Summer League Links / Boilermakers in Pro Ball
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. ââ'¬" Purdue baseball's Evan Kennedy has been selected as an all-star for the Lafayette Aviators and will be part of the Prospect League All-Star Game next week in Kokomo.
Kennedy and Purdue teammate Evan Warden have helped lead Lafayette to a 20-17 overall record as of July 7. Fellow Boilermaker Jacob Preston is set to join the Aviators on Saturday (July 9) for the stretch run. Lafayette finished only a half-game out of first place in the East Division's first-half standings.
Kennedy is batting .285 with a .429 on-base percentage, 10 extra-base hits, 17 RBI and 28 walks as Lafayette's primary first baseman. He was one of six Aviators named to the East Division team for the Prospect League All-Star Game, which is set for July 13 at Kokomo Municipal Stadium. Kennedy was an Academic All-Big Ten honoree at Purdue as sophomore this season and was the featured Prairie Farms Purdue Student-Athlete of the Week this week for his 3.67 grade-point average as a finance major.
As a two-way contributor, Warden was also a potential all-star for the Aviators. He has played in 33 games as a middle infielder and also pitched in 10 games (4 wins, 3 saves, 29 K, 31 hits allowed in 33 IP). Warden was named the Prospect League Pitcher of the Week on June 20.
Kennedy and the Boilermakers are quite familiar with Kokomo Municipal Stadium after playing four games there this season, including a season-long 14-inning marathon against Ohio on March 19 that Purdue won in walk-off fashion.
It was announced this week that Kokomo Municipal Stadium would be the model for the new baseball stadium to be constructed in Lafayette's Columbian Park. Historic 80-year-old Loeb Stadium is scheduled to be razed in after next summer's Colt World Series (early August). Loeb is a busy place in the spring and summer, now serving as the home of the Aviators, American Legion Post 11 and Jefferson High School. American Structurepoint, the architecture firm that also designed the second-year stadium in Kokomo, has signed an initial agreement with the City of Lafayette.
MORE SUMMER BALL HIGHLIGHTS
- Speaking of 14-inning games, Jacson McGowan and Adam Dressler were both part of a 14-inning affair Thursday (July 7) in the Northwoods League. McGowan's Wisconsin Rapids Rafters team won in walk-off fashion, the winning run scoring when Kenosha's shortstop misplayed a ground ball hit by McGowan with runners on the corners and one out. Dressler retired both batters he faced in the eighth inning, stranding runners at second and third to keep it a one-run game. Although he allowed a couple inherited runners to score over his last four appearances for Kenosha, Dressler is currently riding a streak of 10 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings pitched dating back to June 20. Meanwhile, McGowan and Wisconsin Rapids won the South Division first-half title with a record of 24-12.
- Nick Dalesandro remains a contributor for the first-place Harwich Mariners (16-7 as of July 6) of the Cape Cod League. He had an RBI triple as part of a two-hit game in an Independence Day win. But the more memorable experience likely came Thursday (July 7) at the Cape Cod League's annual workout day at Fenway Park in Boston. Numerous scouts were on hand as players from all 10 teams had a chance to take batting practice and participate in infield and outfield drills at Fenway.
- Kyle Van Hoeck had his best outing of the summer June 29 when he pitched 4 1/3 scoreless innings as the starter for the Lake Erie Monarchs of the Great Lakes League. He worked a pair of true 1-2-3 innings and induced a pair of ground ball double plays, facing only 13 batters over his first four frames.
Fenway workout. Always awesome to throw BP here! @FalCommodores @PurdueBaseball pic.twitter.com/d4DSwRZDdw
- Jack Marder (@JackMarder3) July 7, 2016
NOTABLES ON BOILERMAKERS IN PRO BALL
- Nick Wittgren (2011-12) remained on the Marlins' 25-man roster even after they acquired all-star reliever Fernando Rodney on June 30. Wittgren has only pitched twice since then, but both were successful relief outings. He escaped a bases-loaded jam in the 10th inning as part of two scoreless frames July 1 at Atlanta, earning the win after pitcher Jose Fernandez delivered a two-out, two-run double in the top of the 12th. Two days later, Wittgren got the unique opportunity of being part of the Fort Bragg game against the Braves. It was the first regular-season American sporting event ever played at an active military base. July 6 in his first appearance at Citi Field in New York, Wittgren retired all five batters he faced in a rubber game loss to the Mets.
- Matt Frawley (2014-16) picked up his first pro win (June 29) and save (July 2) in consecutive outings for the West Virginia Black Bears (Class A short season). He retired Ryan Ripken, the son or Hall of Famer Cal Ripken, Jr., to finish off his 1-2-3 ninth inning while closing out a 7-6 win July 2.
- Jordan Minch (2013-14) still has not been charged with a run in his last 13 appearances for the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (Class A Advanced) dating back to May 25. He has seen his ERA drop from 4.95 to 3.00 during his streak of 14 consecutive scoreless innings pitched. He has surrendered only nine hits during that stretch and has not served up a home run all season.
- Kyle Wood (2013-16) hit his first pro home run July 2 for the Windy City ThunderBolts of the independent Frontier League. It was a game-tying two-run shot in the sixth inning and Windy City went on to win 3-2. He has hit safely and scored a run in each of the last four games (as of July 7), racking up five RBI during that stretch while reaching base safely eight times total.
- Shane Bryant (2015-16) has three quality starts in his first four outings for the Joliet Slammers of the Frontier League. He worked seven shutout innings of five-hit ball against Wood and Windy City in a 1-0 victory on July 1, and followed that up by striking out eight over six innings of three-run ball in a no decision against Washington on Wednesday (July 6). In his first 23 1/3 pro innings, he has surrendered only 19 hits while racking up 18 strikeouts.
- Kevin Plawecki (2010-12) has homered twice in 33 at-bats since rejoining the Las Vegas 51s (Triple-A) June 23. As of June 6, in only one of those 11 games has he failed to either reach base safely or drive in a run.
- Cameron Perkins (2010-12) homered as part of a three-hit game Thursday (July 7) and seems to have broken out of a slump that persisted through Independence Day. He was selected for the Triple-A All-Star Game on June 29, but was mired in a 3-for-34 slump from June 23 to July 4. He's gone 6-for-13 since.
- Dan Black (2007-09) is heating up in the Mexican League (independent Triple-A). He has reached base safely in 18 straight games, recording a hit in 15 of the 18. Dating back to June 29, he's 14-for-33 (.424) with eight RBI. He has homered seven times in 27 games since heading south of the border.
- Kyle Johnson (2013-16) has been officially assigned to the Yankees West team in the Gulf Coast League (rookie ball), but has not played in a game yet as he makes the transition to full-time pitcher at the pro level.