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 Former closer, Greg Holland (pictured) has progressed the furthest among the most recent Western Carolina draft picks. |
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June 19, 2009
Cullowhee, N.C. - All four Western Carolina Catamount baseball players, including three under classmen, which were taken in the 2009 Major League Baseball first-year player draft, have signed with the MLB clubs and began reporting for summer training and rookie-league play this week.
Currently, WCU has two players in the majors, with five playing at varying stages in the minor league system not including the four newest members. All told, WCU has 11 players currently playing professional baseball.
"I am extremely proud of these young men in their accomplishment of being drafted, especially in that three out of the four were not drafted out of high school. But also proud of Nick Liles who improved his draft status from 29th round out of high school to a top 10 round this year," said WCU head coach Bobby Moranda, who guided the Catamounts to a 35-22 record this past season. "It is a testament to how hard these guys have worked and also to how our solid baseball program at Western Carolina is developing student-athletes."
Corey Martin, the lone WCU senior selected this year, signed with the Chicago Cubs who drafted him in the 27th round with the 830th overall pick. He reported to Mesa, Ariz., home of the Chicago Cubs spring training for summer workouts and conditioning with hopes of being assigned to the north-sider's short-season, low-A league affiliate, the Boise Hawks of the Northwest League.
The Yadkinville, N.C., native who was a North Carolina Teaching Fellow plans to finish school and do his required student teaching this upcoming fall.
Chris Masters, the 328th overall pick in the 11th round by the Atlanta Braves, signed and reported to camp last weekend. The northern Georgia native by-passed the lower rookie rung with the Gulf Coast Braves to join the upper-division rookie league squad in Danville, Va., where he is settling in this week which included landing an apartment with several of his new teammates.
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Nick Liles, the first Catamount selected and second overall pick out of the Southern Conference, and Brent Greer, the 14th-round selection by the Arizona Diamondbacks, have both signed and are expected to report by this weekend. Liles, who was taken by the San Francisco Giants in the seventh round, is expected to join the low-A affiliate, Salem-Keizer Volcanoes in Keizer, Oregon, in the Northwest League this week. Greer could be assigned to the Missoula (Mont.) Osprey of the rookie Pioneer League.
Below is a brief look at Western Carolina's current players in the professional ranks between the Major and Minor Leagues:
Catamounts in the Major Leagues Update:
Mark DiFelice - 15th round (450th pick) by the Colorado Rockies in 1998: Was activated off of the bereavement list this week ... Boasts a 4-0 record thus far this season with a team-best 1.33 ERA in 27 innings pitched ... He has struck out 25 against only five walks ... Opponents are only hitting .184 against the right-handed hurler ... Earned his first big league win in 2008 ... Spent the off-season pitching for Team Italy in the World Baseball Classic.
Jared Burton - 8th round (248th pick) by the Oakland A's: Was optioned to Triple-A Louisville earlier this month, but has since been recalled by the Reds ... Has a 5.08 ERA in 25 games played this season with 20 strikeouts, but has struggled with 16 walks ... Was picked up by the Cincinnati Reds off of the Rule 5 Draft in 2006.
Catamounts in the Minor Leagues Update:
Jonathan Greene - 8th round (260th pick) by Texas Rangers in 2007: Is playing for the Bakersfield (Calif.) Blaze of the Class A Advanced California League ... Is currently hitting .229 (49-of-214) with 13 doubles and seven home runs with 26 RBI.
Greg Holland - 10th round (306th pick) by Kansas City in 2007: Is playing for the Royals' AA affiliate, the Northwest Arkansas Naturals of the Texas League ... As of June 18, had a 3-2 overall record with four saves and a 2.71 ERA through 30.0 innings pitched in 18 games ... Holland also had 30 strikeouts against 12 walks.
Steven Strausbaugh - 37th round (1,135th pick) by New York Yankees in 2007: Is on the Yankees' Gulf Coast League squad roster as a catcher ... Was up with the high A Tampa Yankees earlier this season ... Has one game played on the year, going 2-for-4 with a pair of singles and a strikeout.
Tyler Sexton - 31st round (926th pick) by Baltimore Orioles in 2008: Recently received his assignment to the Aberdeen (Md.) Ironbirds of the Class A Short-Season New York-Penn League ... Is expected to start this Sunday's game against the Hudson Valley Renegades ... Started 12 games for Bluefield in the Appalachian League a season ago, finishing 3-5 with a 4.19 ERA ... Struck out 42 and walked 17 in 53.2 innings pitched.
Blake Murphy - 42nd round (1,265th pick) by St. Louis Cardinals in 2008: After starting out with the Batavia (N.Y.) Muckdogs low Class-A affiliate last season, advanced to open this season with the Quad City (Iowa) River Bandits single-A squad ... Was called up to the Palm Beach County (Fla.) Cardinals squad of the Advanced-A in Jupiter, Fla., as the back-up catcher due to an injury ... Was hitting .286 with Quad Cities but is just 5-for-26 (.192) with the PBC Cards - however, four of his hits have gone for extra bases including three doubles and a triple with a pair of RBI.
