Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboys In The Pros, June 23
June 23, 2015 | Cowboy Baseball
Oklahoma State currently has 17 former players on professional baseball rosters, including a pair of big leaguers in Pittsburgh shortstop Jordy Mercer and St. Louis pitcher Tyler Lyons. Two ex-OSU stars are MLB managers — Robin Ventura of the Chicago White Sox and John Farrell with the Boston Red Sox.
Tyler Lyons, St. Louis (Cardinals) – OSU Career: 2007-10
Lyons has bounced between Triple A Memphis and St. Louis this season but is currently back in the bigs with the Cardinals and has won his last two starts. In both outings, Lyons worked five innings and combined to strikeout 11. And in a win over Philadelphia on June 19, he also went 2-for-2 at the plate with an RBI, a walk and three runs: http://m.mlb.com/news/article/131811158/cardinals-tyler-lyons-helps-his-cause-at-plate.
In five starts with St. Louis this season, the southpaw is 2-0 with a 5.09 ERA and 28 strikeouts in 23 innings of work. For his MLB career, which spans parts of three seasons with the Cardinals, Lyons is 4-8 with a 4.71 ERA in 28 appearances, including 17 starts.
In eight starts at Triple A Memphis in 2015, Lyons is 5-2 with a 2.61 ERA and two complete games — including one shutout — and 56 strikeouts in 48.1 innings.
Jordy Mercer, Pittsburgh Pirates – OSU Career: 2006-08
In 58 games this season, his fourth in the big leagues, Mercer is hitting .215 with two home runs, eight doubles and 12 RBIs. He owns a .988 fielding percentage and has committed just three errors on the year.
Mercer established himself as Pittsburgh's starting shortstop last season, playing in 149 games and hitting .255 with 12 home runs and 55 RBIs.
In 352 career games with Pittsburgh, Mercer is hitting .255 with 23 homers, 62 doubles and 99 RBIs.
Six former Cowboys are currently at the Triple A level.
Scott Baker, Oklahoma City Dodgers (Dodgers) – OSU Career: 2001-03
Baker started the season with Oklahoma City and after going 1-1 with a 1.06 ERA and a complete game shutout, the right-hander was called up to Los Angeles. In two starts with the Dodgers, he was 0-1 with a 5.73 ERA before being designated for assignment by the club. He's now back in OKC, where he's 5-3 with a 3.88 ERA and two complete games in 10 starts, but was recently placed on the 7-Day Disabled List.
Baker has played parts of 10 seasons in the big leagues with Minnesota, the Chicago Cubs, Texas and the Dodgers and is 66-53 with a 4.26 ERA.
Corey Brown, Durham Bulls (Rays) – OSU Career: 2005-07
Brown joined his hometown Tampa Bay organization in the offseason after spending 2014 in the Boston system. He is hitting .236 with 11 home runs and 33 RBIs in 55 games this season and has been on a tear of late, hitting .308 with three homers and seven RBIs in his last 10 games.
In nine seasons in the minor leagues, Brown owns a .261 career average to go along with 151 homers and 484 RBIs.
Brown spent parts of three seasons with the Washington Nationals and played in three games for the Red Sox last year. He's appeared in 39 games at the Major League Baseball level and is hitting .171 with two homers and four RBIs in those games.
Matt Hague, Buffalo Bisons (Blue Jays) – OSU Career: 2008
Hague is living up to the nickname given to him by Pirates manager Clint Hurdle. "The Hit Collector" leads the International League with a .351 batting average and 43 RBIs, and in 52 games for Buffalo has also racked up 19 doubles and four homers. He was named the International League Offensive Player of the Week on May 25 and is among the leading vote getters for the league's All-Star game, which would be the third selection of his career.
Hague has two years of MLB experience with Pittsburgh in 2012 and 2014, where he played in 32 games and hit .222 with seven RBIs.
Andrew Heaney, Salt Lake Bees (Angels) – OSU Career: 2010-12
In 14 starts with the Bees in 2015, Heaney is 6-2 with a 4.71 ERA. The southpaw, who is in his fourth professional season, ranks second in the Pacific Coast League with 74 strikeouts.
Traded twice in the offseason, Heaney battled for a spot in the Angels' rotation in Spring Training but didn't quite make the cut. As a rookie with the Miami Marlins last season, he made seven appearances, including five starts, and was 0-3 with a 5.83 ERA.
Andrew Oliver, Durham Bulls (Rays) – OSU Career: 2007-09
Oliver signed with Tampa Bay in mid-April and was assigned to Triple A Durham. In 21 relief appearances with the Bulls, the southpaw is 0-1 with a save and a 4.24 ERA to go along with 28 strikeouts in 23.1 innings.
Oliver spent parts of two major league seasons in Detroit (2010-11), where he was 0-5 with a 7.11 ERA in seven starts; he played the 2013 and 2014 with Pittsburgh's Triple A affiliate in Indianapolis.
Luke Scott, Buffalo Bisons (Blue Jays) – OSU Career: 2000-01
Scott is continuing his efforts to return to Major League Baseball. He started 2015 in the Mexican League, where he hit .292 with seven homers and 27 RBIs in 28 games, before being signed by Toronto in May. At Triple A Buffalo, he's hitting .271 with seven doubles, two homers and 15 RBIs in 28 games.
Scott played nine major league seasons with Houston, Baltimore and Tampa Bay from 2005-2013 before spending last season in Japan. In 889 games and nearly a decade in the bigs, Scott hit .258 with 135 homers and 436 RBIs.
At the Double A level, four OSU baseball alums are looking to move up the ranks.
Tom Belza, Mobile BayBears (Diamondbacks) – OSU Career: 2008-10
Belza has spent time at both the Triple A and Double A levels in 2015 and is currently with Mobile, where he's hitting .245 with three homers and 11 RBIs in 41 games. At Triple A Reno earlier this season, he hit .162 in 16 games.
A 2014 Southern League Postseason All-Star, Belza is in his sixth minor league season and second with Mobile, where he hit .305 with 31 RBIs a year ago.
Jason Hursh, Mississippi Braves (Braves) – OSU Career: 2011-13
Hursh was named the Atlanta Braves organization's minor league pitcher of the year in 2014 after going 11-7 with a 3.58 ERA in 27 games (26 starts). In his second season with Mississippi, Hursh is 2-5 with a 5.40 ERA in 13 starts.
Mike Strong, Biloxi Shuckers (Brewers) – OSU Career: 2010-11
Strong is in his fifth minor league season, all in the Brewers organization. He has made 25 relief appearances in 2015 and is 2-0 with three saves and a 2.91 ERA. The southpaw has recorded 35 strikeouts in 34 innings of work.
Three members of OSU's 2014 Big 12 Conference championship are in their second pro seasons in 2015.
Brendan McCurry, Stockton Ports (A's) – OSU Career: 2013-14
McCurry has spent 2015 at the Class A Advanced level and is 1-2 with 12 saves — a total that ranks second in the California League — and a 2.76 ERA in 24 relief appearances. He's racked up 38 strikeouts in 32.2 innings.
An All-American for the Cowboys in 2014 and the school's all-time leader in saves, McCurry was 2-0 with two saves and a 0.34 ERA to go along with 34 strikeouts in 26.1 innings at Class A Beloit last year.
Zach Fish, Great Falls Voyagers (White Sox) – OSU Career: 2012-14
The 2014 Big 12 Conference Player of the Year, Fish started the season at Class A Kannapolis where he hit .125 with a homer and 10 RBIS in 20 games. He is now playing for Great Falls of the Pioneer League (Rookie) where he's hitting .250 with three RBIs in three games.
Tanner Krietemeier, Rome Braves (Braves) – OSU Career: 2013-14
Krietemeier is in his second season at Class A Rome in 2015 and is hitting .243 with seven doubles, two triples, a homer and 23 RBIs in 47 games.
In 2014, Krietemeier split tiime at the Rookie League and Class A levels and hit .261 with 19 RBIs.
A trio of Cowboys who completed their OSU careers last month are starting their pro careers in the Rookie League, while 2015 Big 12 Pitcher of the Year Michael Freeman is set to join Class A Quad Cities later this week following the Midwest League All-Star break.
Tim Arakawa, Orem Owlz (Angels) – OSU Career: 2014-15
A 23rd-round draft pick of the Angels earlier this month, Arakawa made his professional debut last Saturday and went 1-for-4 and scored a run.
Gage Green, AZL Dodgers (Dodgers) – OSU Career: 2012-15
The two-time All-Big 12 First Team catcher has played in two games for the Dodgers' Rookie League team and is 0-for-3 with a walk. Green was a 35th-round pick of Los Angeles earlier this month.
Jon Perrin, AZL Brewers (Brewers) – OSU Career: 2012-15
In his pro debut last Saturday, Perrin started and worked three scoreless innings. He did not allow a hit or a walk and struck out two. The righty was a 27th-round pick of the Brewers earlier this month.
Tyler Lyons, St. Louis (Cardinals) – OSU Career: 2007-10
Lyons has bounced between Triple A Memphis and St. Louis this season but is currently back in the bigs with the Cardinals and has won his last two starts. In both outings, Lyons worked five innings and combined to strikeout 11. And in a win over Philadelphia on June 19, he also went 2-for-2 at the plate with an RBI, a walk and three runs: http://m.mlb.com/news/article/131811158/cardinals-tyler-lyons-helps-his-cause-at-plate.
In five starts with St. Louis this season, the southpaw is 2-0 with a 5.09 ERA and 28 strikeouts in 23 innings of work. For his MLB career, which spans parts of three seasons with the Cardinals, Lyons is 4-8 with a 4.71 ERA in 28 appearances, including 17 starts.
In eight starts at Triple A Memphis in 2015, Lyons is 5-2 with a 2.61 ERA and two complete games — including one shutout — and 56 strikeouts in 48.1 innings.
Jordy Mercer, Pittsburgh Pirates – OSU Career: 2006-08
In 58 games this season, his fourth in the big leagues, Mercer is hitting .215 with two home runs, eight doubles and 12 RBIs. He owns a .988 fielding percentage and has committed just three errors on the year.
Mercer established himself as Pittsburgh's starting shortstop last season, playing in 149 games and hitting .255 with 12 home runs and 55 RBIs.
In 352 career games with Pittsburgh, Mercer is hitting .255 with 23 homers, 62 doubles and 99 RBIs.
Six former Cowboys are currently at the Triple A level.
Scott Baker, Oklahoma City Dodgers (Dodgers) – OSU Career: 2001-03
Baker started the season with Oklahoma City and after going 1-1 with a 1.06 ERA and a complete game shutout, the right-hander was called up to Los Angeles. In two starts with the Dodgers, he was 0-1 with a 5.73 ERA before being designated for assignment by the club. He's now back in OKC, where he's 5-3 with a 3.88 ERA and two complete games in 10 starts, but was recently placed on the 7-Day Disabled List.
Baker has played parts of 10 seasons in the big leagues with Minnesota, the Chicago Cubs, Texas and the Dodgers and is 66-53 with a 4.26 ERA.
Corey Brown, Durham Bulls (Rays) – OSU Career: 2005-07
Brown joined his hometown Tampa Bay organization in the offseason after spending 2014 in the Boston system. He is hitting .236 with 11 home runs and 33 RBIs in 55 games this season and has been on a tear of late, hitting .308 with three homers and seven RBIs in his last 10 games.
In nine seasons in the minor leagues, Brown owns a .261 career average to go along with 151 homers and 484 RBIs.
Brown spent parts of three seasons with the Washington Nationals and played in three games for the Red Sox last year. He's appeared in 39 games at the Major League Baseball level and is hitting .171 with two homers and four RBIs in those games.
Matt Hague, Buffalo Bisons (Blue Jays) – OSU Career: 2008
Hague is living up to the nickname given to him by Pirates manager Clint Hurdle. "The Hit Collector" leads the International League with a .351 batting average and 43 RBIs, and in 52 games for Buffalo has also racked up 19 doubles and four homers. He was named the International League Offensive Player of the Week on May 25 and is among the leading vote getters for the league's All-Star game, which would be the third selection of his career.
Hague has two years of MLB experience with Pittsburgh in 2012 and 2014, where he played in 32 games and hit .222 with seven RBIs.
Andrew Heaney, Salt Lake Bees (Angels) – OSU Career: 2010-12
In 14 starts with the Bees in 2015, Heaney is 6-2 with a 4.71 ERA. The southpaw, who is in his fourth professional season, ranks second in the Pacific Coast League with 74 strikeouts.
Traded twice in the offseason, Heaney battled for a spot in the Angels' rotation in Spring Training but didn't quite make the cut. As a rookie with the Miami Marlins last season, he made seven appearances, including five starts, and was 0-3 with a 5.83 ERA.
Andrew Oliver, Durham Bulls (Rays) – OSU Career: 2007-09
Oliver signed with Tampa Bay in mid-April and was assigned to Triple A Durham. In 21 relief appearances with the Bulls, the southpaw is 0-1 with a save and a 4.24 ERA to go along with 28 strikeouts in 23.1 innings.
Oliver spent parts of two major league seasons in Detroit (2010-11), where he was 0-5 with a 7.11 ERA in seven starts; he played the 2013 and 2014 with Pittsburgh's Triple A affiliate in Indianapolis.
Luke Scott, Buffalo Bisons (Blue Jays) – OSU Career: 2000-01
Scott is continuing his efforts to return to Major League Baseball. He started 2015 in the Mexican League, where he hit .292 with seven homers and 27 RBIs in 28 games, before being signed by Toronto in May. At Triple A Buffalo, he's hitting .271 with seven doubles, two homers and 15 RBIs in 28 games.
Scott played nine major league seasons with Houston, Baltimore and Tampa Bay from 2005-2013 before spending last season in Japan. In 889 games and nearly a decade in the bigs, Scott hit .258 with 135 homers and 436 RBIs.
At the Double A level, four OSU baseball alums are looking to move up the ranks.
Tom Belza, Mobile BayBears (Diamondbacks) – OSU Career: 2008-10
Belza has spent time at both the Triple A and Double A levels in 2015 and is currently with Mobile, where he's hitting .245 with three homers and 11 RBIs in 41 games. At Triple A Reno earlier this season, he hit .162 in 16 games.
A 2014 Southern League Postseason All-Star, Belza is in his sixth minor league season and second with Mobile, where he hit .305 with 31 RBIs a year ago.
Jason Hursh, Mississippi Braves (Braves) – OSU Career: 2011-13
Hursh was named the Atlanta Braves organization's minor league pitcher of the year in 2014 after going 11-7 with a 3.58 ERA in 27 games (26 starts). In his second season with Mississippi, Hursh is 2-5 with a 5.40 ERA in 13 starts.
Mike Strong, Biloxi Shuckers (Brewers) – OSU Career: 2010-11
Strong is in his fifth minor league season, all in the Brewers organization. He has made 25 relief appearances in 2015 and is 2-0 with three saves and a 2.91 ERA. The southpaw has recorded 35 strikeouts in 34 innings of work.
Three members of OSU's 2014 Big 12 Conference championship are in their second pro seasons in 2015.
Brendan McCurry, Stockton Ports (A's) – OSU Career: 2013-14
McCurry has spent 2015 at the Class A Advanced level and is 1-2 with 12 saves — a total that ranks second in the California League — and a 2.76 ERA in 24 relief appearances. He's racked up 38 strikeouts in 32.2 innings.
An All-American for the Cowboys in 2014 and the school's all-time leader in saves, McCurry was 2-0 with two saves and a 0.34 ERA to go along with 34 strikeouts in 26.1 innings at Class A Beloit last year.
Zach Fish, Great Falls Voyagers (White Sox) – OSU Career: 2012-14
The 2014 Big 12 Conference Player of the Year, Fish started the season at Class A Kannapolis where he hit .125 with a homer and 10 RBIS in 20 games. He is now playing for Great Falls of the Pioneer League (Rookie) where he's hitting .250 with three RBIs in three games.
Tanner Krietemeier, Rome Braves (Braves) – OSU Career: 2013-14
Krietemeier is in his second season at Class A Rome in 2015 and is hitting .243 with seven doubles, two triples, a homer and 23 RBIs in 47 games.
In 2014, Krietemeier split tiime at the Rookie League and Class A levels and hit .261 with 19 RBIs.
A trio of Cowboys who completed their OSU careers last month are starting their pro careers in the Rookie League, while 2015 Big 12 Pitcher of the Year Michael Freeman is set to join Class A Quad Cities later this week following the Midwest League All-Star break.
Tim Arakawa, Orem Owlz (Angels) – OSU Career: 2014-15
A 23rd-round draft pick of the Angels earlier this month, Arakawa made his professional debut last Saturday and went 1-for-4 and scored a run.
Gage Green, AZL Dodgers (Dodgers) – OSU Career: 2012-15
The two-time All-Big 12 First Team catcher has played in two games for the Dodgers' Rookie League team and is 0-for-3 with a walk. Green was a 35th-round pick of Los Angeles earlier this month.
Jon Perrin, AZL Brewers (Brewers) – OSU Career: 2012-15
In his pro debut last Saturday, Perrin started and worked three scoreless innings. He did not allow a hit or a walk and struck out two. The righty was a 27th-round pick of the Brewers earlier this month.
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