#FormerBirdballers: A Look Back at 2018
October 01, 2018 | Baseball
Shaw reaches majors, King climbs Yankees ladder, Dunn the Mets Pitcher of the Year.
A banner season for Boston College baseball players at the professional level reached its peak on Friday, August 31. Chris Shaw, an All-American in his time on the Heights, was called up to the big leagues for his MLB debut with the San Francisco Giants. A 2015 first-round pick and the No. 5 prospect in the Giants' organization, Shaw's name was on the lineup card, playing left field in his first day in the majors. He came through with a sacrifice-fly to break a scoreless-tie against the Mets in the seventh inning for his first career RBI.
Shaw's first hit came three days later on Labor Day at Coors Field with a pinch-hit home run to give San Francisco a late 8-7 lead. That weekend, he became the 41st BC player to reach the big leagues, the first since Tony Sanchez (2013 – Pittsburgh) and the first from Mike Gambino's tenure as head coach.
A native of Stoneham, Mass., Shaw appeared in 22 games for the Giants over the final month of the season. He went 10-for-54 at the plate with two doubles, a home run, seven RBI and seven walks.
In the minor leagues, Shaw slugged .505 with 24 home runs for the Sacramento River Cats. At the time of his promotion, he ranked fifth in home runs and 11th in slugging percentage in the Triple-A Pacific Coast League.
Making the largest leap towards the major leagues was New York Yankees' prospect Mike King. The right-hander, a 12th-round pick of the Marlins in 2016, appeared on the Yankees' Top-30 prospect list at No. 25 midway through the season according to MLB.com. He rose through the ranks from Single-A to Triple-A this season with stops in Tampa and Trenton before six fantastic starts for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders of the International League. King excelled at all three levels with an 11-5 record and 1.79 ERA in 25 games, including 24 starts and two complete games. In six starts at Triple-A, he was 4-0 with a 1.15 ERA, .147 batting average against and 31 strikeouts across 39 innings.
Tony Sanchez, who has 52 games in the majors under his belt, played 62 games for the Triple-A Round Rock Express. The Texas Rangers' minor league catcher hit .300 and slugged .455 with 11 doubles and seven home runs.
Right-hander John Gorman carried over a strong first half, that saw him earn Texas League All-Star status, into a solid first season at Double-A. For the Midland RockHounds, affiliate of the Oakland Athletics, he pitched in 42 games out of the bullpen to a 3-3 record and 2.78 ERA with a .226 batting average against in 64.2 innings pitched.
Shortstop Johnny Adams cracked the Top-30 prospect list of the Seattle Mariners in the latter half of the season. He hit .219 with 20 doubles, two triples and 11 home runs at Single-A Clinton.
Donovan Casey and the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes claimed the California (Single-A Advanced) League championship in September. In the deciding game of the championship series, Casey helped secure a four-game sweep over the Visalia Rawhide as he went 4-for-4 with four RBI, including a solo home run, and three runs scored. For the season, he hit .258 with 47 runs, 36 RBI, 11 doubles, three triples and seven home runs for the Dodgers' minor league club.
Joe Cronin spent most of his 2018 season playing on the infield for the Single-A Advanced Fort Myers Miracle. He appeared in 68 games for the Twins' affiliate; hitting .228 with 37 runs, 23 RBI, eight doubles and five home runs. For the final two weeks of the season, he played at Double-A with the Chattanooga Lookouts. In nine games, Cronin went 3-for-26 at the plate with four walks.
Catcher Nick Sciortino appeared in 42 games for the Single-A Advanced Salem Red Sox of the Carolina League. He doubled five times and scored 12 runs.
In his first season as a professional manager, Blake Butera, the youngest skipper in the minor leagues, guided the Hudson Valley Renegades to a divisional title and a sopt in the New York-Penn League championship series. A former BC infielder and minor league in the Rays' farm system, he led the Tampa Bay's Single-A Short Season affiliate to a 45-30 record; the most regular season wins in the league.
Right-hander Brian Rapp pitched in 10 games, including six starts, for the Elizabethton Twins after being selected in the 26th round. He posted a 3.52 ERA with 37 strikeouts in 38.1 innings of work.
Jacob Stevens, a 21st-round pick, pitched in 16 games with a 3-0 record and one save for the Missoula Osprey. The right-hander in the Arizona Diamondbacks' organization, worked to a 3.09 ERA, .228 batting average against and 40 strikeouts in 35 innings.
Shaw's first hit came three days later on Labor Day at Coors Field with a pinch-hit home run to give San Francisco a late 8-7 lead. That weekend, he became the 41st BC player to reach the big leagues, the first since Tony Sanchez (2013 – Pittsburgh) and the first from Mike Gambino's tenure as head coach.
A native of Stoneham, Mass., Shaw appeared in 22 games for the Giants over the final month of the season. He went 10-for-54 at the plate with two doubles, a home run, seven RBI and seven walks.
In the minor leagues, Shaw slugged .505 with 24 home runs for the Sacramento River Cats. At the time of his promotion, he ranked fifth in home runs and 11th in slugging percentage in the Triple-A Pacific Coast League.
Triple-A
Former big leaguer, Eric Campbell returned to the states for the 2018 season after a brief stint in Japan back in 2017. He put together a solid season at Triple-A for the Marlins' affiliated New Orleans Baby Cakes. Campbell, who spent the final month on the disabled list, hit .313 with a .420 on-base percentage. Campbell, who played three seasons with the New York Mets from 2014-16, drove in 68 runs and belted 21 doubles and six home runs.Making the largest leap towards the major leagues was New York Yankees' prospect Mike King. The right-hander, a 12th-round pick of the Marlins in 2016, appeared on the Yankees' Top-30 prospect list at No. 25 midway through the season according to MLB.com. He rose through the ranks from Single-A to Triple-A this season with stops in Tampa and Trenton before six fantastic starts for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders of the International League. King excelled at all three levels with an 11-5 record and 1.79 ERA in 25 games, including 24 starts and two complete games. In six starts at Triple-A, he was 4-0 with a 1.15 ERA, .147 batting average against and 31 strikeouts across 39 innings.
Tony Sanchez, who has 52 games in the majors under his belt, played 62 games for the Triple-A Round Rock Express. The Texas Rangers' minor league catcher hit .300 and slugged .455 with 11 doubles and seven home runs.
Double-A
The Mets No. 4 prospect Justin Dunn, the franchise's 2016 first-round pick, was named the organizational pitcher of the year. Across two levels, he made 24 starts and owned an 8-8 record and 3.59 earned run average with 156 strikeouts to 52 walks in 135.1 innings of work. Dunn was promoted to Double-A Binghamton after just nine starts for the St. Lucie Mets of the Florida State League. Following his final start on Sept. 3, Dunn was brought to Queens to pitch in a simulated game off the Citi Field mound to Mets All-Star third baseman David Wright.Right-hander John Gorman carried over a strong first half, that saw him earn Texas League All-Star status, into a solid first season at Double-A. For the Midland RockHounds, affiliate of the Oakland Athletics, he pitched in 42 games out of the bullpen to a 3-3 record and 2.78 ERA with a .226 batting average against in 64.2 innings pitched.
SINGLE-A
Jesse Adams' third season in the pros ended with a trip to the DL in early July. The 6-foot lefty appeared in 12 games for the Dayton Drags, Single-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. Adams struck out 13 batters in 16.2 innings and owned a 2-1 record.Shortstop Johnny Adams cracked the Top-30 prospect list of the Seattle Mariners in the latter half of the season. He hit .219 with 20 doubles, two triples and 11 home runs at Single-A Clinton.
Donovan Casey and the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes claimed the California (Single-A Advanced) League championship in September. In the deciding game of the championship series, Casey helped secure a four-game sweep over the Visalia Rawhide as he went 4-for-4 with four RBI, including a solo home run, and three runs scored. For the season, he hit .258 with 47 runs, 36 RBI, 11 doubles, three triples and seven home runs for the Dodgers' minor league club.
Joe Cronin spent most of his 2018 season playing on the infield for the Single-A Advanced Fort Myers Miracle. He appeared in 68 games for the Twins' affiliate; hitting .228 with 37 runs, 23 RBI, eight doubles and five home runs. For the final two weeks of the season, he played at Double-A with the Chattanooga Lookouts. In nine games, Cronin went 3-for-26 at the plate with four walks.
Catcher Nick Sciortino appeared in 42 games for the Single-A Advanced Salem Red Sox of the Carolina League. He doubled five times and scored 12 runs.
In his first season as a professional manager, Blake Butera, the youngest skipper in the minor leagues, guided the Hudson Valley Renegades to a divisional title and a sopt in the New York-Penn League championship series. A former BC infielder and minor league in the Rays' farm system, he led the Tampa Bay's Single-A Short Season affiliate to a 45-30 record; the most regular season wins in the league.
ROOKIE LEAGUE
The first BC Eagle drafted back in June, Jake Palomaki played 45 games for the Princeton Rays, Rookie League affiliate of Tampa Bay. The 18th-round selection hi .257 with 37 runs and 10 stolen bases.Right-hander Brian Rapp pitched in 10 games, including six starts, for the Elizabethton Twins after being selected in the 26th round. He posted a 3.52 ERA with 37 strikeouts in 38.1 innings of work.
Jacob Stevens, a 21st-round pick, pitched in 16 games with a 3-0 record and one save for the Missoula Osprey. The right-hander in the Arizona Diamondbacks' organization, worked to a 3.09 ERA, .228 batting average against and 40 strikeouts in 35 innings.
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