Pokes In The Pros, June 27

Walton & Theroux - Texas League All-Stars 2019

Donnie Walton & Collin Theroux

June 27, 2019 | Cowboy Baseball

Oklahoma State currently has 30 former players in the professional baseball ranks, including three on Major League Baseball rosters.

• Andrew Heaney, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim – OSU Career: 2010-12
Heaney began the season on the injured list but returned to the Angels' rotation in late May. In six starts this season, the southpaw is 1-1 with a 4.99 ERA and has racked up 36 strikeouts in 30 2/3 innings.

Heaney returned to Anaheim's starting rotation last year after injury plagued 2016 and 2017 seasons, and in 23 starts, he went 9-10 with a 4.15 ERA and 180 strikeouts in 180 innings of work.

In his sixth major league season, five of those with the Angels, Heaney owns a career 17-21 record and 4.36 ERA and has 348 strikeouts in 373 1/3 innings of work.

Injured List
• Koda Glover, Washington Nationals – OSU Career: 2015
Glover continues to battle a forearm injury that landed him on the 60-day injured list on April 26, and the right-hander has not pitched this season.

A year ago, Glover made 21 appearances and was 1-3 with a save and a 3.31 ERA.

In early 2017, his third professional season, Glover emerged as the Nationals' closer, but back and shoulder injuries ended his season prematurely. He finished the season with eight saves in 23 games.

Glover has pitched in 63 career games at the big league level over three seasons and is 3-4 with nine saves and a 4.55 ERA.

• Jordy Mercer, Detroit Tigers – OSU Career: 2006-08
After seven seasons with Pittsburgh, the seasoned shortstop put on a new uniform in 2019 with the Detroit Tigers. He has been limited to 19 games this season due to a nagging quadriceps injury and is currently on the 10-day injured list with a possible return prior the All-Star Break.

In 2017, Mercer enjoyed his best season in the big leagues as he hit .255 with 14 home runs and 58 RBIs. The 14 homers marked a career high, as did his five triples, and he was one RBI shy of his career high.

In eight seasons in Major League Baseball, Mercer is a career .255 hitter with 154 doubles, 15 triples, 56 home runs, and 280 RBI.

A pair of former Cowboys are at the Triple A level.

• Tyler Lyons, Indianapolis Indians (Pirates) – OSU Career: 2007-10
Lyons spent six years with the St. Louis Cardinals before signing a minor league deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2019.

The southpaw made a brief stint with Pittsburgh in early May and was 1-1 with an 11.25 ERA and five strikeouts in three relief appearances, but he has spent the majority of the season in Triple A.

In 24 games for Indianapolis, Lyons is 4-0 with three saves and a 1.93 ERA while posting 29 strikeouts in 28 innings.

In 2017, Lyons was one of the Cardinals' top arms out of the bullpen as he made a career-high 50 relief appearances and was 4-1 with three saves and a 2.83 ERA while recording 68 strikeouts in 54.0 innings of work.

For his MLB career, Lyons is 13-11 with three saves and a 4.20 ERA in 150 appearances, and he has racked up 277 strikeouts in 272 1/3 innings.

• Brendan McCurry, Round Rock Express (Astros) – OSU Career: 2013-14
McCurry is in his sixth professional season and currently plays for the Round Rock Express. In 17 games, the righty is 1-1 with a 5.00 ERA and four saves, and he has tallied 29 strikeouts in 27 innings.

An All-American at OSU in 2014 and the school's all-time leader in saves, McCurry is 17-18 with 69 saves and a 3.06 ERA in his career and has struck out 367 in 308 2/3 innings.

Six former Cowboys are currently at the Double A level.

• Blake Battenfield, Birmingham Barons (White Sox) – OSU Career: 2014-2017
Battenfield was called up to Double A Birmingham on May 10 after making six starts at the Class A Advanced level and posting a 2.83 ERA.

Since the promotion, the right-hander is 2-2 with a 5.12 ERA in eight starts for the Barons while striking out 33 in 38 2/3 innings of work.

Battenfield impressed last year at the Class A level with a 10-5 record, 2.98 ERA and 115 strikeouts in 121 innings and was a midseason All-Star at Kannapolis.

Now in his third professional season, Battenfield owns a career record of 14-13 and a 3.58 ERA in 57 games.

• Thomas Hatch, Tennessee Smokies (Cubs) – OSU Career: 2014-16
Hatch is in his third professional season and second with Double A Tennessee, where he is 4-7 with a 4.74 ERA in 15 starts in 2019. He ranks 10^th in the Southern League with 73 strikeouts.

A third-round pick by the Chicago Cubs after an All-American season at OSU in 2016, Hatch was a Southern League All-Star in 2018, starting 26 games and going 8-6 with a 3.82 ERA.

Hatch is 17-24 with a 4.10 ERA and 316 strikeouts in 67 career starts.

• Jason Hursh, Mississippi Braves (Braves) – OSU Career: 2011-13
A first-round pick in 2013, Hursh is in his seventh season in the Braves' organization, and he was named a Southern League All-Star earlier this month.

In 23 appearances for Mississippi this season, Hursh is 1-1 with a pair of saves and a 1.84 ERA.

A right-hander, Hursh was named the Atlanta Braves organization's minor league pitcher of the year in 2014.

Hursh has pitched in 11 games in the big leagues over parts of two seasons, and he is 25-27 with a 3.49 ERA and 20 saves in 227 career outings in the minors.

• Collin Theroux, Midland RockHounds (Athletics) – OSU Career: 2016
In his fourth pro season, Theroux has spent time at the Double A and Triple A levels this season, and he is currently with Double A Midland, where he was recently named a Texas League All-Star.

In 43 games for Midland this season, the catcher is hitting .227 with seven homers and 22 RBIs. In five games at Triple A Las Vegas, he was 3-for-18 at the plate.

Theroux is a career .170 hitter and has 32 homers and 88 RBIs as a professional.

• Donnie Walton, Arkansas Travelers (Mariners) – OSU Career: 2013-16
Walton has spent 2019 with Double A Arkansas, where he collected Texas League All-Star honors a year after earning California League All-Star status for Class A Advanced Modesto.

In 65 games this season, Walton is hitting .315 with eight homers and 30 RBIs. In the 10 games prior to the All-Star break, the infielder hit safely in nine of them, turning in a .500 batting average (20-for-40) during that span.

Walton was a fifth-round pick of Seattle after an All-American senior season at OSU. In 299 career games at the pro level, Walton owns a .283 batting average to go along with 21 homers, 58 doubles and 123 RBIs.

• Garrett Williams, Richmond Flying Squirrels (Giants) – OSU Career: 2014-16
A seventh-round pick in 2016, Williams is in his fourth professional season and second at Double A Richmond. The southpaw has made 14 starts this season and is 1-7 with a 4.05 ERA while recording 59 strikeouts in 60 innings.

In his minor league career, Williams is 12-23 with a 4.15 ERA and 255 strikeouts in 271 innings.

The Cowboys have a wealth of former stars on various levels of Class A and Rookie League rosters.

• Reza Aleaziz, Ogden Raptors (Dodgers) – OSU Career: 2018
Aleaziz signed with Los Angeles after his lone season at OSU; the right-hander was a 28^th-round pick of the Dodgers in 2018.

After pitching in 17 games for Ogden last season and going 1-1 with two saves, Aleaziz is back on the roster for the Pioneer (Rookie) League team in 2019. In five appearances for the Raptors, he is 1-0 with a save and a 4.91 ERA.

• Brady Basso, AZL Athletics Gold (A's) – OSU Career: 2017-19
Basso made his professional debut this week in the Arizona (Rookie) League, striking out three and allowing two runs on four hits in two innings of relief.

A southpaw, Basso was a 16^th-round pick of Oakland in this month's MLB Draft who spent three seasons in Stillwater.

• Peyton Battenfield, Tri-City ValleyCats (Astros) – OSU Career: 2017-19
Battenfield was a ninth-round selection of Houston in this year's draft and signed with the Astros following his junior season at OSU.

Assigned to Class A Short Season Tri-City, Battenfield has made two appearances for the ValleyCats, including a start in which he struck out four in three innings, and has not allowed a run.

• Garrett Benge, Salem Red Sox (Red Sox) – OSU Career: 2016-17
Benge has played in 51 games this season for Class A Advanced Salem, where he's hitting .253 with a homer, 11 doubles and 13 RBIs.

A 13^th-round draft pick of Boston in 2017, Benge was an All-Star in his first professional season and is a career .267 hitter with three homers, 30 doubles and 53 RBIs in 144 games.

• Trevor Boone, Boise Hawks (Rockies) – OSU Career: 2017-19
Boone joined Class A Short Season Boise after signing with Colorado earlier this month following his selection in the 18^th round of the MLB Draft.

The outfielder, who capped his OSU career by earning All-Big 12 and All-Midwest Region First Team honors, has played in five games for the Hawks and recorded the first two hits and RBI of his career on Wednesday.

• Tyler Buffett, Billings Mustangs (Reds) – OSU Career: 2014-2017
Buffett was assigned to Cincinnati's Extended Spring Training on June 13. In his first two professional seasons, the righty pitched in 39 games and was 4-2 with three saves and a 4.95 ERA.

Buffett's four seasons in an OSU uniform saw him record 20 wins, nine saves and 226 strikeouts, and he ranks in the top 10 on the Cowboys' all-time lists in appearances (87) and innings pitched (275 2/3).

• Trey Cobb, St. Lucie Mets (Mets) – OSU Career: 2014-2017
Cobb will miss the 2019 season recovering from offseason Tommy John surgery.

Over his first two pro seasons, Cobb compiled a 4-4 record and 3.01 ERA while posting 13 saves in 62 relief appearances. He was a South Atlantic League All-Star for Class A Columbia in 2018.

Following four seasons in an OSU uniform, Cobb was an eighth-round pick of the New York Mets in 2017. He ended his career as the program's all-time leader in appearances with 92, and he ranks sixth all-time on the Cowboys with 11 saves.

• J.R. Davis, West Virginia Power (Seattle Mariners) – OSU Career: 2016
Following his lone season with the Cowboys in 2016 in which he led OSU in hitting and was an All-Big 12 First Team selection, Davis signed a pro contract after being drafted in the 15^th round by St. Louis.

After spending three seasons in the Cardinals' organization, Davis signed a free agent minor league contract with Seattle in May. He played in one game at Triple A Tacoma before being assigned to Class A West Virginia, where in 34 games he is hitting .279 with two homers, five doubles and 14 RBIs.

In four pro seasons, Davis is a career .277 hitter with 13 homers, 47 doubles, six triples and 86 RBIs.

• Jensen Elliott, GCL Orioles (Orioles) – OSU Career: 2016-19
Elliott made his professional debut for the Gulf Coast (Rookie) League Orioles on June 25, working 1 1/3 scoreless innings in relief and picking up a pair of strikeouts.

Elliott was a 19^th-round pick of Baltimore in this year's MLB Draft and finished his OSU career 10^th on the program's all-time wins list with 22 after going 10-4 in 17 starts this season as a junior.

• Logan Gragg, State College Spikes (Cardinals) – OSU Career: 2019
An eighth-round choice of St. Louis in this year's MLB Draft, Gragg has made a pair of relief appearances for Class A Short Season State College and sports a 2.70 ERA to go along with five strikeouts in 3 1/3 innings.

A right-hander, Gragg was 3-3 with two saves in his lone season in Stillwater, pitching in 24 games and posting a 5.10 ERA in 42 1/3 innings of work.

• Jonathan Heasley, Lexington Legends (Royals) – OSU Career: 2017-18
A South Atlantic League All-Star for Class A Lexington, Heasley has made 15 appearances this season, 10 as a starter, and is 6-3 with a 2.55 ERA and 86 strikeouts in 70 2/3 innings.

Heasley was the first Cowboy selected in the 2018 draft when Kansas City took him in the 13^th round following his sophomore season at OSU. He was 1-3 with a 5.15 ERA in 12 games in his first professional season.

• Matt Kroon, Clearwater Threshers (Phillies) – OSU Career: 2018
Kroon began the season at the Class A level before being promoted to Class A Advanced Clearwater in late May. In 20 games with the Threshers, the first baseman is hitting .264 with a home run and nine RBIs.

The 2018 Big 12 Newcomer of the Year, Kroon was drafted for the third time in 2018 and signed with Philadelphia after they selected him in the 18^th round. He hit .287 with two home runs and 10 RBI in his first pro season.

• Jon Littell, Ogden Raptors (Dodgers) – OSU Career: 2015-18
Littell is back for his second season in the Pioneer (Rookie) League with Ogden in 2019 and is hitting .375 with a homer and seven RBIs in 10 games for the Raptors.

After spending four seasons in an OSU uniform and playing in nearly 200 games for the Cowboys, Littell was a 37^th-round pick of the Dodgers in 2018. In his first season as a pro, he appeared in 35 games and hit .276 with three home runs and 23 RBIs.

• Jake Lyons, Aberdeen IronBirds (Orioles) – OSU Career: 2019
Lyons signed with Baltimore after the Orioles selected him in the 22^nd round of this year's MLB Draft following his lone season at OSU, where he went 5-2 with a save in 20 appearances.

Assigned to Class A Short Season Aberdeen, Lyons took the loss in his pro debut on Wednesday despite striking out four and allowing only one hit in two innings of work. The lone run he surrendered was unearned.

• Andrew Navigato, GCL Tigers West (Tigers) – OSU Career: 2019
Navigato made his pro debut earlier this week after signing with Detroit when they selected him in the 20^th round of this month's MLB Draft. He has played in two games for the GCL Tigers West in the Gulf Coast (Rookie) League and is 1-for-5 at the plate.

In his lone season at OSU in 2019, Navigato earned All-Big 12 honors after hitting .288 with 12 homers, 15 doubles and 42 RBIs.

• Remey Reed, Batavia Muckdogs (Marlins) – OSU Career: 2015-16
Reed is in his fourth professional season and playing for Class A Short Season Batavia, where he is 2-0 in two relief appearances. The righty has not allowed a run while striking out 15 in 10 innings of work.

Reed has made 23 appearances at the pro level, 13 of those as a starter, and is 7-4 with a 3.64 ERA and 73 strikeouts in 71 2/3 innings.

• Colin Simpson, Grand Junction Rockies (Rockies) – OSU Career: 2016-19
A 29^th-round draft pick of Colorado in this year's MLB Draft, Simpson made his pro debut on June 21 for Grand Junction in the Pioneer (Rookie) League.

In his third game for the Rockies, Simpson blasted two home runs, and he is hitting .400 (6-for-15) with an .867 slugging percentage in five outings.

Simpson capped a standout OSU career in 2019 by earning All-Big 12 honors for the third time. He finished his career ninth on the Cowboys' career home runs list with 48.

• Carson Teel, Potomac Nationals (Nationals) – OSU Career: 2016-18
Teel made just three appearances at the Class A level this season before being called up to Class A Advanced Potomac, where he is 2-1 with a 3.56 ERA in 14 outings, six of those as a starter. He has recorded 45 strikeouts in 43 innings of work for the Nationals.

Teel was drafted for the second-straight year in 2018 and signed with Washington after they selected him in the 16^th round following his junior season with the Cowboys. The southpaw appeared in 14 games while starting six during his first pro season, compiling a 1-0 record with a 2.39 ERA.

One former Poke has found a home in the Triple A Mexican League in 2019.

• Jon Perrin, Acereros del Norte – OSU Career: 2012-15
In his fifth professional season, Perrin signed a free agent deal with Acereros del Norte on June 25. He made his season debut earlier this week, starting and striking out five in 5 1/3 innings.

Perrin spent the previous four seasons in the Milwaukee and Kansas City organizations, climbing to the Triple A level with the Brewers in 2018.

In 96 appearances as a pro, 51 of those as a starter, the right-hander is 14-22 with two saves and a 3.25 ERA.

For informative links on former Cowboys in the pros, click here: http://okstate.com/sports/2015/3/17/GEN_20140101134.aspx?path=baseball