Gamecocks in the pros: few alums on the move

SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS BASEBALL

The baseball season is approaching its midpoint with the MLB All-Star game next week and the minor leagues motoring along as well.

That means there is a fair share of Gamecocks in the pros doing some good things, including a few guys on the move.

Major Leagues

Jackie Bradley Jr. is slashing .232/.329/.401 this season for the Boston Red Sox with nine homers and 30 RBI.

Bradley's teammate in Boston, Steve Pearce, is still rehabbing and has been on the 10-day injured list since the beginning of June and is currently on a rehab assignment with the Pawtucket Red Sox.

Also see: Breaking down South Carolina's matchup with Kentucky

Justin Smoak is hitting .226/.365/.434 with double-digit (14) home runs and 37 RBI for the Toronto Blue Jays.

Fresh off being named an All-Star, Whit Merrifield was the first player to 100 hits in the bigs this season and is hitting .308/.355/.500 with 12 stolen bases for the Kansas City Royals.

Jordan Montgomery remains on the New York Yankees' 60-day injured list rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. He's training in Tampa and the plan is for him to be ready the at some point during second half of the season.

Sam Dyson's pitched in 38 games this season for the San Fransisco Giants with a 2.48 ERA and 0.90 WHIP out of the bullpen. He's 2-1 on the year with a save and has 34 strikeouts to just six walks.

In his first full season in the bigs, Christian Walker is raking for the Arizona Diamondbacks, hitting .256/.327/.481 with 15 homers and 38 RBI.

Grayson Greiner is in a rehab assignment for the Detroit Tigers. He's played just two games as part of the assignment but is hitting .162/.231/.279 with five homers in the majors this season.

Tyler Webb is 0-1 with a 3.64 ERA in 35 bullpen appearances for the St. Louis Cardinals this season. He has a 1.18 WHIP with a .186 batting average against.

Triple A

In his first season with the Colorado Rockies' organization, Peter Mooney is hitting .223/.317/.355 with 19 RBI and five stolen bases for the Albuquerque Isotopes.

Max Schrock recently spent some time on the injured list but is activated now for the Memphis Redbirds (St. Louis). This season, one of the Cardinals' top prospects is hitting .252/.350/.346 with a homer and 16 RBI in just 51 games.

Taylor Widener is 6-4 this season for the Reno Aces (Arizona) with a 7.85 ERA through 17 starts. He has a 1.69 WHIP and a .317 average against this year.

Double A

After a standout 2018, Wil Crowe is continuing that this year with the Harrisburg Senators (Washington). Through 16 starts he's 7-6 with a 3.87 ERA. He has a 1.12 WHIP and has a 4.05 K/BB this year.

John Parke continues to move up through the White Sox organization, getting up to the Birmingham Barons. In 12 starts there this year he's 1-0 with a 4.00 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP.

One of the Mariners' top 30 prospects, Dom Thompson-Williams is hitting .241/.318/.432 with nine homers and 32 RBI this season with 13 stolen bases for the Arkansas Travelers.

Also see: Latest scoop on Myles Murphy, more DB targets

Jack Wynkoop is 6-9 with a 3.03 ERA for the Hartford Yard Goats (Colorado) this year, including tossing a complete game shutout Wednesday night. He has a 1.08 HWIP and .252 average against through 17 starts.

Single A

D.C. Arendas was recently promoted to the Inland Empire 66ers (Angles) and is hitting .257/.366/.343 with a RBI in 10 games since being promoted. This year he's hitting .210/.335/.384 with six homers and 25 RBI.

Jonah Bride is hitting .234/.350/.366 this season with five homers and has driven in 31 runs for the Stockton Ports (Oakland). He also has two triples and has scored 27 times.

Carlos Cortes is hitting .248 and slugging .403 this season for the St. Lucie Mets (Mets) with seven homers and 44 RBI.

Eddy Demurias is 2-2 with a 5.18 ERA in 25 relief appearances for the Dayton Dragons (Reds).

After a few games with the Winston-Salem Dash, Alex Destino was reassigned to the Kannapolis Intimidators (White Sox) at the begging of May and is hitting .288/.366/.466 with eight homers in 66 games this season.

After getting traded in the offseason, Adam Hill is 6-5 with a 3.78 ERA in 16 appearances (15 starts) for the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (Milwaukee). He has a 1.36 WHIP and has struck out 66 to 33 walks.

TJ Hopkins is slashing .222/.370/.278 with six RBI and two stolen bases for the Billings Mustangs (Reds) to start his pro career.

Tyler Johnson is off the injured list and back pitching for the Winston-Salem Dash (White Sox). In three appearances for the Dash he's pitched three innings and has a 3.00 ERA with four strikeouts and just one walk.

Josh Reagan was just recently promoted to the Beloit Snappers (Oakland) and has made one appearance, giving up four hits in three scoreless innings. In the minors this year he's made five total appearance, giving up just one earned run in 13 innings.

Also see: Insight on the two newest baseball commitments

After starting his professional career a few weeks ago, Reid Morgan is already up to Class A Advanced, getting promoted to the Modesto Nuts (Seattle) Thursday. He pitched July 4, going two shutout innings, giving up one hit. In six appearances in pro ball he's given up just one earned run and struck out four.

Cody Morris continues to excel in the minors, getting promoted to the Lynchburg Hillcats (Indians) at the end of June. Through two starts there, he's 1-0 with a 4.35 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP. In 11 starts this year, he's 6-2 with a 3.42 ERA.

Just weeks after getting drafted, Jacob Olson was recently promoted to the Eugene Emeralds (Cubs) after hitting .289/.349/.447 with a homer and four RBI in rookie ball.

Clarke Schmidt started this year in Single-A but is currently on a rehab assignment with the GCL Yankees (Yankees). This year he has a 3.52 ERA in nine starts with a 3.07 K/BB and a 1.38 WHIP.

Madison Stokes is hitting .253/.285/.404 with eight homers and 30 RBI for the Clearwater Threshers (Phillies).

L.T. Tolbert continues to excel in the minors, hitting .347/.413/.466 in 48 games since he was promoted to the Visalia Rawhide (Arizona). He's homered twice since then with 15 doubles and has driven in 28.

After starting this season in Double-A, Braden Webb was reassigned to the Carolina Mudcats (Milwaukee) and is currently on the seven-day injured list. He's 2-6 this year with a 5.05 ERA.

Players released at some point this season: Bryan Harper, Evan Marzilli, Kyle Martin, Joel Seddon, Gene Cone, Tanner English, Marcus Mooney