triple, five home runs and 17 RBI… Columbus, which has won consecutive Triple A National Championships, is tied for second in the International League West Division with a 26-29 mark, 6.5 games behind first-place Indianapolis.Carlos Torres (Triple A: Colorado Spring/Colorado): Torres, who pitched for the Chicago White Sox in 2010 before spending last season in Japan, is back stateside and has split time between the Colorado Rockies and their Triple A affiliate, the Colorado Springs Sky Sox of the Pacific Coast League… A 15th-round pick of the White Sox in 2004, Torres holds a 2-1 record and a 2.45 ERA in seven starts for the Sky Sox, while he has pitched in four games for the Rockies, allowing three runs on five hits in six innings with five walks and four strikeouts… His last overall outing came on Friday for Colorado when he allowed two runs on three hits in two innings against the Dodgers… Torres last threw for Colorado Springs on May 25 when he tossed three scoreless innings with one hit, a walk and three strikeouts in a shortened start.Trevor Hurley (Double A: Frisco/Texas): A member of High A Myrtle Beach last season, Hurley is now pitching for Double A Frisco of the Texas League in 2012… A 2008 draft pick by Texas, the right-hander has not factored into a decision this season and holds a 3.62 ERA after allowing 11 earned runs on 26 hits in 27.1 innings… He tossed two scoreless innings on Thursday against Tulsa, allowing one hit and striking out one batter before allowing one run in one inning with two walks and a strikeout against Northwest Arkansas on Sunday… Frisco leads the south division with a 33-22 record, four games ahead of second-place Midland.Evan Marshall (Double A: Visalia/Arizona): Marshall, a fourth-round selection by Arizona last year, pitched on three different levels last season as he finished his first professional second with Double A Mobile, helping the Bears win the Southern League Championship… The right-hander has begun his second season with the Bears as the team’s closer, holding a 2-1 record with a 1.86 ERA and 11 saves in 18 appearances, which spans 19.1 innings… His 11 saves are second in the league… Marshall has a saves in his last three outings against Tennessee (twice) and Jacksonville, combining for three scoreless innings… Mobile leads the south division by one game with a 32-25 record.Justin Bloxom (High A: Potomac/Washington): A 2009 draft pick by Washington, Bloxom spent all of 2011 with the Potomac Nationals of the High A Carolina League and has begun his 2012 campaign in Potomac… In 51 games this year, Bloxom holds a .251 batting average with 11 doubles, seven home runs and 25 RBI… Last Thursday against Myrtle Beach, the third baseman went 3-for-4 with a double, a home run and two RBI in a 4-2 victory… He also homered on Saturday against Lynchburg, while he is currently riding a six-game hitting streak and has a base hit in eight of his last 10 games… Bloxom is tied for seventh in the Carolina League in home runs… The Nationals are third in the northern division at 24-29 and are a game out of second place and 3.5 games out of first.Carter Jurica (High A: San Jose/San Francisco): Jurica, a third-round selection by San Francisco in 2009, is in his second season with the San Jose Giants of the High A California League… In 48 games this year, the shortstop is hitting .256 with four doubles, one triple, two home runs and 20 RBI… He recorded a pair of two-hit games last week against Visalia and Bakersfield… San Jose trails Bakersfield by a half game in the south division with a 32-25 mark.A.J. Morris (High A: Daytona/Chicago NL): A fourth-round draft choice of Washington in 2009, Morris was traded to the Chicago Cubs prior to the 2011 season and is now pitching for the Daytona Cubs of the High A Florida State League… A starter at K-State, Morris has been a reliever in 14 games this season as he holds a 1-1 record and a 2.30 ERA, allowing four earned runs on 12 hits in 15.2 innings… He allowed a run in one inning on Thursday against Brevard County before two scoreless innings with two strikeouts Sunday at Fort Myers… The Cubs are tied for fourth in the south division at 23-31.James Allen (Low A: Dayton/Cincinnati): Allen, a seventh-round pick by Cincinnati last year, has spent 2012 with the Dayton Dragons of the Low A Midwest League… In 16 games this season, the right-hander has a 1-2 record and a 4.58 ERA, allowing 19 earned runs on 37 hits in 37.1 innings while totaling a 31-to-12 strikeout-to-walk ratio… The all-time saves leader in K-State history, Allen saw a stretch of seven-straight scoreless innings against Great Lakes, Lake County and West Michigan come to an end on Sunday when he allowed two runs (one earned) on two hits in 1.1 innings against Bowling Green… The Dragons are eighth in the eastern division with a 22-35 record.Kyle Hunter (Low A: Clinton/Seattle): A 31st-round draft pick last year by Seattle, Hunter has pitched in 14 games for the Clinton LumberKings of the Low A Midwest League… The left-hander holds a 0-4 record and three saves with a 3.04 ERA, allowing nine earned runs on 23 hits in 26.2 innings with a sparkling 21-to-2 strikeout-to-walk ratio… He took a hard-luck loss on Sunday against Cedar Rapids when he allowed three runs (one earned) on two hits in 1.1 innings… The LumberKings are eighth in the western division with a 20-36 record.Jason King (Low A: West Michigan/Detroit): A fourth-round draft pick by the Detroit Tigers last year, King began his season late due to an injury and has spent the last month with the West Michigan Whitecaps of the Low A Midwest League… In 27 games for the Whitecaps, King is hitting .194 (21-for-108) with six doubles, one home run and 10 RBI… The third baseman went 2-for-4 with a double and a RBI on Thursday against Lake County and came back with another hit against the Captains on Friday… West Michigan is tied for sixth in the western division at 27-30 but is just four games out of second.Nick Martini (Low A: Quad Cities/St. Louis): One of four former Wildcats currently playing in the Midwest League, Martini is a member of the Quad Cities River Bandits… A seventh-round selection by St. Louis last year, Martini has seen action in 55 games and holds a .250 batting average with five doubles, one triple, one home run, 23 RBI and a league-leading 41 runs scored… He is also tied for fifth in the Midwest League with 32 walks… Martini hit his first professional home run last Wednesday against Beloit as part of a 3-for-6 contest with three RBI… He also recorded a two-hit game on Sunday against Burlington… The River Bandits are fourth in the western division with a 28-29 record, seven games out of first place.Nate Tenbrink (Extended Spring Training/Seattle): A seventh-round draft pick by Seattle in 2008, Tenbrink is recovering from off-season surgery… He played his entire 2011 season with Double A Jackson."
Source: K-State Sports