Your 2013 Helena / Maryvale Brewers -- Latest: RHP Scott Lieser feature article

[TooLiveBrew]

Maryvale preview from Brad -- with a surprise twist.

 

D'Vo!

Welcome back, D'Vo

[Mass Haas]

Draft picks and undrafted free agents opening up in Helena, based on various reports, please keep in mind this is an unofficial list and those who just signed in the past few days would not be included here yet.

 

3rd round: Barrett Astin - RHP, Univ. of Arkansas

4th round: Taylor Williams - RHP, Kent State U.

6th round: Garrett Cooper - 1B, Auburn U.

7th round: Omar Garcia - CF, Miami Dade CC South (FL)

9th round: Tyler Linehan - LHP, Fresno State

21st round: Tristan Archer - RHP, Tennessee Tech (Cookeville, TN)

24th round: Chris Razo - RHP, Illinois St. U (Normal, IL)

38th round: Charlie Markson, CF, Notre Dame (South Bend, IN)

Undrafted: Harvey Martin - RHP, Minnesota State-Mankato

 

Also in Helena (tentatively) --

 

RHP Sean Albury, LHP Anthony Banda, RHP Estevenson Encarnacion (the former Arizona Summer League Cleveland Indian, RHP Ryan Fasano, RHP Danny Keller, LHP David Otterman, RHP Zach Quintana, RHP Eduard Reyes, LHP Juan Santiago

 

C's Dustin Houle and Mike Turay (and now we learn, Clint Coulter)

 

INF's Taylor Brennan, Jalen Harris, Renaldo Jenkins, Angel Ortega

 

OF's Dionis Hinojosa, Ruben Ozuna, Jose Pena

 

That's 28 names, and Pioneer League roster limits are 35, although not every team carries that many.

 

The Brewers confirm they have assigned 11th round RHP Andy Hillis out of Lee University to the Helena roster as well.

 

We indicated in our transaction thread today that nondrafted free agent OF Nathan Orf out of Baylor is in Helena as well.

[Mass Haas]

If you click on the photo in this tweet from the Helena Brewers, you'll see their tentative roster.

[Mass Haas]

If you click on the photo in this tweet from the Helena Brewers, you'll see their tentative roster.

 

Wow, we were darn close. The only ones we didn't have after all that were 17th round RHP Brandon Moore and 27th round LHP Tyler Alexander, both we knew had signed, and 36th round infielder Jesse Weiss, which is a draft signing update for us.

 

Not bad!

 

33 players on the roster.

[Mass Haas]

Draft picks opening up in Maryvale, confirmed by the Brewers on the Arizona League transactions page

 

2nd round: Devin Williams - RHP, Hazelwood West HS (Hazelwood. MO)

2nd round (supplemental) - Tucker Neuhaus - SS, Wharton HS (Wharton, FL)

5th round - Josh Uhen - RHP, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee

8th round - Brandon Diaz - CF, American Heritage HS (Plantation, FL)

13th round - Tanner Norton - C, Bishop Brossart HS (Alexandria, KY)

18th round - Clint Terry - LHP, Lee University (Cleveland, TN)

23rd round - Eric Williams - CF, Sachse HS (Sachse, TX)

25th round - Drew Ghelfi - RHP, Univ. of Minnesota

28th round - Alex Moore - RHP, Lee University (Cleveland, TN)

31st round - Tanner Poppe - RHP, Univ. of Kansas (Lawrence, KS)

34th round - Dylan Brock - RHP, Glendale Com. Col. (Glendale, AZ)

[Mass Haas]

Ghelfi signs with Brewers

John Casper, Jr., LaCrosse Tribune

 

Drew Ghelfi threw just 11 innings his senior season at the University of Minnesota.

 

The Central High School grad is looking to get a lot more work the next couple months, be it in Arizona or Montana.

 

On Tuesday, the Milwaukee Brewers officially announced they signed Ghelfi and 16 other MLB first-year player draft picks. Ghelfi, who was selected in the 25th round, said he signed over the weekend and has been in Phoenix going through workouts with the Brewers at their facility at Maryvale Baseball Park for the past week.

 

He’ll stay in Phoenix with the Arizona Brewers, the rookie level affiliate of the organization. Their season begins Thursday against the Arizona Dodgers.

 

The team plays against other rookie level teams around the Phoenix area, meaning Ghelfi won’t be subjected to long overnight bus rides — at least not yet.

 

“We’ve just been in kind of a minicamp right now,” said Ghelfi, who impressed Brewers scouts at an invitation-only camp after the collegiate season. “Kind of getting to know everyone, going over the team defense, bunt coverages, bullpen workouts for the pitchers.”

 

The 6-foot-3, 190-pound Ghelfi isn’t sure whether he’ll pitch primarily from the bullpen or if he’ll start.

 

But he does know he’ll pitch more than the 11 innings he did during a rain-shortened season at Minnesota.

 

“I’m planning on getting a lot of innings in down here, depending on whether I start or relieve,” said Ghelfi, who’s been staying in a Phoenix apartment complex the Brewers arrange for their draft picks, like an upscale, more spacious college dorm. “I’m definitely looking forward to it.”

 

And depending on how he pitches — and other circumstances beyond his control — Ghelfi could be promoted to the Helena Brewers, the organization’s advanced rookie team in Montana.

 

“I just hope to do well and see what happens,” Ghelfi said.

[Mass Haas]

With draft, Ghelfi fulfills dream in surprise fashion

Gophers pitcher Drew Ghelfi was taken late in the 2013 MLB draft

By Dane Mizutani, Minnesota Daily

 

Drew Ghelfi was playing catch in the front yard with his father June 8 as he’d done many times before.

 

As the seconds crawled by with each exchange, the mindless activity gave Ghelfi clarity amid the stress of the afternoon.

 

Then the call came.

 

“I was trying to keep my mind off of it all — then my mom came running out of the house and started screaming and jumping around,” Ghelfi said. “I went and grabbed my phone.”

 

It was the Milwaukee Brewers on the other end. Drew Ghelfi, at last, was a professional baseball player.

 

The Brewers selected Ghelfi in the 25th round of the 2013 MLB draft. He was the third Gophers player, and pitcher, to be drafted this year.

 

Ghelfi was always surrounded by baseball as a kid. His father played for the Cleveland Indians organization, and his uncle played for the Philadelphia Phillies.

 

Still, Ghelfi classified himself as a late bloomer and said he didn’t start to peak until his junior and senior years at Central High School in La Crosse, Wis. That’s when he realized he could compete in college.

 

“I really just wanted a chance to continue to play,” he said. “I didn’t really care where it was, to be honest.”

 

He said toward the end of his senior year of high school, Gophers’ assistant coach Rob Fornasiere, advised Ghelfi to reach out to Iowa Central Community College.

 

Ghelfi took his advice and was rewarded. He said the coach at Iowa Central came up to watch one of his games and offered a scholarship.

 

He pitched two seasons with the Tritons. He was good — not great — in those two years, but he improved in nearly every statistical category from his freshman to sophomore seasons.

 

Ghelfi said he batted a little bit at Iowa Central, too, but realized his best chance to make it was as a pitcher.

 

He said he kept in touch with Fornasiere in his time with Iowa Central, and it paid off.

 

The Gophers offered Ghelfi a chance to play at the Division I level before the 2012 season.

 

But he didn’t receive a lot of playing time with the Gophers. In two years with the program, he pitched 27.1 innings — and only 11 his senior season.

 

“I think he was frustrated just like anyone else would be if they’re not throwing,” said Tom Windle, ace of the Gophers’ 2013 pitching staff. “But at the same time, he came to the field every day and worked out what he needed to.”

 

Ghelfi said it was hard to stay motivated at times but knew he had the ability to make it to the next level. That’s what continued to drive him.

 

Ghelfi has a fastball, a changeup and a curveball. He said he leans on his curveball in tough situations, but Windle said arm strength is Ghelfi’s biggest asset.

 

“You can’t teach someone to throw a fastball 90 to 95 [mph],” Windle said. “He has that upside, and he needs to work with his off-speed stuff and throw more strikes.”

 

Ghelfi said he didn’t expect to be selected in the draft but felt good at his pre-draft pitching sessions with the Minnesota Twins and the Brewers.

 

“I had a feeling, if I got taken, it would be by one of them pretty late … but I didn’t expect to go as early as the 25th round,” he said. “It was a surprise.”

 

Ghelfi, Windle and former Gophers pitcher D.J. Snelten are currently in Arizona for rookie minicamps. Ghelfi said after he finishes camp in Arizona, players in his organization either stay there for more workouts or get shipped to Helena, Mont., to compete in higher rookie ball.

 

“I’d love to be in Helena now,” he laughed. “…Five years ago, no way did I think I’d be dying to get to Helena.”

 

Ghelfi said he grew up a fan of the Brewers, so this is a dream come true. He said the moment with his parents in the front yard was special, but he noted it’s only the beginning for him.

 

“It’s kind of weird saying I’m a Milwaukee Brewer now,” Ghelfi said. “It’s starting to hit me now that I’m a professional baseball player.”

[Mass Haas]

Helena Brewers 2013 Preview via MillerParkProspects.com

[Mass Haas]

Poppe signs with Brewers organization

By Mark Schremmer, Joplin (MO) Globe Sports Writer

 

Tanner Poppe didn’t have a lot of time to reminisce after his four-year career with the Kansas Jayhawks baseball program ended.

 

The Girard High School graduate was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 31st round of the Major League Baseball draft on June 8. Since then, life has been moving fast for Poppe.

 

“It’s been pretty hectic,” said Poppe, a 6-foot-6, 225-pound right-handed pitcher. “The day after I got drafted, I signed in Lawrence. After that, I had 48 hours to pack up and move out to Arizona.”

 

The Brewers formally announced Poppe’s signing with the organization on Tuesday. He was initially assigned to Arizona League Brewers’ rookie affiliate in Phoenix. The shortened season is scheduled to begin today.

 

“It’s been extremely hot,” Poppe said. “Every day has been 110 degrees or hotter. So I’m getting used to that. But I’m meeting a bunch of new guys and it’s going pretty well so far.”

 

Poppe said the Arizona League will be used as evaluation, and he will eventually be sent to either the Helena Brewers of the Pioneer League or the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers of the Midwest League. At that time, coaches are likely to make the determination of whether Poppe will be used as a starter or reliever.

 

“I did both in college,” Poppe said. “I’m comfortable with both.”

 

Poppe enters professional baseball after turning down the opportunity twice before. He was selected by the Kansas City Royals in the 37th round of the 2009 draft and by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 37th round of the 2011 draft. Both times, Poppe opted to pitch at KU.

 

“Out of high school I wasn’t as ready as I am now,” he said. “I’m excited to be in professional baseball. It’s a fun experience.”

 

Poppe finished his senior season with the Jayhawks with a 4-3 record, a 4.22 ERA and 40 strikeouts in 53 1/3 innings.

[Mass Haas]

VIDEO Report - 19-year-olds to lead Helena rotation

 

High school picks with a year in Maryvale under their belt: 2012 3rd round RHP Zach Quintana and 2012 10th round LHP Anthony Banda will start the opening games

[Mass Haas]

Familiar faces, fresh talent abound as Brewers open 2013 campaign

By Amber Kuehn, Helena Independent Record

 

Going into the 2013 season, the Helena Brewers are eager for a fresh start.

 

After finishing in the Pioneer League basement with a 24-52 record in 2012 — losing five of their last six games — Milwaukee’s short season rookie-league affiliate is embracing the changes that come with every new, hope-filled summer. The roster is brimming with fresh, young talent — a dozen of the Brewers’ draft picks from earlier this month will begin their professional careers in the Capital City — and there’s new blood in the manager seat with Tony Diggs taking over the reins from Jeff Isom. Chuck Caufield replaced Don Money as Helena’s hitting coach, and Elvin Nina returns for a fifth season mentoring the Brewers’ pitchers.

 

Diggs, who managed the Arizona League Brewers for the past five seasons and won a championship with the team in 2010, believes he can turn things around with the right group of guys.

 

“You hope that you get a team that jells,” he said. “If you get a team that jells well and they learn to play together as a team, you’re going to be more productive. Hopefully that is something that happens with a number of these guys that have played together last year at the Arizona League level.

 

“You hope that they’ve matured and you hope they’ve gotten better as players. Hopefully that plays a big part in us hopefully being able to perform better out on the field this year.”

 

Eleven of the 33 players on the roster played for the Arizona League Brewers last year, a team that went 19-37. Diggs believes his familiarity with those players, coupled with the improvement he saw recently in extended spring training, is going to be a recipe for success.

 

Throw in a number of high-round draft selections — five players in Helena were taken prior to the 10th round less than two weeks ago — and the sky is the limit.

 

“You just hope the talent you get is there and that you’re able to bring that out in the player and that they perform well,” Diggs said, adding that consistency will be key. “... I don’t care if it’s a pitcher throwing strikes or a hitter having a good approach all the time, they’re going to have a lot better chance of being successful if they’re consistent.”

 

The Brewers batted just .269 as a team a year ago, near the bottom of the league, and were often hampered by poor defensive decisions and base-running mistakes. The Helena pitching staff had the worst ERA (5.89) in a Pioneer League brimming with talent at that position, although Nina is quick to point out statistics often don’t tell the whole story.

 

“We finished with numbers not to our liking. But if you look at our pitching staff from start to finish, there was tremendous improvement,” he said, as is evidenced by the fact that the majority of those pitchers are now playing at higher levels within the organization. “The results number-wise weren’t there, but as far as execution goes, I saw improvement there daily.”

 

Nina’s new staff consists of 18 pitchers, including a name Brewer fans may remember from two seasons ago. Sean Albury is back after sitting out all of last year to recover from rotator cuff surgery on his right shoulder. Albury made 16 relief appearances in Helena in 2011 and finished with six saves as one of the team’s go-to closers. He owned a 0.90 ERA before getting hurt.

 

“When you get a real bad injury like what I had, sitting out a year and a half gets real tough mentally,” Albury said. “I’ve had a pretty good recovery, and I feel great right now. I’m looking forward to making a comeback.”

 

Nina admitted it’s a difficult surgery to bounce back from, but he’s been pleased with Albury’s progress.

 

“Watching him throw in games and compete in games, I don’t think he’s missed a beat from when he was here before,” the coach said.

 

Expectations are also high for a couple of young prospects. Lefty Anthony Banda and right-hander Zach Quintana — both just 19 years old — performed well in their professional debuts last year in the Arizona League, and both Nina and Diggs are counting on them this season in Helena. Quintana, a third-round pick in 2012, is the projected starter for tonight’s season-opener in Missoula. According to Nina, Quintana has four pitches in his arsenal.

 

As for who will be behind the plate, the Brewers have three catchers on the opening-day roster — including 2012 first-round pick Clint Coulter. Michael Turay is back after hitting .255 while splitting time between catching and third base last year. Like the versatile Turay, another Brewers catcher this season, Dustin Houle, is a utility man capable of playing third.

 

“I think it helps a lot,” said Turay, adding that he even saw some action in the outfield in extended spring training. “Our coaches have always told us the more positions you can play the better, and it worked out for me last year. Wherever I can get in, I’m just happy to be out on the field playing baseball.”

 

Turay is one of just two Brewers on the roster to spend all of last season in Helena, the other being outfielder Ruben Ozuna.

 

Turay admitted 2012 was a struggle at times, but he is eager to put the past behind him. With one season of professional baseball already under his belt, he said he feels more prepared — particularly for the grind that comes with playing daily.

 

“Toward the end of last year, especially when I started playing third base every day, I definitely hit a wall,” he said. “I was tired, missing pitches, it was really frustrating. Now I kind of know once my body gets to that point what adjustments I need to make.”

 

Turay hopes he can be a leader to those just starting out on this journey.

 

“I think we have a lot better team camaraderie this year; we all get along,” he said. “I have really high expectations for this year. We have a really solid team, and this year in extended we did really well and it sounds like we’ve got a good group of guys coming in from the draft. So I think if we can mix those guys in, we’ll be really good this year.”

 

Diggs will primarily be working with the infielders, and he likes what he’s seen so far.

 

“We have a young shortstop in Angel Ortega, he’s up-and-coming. There’s a lot of facets to his game that he needs to improve on, but he has an opportunity and a chance to improve because he’s still a youngster,” Diggs said. “Taylor Brennan is a guy who’s probably going to have a lot of stock on our team; he just needs to make consistent contact.”

 

The Brewers have just two infielders on the roster who will be making their professional debuts in Garrett Cooper and Jesse Weiss. Cooper was a sixth-round draft pick out of Auburn this month and is eager to get his feet wet in the minor leagues — even if Helena is somewhat of a culture shock for the Manhattan Beach, Calif., native.

 

After speaking with multiple teams, Cooper figured he would be drafted somewhere between the sixth and eighth round, he just didn’t know where he’d be headed.

 

“That morning (June 7) the Phillies and Royals told me that they were gonna take me in the sixth round, and then all of a sudden I got an unexpected call from the Brewers,” he said.

 

Cooper knows going from the college level to the pros will take an adjustment period, and his biggest concern at the moment is the equipment change. He said after playing with metal bats, it will take a while to get used to wood. He also knows jumping into a 76-game schedule with few breaks could be a challenge after just coming off a full season of college ball. One thing he’s not particularly worried about, though, is the pitching he’ll face.

 

“I played in the SEC, and they said the pitching there is similar to what you’re going to see in the minors,” Cooper said. “Most of those guys were first-round, second-round, third-round draft picks. You come out here, and everyone is just as good as you are.”

 

One of those strong SEC pitchers will be suiting up for the same team as Cooper. Third-rounder Barrett Astin out of the University of Arkansas is also set to make his pro debut in Helena.

 

For those just starting out, Turay had this advice to offer: “Just don’t be intimidated by anything.

 

“Just go out there and play as hard as you can every day and see what happens. Try to put together the best season you can. It’s a lot of fun, and I enjoyed it last year even having a rough season. You gotta enjoy it every day.”

 

Diggs seconds that, and hopes to have a well-rounded ball club with a team-first mentality.

 

“I hope that we are a solid defensive team. That is yet to be seen,” he said. “We did play pretty solid defense during extended spring, I saw growth down there.”

 

As for offense, he would prefer a lineup that consistently has a good approach and makes good contact over a power-hitting squad that’s always swinging for the fences. He wants his players to focus on situational hitting rather than trying to do too much.

 

“We need to be able to bunt to move a guy over, be able to drive a guy in from third base with less than two outs, move a guy from second base with no outs,” he said. “If we are able to do those little things, I think collectively we’ll come out all right.

 

“And hopefully we’ll have a little team speed in there to be able to swipe a few bags as well,” he added with a grin.

 

The season gets underway tonight with a two-game set against the defending Pioneer League champion Osprey in Missoula. The Brewers return to Kindrick Legion Field on Saturday for their home opener against Billings.

 

All photos by Dylan Brown of the Helena Independent Record

 

Infielder Taylor Brennan gathers a ground ball Friday, during practice.

 

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Infielder Jalen Harris tosses the ball to a pitcher Friday during practice.

 

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Southpaw Tyler Linehan, 9th rounder out of Fresno State

 

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Right-handed pitcher Harvey Martin throws the ball Friday afternoon during practice at Kindrick Legion Field

 

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[Mass Haas]

The Helena Independent Record has player profile capsules on the entire H-Crew roster. See them here.

[Mass Haas]

RPV baseball player selected in MLB’s first-year player draft

By Nick Ingram, Special to the Peninsula News (Rolling Hills Estates, California)

 

Garrett Cooper had always dreamed of stepping foot onto a big league baseball field.

 

On Friday, June 7, Cooper got one step closer to his dream as the first baseman was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the sixth round of Major League Baseball’s First-Year Player Draft.

 

“I was in complete shock,” said Cooper. “Hearing my name was just something I never thought would happen. My ultimate dream of being a professional baseball player had just come true through a phone call.”

 

The youngest of seven, Cooper grew up in Rancho Palos Verdes and called it a luxury to be a part of such a big family.

 

“Being the youngest, I always had someone to hit me ground balls or throw batting practice whenever I wanted,” Cooper said. “Being taught sports at such a young age, it gave me a leg up on other kids around the area.”

 

Cooper was the only one in his family to play collegiate baseball. Two of his four older brothers played high school baseball at Peninsula and Loyola.

 

As a child, Cooper was selected as an All-Star while playing at Silver Spur Little League and Peninsula Pony League. He attended Loyola High School in Los Angeles with the intention of being a two-sport athlete (basketball and baseball), but he soon found himself strictly on the baseball field.

 

“You can usually identify talent pretty early on. You can start to spot the kids when they are pretty young, and Garrett had the potential. It was just what he did with it,” Garrett’s father, Robert, said. “Loyola pushed him to play baseball. They are a serious athletic group over there. In the end, it worked out pretty well.”

 

After graduating from Loyola, Cooper spent two years at El Camino under coach Nate Fernley, where he was selected to the All-State team as a first baseman before being offered a baseball scholarship at Auburn.

 

“Baseball is such a big deal in the South,” Robert Cooper said. “All the SEC schools are super competitive, and there is a huge talent pool down there. It is the toughest conference to play in.”

 

But the transition from Southern California to Alabama was not as tough as one might imagine for Cooper.

 

“Being a part of a team made it easier,” he said. “Everyone is really hospitable and after the same goal as you are.”

 

After a breakout junior season at Auburn that saw him play in 49 games and hit .324, good for third-best on the squad, Cooper led the Tigers offensively in his senior year. He was selected to the All-SEC Second Team after batting .354, good for seventh in the conference. He finished second in on-base percentage (.481) and sixth in slugging (.540).

 

During his two-year stint at Auburn, Cooper hit .340 with 21 doubles, 12 home runs and 68 RBIs.

 

“Playing in the SEC was one of the greatest decisions I ever made,” the 22-year-old Cooper said. “The crowds and friends I have made are priceless.”

 

His first stop with the Brewers is with their Advanced Rookie League affiliate in Helena, Mont.

 

“This team is a fan favorite of everyone in town,” Cooper said. “Going into restaurants, we are recognized and receive such friendliness and kindness from everyone. I can’t wait to start playing games in front of the crowd this week.”

 

While Garrett is living out his dream of being a professional baseball player, his father saw the hard work he put into his game pay off.

 

“It was kind of amazing that he had developed and come so far as to make it to major league baseball,” Robert Cooper said. “While it was always at the back of my mind that he had the potential, it was a joyous moment for him as he worked so hard to get there.”

 

The Brewers have the intention of moving Cooper to their Class-A team, the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers in Appleton, Wis., after 30 days, depending on how he performs in Montana.

 

“Our scouts just felt really good about (Cooper’s) potential,” said Brewers Amateur Scouting Director Bruce Seid in an interview with MLB.com. “We felt it was a good value pick in the sixth round.”

 

But Cooper isn’t content with just being drafted. He is out to show the Brewers organization what they took a chance on with the 182nd pick.

 

“My goal is to move up in the organization and ultimately make it to the big leagues. It has been my dream for as long as I can remember to step out onto a professional field, and Milwaukee has given me the opportunity,” he said. “It is how I work and better myself on and off the field that will give me the chance to ultimately reach my goal.”

 

Cooper has posted a video of his reaction to being drafted on his twitter feed, which is @CoopaLoop1

[Mass Haas]

Martin gets his shot at pro ball

Farmington High grad was NCAA D-II Pitcher of Year at Minnesota State

by Dan O’Meara, OBserver & Eccentric Staff Writer (Newspaper Group in Suburban Detroit)

 

As an athlete and pitcher, Harvey Martin is accustomed to challenges and having to prove his ability and worthiness. His experience at that has prepared him for the next rung on the ladder of his baseball career.

 

Martin, who starred at Farmington High School and Minnesota State University, is starting that process all over again with the Milwaukee Brewers farm team in Helena, Mont.

 

He had hoped to be drafted after being named an NCAA Division II All-America and national Pitcher of the Year. He was terribly disappointed when that didn’t happen, but the Brewers called shortly after the draft ended to offer him a free-agent contract.

 

That was late in the day Saturday, June 8. He packed his belongings on Sunday and was on a plane Monday for Montana and the Advanced Rookie League.

 

“It’s kind of a blessing in disguise,” Martin said, adding he begins the next phase of his career with an inner chip on his shoulder. “I knew I would play professional baseball at some point from all the feedback I was getting, but free agency wasn’t the first priority on my list.

 

“It’s a motivating factor for me. I’ve always had to prove myself, at Central (Michigan) and Minnesota State. It won’t be easy here and I don’t expect it to be. Going through the things I did in college – the surgery, the transfer, the ups and downs during my career – put me in a good mindset to handle the free agency deal.”

 

Regardless of how he got there, Martin has his foot in the door. He plans to make the most of his opportunity and, hopefully, move up the chain of minor league teams.

 

“I can’t change the fact of free agency,” he said. “I told the Brewers, “I promise I will not take a day off all the time I’m here. I’ll keep working and getting my nose dirty.’

 

“I don’t have the luxury of being an 18-year-old who signed for a lot of money. It’s great playing here, but my goal is to be in the big leagues.”

 

The season just started last week for the Helena Brewers, who were 1-3 in the Pioneer League standings at the ARL level. Martin’s first appearance went well, however.

 

He pitched two scoreless innings of late-game relief Friday against the Missoula (Mont.) Osprey in the team’s lone win.

 

“I struck out the side in the first inning, which was kinda awesome to start my pro career,” Martin said. “The next inning was a real quick inning with a couple pop-ups and a ground ball.

 

“There were a lot of nerves in that first inning, but I got it out of the way. When you have a successful first inning, you feel like you belong a little bit. Obviously, it’s something to build on.”

 

Big sky country

 

In the short time he’s been there, Martin is enjoying the experience in Helena and reveling in the knowledge he’s actually playing professional baseball.

 

“It’s pretty awesome,” he said. “Every now and then, I sit back during practice and realize where I’m at and kinda living my dream. We wear Brewers across our chests and it’s a cool feeling every day to realize I’m employed by a Major League baseball team. It’s been a great time so far.”

 

The 6-foot-1, 195-pound Martin transferred two years ago from Central Michigan to MSU. He played two of four seasons at CMU where his mound time was limited to spot appearances in relief. He was redshirted in 2008 and had Tommy John surgery on his pitching arm in 2010.

 

He took a chance and left for Mankato, Minn., with something to prove as a potential starting pitcher. He was 10-0 and was named the Newcomer of the Year in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference last year.

 

“I definitely did what I set out to do by leaving and getting the opportunity to pitch,” Martin said. “I was given the opportunity to do something that wasn’t going to be given at Central Michigan. I had the opportunity to do that at Minnesota State and it worked out. I’m very thankful for that.”

 

Repeat performance

 

The challenge facing Martin at the start of the 2013 season was to prove the previous one was not a fluke, that he could back it up by having another great year. He did that and more.

 

The right-handed Martin posted a 9-1 record with a 2.06 earned run average and was nationally ranked in several categories. He was second in strikeout-to-walk ratio with 91 and seven, respectively, in 78.2 innings.

 

He helped lead the 42-9 Mavericks to a second straight NSIC championship and consecutive runner-up finishes in the NCAA Division II College World Series. Martin’s only loss in his two years at MSU occurred in the final game of this year’s CWS. Top-ranked Tampa won, 8-6.

 

“I don’t regret going to Central at all,” he said. “I earned a degree there and made a ton of great friends. In going to Minnesota, I thought it was kinda crazy, going to a Division II school where it was colder than Michigan. My decision to leave was probably the toughest I had to make, but it was the best decision I’ve made in my baseball career.”

 

And the 2013 accolades piled up for Martin, who was named to the All-America first team and was selected the national Pitcher of the Year by Rawlings/ABCA, Daktronics and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association. He also was the NSIC’s Pitcher of the Year and one of eight finalists for the Tino Martinez Award as the top player in Division II.

 

“If I had been told all of this was going to happen to me when I left (CMU), I probably would have laughed about it,” Martin said. “Awards come with team success. If a team is going to the national championship, you’re going to have some All-Americas on it. I was just fortunate to be one of those guys.

 

“Award-wise, that was never the goal of leaving. The goal was to pitch and try to get into professional baseball. Anything else was an added bonus. I’m where I wanted to be.”

 

Place in history

 

Martin ends his college career as the most decorated player in MSU baseball history and the first to win the Pitcher of the Year honor.

 

“His accolades on the field won’t overshadow the impact he left off the field,” MSU coach Matt Magers said, regarding Martin’s ability to motivate his teammates. “His mental approach and passion for the game enabled him to compete at a level most players never attain. Despite only playing here for two seasons, Harvey will go down as one of the best to ever wear the Maverick uniform.”

 

Martin’s most memorable game was this year’s regional final in which MSU defeated Missouri Western, one of the best hitting teams in the country, according to Martin. He pitched a complete, 10-inning game and the Mavericks won, 4-1.

 

“Obviously, that catapulted me into a lot of the awards I got at the end of the season,” Martin said. “To help lead the team into the College World Series was a lot of fun. I loved playing those guys at Minnesota State. We were fortunate to host the regional two years in a row and play in the (CWS) twice.”

 

Moving forward

 

Not only has the 24-year-old Martin moved on from a good memory like that, he has put the disappointment of not being drafted behind him, too. The bottom line is he’s playing pro ball now.

 

“I thought I was going to get drafted last year and it didn’t work out, which made me a stronger person – to keep chasing it, developing patience and working toward what you want,” Martin said. “A lot of people wanted to see more strikeouts out of me. I think that’s why I was national Pitcher of the Year, because my strikeout-to-walk ratio was up there.

 

“One thing that hurt me in the draft was that I was older and had arm surgery. Teams aren’t interested in older guys who’ve had arm surgery. I thought, with the season I put up there, I couldn’t be denied the chance. I thought 250 innings was enough to show what I could do.

 

“If I never played in the Major Leagues, I wanted to leave with people saying, ‘Harvey Martin was the best pitcher I’ve seen all season.’ If I did that and made sure Year 2 wasn’t a fluke, I thought I’d get a shot to be where I am. It’s still sinking in. I haven’t taken a day for granted and don’t plan to do that.”

[Mass Haas]

Brentwood's Andy Hillis finally living dream of playing pro baseball

Surgery, transfer slowed Hillis' start

by Autumn Allison, The Tennessean

 

Two years ago, Andy Hillis didn’t seem like he was on the path to professional baseball.

 

The former Brentwood standout had just finished his second season at Tennessee without pitching in a game that counted. He was recovering from Tommy John surgery and dealing with a coaching change.

 

But Hillis revived his career in two seasons at Lee University, and he is now in his third week as a member of the Milwaukee Brewers’ Rookie League team in Helena, Mont.

 

“I was excited and relieved,” Hillis said about being taken in the 11th round by Milwaukee. “I mean, it’s been a dream since I was a kid to play professional baseball. So it was just an exciting moment for me and my family. The journey has begun, I guess.”

 

It was the third time Hillis has been drafted. In 2009, St. Louis selected the 6-foot-6 right-hander in the 49th round, but he thought it was best to play at Tennessee.

 

However, an arm injury early in his freshman season forced Hillis to redshirt his first year. He pitched some in fall 2010 but re-injured his arm and had Tommy John surgery, which forced him to miss the regular season. A coaching change after the 2011 season cemented the deal.

 

“I signed with coach (Todd) Raleigh, and when coach (Dave) Serrano got there it just wasn’t a good fit anymore for me, so I wanted to go to a smaller school,” Hillis said.

 

And that’s when coach Mark Brew came calling from Lee, an NAIA school in Cleveland, Tenn.

 

“When he had his arm injury, they were going to basically not stick with him and cut him loose,” Brew said. “So when we heard, we knew him a little bit from high school and knew how good he was potentially healthy, and we reached out to him.”

 

And it paid off. Hillis went 5-1 with a 1.24 ERA, six saves and 24 strikeouts in 29 innings. The Cardinals selected Hillis again in the 2012 draft, this time in the 29th round.

 

“I figured I could improve my draft stock by staying for another year. I was just coming off of Tommy John surgery, and I wasn’t fully recovered,” Hillis said. “I didn’t feel like I’d shown what I was fully capable of doing.”

 

This past season, Hillis went 3-0 with an 0.96 ERA and nine saves and 66 strikeouts in 37 1⁄3 innings. He improved the velocity on his fastball to 99 mph and developed a slider.

 

“The fact that he was a 29th-round pick last year and an 11th-round this year ... shows a lot of what they (Brewers) thought of his improvement and what he could do for them,” Brew said.

 

Hillis was one of five Flames pitchers drafted this season and one of four taken in 2012.

 

“It’s a huge recruiting tool for us,” Brew said. “It shows our ability to recruit quality players, and that the pitching coach has done a great job on the developing end.”

 

Lee finished third in the NAIA World Series.

 

Hillis has made three appearances for Helena, getting a save and striking out five in 2 1⁄3 innings.

 

“It’s a beautiful place to live,” he said. “I’ve never been in this part of the country and plan on living here for a while.”

 

Former Brentwood standout Andy Hillis was drafted in the 11th round by the Milwaukee Brewers. / Lee sports information photo

 

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[TheCrew07]

Garrett Cooper profiled by MiLB.com

 

PIO notes: Cooper shows confidence

[Mass Haas]

Brief video clip / interview -- RHP Chris Razo of Helena

[TooLiveBrew]

Mass Haas's Jed Bradley video post in today's Link Report definitely inspired this find.

 

[Mass Haas]

Really nice video feature focusing on the Helena Brewers' Latin kids learning the English language

[Mass Haas]

Archer named Man of the Year

by Thomas Corhern, Cookeville (TN) Herald-Citizen

 

COOKEVILLE — Balancing academics, community service and athletics is a tremendous task.

 

As shown last week as Kellie Cook was announced as the winner of the Tennessee Tech Woman of the Year award, it takes an exceptional committment to the ideals of the university and the overarching goal of a diploma in one hand and a championship ring on the other.

 

It is by no means an easy one.

 

But nothing worthwhile is.

 

Among the nine student-athletes nominated for the Man of the Year award are champions on the court, scholars in the classroom and beacons in the community.

 

Every one of the nominated student-athletes were worthy of the award, whether it was reigning Male Athlete of the Year Syrym Abdukhalikov from tennis, basketball’s Terrell Barnes, Cookeville native Taylor Hennigan from football, golfer Greg Kitts, football’s Tre Lamb, Adam McLeod from cross country, or baseball’s Austin Wulf and Nick Price.

 

But through the committee’s deliberation, the choice was a well-deserved one for Tech senior pitcher Tristan Archer.

 

“I’m honored,” Archer said. “This is a great group of student-athletes and it’s just amazing to be recognized among these guys.”

 

The selection was not a surprise to his former coach.

 

“Man, there’s just so many ways you can describe Tristan,” said Tech baseball coach Matt Bragga. “On the mound, he’s just a warrior. He just goes about his business. He’s a very level-headed guy, but the part of his demeanor that a lot of people can’t see is that he is a warrior. From the outside, you’d never know how fierce of a competitor this guy is, but off the field, the best way to describe him is a gentleman to the fullest.

 

“He’s just a neat young man. He never gets flustered with anything. He always stays level-headed. He was a great leader, was one of our captains this year and you don’t get that without good leadership skills because our guys vote on that. That says volumes on what they think of him.”

 

A four-year starter for the Golden Eagle baseball team, Archer spent the season rewriting the Tech record books, claiming the top spots in wins (23), starts (55) and innings pitched (323 2/3).

 

He ranks second in career strikeouts with 273.

 

This season, Archer recorded nine wins in his fifteen starts, with two complete games to his credit. He struck out 97 batters this season and had a 3.34 earned run average.

 

A member of the Ohio Valley Conference’s all-Freshman team in 2010, Archer lived up to his promise through the course of his career.

 

Archer is also one of the few players who have been able to come through the Tech program with two championship rings, winning both the 2010 and 2013 regular-season championships.

 

“When he was leaving, he looked at me and said, ‘Coach, there aren’t many people at many schools who got to have two rings,’” Bragga said. “I’m like that’s a great point. To win two championships in his four years here, that doesn’t happen often. He was an integral part of that process to get this program where it’s at today.”

 

Archer added, “I came in as a freshman and won a championship, had two years in the middle that were a little rough, then this past year with another championship and a record-setting year with 40 wins, that’s just awesome.”

 

At the conclusion of the season, Archer was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the Major League Baseball entry draft and currently plays with the Helena Brewers in the minor league ranks.

 

“He’s a great player,” Bragga said. “I know he’s not off to a great start in the minors, but he’s not off to a bad start either. To me, he’s a guy that I really believe that can pitch in the big leagues. He’s that good. He’s not the hardest thrower we’ve ever had and may not have the best breaking ball, but he’s got a really good fastball, plus breaking ball, plus change-up and the demeanor that fits it all.”

 

Archer added, “It’s going well. We started our first long road trip, but it’s going good. I’ve made one start with five appearances so far. It’s been great. There are a lot of good guys up here too. It’s not a whole lot different, but I love getting to throw to wood bats now. That’s for sure. That’s definitely my favorite part of the whole thing.”

 

In the classroom, Archer excelled, earning six selections to the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll, a pick to the 2011-12 OVC Commissioner’s Honor Roll and twice on the Dean’s List.

 

“Academically, he did it for four years,” Bragga said. “He’s just been phenomenal. You never had to worry about Tristan taking care of his business. Not that we have anybody we have to worry about, but he just focused on his work and gets it done and does everything right.”

 

And what most people don’t realize about baseball is the way the schedule works out, the team could play four to five games a week, with travel and practices as well, making it incredibly hard to focus on academics.

 

That’s what makes the feat even more impressive.

 

“It’s tough,” Bragga said. “Absolutely, it’s tough. That’s just something he did a phenomenal job with. Occassionally he’d have to miss part of practice to be in class, but he’d be back afterwards talking with our coaches to see what he had missed and making it up. He’s going to get his work in.”

 

Archer added, “We’re on the road a whole lot through the season. Some time during the week, we’ll usually be gone at some point, but we still try to devote time to getting our academic work done.”

 

Community service is also a big part of the equation. Archer spent time as a bell ringer for the Cookeville Rescue Mission, worked several field day events for Putnam County schools, assisting at the Fall FunFest and helping run the Golden Eagle Baseball School’s annual high school elite camp.

 

“We’ve always had plenty of opportunities to go out and give back to the community,” Archer said.

 

“Tristan, in his time here, has gone to elementary schools,” Bragga said. “He’s worked with them and read to them. He is involved in the community in so many ways. He understands that there’s a lot more to playing baseball on the collegiate level than just playing the game. There’s the academic side that he took care of and there’s an off-the-field side where he’s made great decisions and heavily involved in the community.”

 

Tennessee Tech pitcher Tristan Archer was named the Tech Athletics Man of the Year. (Tony Marable | Herald-Citizen)

 

http://matchbin-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/public/sites/971/assets/CX71_HCArcher.jpg

[Eye Black]

Great footage of Devin Williams' four innings pitched from this past Saturday's AZL game...

 

[TooLiveBrew]

Excellent find, Eye Black. Is that free content? Wow.

[Mass Haas]

Giacalone in attack mode

By Greg Rachac / Special to MiLB.com

 

Nobody wants to go backward. In Minor League Baseball, it's move up or bust.

 

Yet many times there's a method to the madness. For Adam Giacalone, a return to Helena has meant a chance to make specific refinements to his swing and become the power hitter the Milwaukee Brewers envision.

 

"I took it as a way to get better," said Giacalone, a first baseman who was reassigned to the Pioneer League from Class A Wisconsin of the Midwest League on July 13. "To come back and have the opportunity to play every day and work and get my way back up, that's what I'm going to do. One of the biggest things you can do in baseball is learn from your struggles."

 

The left-handed-hitting Giacalone was picked by Milwaukee in the 16th round of the 2012 Draft out of Neosho County Community College in Chanute, Kan. He played his first professional season in Helena last year, where he hit .317 with three home runs and 32 RBIs in 69 games.

 

He began this season in Wisconsin, batting .249 in 64 games. But one thing stood out: Giacalone's power was nonexistent. In the Midwest League, the 6-foot-2, 220-pounder went homerless, which prompted Brewers brass to make a calculated decision.

 

"He's a contact guy," said Helena manager Tony Diggs. "He drives the ball up the middle a lot, and that's very good for a lefty to be able to stay on the ball like that. It's just a matter of him getting into position to hit with more authority. We're looking for a little more power coming from a first baseman.

 

"His first day back, we sat down and had a little bit of a conversation just to go over the expectations and maybe even the disappointment he had being back here. But he was fine with everything. He knows he's here to work hard and get things back on track, and hopefully give him a chance to get out of here as soon as possible."

 

Both Diggs and Giacalone say the first baseman's restructured workload in Helena consists of being more aggressive at the plate. Giacalone constantly squares up pitches, but now it's a matter of attacking the strike zone more in an effort to increase his home run numbers.

 

Through 23 games in Helena this season, Giacalone was hitting .386 with three homers and 23 RBIs. His slugging percentage was .511, more than 200 points higher than it was at Wisconsin. It's all part of the role Giacalone knows he must fill.

 

"I've shown I can hit for a decent average, but that might not be what a first baseman is supposed to do," Giacalone said. "What I've been trying to work on is staying on my legs, staying on my lower-half a lot more and staying back on the ball.

 

"It's been nice to see some results. But you can never be satisfied. There's things I'm still trying to work on and trying to get comfortable with."

[MTBrew]

I have been watching Giacalone since his return to Helena and see no change in his swing.

No doubt he can put the bat on the ball, it's just in the way he swings he generates no

power - all upper body.

I hope he can figure things out as he has a frame that should translate into more power.

[Mass Haas]

Jason Arndt spoke with Clint Coulter this week