Pro Terps Update: 9/30/19

James Gordon Terps in the Pros

As the MLB regular season comes to its close, the four out of the five former Terps that are currently on Major League rosters will see their teams play baseball in October. Other former Terps weren’t as fortunate, but some still wrapped up the season with solid performances.

Here’s the end-of-the-season update on how these pro Terps have done as they cross the finish line of the regular season.

LHP Brett Cecil, St. Louis Cardinals (MLB)

While the Cardinals clinched the National League Central division title Sunday afternoon, Cecil may not get a chance to pitch during the Red Birds’ pursuit of their first World Series Championship since 2011. Cecil is still on the 60-day injured list with left-hand Carpal Tunnel syndrome, but he could see some action midway through the month.

LHP Adam Kolarek, Los Angeles Dodgers (MLB)

Kolarek, who had been a stalwart lefty out of the Tampa Bay Rays bullpen for the first half of the season, was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers during the July 31st trade deadline.

Since the trade, Kolarek has done a quality job making his case for the Dodgers’ postseason roster, pitching 11.1 innings to the tune of a 0.79 earned-run average. He faced 44 batters in those innings, and a solo home run was the lone dent.

2B Brandon Lowe, Tampa Bay Rays (MLB)

After his time on the 60-day injured list (right shin bone bruise) was extended after suffering a setback in a rehabilitation game (left quadriceps strain), Lowe made his return to the diamond on September 22nd. In six games since returning, Lowe has continued to work back from the injuries, slashing .176/.300/.353 in 20 plate appearances. However, it remains likely he will be the Rays starting second baseman for Wednesday night’s American League Wild Card showdown versus the Oakland A’s.

OF LaMonte Wade, Minnesota Twins (MLB)

LaMonte Wade made a few plate appearances for the Twins before September call-ups, in part due to a right-thumb dislocation that placed the outfielder on the 10-day injured list from early-July to mid-August. But, once in the majors for good, Wade became a reliable bat and glove off the bench.

In 65 total plate appearances in September, Wade proved to be an on-base machine and amassed a line of .212/.369/.404. He also picked up his first pair of major-league home runs. While the Twins have yet to announce their official American League Division Series roster, there remains a chance that Wade could be added after displaying his value off the bench.

RHP Mike Shawaryn, Boston Red Sox (MLB)

After Shawaryn spent all of June in the majors, he finished out the Triple-A season with Pawtucket before he was recalled in early September. The righty threw a 4.52 ERA in 14 starts in 26 appearances (including 70 strikeouts) in Triple-A. Combined with his first set of outings in the majors (20 strikeouts in 12.2 innings with an 8.53 ERA), his numbers were enough for the late-season promotion.

In his 14 total relief appearances for the Red Sox, Shawaryn set down 29 batters in 20.1 innings, though his ERA is relatively inflated (9.74).

RHP Jake Stinnett, Tennessee Smokies (Chicago Cubs, AA)

After settling into his role out of the Smokies bullpen, Stinnett began to struggle as the season progressed through the months of July and August. In 32 innings from the start of July to the end of the season, he cumulated 6.19 ERA. While Stinnett did start a handful of games, none of them lasted more than three innings.

SS/3B Kevin Smith, New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Toronto Blue Jays, AA)

Kevin Smith spent the entirety of 2019 in New Hampshire, though his stats did not reach the same level as in the previous year. In mid-July, Smith spent just over a week on the 7-day injured list.

In 116 games, Smith slashed .209/.263/.402, with a drop in his power numbers (six fewer home runs and nine fewer doubles than in 2018). Even so,

RHP Brian Shaffer, Montgomery Biscuits (Tampa Bay Rays, AA)

Shaffer had an impressive junior season in the minors, pitching  102 innings to the tune of a 2.38 ERA. Since being promoted to Montgomery in mid-May, Shaffer started a few games — 10 innings pitched, seven earned runs — but remained in the bullpen for the rest of the season. There, he posted a 1.74 ERA in 62 innings.

LHP Alex Robinson, Fort Myers Miracles (Minnesota Twins, High-A)

It was not the 2019 season that Alex Robinson was hoping to have, but an injury has kept him off the diamond for the entirety of the season. The southpaw missed time in 2018 due to left shoulder impingement and hasn’t pitched since the end of August last year.

3B Andrew Bechtold, Fort Myers Miracles (Minnesota Twins, High-A)

After getting called up from Low-A Cedar Rapids in June, Bechtold continued to put in quality work. While his OPS saw a minor drop after his promotion, Bechtold still left the season with a slash line of .261/.359/.380 while playing stellar defense at the hot corner.

2B Nick Dunn, Palm Beach Cardinals (St. Louis Cardinals, High-A)

Nick Dunn ended his 2019 season in Palm Beach where he finished the year with a .629 on-base plus slugging percentage and a team-leading .247 average. He also notched career-highs in doubles (19), RBIs (38) and walks (24).

OF Marty Costes, Fayetteville Woodpeckers (Houston Astros, High-A)

Costes remained with the Woodpeckers through the end of the season after being promoted early in the spring. He finished hitting .270 overall on the season with five home runs and 32 RBI.

The outfielder helped push Fayetteville to the Carolina League championship, though the Woodpeckers finished as runners-up.

RHP Jamal Wade, West Virginia Powers (Seattle Mariners, Low-A)

After undergoing Tommy John surgery in May, Jamal Wade continues to recover after his season came to a sudden early end.

RHP Kevin Biondic, Greenville Drive (Boston Red Sox, Low-A)

Biondic had a hot start to the season, going 4-0 with a 2.91 ERA. Though he fell behind later in the season, the right-hander still finished  with a 4.68 ERA in 100 innings pitched, including 14 starts and one complete game. Biondic also tallied 52 strikeouts over those 20 appearances.

INF A.J. Lee, Quad-Cities River Bandits (Houston Astros, Low-A)

After tearing up Short-Season A with the Tri-City Valleycats, A.J Lee was given a promotion to the Low-A River Bandits on August 15th.

Through Lee’s first 41 games with the Valleycats, he notched five home runs while logging a .759 OPS. He struggled some following his promotion to Quad-Cities, where his OPS sunk to .429 although he had a rather small sample of at-bats (41).

RHP Hunter Parsons, Brooklyn Cyclones (New York Mets, Short-Season A)

In his debut season with the Short-Season A Brooklyn Cyclones, Parsons was only limited to a bullpen role, but he still made a great first impression in the Mets farm system.

Through 11 appearances, Parsons recorded a 2.89 ERA while striking out 21 batters against nine walks.

1B Alfredo Rodriguez, Somerset Patriots (Independent-Atlantic League)

After making the Atlantic League All-Star Game roster for the second season in a row, Rodriguez finished his season hitting .267/.353/.353 with a career-high in doubles (26).

INF Blake Schmit, St. Paul Saints (Independent-American Association)

Schmit completed his fourth season in independent ball with his third team since joining the American Association. This time, he’s going on vacation on top, as the St. Paul Saints won the league’s championship for the first time in 15 years.

Schmit batted a .650 OPS, his lowest in four years but still notched 10 stiles bases and 32 RBIs, plus three home runs.

 

RHP John Murphy, Westside Woolly Mammoths (Independent-USPBL)

Murphy wrapped up his first year in professional baseball  with a 1-2 record and a 4.91 ERA. He had signed with the Woolly Mammoths after going undrafted out of Maryland earlier this summer.

RHP Ryan Hill, Alpine Cowboys (Independent-Pecos League)

After taking the summer of 2018 off from professional baseball, Ryan Hill signed with the Alpine Cowboys of the independent Pecos League.

In Alpine, Hill pitched 13.2 innings with a 3.95 ERA to go along with one save.