Oklahoma State University Athletics
Jordy Mercer
Pokes In The Pros, July 30
July 30, 2019 | Cowboy Baseball
Oklahoma State has nearly 30 former players in the professional baseball ranks, including three on Major League Baseball rosters.
• 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.
• Andrew Heaney, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim – OSU Career: 2010-12
Heaney has not pitched since July 16 and was put on the 10-day injured list on July 20 with shoulder inflammation.
In nine starts this season, the southpaw is 1-3 with a 5.09 ERA while posting 54 strikeouts in 46 innings. He began the season on the injured list but returned to the Angels' rotation in late May.
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 17-23 record and 4.40 ERA and has 366 strikeouts in 388 2/3 innings of work.
• 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 missed most of May and June due to a quadriceps injury but has returned to the starting lineup and is hitting .246 with three homers and three doubles in 16 games in July.
Mercer is 5-for-11 with a homer over his last three games and is hitting .280 over his last seven games.
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 .254 hitter with 157 doubles, 15 triples, 59 home runs, and 283 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 32 games for Indianapolis, Lyons is 4-2 with three saves and a 3.26 ERA while posting 47 strikeouts in 38 2/3 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 26 games, the righty is 2-1 with a 3.21 ERA and five saves, and he has tallied 48 strikeouts in 42 innings.
An All-American at OSU in 2014 and the school's all-time leader in saves, McCurry is 18-18 with 70 saves and a 2.92 ERA in his career and has struck out 386 in 323 2/3 innings over 230 games.
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 4-2 with a 4.30 ERA in 12 starts for the Barons while striking out 45 in 60 2/3 innings of work. He has won his last two starts, allowing just one earned run over 12 innings and recording nine strikeouts.
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 16-13 and a 3.52 ERA in 61 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 4-10 with a 4.59 ERA in 21 starts in 2019. He ranks 10th in the Southern League with 93 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 17-27 with a 4.10 ERA and 336 strikeouts in 73 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 29 relief appearances for Mississippi this season, Hursh is 3-3 with a pair of saves and a 2.63 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 27-29 with a 3.52 ERA and 20 saves in 233 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, and he is currently with Double A Midland, where he was named a 2019 Texas League All-Star.
In 68 games for Midland this season, the catcher is hitting .193 with nine homers and 29 RBIs. In five games at Triple A Las Vegas, he was 3-for-18 at the plate.
Theroux is a career .166 hitter and has 34 homers and 95 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 95 games this season, Walton is hitting .292 with 10 homers, 12 doubles and 41 RBIs.
Walton was a fifth-round pick of Seattle after an All-American senior season at OSU. In 329 career games at the pro level, Walton owns a .279 batting average to go along with 23 homers, 62 doubles and 134 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 19 starts this season and is 4-8 with a 3.97 ERA while recording 85 strikeouts in 90 2/3 innings.
Williams is 3-2 with a 3.02 ERA over his last 10 outings and has posted 45 strikeouts in 50 2/3 innings of work.
In his minor league career, Williams is 15-24 with a 4.12 ERA and 281 strikeouts in 301 2/3 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 28th-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 13 appearances for the Raptors, he is 2-0 with four saves and a 4.15 ERA.
• Brady Basso, AZL Athletics Gold (A's) – OSU Career: 2017-19
Basso made his professional debut last month in the Arizona (Rookie) League and has made eight appearances on the season, posting a 2.70 ERA and striking out 19 in 13 1/3 innings.
A southpaw, Basso was a 16th-round pick of Oakland in last 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 eight appearances for the ValleyCats, including three starts, and is 1-1 with 26 strikeouts in 24 innings. He posted his first-career win on July 10, striking out six in 3 2/3 scoreless innings of relief.
• Garrett Benge, Salem Red Sox (Red Sox) – OSU Career: 2016-17
Benge has played in 67 games this season for Class A Advanced Salem, where he's hitting .261 with two homers, 14 doubles and 23 RBIs.
A 13th-round draft pick of Boston in 2017, Benge was an All-Star in his first professional season and is a career .269 hitter with four homers, 33 doubles and 63 RBIs in 160 games.
• Trevor Boone, Boise Hawks (Rockies) – OSU Career: 2017-19
Boone joined Class A Short Season Boise after signing with Colorado last month following his selection in the 18th round of the MLB Draft.
The outfielder, who capped his OSU career by earning All-Big 12 and All-Midwest Region First Team honors, is hitting .225 with two homers, four doubles and 15 RBIs in 32 games.
• 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.
• 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.
The right-hander has pitched in six games as a pro, four of them starts, and owns a 2.40 ERA with 14 strikeouts in 15 innings.
Elliott was a 19th-round pick of Baltimore in this year's MLB Draft and finished his OSU career 10th 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 began his pro career at Class A Short Season State College before being called up to Class A Peoria on July 16.
Gragg has pitched twice for Peoria, earning a save in his first outing before starting and striking out four in four innings in his second appearance.
In eight games in relief for State College, Gragg posted a 2.45 ERA and a pair of saves.
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 20 appearances this season, 15 as a starter, and is 8-4 with a 2.94 ERA and 105 strikeouts in 95 innings. He ranks 10th in the South Atlantic League in strikeouts.
Over his last 10 outings, the righty is 4-2 with a 3.31 ERA and 60 strikeouts in 54 1/3 innings of work.
Heasley was the first Cowboy selected in the 2018 draft when Kansas City took him in the 13th 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 45 games with the Threshers, the first baseman is hitting .215 with two home runs and 16 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 18th round. He hit .287 with two home runs and 10 RBI in his first pro season.
• Joe Lienhard, Idaho Falls Chukars (Royals) – OSU Career: 2016-19
Lienhard began his pro career last month in the independent leagues with the Sugar Land Skeeters before signing a free agent minor league deal with Kansas City on July 16.
In four relief outings for Idaho Falls, Lienhard has struck out eight in 6 2/3 innings. He earned his first-career save on July 23.
Lienhard spent four seasons with the Cowboys and ranks seventh on OSU's all-time list with 76 appearances.
• Jon Littell, Ogden Raptors (Dodgers) – OSU Career: 2016-18
Littell is back for his second season in the Pioneer (Rookie) League with Ogden in 2019 and is hitting .315 with two homers, two doubles, two triples and 13 RBIs in 22 games for the Raptors.
After spending four seasons in an OSU uniform and playing in nearly 200 games for the Cowboys, Littell was a 37th-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 22nd 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 has made seven outings as a pro and is 0-2 with a 1.35 ERA and has 17 strikeouts in 13 1/3 innings.
Lyons made the first start of his pro career earlier this week; he struck out seven and did not allow a hit over four scoreless innings.
• Andrew Navigato, GCL Tigers West (Tigers) – OSU Career: 2019
Navigato made his pro debut with the GCL Tigers West after signing with Detroit when they selected him in the 20th round of last month's MLB Draft. After playing in 15 games in the Gulf Coast League, he was assigned to Connecticut in Class A Short Season.
Navigato is 2-for-10 at the plate in three games for Connecticut after hitting .133 in 15 games in the GCL.
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 was promoted to Class A Clinton on July 10 after starting the season in Class A Short Season.
The righty has thrived at both levels in 2019, starting eight games and posting a 5-0 record and 1.21 ERA while racking up 51 strikeouts in 44 2/3 innings.
Reed has made 29 appearances at the pro level, 19 of those as a starter, and is 10-4 with a 2.96 ERA and 109 strikeouts in 106 1/3 innings.
• Colin Simpson, Grand Junction Rockies (Rockies) – OSU Career: 2016-19
A 29th-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.
Simpson has been impressive thus far as a pro, hitting .368 with 10 homers, six doubles, four triples and 25 RBIs in 30 games. He was named the Pioneer League Player of the Week on July 21 and over his last 10 games, Simpson is hitting .400 with five homers and 13 RBIs.
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 5-2 with a 3.61 ERA in 19 outings, 10 of those as a starter. He has recorded 66 strikeouts in 67 1/3 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 16th 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.
For informative links on former Cowboys in the pros, click here.
• 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.
• Andrew Heaney, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim – OSU Career: 2010-12
Heaney has not pitched since July 16 and was put on the 10-day injured list on July 20 with shoulder inflammation.
In nine starts this season, the southpaw is 1-3 with a 5.09 ERA while posting 54 strikeouts in 46 innings. He began the season on the injured list but returned to the Angels' rotation in late May.
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 17-23 record and 4.40 ERA and has 366 strikeouts in 388 2/3 innings of work.
• 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 missed most of May and June due to a quadriceps injury but has returned to the starting lineup and is hitting .246 with three homers and three doubles in 16 games in July.
Mercer is 5-for-11 with a homer over his last three games and is hitting .280 over his last seven games.
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 .254 hitter with 157 doubles, 15 triples, 59 home runs, and 283 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 32 games for Indianapolis, Lyons is 4-2 with three saves and a 3.26 ERA while posting 47 strikeouts in 38 2/3 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 26 games, the righty is 2-1 with a 3.21 ERA and five saves, and he has tallied 48 strikeouts in 42 innings.
An All-American at OSU in 2014 and the school's all-time leader in saves, McCurry is 18-18 with 70 saves and a 2.92 ERA in his career and has struck out 386 in 323 2/3 innings over 230 games.
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 4-2 with a 4.30 ERA in 12 starts for the Barons while striking out 45 in 60 2/3 innings of work. He has won his last two starts, allowing just one earned run over 12 innings and recording nine strikeouts.
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 16-13 and a 3.52 ERA in 61 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 4-10 with a 4.59 ERA in 21 starts in 2019. He ranks 10th in the Southern League with 93 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 17-27 with a 4.10 ERA and 336 strikeouts in 73 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 29 relief appearances for Mississippi this season, Hursh is 3-3 with a pair of saves and a 2.63 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 27-29 with a 3.52 ERA and 20 saves in 233 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, and he is currently with Double A Midland, where he was named a 2019 Texas League All-Star.
In 68 games for Midland this season, the catcher is hitting .193 with nine homers and 29 RBIs. In five games at Triple A Las Vegas, he was 3-for-18 at the plate.
Theroux is a career .166 hitter and has 34 homers and 95 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 95 games this season, Walton is hitting .292 with 10 homers, 12 doubles and 41 RBIs.
Walton was a fifth-round pick of Seattle after an All-American senior season at OSU. In 329 career games at the pro level, Walton owns a .279 batting average to go along with 23 homers, 62 doubles and 134 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 19 starts this season and is 4-8 with a 3.97 ERA while recording 85 strikeouts in 90 2/3 innings.
Williams is 3-2 with a 3.02 ERA over his last 10 outings and has posted 45 strikeouts in 50 2/3 innings of work.
In his minor league career, Williams is 15-24 with a 4.12 ERA and 281 strikeouts in 301 2/3 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 28th-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 13 appearances for the Raptors, he is 2-0 with four saves and a 4.15 ERA.
• Brady Basso, AZL Athletics Gold (A's) – OSU Career: 2017-19
Basso made his professional debut last month in the Arizona (Rookie) League and has made eight appearances on the season, posting a 2.70 ERA and striking out 19 in 13 1/3 innings.
A southpaw, Basso was a 16th-round pick of Oakland in last 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 eight appearances for the ValleyCats, including three starts, and is 1-1 with 26 strikeouts in 24 innings. He posted his first-career win on July 10, striking out six in 3 2/3 scoreless innings of relief.
• Garrett Benge, Salem Red Sox (Red Sox) – OSU Career: 2016-17
Benge has played in 67 games this season for Class A Advanced Salem, where he's hitting .261 with two homers, 14 doubles and 23 RBIs.
A 13th-round draft pick of Boston in 2017, Benge was an All-Star in his first professional season and is a career .269 hitter with four homers, 33 doubles and 63 RBIs in 160 games.
• Trevor Boone, Boise Hawks (Rockies) – OSU Career: 2017-19
Boone joined Class A Short Season Boise after signing with Colorado last month following his selection in the 18th round of the MLB Draft.
The outfielder, who capped his OSU career by earning All-Big 12 and All-Midwest Region First Team honors, is hitting .225 with two homers, four doubles and 15 RBIs in 32 games.
• 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.
• 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.
The right-hander has pitched in six games as a pro, four of them starts, and owns a 2.40 ERA with 14 strikeouts in 15 innings.
Elliott was a 19th-round pick of Baltimore in this year's MLB Draft and finished his OSU career 10th 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 began his pro career at Class A Short Season State College before being called up to Class A Peoria on July 16.
Gragg has pitched twice for Peoria, earning a save in his first outing before starting and striking out four in four innings in his second appearance.
In eight games in relief for State College, Gragg posted a 2.45 ERA and a pair of saves.
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 20 appearances this season, 15 as a starter, and is 8-4 with a 2.94 ERA and 105 strikeouts in 95 innings. He ranks 10th in the South Atlantic League in strikeouts.
Over his last 10 outings, the righty is 4-2 with a 3.31 ERA and 60 strikeouts in 54 1/3 innings of work.
Heasley was the first Cowboy selected in the 2018 draft when Kansas City took him in the 13th 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 45 games with the Threshers, the first baseman is hitting .215 with two home runs and 16 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 18th round. He hit .287 with two home runs and 10 RBI in his first pro season.
• Joe Lienhard, Idaho Falls Chukars (Royals) – OSU Career: 2016-19
Lienhard began his pro career last month in the independent leagues with the Sugar Land Skeeters before signing a free agent minor league deal with Kansas City on July 16.
In four relief outings for Idaho Falls, Lienhard has struck out eight in 6 2/3 innings. He earned his first-career save on July 23.
Lienhard spent four seasons with the Cowboys and ranks seventh on OSU's all-time list with 76 appearances.
• Jon Littell, Ogden Raptors (Dodgers) – OSU Career: 2016-18
Littell is back for his second season in the Pioneer (Rookie) League with Ogden in 2019 and is hitting .315 with two homers, two doubles, two triples and 13 RBIs in 22 games for the Raptors.
After spending four seasons in an OSU uniform and playing in nearly 200 games for the Cowboys, Littell was a 37th-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 22nd 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 has made seven outings as a pro and is 0-2 with a 1.35 ERA and has 17 strikeouts in 13 1/3 innings.
Lyons made the first start of his pro career earlier this week; he struck out seven and did not allow a hit over four scoreless innings.
• Andrew Navigato, GCL Tigers West (Tigers) – OSU Career: 2019
Navigato made his pro debut with the GCL Tigers West after signing with Detroit when they selected him in the 20th round of last month's MLB Draft. After playing in 15 games in the Gulf Coast League, he was assigned to Connecticut in Class A Short Season.
Navigato is 2-for-10 at the plate in three games for Connecticut after hitting .133 in 15 games in the GCL.
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 was promoted to Class A Clinton on July 10 after starting the season in Class A Short Season.
The righty has thrived at both levels in 2019, starting eight games and posting a 5-0 record and 1.21 ERA while racking up 51 strikeouts in 44 2/3 innings.
Reed has made 29 appearances at the pro level, 19 of those as a starter, and is 10-4 with a 2.96 ERA and 109 strikeouts in 106 1/3 innings.
• Colin Simpson, Grand Junction Rockies (Rockies) – OSU Career: 2016-19
A 29th-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.
Simpson has been impressive thus far as a pro, hitting .368 with 10 homers, six doubles, four triples and 25 RBIs in 30 games. He was named the Pioneer League Player of the Week on July 21 and over his last 10 games, Simpson is hitting .400 with five homers and 13 RBIs.
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 5-2 with a 3.61 ERA in 19 outings, 10 of those as a starter. He has recorded 66 strikeouts in 67 1/3 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 16th 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.
For informative links on former Cowboys in the pros, click here.
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