Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboys In The Pros, June 4
June 04, 2015 | Cowboy Baseball
Two months into the 2015 season, Oklahoma State has 15 former players on professional baseball rosters. Pittsburgh shortstop Jordy Mercer is the lone Cowboy currently in the majors, while two ex-OSU stars are big league managers -- Robin Ventura of the Chicago White Sox and John Farrell with the Boston Red Sox.
Jordy Mercer, Pittsburgh Pirates - OSU Career: 2006-08
In 43 games this season, his fourth in the big leagues, Mercer is hitting .210 with two home runs, five doubles and 11 RBIs. He's been hot of late, hitting .318 (7-for-22) in his last seven games and homering in back-to-back games earlier this week.
Mercer established himself as Pittsburgh's starting shortstop last season, playing in 149 games and hitting .255 with 12 home runs and 55 RBIs.
Seven 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 4-3 with a 4.47 ERA and two complete games in eight starts on the year.
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.
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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 .211 with five home runs and 17 RBIs in 39 games this season. In nine seasons in the minor leagues, Brown owns a .260 career average to go along with 145 homers and 468 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" owns a .354 batting average for Buffalo this season, and in 52 games has racked up 17 doubles, three homers and 34 RBIs. He was named the International League Offensive Player of the Week on May 25, and he's currently on a six-game hitting streak, with multiple-hit efforts in five of those contests.
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 11 starts with the Bees in 2015, Heaney is 5-2 with a 3.73 ERA. The southpaw, who is in his fourth professional season, has recorded 60 strikeouts in 62.2 innings.
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.
Tyler Lyons, St. Louis (Cardinals) - OSU Career: 2007-10
Lyons has bounced between Memphis and St. Louis this season but is currently back at Triple A Memphis, where he's 4-2 with a 2.98 ERA and two complete games - including one shutout - in seven starts. He's also recorded 48 strikeouts in 42.1 innings.
The southpaw has made three starts for St. Louis in 2015, earning a no-decision in each, and has recorded a 5.54 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 13 innings for the Cardinals.
In parts of three big league seasons, Lyons is 2-8 with a 4.73 ERA in 26 appearances, including 15 starts.
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 15 relief appearances with the Bulls, the southpaw has a 2.89 ERA and 21 strikeouts in 18.2 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, after playing 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 .300 with six doubles, a homer and seven RBIs in 15 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 .252 with three homers and seven RBIs in 27 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.
Luis Flores, Corpus Christi Hooks (Astros) - OSU Career: 2008
Flores is in his eighth minor league season and a member of the Astros' organization after spending his first seven years playing at every level of the Cubs' minor league system. He hit .200 with a homer and five RBIs in 14 games at Triple A Fresno but was recently reassigned to Corpus Christi.
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 2-3 with a 5.61 ERA in 11 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 18 relief appearances in 2015 and is 2-0 with a save and a 2.52 ERA. The southpaw has recorded 27 strikeouts in 25 innings of work.
Three members of OSU's 2014 Big 12 Conference championship team began 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 six saves and a 3.20 ERA in 17 relief appearances. He's racked up 34 strikeouts in 25.1 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, Kannapolis Intimidators (White Sox) - OSU Career: 2012-14
The 2014 Big 12 Conference Player of the Year, Fish hit .250 with five homers and 22 RBIs in 56 games in the Rookie League last year. In 20 games for Class A Kannapolis this season, he is hitting .125 with a homer and seven RBIs.
Tanner Krietemeier, Rome Braves (Braves) - OSU Career: 2013-14
Krietemeier begins his second season at Class A Rome in 2015 and is hitting .220 with 10 RBIs in 32 games. He has hit safely in nine of his last 10 games and is hitting .341 (14-for-41) during that span.
In 2014, Krietemeier split time at the Rookie League and Class A levels and hit .261 with 19 RBIs.
Jordy Mercer, Pittsburgh Pirates - OSU Career: 2006-08
In 43 games this season, his fourth in the big leagues, Mercer is hitting .210 with two home runs, five doubles and 11 RBIs. He's been hot of late, hitting .318 (7-for-22) in his last seven games and homering in back-to-back games earlier this week.
Mercer established himself as Pittsburgh's starting shortstop last season, playing in 149 games and hitting .255 with 12 home runs and 55 RBIs.
Seven 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 4-3 with a 4.47 ERA and two complete games in eight starts on the year.
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.
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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 .211 with five home runs and 17 RBIs in 39 games this season. In nine seasons in the minor leagues, Brown owns a .260 career average to go along with 145 homers and 468 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" owns a .354 batting average for Buffalo this season, and in 52 games has racked up 17 doubles, three homers and 34 RBIs. He was named the International League Offensive Player of the Week on May 25, and he's currently on a six-game hitting streak, with multiple-hit efforts in five of those contests.
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 11 starts with the Bees in 2015, Heaney is 5-2 with a 3.73 ERA. The southpaw, who is in his fourth professional season, has recorded 60 strikeouts in 62.2 innings.
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.
Tyler Lyons, St. Louis (Cardinals) - OSU Career: 2007-10
Lyons has bounced between Memphis and St. Louis this season but is currently back at Triple A Memphis, where he's 4-2 with a 2.98 ERA and two complete games - including one shutout - in seven starts. He's also recorded 48 strikeouts in 42.1 innings.
The southpaw has made three starts for St. Louis in 2015, earning a no-decision in each, and has recorded a 5.54 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 13 innings for the Cardinals.
In parts of three big league seasons, Lyons is 2-8 with a 4.73 ERA in 26 appearances, including 15 starts.
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 15 relief appearances with the Bulls, the southpaw has a 2.89 ERA and 21 strikeouts in 18.2 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, after playing 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 .300 with six doubles, a homer and seven RBIs in 15 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 .252 with three homers and seven RBIs in 27 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.
Luis Flores, Corpus Christi Hooks (Astros) - OSU Career: 2008
Flores is in his eighth minor league season and a member of the Astros' organization after spending his first seven years playing at every level of the Cubs' minor league system. He hit .200 with a homer and five RBIs in 14 games at Triple A Fresno but was recently reassigned to Corpus Christi.
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 2-3 with a 5.61 ERA in 11 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 18 relief appearances in 2015 and is 2-0 with a save and a 2.52 ERA. The southpaw has recorded 27 strikeouts in 25 innings of work.
Three members of OSU's 2014 Big 12 Conference championship team began 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 six saves and a 3.20 ERA in 17 relief appearances. He's racked up 34 strikeouts in 25.1 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, Kannapolis Intimidators (White Sox) - OSU Career: 2012-14
The 2014 Big 12 Conference Player of the Year, Fish hit .250 with five homers and 22 RBIs in 56 games in the Rookie League last year. In 20 games for Class A Kannapolis this season, he is hitting .125 with a homer and seven RBIs.
Tanner Krietemeier, Rome Braves (Braves) - OSU Career: 2013-14
Krietemeier begins his second season at Class A Rome in 2015 and is hitting .220 with 10 RBIs in 32 games. He has hit safely in nine of his last 10 games and is hitting .341 (14-for-41) during that span.
In 2014, Krietemeier split time at the Rookie League and Class A levels and hit .261 with 19 RBIs.
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