Pokes In The Pros, Sept. 17

Colin Simpson

Photo by: Todd Bennett/Grand Junction Rockies

September 17, 2019 | Cowboy Baseball

Oklahoma State had nearly 30 former players in the professional baseball ranks in 2019, including five on Major League Baseball rosters. Six of those Cowboys were named all-stars in their respective leagues.

• Koda Glover, Washington Nationals – OSU Career: 2015
Glover has not pitched in 2019 due to a forearm strain that has kept him on the injured list.

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
In 16 starts this season, Heaney is 4-5 with a 4.76 ERA while posting 103 strikeouts in 85 innings. He began the season on the injured list but returned to the Angels' rotation in late May.

A southpaw, Heaney has struck out eight or more batters in seven games this season, including racking up a career-high 14 Ks in eight innings in a win against Texas on Aug. 20.

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 20-24 record and 4.31 ERA and has 412 strikeouts in 424 1/3 innings of work.

• Tyler Lyons, New York Yankees – 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. He had a brief stint in Pittsburgh in early May but spent much of the season at Triple A Indianapolis before being released on Aug. 11.

After his release, Lyons signed a free agent deal with the New York Yankees on Aug. 15. He pitched in three games for the Yankees' Triple A affiliate, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, before being called up to New York on Sept. 1.

Lyons has made six relief appearances since joining the Yankees and is 0-1 with a 3.18 ERA and seven strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings.

In nine MLB games in 2019, Lyons is 1-2 with a 6.52 ERA and 12 strikeouts in 9 2/3 innings.

Lyons appeared in 38 games in relief at the Triple A level this season, compiling a 4-3 record and three saves to go along with a 3.22 ERA and 60 strikeouts in 50 1/3 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 13-12 with three saves and a 4.18 ERA in 156 appearances, and he has racked up 284 strikeouts in 278 innings.

• 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 been on a tear over the second half of the season.

In 20 games during August, Mercer hit .342 with two homers, eight RBIs and five doubles; in 10 games in September, he's 13-for-32 (.406) with three round trippers and seven RBIs.

For the season, Mercer is hitting .281 with nine homers and 21 RBIs in 68 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 and 889 games in Major League Baseball, Mercer is a career .258 hitter with 165 doubles, 15 triples, 64 home runs, and 298 RBIs.

• Donnie Walton, Seattle Mariners – OSU Career: 2013-16
After an All-Star season with Double A Arkansas, Walton was called up to the big leagues by Seattle on Sept. 10.

Walton made his Major League Baseball debut as a defensive replacement at shortstop in the ninth inning on Sept. 10. He was in the starting lineup the next day and drew a walk in his first at-bat, and on Sept. 12, he recorded his first big league hit with a single.

In four games with the Mariners, Walton is 2-for-8 at the plate with an RBI.

At the minor league level this season, Walton turned in a .300 batting average with 11 home runs, 50 RBIs and 22 doubles in 124 games and helped lead the Arkansas Travelers to the Texas League Playoffs.

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.

One former ended his 2019 season at the Triple A level.

• Brendan McCurry, Round Rock Express (Astros) – OSU Career: 2013-14
McCurry finished his sixth professional season in 2019 as a member of the Round Rock Express. In 37 games, the righty was 3-5 with a 4.23 ERA and six saves, and he tallied 68 strikeouts in 55 1/3 innings.

An All-American at OSU in 2014 and the school's all-time leader in saves, McCurry is 19-22 with 71 saves and a 3.10 ERA in his career and has struck out 406 in 337 innings over 241 games.

Six former Cowboys finished their seasons 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.

Following the promotion, the right-hander turned in a 5-5 record and 4.52 ERA in 19 starts for the Barons while striking out 69 in 95 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.

In three professional seasons, Battenfield owns a career record of 17-16 and a 3.69 ERA in 68 games.

• Thomas Hatch, New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Blue Jays) – OSU Career: 2014-16
Hatch spent 2019, his third professional season, with two different organizations at the Double A level. After more than two years in the Chicago Cubs system, the right-hander was traded to Toronto on July 30.

Pitching for Tennessee while still with the Cubs, Hatch went 4-10 with a 4.59 ERA and 93 strikeouts in 100 innings over 21 starts.

Following his trade, Hatch made six starts for New Hampshire and was 2-3 with a complete game and a 2.80 ERA while piling up 34 strikeouts in 35 1/3 innings.

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 19-30 with a 3.99 ERA and 370 strikeouts in 79 career starts.

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

In 34 relief appearances for Mississippi in 2019, Hursh was 3-3 with a pair of saves and a 3.45 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 3.58 ERA and 20 saves in 238 career outings in the minors.

• Carson Teel, Harrisburg Senators (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 spent the majority of the season before being called up to Double A Harrisburg and making a start for the Senators in the playoffs.

At Potomac, the southpaw was 7-3 with a 3.12 ERA in 25 outings, 16 of those as a starter, and he recorded 93 strikeouts in 104 innings of work.

Teel was named the Carolina League Player of the Month in August, making five starts and posting a 0.87 ERA as he allowed just three earned runs in 31 innings.

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.

• Collin Theroux, Midland RockHounds (Athletics) – OSU Career: 2016
In his fourth pro season, Theroux spent time at the Double A and Triple A levels and finished the year with Double A Midland, where he was named a 2019 Texas League All-Star.

In 93 games for Midland this season, the catcher hit .180 with 12 homers, 36 RBIs and 13 doubles. In five games at Triple A Las Vegas, he was 3-for-18 at the plate.

Theroux is a career .164 hitter and has 37 homers and 102 RBIs in 273 games as a professional.

• Garrett Williams, Richmond Flying Squirrels (Giants) – OSU Career: 2014-16
A seventh-round pick in 2016, Williams just completed his fourth professional season and second at Double A Richmond. The southpaw made 20 starts in 2019 and was 7-8 with a 3.60 ERA while recording 108 strikeouts in 110 innings.

In his minor league career, Williams is 18-24 with a 3.98 ERA and 304 strikeouts in 321 innings.

The Cowboys had a wealth of former stars on various levels of Class A and Rookie League rosters in 2019.

• 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 was back on the roster for the Pioneer (Rookie) League team in 2019. In 23 appearances for the Raptors, he was 4-0 with five saves and a 2.37 ERA and tallied 34 strikeouts in 30 1/3 innings to help Ogden reach the Pioneer League Championship Series.

• Brady Basso, AZL Athletics Gold (A's) – OSU Career: 2017-19
Basso made his professional in July 2019 in the Arizona (Rookie) League and finished the season with 15 appearances, posting a 1.75 ERA and striking out 38 in 25 2/3 innings.

A southpaw, Basso was a 16^th-round pick of Oakland in the 2019 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 made 14 appearances for the ValleyCats, including five starts, and went 2-1 with a 1.60 ERA. The right-hander also racked up 46 strikeouts in 39 1/3 innings.

• Garrett Benge, Salem Red Sox (Red Sox) – OSU Career: 2016-17
Benge played in 94 games this season for Class A Advanced Salem, where he hit .253 with six homers, 16 doubles and 35 RBIs and helped lead the Red Sox to the Carolina League North Division Championship series.

A 13^th-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 following his selection in the 18^th round of the 2019 MLB Draft on the heels of his junior season at OSU.

The outfielder, who capped his collegiate career by earning All-Big 12 and All-Midwest Region First Team honors, hit .215 with four homers, 12 doubles and 22 RBIs in 60 games for Boise.

• Trey Cobb, St. Lucie Mets (Mets) – OSU Career: 2014-2017
Cobb missed 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 spent his first professional season with the Gulf Coast (Rookie) League Orioles, where he pitched in 10 games, seven as a starter, and recorded 25 strikeouts in 25 2/3 innings.

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 began his pro career at Class A Short Season State College before being called up to Class A Peoria on July 16.

Gragg pitched in nine games for Peoria, making eight starts, and was 0-3 with a save and a 3.38 ERA. He tallied 35 strikeouts in 34 2/3 innings.

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 made 25 appearances this season, 20 as a starter, and was 8-5 with a 3.12 ERA and 120 strikeouts in 112 2/3 innings.

Heasley helped lead the Legends to the South Atlantic League championship and finished the season ranked third in the league in ERA and 13^th in strikeouts.

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 69 games with the Threshers, the first baseman hit .225 with four home runs and 24 RBIs to go along with eight doubles and six triples.

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.

• Joe Lienhard, Idaho Falls Chukars (Royals) – OSU Career: 2016-19
Lienhard began his pro career in June in the independent leagues with the Sugar Land Skeeters before signing a free agent minor league deal with Kansas City on July 16.

In 13 relief outings for Idaho Falls, Lienhard went 1-1 with a save and a 2.88 ERA and posted 24 strikeouts in 25 innings while helping the Chukars to the Pioneer League championship.

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 returned for his second season in the Pioneer (Rookie) League with Ogden in 2019 and hit .261 in 47 games while posting three homers, nine doubles, two triples and 28 RBIs.

Littell was named a Pioneer League All-Star and homered in the All-Star game, and he helped the Raptors reach the Pioneer League Championship Series.

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 made 14 outings in his first pro season, seven of those as a starter, and was 2-5 with a 2.87 ERA and 39 strikeouts in 37 2/3 innings.

• Andrew Navigato, Connecticut Tigers (Tigers) – OSU Career: 2019
Navigato made his pro debut with the GCL Tigers West after signing with Detroit when they selected him in the 20^th round of last June's MLB Draft. After playing in 15 games in the Gulf Coast League, he was assigned to Connecticut in Class A Short Season.

In 19 games for Connecticut, Navigato hit .222 with a double, triple and three RBIs in 19 games.

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, Clinton LumberKings (Marlins) – OSU Career: 2015-16
In his fourth professional season, Reed was promoted to Class A Clinton on July 10 after starting the season in Class A Short Season.

The righty thrived at both levels in 2019, starting 14 games and posting a 7-3 record and 2.75 ERA while racking up 76 strikeouts in 75 1/3 innings.

Reed has made 35 appearances at the pro level, 25 of those as a starter, and is 12-7 with a 3.42 ERA and 134 strikeouts in 137 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 had a standout first season as a pro, starring for Grand Junction in the Pioneer (Rookie) League.

Named a Pioneer League All-Star, Simpson also captured Pioneer League Most Valuable Player honors and helped lead the Rockies to the league playoffs.

In 56 games, Simpson hit .309 with 18 homers and 49 RBIs to go along with 12 doubles and three triples and a .667 slugging percentage.

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.

For informative links on former Cowboys in the pros, click here.