Blogs > The Minor League Maestro

A blog looking at minor league baseball from a Connecticut perspective.

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

News from some past Connecticut first-round picks

Hebron's A.J. Pollock batted third and went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and a stolen base for the South at Tuesday's Double-A Southern League All-Star Game in Jackson, Tenn. Pollock, a first-round pick of the Diamondbacks in 2009 out of Notre Dame (17th overall), is hitting .289 with four homers, 38 RBIs and 15 stolen bases for Mobile (Ala.) after missing the entire 2010 season with a broken bone.

Groton's Matt Harvey, the seventh overall pick of the Mets in 2010 after an All-American career at North Carolina, earned his much-anticipated promotion to Double-A. Harvey will join the roster of the Binghamton Mets today. He went 8-2 with a 2.37 earned run average in 14 starts for Class A St. Lucie (Fla.). He struck out 92 batters in 76 innings, allowing just 67 hits and 24 walks.

"Harvey is a starter -- major league arm, major league stuff; big time," B-Mets manager Wally Backman told the Binghamton Press & Sun Bulletin. "He's can throw 95, 96, with a great breaking ball, great changeup. He's the real deal."

Harvey will make his first appearance in Connecticut since his high school days at Fitch-Groton July 8-11, when Binghamton visits the New Britain Rock Cats for four games.

Monday, June 13, 2011

Busy day for local minor leaguers

With the draft in the rear view mirror and UConn's season over, expect the signings to commence soon. A total of 10 Huskies were taken last week, and it's likely all will sign pro contracts soon. On a side note, a pair of UConn players selected in 2009 by the Marlins were both released last week -- outfielder Harold Brantley, a 30th-round pick and pitcher Dan Mahoney, a fourth-round pick. Obviously, expectations were much higher for Mahoney, who made just 22 appearances in his career, none above short-season, and hadn't pitched at all this season.

Tolland's Mike Gallic, an outfielder out of Marist and an 18th-round pick of San Diego, was the first state player to sign a deal.

A few other area notes: New Haven's Casey Frawley ended the longest game in Carolina League history when he drove in the winning run in the bottom of the 23rd inning to lift Kinston (N.C.) past Myrtle Beach Sunday. Frawley was 2-for-11 with six strikeouts in a game that lasted six-and-a-half hours.

Naugatuck's Pat Dean continues to perform well, tossing 6 2/3 innings of no-hit ball Saturday before being removed in Class A Beloit's victory. Dean was taken out simply because he'd already thrown 107 pitches. His replacement entered the game and immediately gave up a hit.

Former Yale All-American Ryan Lavarnway was called up to Triple-A Pawtucket today. The catcher and sixth-round pick of the Red Sox in 2008 had been on a recent tear at Double-A Portland, hitting .365 with eight homers and 19 RBIs over the last 23 games. For the season, Lavarnway is at .284 with 14 homers and 38 RBIs in 55 games.

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Milford's Maxx Catapano drafted by Seattle

Maxx Catapano of Milford was taken by Seattle in the 46th round. A RHP out of Lee, an NAIA school in Tennessee, Catapano pitched his team to a third-place finish in the NAIA World Series in Lewiston, Idaho earlier this month, compiling a 9-5 record, 2.29 ERA and 79 strikeouts in 82 innings pitched. Catapano played for four different colleges in four years, beginning at UConn as a freshman, Southern Conn. State as a sophomore and Bellevue, an NAIA school in Nebraska, as a junior before landing at Lee.

A couple other late rounders with state ties taken Wednesday: Mike Bourdon, a senior catcher at the University of Tampa and a Simsbury resident went to the Rays in the 42nd round. Bourdon was picked by Boston coming out of Northwest Catholic High School. His brother, Tom, was drafted last June but opted to attend Boston College.

James Lynch, an outfielder and pitcher at the Salisbury School, went to the Dodgers in the 45th round. Salisbury has emerged as quite the program of late, producing 2008 1st-round pick Anthony Hewitt (now a South Atlantic League all-star in the Phillies system) and Chris Dwyer, who pitched Clemson to the College World Series in his lone season, was drafted in the fourth round and is now a highly-regarded prospect in the Kansas City organization.

Max Krakowiak of Westport, a RHP out of Fordham, was taken by Seattle in the 48th round. David Elmore, a 2B at Yale, went to Milwaukee in the 49th round.

More Huskies drafted on Day 3

Doug Elliot of Rocky Hill, a fifth-year senior catcher, and Elliott Glynn, a senior LHP, were both taken by Milwaukee on Wednesday, bringing the total number of UConn players drafted over the last three days to an astounding 10.

The draft is winding down as we hit the 40th round. Could there be more still to come? Well, there aren't a lot of upperclassmen left to draft. But, it's possible Old Lyme's Ryan Fuller or Stratford's Tim Martin, both juniors, have a shot.

Also, Suffield's Corey Vogt, a RHP at Keene State, went to the Red Sox in the 39th round.

Mike Olt hits DL with fracture

Branford's Mike Olt is expected to miss at least a month after breaking his collar bone in a collision at home plate during a Monday game. Olt has emerged as the top prospect in the Texas Rangers' minor league system. A third baseman at Myrtle Beach (S.C.) of the advanced Class A Carolina League, he was hitting .286 with 10 homers and 34 RBIs out of the clean-up spot for the Pelicans.

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Madison's Greg Nappo to Marlins

Greg Nappo, in the midst of another sensational season at UConn, was the 18th-round pick of the Florida Marlins. The LHP is 10-2 with a 2.55 ERA and expected to pitch the second game of the Huskies Super Regional series at South Carolina.

Tolland's Mike Gallic, an outfielder at Marist (where he plays for North Branford native Chris Tracz) was also a 19th-round pick, taken by San Diego. Gallic hit .292 with a team-leading six homers and 43 RBIs this spring.

Stratford's Dan Paolini, UConn's John Andreoli drafted

A few more locals taken today...

The 10th round led off with Montville's Taylor Lewis, an outfielder at Maine, being taken by Pittsburgh. The next pick belonged to Seattle, and it took Stratford's Dan Paolini, a second baseman at Siena. I spoke with Paolini, and he expects to sign. Later in the 10th round, New Canaan's Curt Casali, a senior catcher at Vanderbilt, went to Detroit.

John Andreoli, an outfielder, became the fourth UConn player drafted. He went to the Cubs in the 17th round.

Ahmed makes it three

Nick Amhed, UConn's shortstop, goes in the second round (85th overall) to Atlanta. The Huskies have had three players taken so far, and there should be plenty more to come.

Esposito to Baltimore

Bethany's Jason Esposito was drafted by Baltimore with the 64th overall selection Tuesday. He was the fourth player taken in the second round of the draft, which just began. Esposito is a third baseman at Vanderbilt.