Yankees call up RHP Brett Marshall between games of Monday's doubleheader

Yanks option Brennan Boesch to Triple-A, add Marshall to bolster bullpen

5/13/13 1:35 PMLou DiPietro

Brett Marshall made six starts for Triple-A Scranton this year, going 2-2 with a 4.60 ERA. (AP)

The Yankees made a roster move in between Games 1 and 2 of Monday’s doubleheader, recalling RHP Brett Marshall from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and optioning outfielder Brennan Boesch to the RailRiders.The move was confirmed by Yankees PR on Twitter moments before the start of Game 2.

Marshall, 23, was the Yankees’ sixth-round pick in 2008, and was 2-2 with a 4.60 ERA in six starts for the RailRiders this season. He had been scheduled to start Sunday’s game in Scranton but was scratched, leading to the first speculation that he would be brought to Cleveland either as the Yankees’ allowed 26th man or as a standby if the Yankees needed to make a pitching move between games.

Counting Game 1 of the doubleheader, Boesch hit .209 with two home runs and five RBI in 20 games with the Yankees, including a 1-for-4 performance as the starting right fielder in Game 1; however, with both David Robertson and Mariano Rivera likely unavailable after each pitching on four of the last five days and Vidal Nuno starting Game 2, the Yankees made the move to swap Boesch for Marshall to get an extra arm in the bullpen for the second half of the doubleheader.

Should Marshall pitch in Game 2, he will make his official MLB debut on the same day as infielder Corban Joseph, a fellow 2013 RailRider who was brought up for the day as the Yankees’ 26th man.

2013 1B Charles Berzins, Home School has signed with Ecclesia College in Springfield AR, Congrats to Charles and his family.

2013 IF Derek Paddie, Baytown Sterling HS committed to Crowder College. Congrats to Derek and his family.

As of today these are our seniors who have found a home for the fall. We still have 3 more to go, but thats just a matter of time for them. For you who got to see this group work last summer you can understand how special they are.

2013 OF Mitch Henshaw, Conroe HS signs with SFA.
2013 OF Seth Petter, Conroe HS gives verbal to Seminole State College in OK
2013 OF Brayson Longman, Seven Lakes HS signs with Angelina College.
2013 IF/RHP Jeremy Rice, CE King HS commits to Southwestern University.
2013 RHP Joseph Riley, Alvin HS has given his verbal to Alvin CC.
2013 C Cody Conn, Montgomery Co. HS has signed with Williams Baptist College

2013 RHP Cameron Linck, Kingwood Park HS has signs with Hill College
2013 IF Austin Frick, Katy HS commits to Texas Lutheran University.
2013 OF/LHP Seth Hill, Sealy HS commits to Mary Hardin Baylor University.
2013 RHP Justin Ramsey, commits to Missouri Valley College

2013 IF Derek Paddie, Baytown Sterling HS committed to Crowder College. 

2013 1B Charles Berzins, Home School has signed with Ecclesia College in Springfield AR.

Very proud to announce that 2013 RHP Justin Ramsey has committed to Missouri Valley College. Congrats to Justin and his family.

 

2013 IF Austin Frick, Katy HS commits to Texas Lutheran University, congrats to Austin and his family.

2013 LHP/OF Seth Hill, Sealy HS committs to Mary Hardin Baylor University. Congrats to Seth and parents.

2013 RHP Cameron Linck, Kingwood Park HS signs with Hill College. Congrats Cameron. 

2013 C Cody Conn, Montgomery HS makes it official and signs with Williams Baptist College today.

2013 OF Seth Petter, Conroe HS gives verbal to Seminole State College in OK

2013 1B Jonathan Silva, Klien Collins HS gives a verbal to Wayne State College in Neb.

2007 Nick Grisham RHP Cy Springs HS signs with Mid-America College in Oklahoma
 2007 Faizi Mouzoon CF St Tomas HS signs with San Jac College
 2007 Tim Yager C/DH Katy HS signs with Hill College
 2007 Michael Sauceda 3B Katy HS signs with Hill College
 2007 Colton Pitken LHP Baytown Sterling HS signs with San Jac North(Drafted by Astros June 8, 2007)Signs with Astros June 25, 2007
 2007 Josh Chaney 2B signs with Schreiner University
 2007 Hunter Junell SS from Conroe signs with Texarkana College.
 2007 Jeff Allen C Taylor signs with Dawson CC, Signs with UT Brownsville. 3/10/09 Signs with Roswell Invaders Independent Professional League 5/18/11. Signs as a free agent with the Sugar Land Skeeters 5/12/12
 2007 Brad Hicks C Magnolia signs with Blinn JC (Football)Signs with Texas Tech 2009
 2008 Brett Marshall INF/RHP from Baytown Sterling HS signs with Rice.(Drafted by Yankees June 6, 2008)Signs with Yankees 8/6/08. Promoted to AA Trenton 2012.
 2008 Matt Coulson LHP/1B from Conroe signs with Dawson CC
 2008 Hunter Cervenka OF/LHP Baytown Sterling HS signs with University of Texas (Drafted by Boston June 7, 2008)Signs with Boston 8/08
 2008 Darrell Hudson C from Waller signs with Cedar Valley JC
 2008 Blake Satterfield LHP from Oak Ridge signs with Ranger JC
 2008 Jimmy Mott RHP/1B from Baytown Sterling signs with Dawson CC
 2008 Jeremy Warren UTI/RHP from Chaperral HS in CA signs with St. Mary's College in Kasas.
 2008 David Johnson RHP from Chaperral HS in CA signs with Mt. San Jacinto College in CA.
 2009 Zachary Cordia OF from Conroe HS signs with Angelina College.
 2009 Mathew Peterson 1B/RHP from Barbers Hill signs with Southeast Prep (Football)
 2009 Abel Flores SS/RHP from Ft. Bend Travis signs with Texas Southern University.
 2009 Quinn Guest OF from Pearland HS signs with Concordia University in Austin Texas.
 2009 Dalton Blonstein LHP from Cy Springs signs with McMurry
 2009 Zane Brown DH/1B from Ft. Bend Travis signs with Hardin College (AK) to play football. Transfer to Texas A&M Kingsville. 
 2009 Elijah Short OF from CE King HS signs with Texas Southern University
 2009 Jay Burditt OF/RHP from Barbers Hill signs with Galveston College. Transfer to San Jac College.
 2009 Colby Henscey OF from Barbers Hill HS will play at Alvin CC. Transfer to Ranger College. Now at University of Texas Brownsville
 2009 Cody Clifton 2B/3B from Barbers Hill will play at Alvin CC.
 2009 Trey Price C from Pearland will play at Alvin CC. Transfer to Ranger College
 2009 Health Padgett OF from Barbers Hill will play at Temple Jr. College.
 2009 Aaron Martinez MIF from Baytown Sterling signs with Dawson CC.
 2009 Jared Walters RHP from Baytown Sterling will play at Galveston College.
 2010 Sam Johnson LHP from Hitchcock High School signs with Galveston College. 4/20/12 Signs with DI SFA
 2010 Eloy Barela MIF from CE King High School signs with Williams Baptist College in Arkansas.
 2010 OF Eric Hughes from FB. Austin High School signs with SFA 
 2010 C Travis Winnon from Woodlands Christain High School has signed with Tusculum College in Greenville TN next season. 
 2010 RHP Benny Suarez from Mayde Creek signs with Hill College, attending Hill College. Signs with OU on 11/08/11. Drafted 36 round by the Cleveland Indians in June 2012. Promoted to High A 8/24/12.
 /2/010 SS Aaron Jones from CE King HS signs with Williams Baptist College in Arkansas.
 2010 LHP Cody Laird from Nederland High School commits to Lamar University
 2010 RHP Garrett Lamb from Baytown Sterling High School signs with Alvin Community College
 2010 RHP Jordan Marah from Conroe HS signs with Lon Morris College Football and Baseball
 2010 OF Trevor Robertson from CE King HS signs with Three Rivers Community College in MO.
 2010 RHP Jordan Marah from Conroe HS signs with Lon Morris College Football and Baseball
 2010 C Justin Hallmark from East Chambers HS signs with McNeese State University for Football.
 2010 RHP Trevor Cole from Baytown Sterling HS to sign with Ranger College
 2010 OF Keith Freund from Pearland High School will be playing at Alvin CC next year
 2010 C Andrew Cole from CE King will be playing at Sam Houston State University. Transfers to Galvenston College.
 2010 RHP John Ross Johnson from CE King HS signs with Mt. View CC in Dallas.
 2010 RHP Ryan Wojcik from Home School, will be playing at Alvin CC next year.
 2010 RHP Tyler Caminade from Santa Fe will be playing at Galvenston College next year.
 2010 LHP/1B Paul Muckelroy from Elkins HS signs with Southern University
 2010 LHP Jeremiah O'Neal has signed with North Central Texas College.
 2011 SS/RHP Greg Belton from Conroe HS signs with Texarkana College.Transfers to Angelina College 2012
 2011 RHP Trey Pledger from Baytown Sterling signs with Hill College. Transfers to Concordia University in Austin
 2011 RHP Trey Resendez from 1st Baptist Academy Pasadena signs with Cedar Valley JC
 2011 SS Devin Ogletree from Beaumont Central HS signs with TSU to play baseball and football.
 2011 Kwame Jackson from Kingwood Park HS has signed with Xaiver University to run Cross Country.
 2011 Kerry Cloud Deer Park HS has signed Ranger College . 
 2011 IF Caleb Parisher,1st Baptist Academy in Pasadena signs with The University of Texas-Brownsville. 
 2011 3B Justin Heard (JT), Deer Park HS, signs with the University of Texas-Brownsville.
 2011 1B Sam Gee, Kingwood Park HS signs with Abilene Christian University
 2011 RHP Jack Davis, La Porte HS signs with Williams Baptist College. 
 2011 MIF Galli Cribbs, Dulles HS signs to San Jac JC. Signs with Oral Roberts University. 11/2012
 2011 1B Christian Rivera signs with Dawson CC in Montana
 2011 LHP Kyle Hooker Manvel HS, signs with Frank Phillips College. Transfers to Williams Baptist College.
 2011 RHP Ryan Moye La Porte HS, signs with University of Texas-Brownsville
 2011 OF Caleb Kroon, Conroe HS, Texarkana College. Transfers to Angelina College 2012
 2011 RHP Jarrett Horton, Hudson HS committs to University of Arkansas at Monticello. 
 2011 IF Zach Garcia, Conroe HS signs with Ranger College. 
 2011 OF Zach Tsafantakis, Deer Park signs with Ranger College.
 2011 RHP Blake Saucillo, Deer Park signs with Ranger College.
 2012 C Charlie Goltz Pope John XXIII High School signs with North Lake College in Dallas.
 2012 C Kyle Mims, Oak Ridge HS signs with Williams Baptist College.
 2012 LHP Cody Myrick, Conroe HS signs with the University of Texas-Tyler
 2012 IF Dustan Greer, Alvin HS signs with Sul Ross State University.
 2012 OF Chase Weaver, Alvin HS commits to Angelina College
 2012 OF Lane Elliff, Dickinson HS commits to Angelina College
 2012 C Conner Pitkin, Baytown Lee HS commits to Alvin College
 2012 OF Santiago Santana Villanueva, Baytown Sterling HS commits to Ranger College
 2012 RHP Adam Ziegler, Home School signs with Brookhaven Community College
 2012 IF Aaron Embry, La Porte HS commits to Butler CC
 2012 LHP David Snyder, Baytown Sterling HS signs with Ranger College
 2013 OF Mitch Henshaw, Conroe HS signs with SFA.
 2013 OF Seth Petter, Conroe HS gives verbal to Seminole State College in OK
 2013 1B Jonathan Silva, Klien Collins HS gives verbal to Wayne State College.
 2013 OF Brayson Longman, Seven Lakes HS signs with Angelina College.
 2013 IF/RHP Jeremy Rice, CE King HS commits to Southwestern University. 
 2013 RHP Joseph Riley, Alvin HS has given his verbal to Alvin CC.
 2013 C Cody Conn, Montgomery Co. HS has signed with Williams Baptist College in Arkansas.  
 2013 RHP Cameron Linck, Kingwood Park HS has signs with Hill College
 
 
 2013 IF Austin Frick, Katy HS commits to Texas Lutheran University. 
 2013 OF/LHP Seth Hill, Sealy HS commits to Mary Hardin Baylor University.
 
 
 2013 RHP Justin Ramsey, commits to Missouri Valley College
 2013 IF Derek Paddie, Baytown Sterling HS committed to Crowder College. 
 2013 LHP Cameron Charman, Seven Lakes HS committed to Angelina College
 2013 1B Charles Berzins, Home School has signed with Ecclesia College in Springfield AR,
 
 

 

While some of these players are no longer in our program they are still very dear to us and we wish them the very best.

2013 1B/RHP Joseph Riley, Alvin HS has given his verbal to Alvin CC. Congrats to Joseph and his family.

MIF Galli Cribbs, Dulles HS, Clarendon College signs early with Oral Roberts University. Congrats to you and your family. 

2013 IF/RHP Jeremy Rice, CE King HS commits to Southwestern University. Congrats to Jeremy and his family.

 

 

2013 1B Mitch Henshaw, Conroe High School signed his NLI today for Stephen F. Austin University.  Congrats to Mitch and his family. 

 

 

 

2013 OF Brayson Longman, Seven Lakes HS gives verbal to Angelina College. Congrats to Brayson and his family.

 

 

I am pleased to announce that 2012 OF Kyle Mims, Oak Ridge HS has signed with William Baptist College for Coach Lee. Congrats to Kyle and his parents.

Fresh SS Galli Cribbs Jr., (Dulles HS) San Jac Junior College, Invited to play in Cape Cod Collegiate League.

Soph OF Trevor El Gran Robertson, (CE King HS) Three Rivers Community College has been invited to play in the Northwoods Collegiate League this summer.

RHP Jordan Marah (Conroe HS) NTCC has signed to play this summer for the Melville Millionaires of the Western Major Baseball League. Congrats Jordan

C Eloy Barela, Williams Baptist College (CE King HS) will be playing his summer college ball with the Dubios County Bombers in Hunting Indiana. Congrats Ducky

2013 IF Dustan Greer, Alvin HS commits to Sul Ross State University in Alpine Texas. Congrats to Dustan and his family.

2013 OF Santiago Santana Villanueva, Baytown Sterling HS commits to Ranger College

Congrats to 2012 IF Aaron Embry, La Porte HS who committed to Butler CC.

2012 OF Lane Elliff, Dickinson HS commits to Angelina College

Congrats to Coach Brad Hooker. He has been appointed Head Baseball Coach of Groveton High School. Brad has been with Allen Baseball Club for the last three years; in that time Coach Hooker has established himself as a key factor to the success of the ABC program. Like our players we are very particular on the type of person we bring into our system, but with his vast amount of baseball knowledge and the ability to teach the game to many different types of players Coach Hooker fit right in from the start. I will miss Brad not only as a Coach but a true friend, but I know he will do a great job at Groveton and it?s the right move for him and his family. Best of luck my friend and as always myself and the rest of the ABC family will be here for you if you need anything.

2012 OF Chase Weaver, Alvin HS commits to Angelina College

Congrats to LHP Sam Johnson Galveston College who just signed his NLI to DI Stephen F. Austin University.

C Jeff Allen signs a professional contract with the Sugar Land Skeeters. 5/14/12

I am very excited to announce that 2010 LHP Jeremiah O'Neal has signed with North Central Texas College.

Breaking News: Please to announce that LHP Colton Pitkin from Baytown Sterling HS, and former Houston Astros farm hand has sign with the Sugar Land Skeeters. Congrats Colton

A am very happy to announce that OF Trevor Robertson, from Three Rivers CC will sign with Freed-Hardeman University in Henderson Tennessee to finish out his college career. Congrats to Trevor.

2012 C Charlie Goltz Pope John XXIII High School signs with North Lake College in Dallas. Congrats Charlie and his parents.

RHP Benny Austin Suarez, Mayde Creek HS, Hill College just signed with OU. Congrats to Benny and his family/

Jeff Allen C from UTB signs a professional contract with Roswell Invaders of the Pecos Independent League.

6/2/11 Jeff Allen goes 1-3 with 2 RBIs in his professional debut

2011 LHP Kyle Hooker Manvel HS, signs with Frank Phillips College. Congrats to Kyle and his family.

2011 RHP Ryan Moye La Porte HS, signs with University of Texas-Brownsville. Congrats to Ryan and his family.

2011 IF Zach Garcia, Conroe HS Commits to Ranger College. Congrats to Zach and his family.

I am very pleased to announce that 2011 SS Galli Cribbs has signed to San Jac JC. Congrats to Galli and his family.

2011 1B Christian Rivera signs with Dawson CC in Montana. Congrats to Stinky and his family.

2011 RHP Jack Davis from La Porte HS signs with Williams Baptist College. Congrats to Jack and his family.

2011 RHP Trey Resendez from 1St Baptist Academy Pasadena signs with Cedar Valley Community College. Congrats to Trey and his family.

2011 IF Caleb Parisher from 1st Baptist Academy in Pasadena signs with The University of Texas-Brownsville. Congrats to Caleb and his family.

2011 1B Sam Gee, Kingwood Park HS signs with Abliene Christian University

2011 3B Justin Heard (JT) from Deer Park HS, signs with the University of Texas-Brownsville. Congrats to JT and his parents.

Aaron Jones and Eloy Barela

2011 SS/RHP Greg Belton signs with Texarkana College. Congrats to Greg, Lisa and Joey.

I am very please to announce that 2011 SS Devin Ogletree from Beaumont Central HS has signed with TSU to play baseball and football.

Congrats to Kingwood Park's Kwame Jackson who has signed to run cross country at Xaiver University.

Congrats to 2011 Kerry Cloud Deer Park HS who has signed with Missouri Valley College.

View Where they went in a larger map

2010 OF Keith Freund from Pearland High School will be playing at Alvin CC next year. Congrats to Keith and Parents.

2010 RHP Trevor Cole from Baytown Sterling HS to sign with Ranger College

Woodlands Villager - News
LSCM club baseball team feeds players to next level
By Mike Taylor
Published: 08.12.10
Three graduates of the Lone Star College–Montgomery club baseball program are making names for themselves on and off the diamond.

As the team prepares for its third season in the spring, BJ Brown and Brian LaLima, 2008 graduates of Spring High School, get ready to begin their careers at Division III Sul Ross State University in Alpine after two years with LSCM. The Lobos are a member of the American Southwest Conference.

“I think it’s a pretty good achievement,” said LSCM head coach Scott Hankosky. “We had the head coach from The University of New Orleans come and talk to them and that’s a Division I program.”

Off the field, Matt Coulson, a 2008 graduate of Conroe High School, recently began a career as a scout in the Cleveland Indians organization after last year pitching for LSCM.

“There’s only 12.5 scholarships for Division I and Division II ball, so there’s just not enough scholarships. A lot of guys are going on academic scholarships,” Hankosky said. “If someone wants to play but they don’t have a scholarship, they can come here for two years and get their core classes out of the way. If they do well enough or still want to play, we can find them a place to play.”

That’s just what happened with Brown and LaLima. Coulson, on the other hand, opened a new avenue for former LSCM players when he started in April as an assistant scout in the South Texas region of the Indians organization.

“It’s a ton of fun,” Coulson said. “It’s a dream job in the making if it works out. A dream job.”

Coulson had signed to play with Dawson Community College (Mont.) out of high school, but broke his back shortly after signing and ending up taking the next year off from school.

While on the sidelines, he heard about the LSCM club team from Jared Hoffart, one of the squad’s original members and a graduate of Caney Creek High School. He was intrigued enough to come out and watch a few games.

“I was thinking about trying a baseball comeback,” Coulson said. “If I could get completely healthy, then I would try and transfer and go play somewhere. I just never really got completely and totally recovered to play in Montana.”

Something better, however, came along.

Coulson, who is the organizational pitching coach for the Allen Baseball Club and also coaches the 17U team, was at a game as part of his scouting duties for the select club. He met an Indians scout, who offered an “apprenticeship job.”

Not only has Coulson put his foot in the door to his dream job, but he now has a better eye for the talent that plays at LSCM.

“Overall from playing there, there were a lot of guys who came in that actually were pretty good college baseball players who should have been playing somewhere that wasn’t a club team,” Coulson said. “It’s still good baseball. That’s the thing, people don’t think it’s worthwhile but it is.”

LSCM plays in the Gulf Coast Conference of the National Club Baseball Association. The other teams that make up the six-team GCC are club squads from Rice University, the University of Houston–Downtown, Texas A&M University at Galveston, the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets and Texas State University.

In its first year, LSCM finished third. Last season, LSCM finished second.

“There’s a lot of really good high school baseball in this area,” said Hankosky, who is in his seventh year teaching kinesiology at LSCM.

Hankosky said the team will work out and play a few fall games against club teams from Sam Houston State University and Kingwood College to get ready for the spring season. LSCM returns starting pitcher Matt Fitzgerald (a graduate of College Park High School), infielder Nate Daniels (Oak Ridge High School), catcher Mitch Broughton (Spring) and outfielder Tristan Heath (Spring).

Newcomers include Forrest Drake, of CHS, and Jacob Schultz, of Magnolia West High School.

LSCM will hold tryouts at the college on Sept. 9. Home games are played at Covenant Christian School in Conroe.

“If you’re a guy that went under the radar, maybe had some injuries, couldn’t get a scholarship, it’s definitely a great place to go to see if you still have it,” Coulson said.

Students at LSCM who are interested in playing on the club baseball team can contact coach Hanks at 936-273-7097 or hankosky@lonestar.edu.

2010 RHP Jordan Marah from Conroe HS signs with Lon Morris College Football and Baseball

I am very pleased to announce that 2010 OF Trevor Robertson from CE King HS signed with Three Rivers Community College in MO. Congrats to Trevor and his family.

2010 SS Aaron Jones from CE King HS signs with Williams Baptist College in Arkansas.

Nederland's Laird latest to commit to Lamar
By RYAN S. CLARK
June 29, 2010
Posted: June 29, 2010, 4:04 PM CDT
Share Print Email

Facebook
Twitter
Digg Yahoo! Buzz
Del.icio.us
StumbleUpon
Top News
Alex is officially a hurricane
Feds bust drug ring, arrest Southeast Texans
Calder drainage project will interrupt I-10
US accepts international assistance for Gulf spill
UPDATE: President declares state of emergency in South Texas
Forgive Cody Laird if he's still trying to find the right words to describe the last year.

A year ago, he was learning to make the transition to pitcher for the Nederland baseball team. Now, he's learning how to make the transition to college baseball as Laird verbally committed to play baseball at Lamar University, a place he's wanted to play since he was a child.

"I have been going to (Lamar's baseball) camp since I was six years old," Laird said. "I have always wanted to stay at home and play there."

Laird, 17, caps a senior year at Nederland that saw him emerge as one of the area's best pitchers. He started the season as Nederland's No. 1 pitcher after Texas signee Kirby Bellow was recovering from a partially torn ACL.

Laird flourished throughout the season as he went 11-1, helping Nederland finish 13-1 in District 20-4A to win its second straight district title.

When Bellow returned, it gave Nederland one of the area's strongest 1-2 combinations on the mound.

Laird, whose first loss came in the second round of the playoffs, was also named the district's pitcher of the year, an honor he shared with Port Neches-Groves' Chris Sweetenham.

Skip Allen, who coaches Laird's Houston-based select baseball team, said his work ethic had a lot to do with why he's going to Lamar.

"I think he saw the people around him that were from that program that had been successful," Allen said. "He's from a very good high school program that has produced college players and I think he knew with continued work and success, he'd be the next one to go."

Laird's commitment to Lamar now means the Southland Conference school will have four incoming left-handed pitchers from the area.

The others include Orangefield's Chase Angelle, PN-G's Kane Benoit and Vidor's Trae Hester.

Laird will also be reunited with former Nederland teammate Jude Vidrine, who just finished his first season at the school.

Laird, who will major in mechanical engineering, said he's pleased that next season will allow him to be around players he has known for a while.

"It is exciting because there are a bunch of kids that I know that are going to be there," Laird said. "I think it is going to be easy because Jude is a great leader and I know he was a great leader for us when I he was a senior. We're also both majoring in the same thing so he can help me with that too."

Laird said he started receiving interest from Lamar when he was a sophomore but he also attracted attention from schools such as Alvin Junior College, LSU-Eunice and Northwestern State.

Allen said he started working with Laird two years ago and Laird's maturity was his most impressive asset.

"I think it is pretty surreal for him because you go from being a high school guy waiting your turn to being in a Cardinal uniform," Allen said. "He's living the dream and I think he's pretty happy. He's living a dream any ball player wants to have, being a ball player at the university of his choice."

Follow reporter Ryan S. Clark on Twitter at twitter.com/ryan_s_clark

Congrats to Travis and his parents Steve and Terri.

Congrats to Benny and his family.

I am pleased to announce that former player and our off season pitching coach LHP Colton Pitkin from Baytown Sterling High School has been promoted to Houston Astro’s Lexington Legends in the South Atlantic League. Best of luck Colton.

Eloy Barela MIF 2010 from CE King High School signs with Williams Baptist College in Arkansas. Congrats to Ducky and his family.

CE King High School MIF Eloy Barela signs with Williams Baptist College.

Trey Price Catcher class of 2009 from Pearland HS will play at Alvin College for the 2010. Congrats to Trey and his family.

2010 LHP Sam Johnson from Hitchcock High School signs with Galvenston College. Congrats to Sam and his family.

University of Texas-Brownsville open the college baseball season this past weekend. C Jeff Allen went 2 for 3 with 2 RBI.

Jared Walters RHP 2009 from Baytown Sterling will play at Galveston College in 2010. Congrats to Jared and his family.

MIF-Aaron Martinez (2009) from Baytown,has signed to play baseball at Dawson CC in Glendive Mt.

Pitkin sitting pretty on Astros’ farm

By Dave Rogers
Published July 16, 2009

In his third season of professional baseball, Colton Pitkin is still the third-youngest player on his team.

But the former Sterling High southpaw is performing like an old hand in his new job as a starting pitcher for the Houston Astros’ Class A Tri-City Valley Cats.

“I started all my life, but when I got to Greeneville they had me throwing in the bullpen because of the round I was drafted in and because of my age,” Pitkin recalled his pro beginnings for the Astros’ Greeneville, Ky., rookie league team.

Pitkin was just 17 when he was signed out of high school as a 41st-round draft pick in 2007. He won’t turn 20 until next month.

But he has a 1.98 earned run average and 18 strikeouts in five starts and 27 1/3 innings in the New York-Penn League.

His mound record for the Troy, N.Y., team is 2-3, but his stats are far better than that.

Pitkin had his longest pro outing, seven innings, and gave up a season-high three earned runs in his last outing, a 3-0 loss to Oneonto. Tri-City is last in the league at 7-15.

“If you’re a high-round draft pick, you get put into the starting rotation and get more time to develop,” Pitkin said in a phone interview last week. “I had to pitch my way into the starting rotation. Now I’m trying to take it and run with it.”

The 6-foot-3 lefty didn’t start his “official” season until mid-June after being assigned to the Short Season Class A team.

“Originally, I was slotted to go to (Class A) Lexington and start in April,” he said, “but they made the decision to move me to the starting rotation, so I stayed in Florida for extended spring training.

“In extended league, you play games the whole time. They’re just not going on the Internet.”

Pitkin says he “definitely had to grow up early,” when he signed so early. “But I think it’s been good for me.”

He was limited by a sore shoulder to a handful of innings in his first of two seasons at Greeneville. A year ago, he finished 2-2 with four saves, a 3.07 ERA and 45 strikeouts in 44 innings over 17 appearances.

“The biggest transition from Greenville to here is there aren’t as many free swingers,” he said. “You’re facing high-round draft picks coming out of college.

“And before, I was coming in in the ninth inning trying to close a game and I’d use everything I had to try to get them out. Now I’ve got to be a pitcher, not a thrower. I have to think what I’m throwing. If you make a mistake and leave one down the middle, it’s going to get hit out.”

Part of that is trying to hold back a few secrets.

“Now I come in trying to keep tools in the bag,” he said. “The first time through the batting order, they’re only going to see my changeup or slider. I try to keep one in the bag for later innings.”

With six weeks left in the season, Pitkin is looking forward to a rest. He recently was told he wouldn’t be required to pitch in the instructional league this year as he did last fall.

“I’ve been going for a year and a half and it’ll be nice to get some time off,” he said.

And he’ll enjoy his off-season, because he likes where he’s at.

“There’s not a better organization to be in right now than the Astros,” he said, “because we need pitching. I’m left-handed and I’m young.

“I’m sitting pretty.

OF/RHP Jay Burditt from Barbers Hill HS signs with Galveston College. Congrats to the Burditt Family. A job well done. Best of luck.

Eagle hurler set to pitch on island

By Dave Rogers
Published July 23, 2009

You’ve got to like Jay Burditt’s timing.

The 6-foot-1, 185-pound Barbers Hill right-hander stepped up this spring when the Eagle baseball team was without proven pitching.

Now he’s hoping to find a similar niche with a rebuilding program at Galveston College.

Gary Key, who coached Galveston O’Connell to the 1986 state private school championship and followed it with 15 years and a state tournament appearance as Galveston Ball head coach, took over the Whitecap program late last week.

Burditt, first-team All-District 19-4A selection, was one of his first signees.

“They’ve got a new coaching staff and I believe they’ll be able to push me on to the next level,” he said.

Galveston’s pitching coach will be Kyle Rogers, a former player for Key who spent a few years pitching in the minors after being drafted by the Texas Rangers out of Ball High.

Burditt said he looked at offers from other schools before picking Galveston College.

“But they were too far of a hike for me,” he said. “I’m fortunate to be able to stay close to home and this (Region XIV) is considered to be one of the best conferences.”

His parents, Jay and Kim Burditt, are happy.

“We’ll get to see a lot of his home games,” Burditt’s dad said. “He won’t be too far from home.”

A finger injury cost Burditt most of his junior season at Barbers Hill, meaning he had to start from scratch when it came to recruiting.

“He was attempting a bunt his junior year and the ball sailed in on him and basically took the top of his finger off,” Eagles coach Gil Stalbaum recalled.

“After he came back from injury, he just got pushed to the back burner He got so far behind, he was a sub for the rest of the year.”

The situation was different in 2009. The Eagles graduated four pitchers from the 2008 team that signed college scholarships.

“We had several pitching prospects, but it really wasn’t all that clear when we went over to the Ewell Jackson tournament,” Stalbaum said. “Jay threw against Fort Bend Elkins and really threw an outstanding ballgame.

“I think that night was when the coaches looked at each other and said we’ve found our No. 1 guy. He emerged there and he remained our No. 1 guy the rest of the year.”

Burditt finished with a 6-3 record, losing only to Elkins, Crosby and Brenham. His earned run average was 2.03 and he struck out 65 batters in 65 2/3 innings.

In addition to being named all-district, Burditt represented the Eagles in the Houston Area Baseball Coaches Association All-Star game at Reckling Park.

Burditt credited his teammates for much of his success.

“He was lucky to have a bunch of good kids behind him,” he dad said. “When they were 14, they went to state with Little League.”

Another big assist, the pitcher said, came when he started working with Colton Pitkin, a minor league pitcher from Baytown.

“He cleaned up my mechanics and taught me a lot about my pitching philosophy: to attack the strike zone, how to throw a changeup and when to throw my slider,” Burditt said.

Now he’s ready to take his skill set to tackle junior college.

“They’re going to get a hard worker,” Stalbaum said, “a guy that thinks out on the mound, a guy that’s got a lot of upside.

“Hopefully he develops into even a better pitcher than he was at Barbers Hill.”

Hunter Cervenka LHP from Baytown Sterling HS (2008) gets his first professional win with the GCL Red Socks going 5 innings allowing one hit, no runs and six strikeouts. Congrats.

Cats have quiet bats: Tri-City wastes Pitkin's gem

Saturday, June 20, 2009

By Ed Weaver
The Record

ONEONTA — Quality starts were rare for the Tri-City ValleyCats in 2008, but Colt Pitkin gave them one on in Friday night’s season opener, a fine but futile effort in a 2-0 loss to the Oneonta Tigers.

Oneonta righthanders Jeff Gerbe and Mike LaLuna blanked the ValleyCats on five hits as Tri-City dropped its New York-Penn League opener for the fifth time in six seasons.

Gerbe, who missed all of last season following shoulder surgery, hadn’t won a game since June of 2007, but after the first inning Friday night, one never would have guessed that fact.

Gerbe, who was 2-5 for Oneonta in 2006, permitted just four singles and was in trouble only in that first inning.

Hard-throwing LaLuna, who mixes a sweeping curveball with the heat, mowed down the ValleyCats in the final three innings, allowing just Brandon Wikoff's infield single while striking out six.

Pitkin struck out seven in his six innings, allowed just four hits and one walk but was touched for two runs in the third inning.

Each team opened the season with an errorless game and the contest took just 2:02 to compete.

“I’ve never heard of a team going undefeated in the game, pro ball,” said first-year ValleyCats manager Jim Pankovits. “I was encouraged in a lot of ways. I thought we played very good defense and our pitching was outstanding.”

Tri-City pitching coach Gary Ruby said Pitkin “did a very good job. He kept his composure for a young (19) pitcher. He struggled in one inning but came back and had some good innings after that. I was really pleased.”

So was Pitkin.

“I was pleased with how I pitched,” he said. “I threw strikes, which is rule No. 1. Kept the team in the ballgame. It’s tough that we didn’t come out with a win. I thought we played good defense. The bats didn’t come through but I think we have a good team. Even though we lost, I'm pretty excited about the season. I think we're going to have some success.”

After Pitkin had retired the first eight Oneonta batters, the Tigers got to him with two outs in the third.

Mike Rockett lined a solid single to left field, then Pitkin's 1-1 curveball to Jamie Johnson didn't break and plunked the leadoff hitter in the helmet.

Jim Gulliver then singled to left for one run and Wade Gaynor followed with a run-scoring double to right-center field.

The ValleyCats loaded the bases in the top of the first inning with one out on a Wikoff's single and walks to Jhonny Medrano and Russ Dixon.

Gerbe then struck out Renzo Tello and got Nick Stanley on a flyout.

The ValleyCats never again got more than one baserunner in an inning.

“I faced (Gerbe) down in Extended Spring Training,” Dixon said. “He did a pretty good job (Friday) of mixing his pitches. He kind of did enough to keep us off balance. For the most part, I thought we had some pretty good at-bats but we just didn't string (hits) together.”

“He had some good movement up and hit the corners real well after the first couple innings,” Tigers catcher Eric Roof said.

ValleyCats first baseman Nick Stanley hit a long drive right field in the fourth inning that appeared to be over the head of right fielder Rockett, who was running with his head down and with his back to the plate.

He looked up and made catch on the warning track, however, and had made a sparkling, leaping catch of Rene Garcia's sinking liner up the right field line in the second inning.

Rockett and Wikoff were the only players in the game with more than one hit. Dixon, Medrano and Danny Meier had the ’Cats’ other hits.

ValleyCats relievers Brendan Stines and James MacDonald each hurled one scoreless inning, MacDonald with two strikeouts.

“Obviously it would have been nice to get a win with that fine pitching,” Pankovits said. “But there were some positives, they got their feet wet and we'll come back and get them (tonight).”

It was mentioned that the ValleyCats had only three or four errorless games last season.

“I think we have a few more than that,” he said.

Six-foot-9 lefthander David Duncan pitches for the ValleyCats tonight (7) when they host Oneonta in their home opener at Joe Bruno Stadium.

Marshall to start season in Yanks’ Class A

By Dave Rogers
Published April 5, 2009

Former Sterling standout Brett Marshall will start his “real” rookie season at the New York Yankees' Class A affiliate at Charleston, S.C., and the million-dollar bonus baby is pumped.

“That’s a good thing,” he said by phone Saturday as he prepared to leave the Yankees’ minor league camp in Tampa, Fla., to join the River Dogs in the South Atlantic (“Sally”) League.

“It’s Low A ball and a full-season league and I’ll be their youngest pitcher. I’m getting ready to be their No. 5 pitcher.”

Marshall, 19, was drafted in the sixth round by the Yankees last June and received an $850,000 signing bonus plus $200,000 for his college education when he signed in August.

He spent the final weeks of August with the Yankees’ rookie league team in Tampa, appearing in three games, pitching a total of six innings and compiling a 0.00 earned run average with eight strikeouts.

Since then, he spent three weeks each in the fall pitching in instructional league in Tampa and in the Dominican Republic. He went back to Tampa in January for a couple of weeks of work with the Yankee pitching coaches before joining the Yankee’s minor league camp in late-February.

“Spring training flew by, but it was a little exhausting,” the 6-foot, 195-pound right-hander said. “It wasn’t difficult at all, but the running was a little tiring.”

Ironically, it was the throwing routine that required the biggest adjustment for the player named Greater Houston Player of the Year by the Houston Chronicle last spring, when he led Sterling to the Class 5A regional semifinals.

“Throwing every day was something I wasn’t used to,” he said. “My arm got a little tired the first couple of weeks, throwing batting practice and long toss on the days I wasn’t pitching.

“Mainly, I’ve been working on my mechanics. My mechanics are a lot better than they were in high school. My arm is not near as sore as it would be after a high school game.”

He said his fastball topped out at 96 mph in spring training.

“But lately I’ve been staying in the low 90s, trying to learn how to pitch. I’m trying to command my fastball before I let one go,” he said.

Another adjustment Marshall must make is riding the bus.

He said the longest trips during his spring training stay in Florida were an hour long. The Sally League stretches from Georgia up the East Coast to New Jersey and as far west as Ohio.

But he looks forward to the routine.

“In spring training, all our games were at 1 p.m.,” Marshall said. “Normally, I’d get to the park at 8 or 9 in the morning in the spring and we’d practice before the games. If I wasn’t going to pitch in the games I’d get out by noon or so.”

While he’ll be rooming in Charleston with Taylor Grote, a 2007 Yankees draftee from The Woodlands, some names even more familiar in these parts highlighted Marshall’s time in Tampa.

“Andy Pettitte and a lot of the big-league pitchers would come to our complex to work when they weren’t on the traveling roster for spring training games,” Marshall said. “And I got to know Reggie Jackson pretty well.”

The Hall of Fame slugger is a special assistant for the Yankees whose spring duties include helping high draft picks transition to the pros.

“He knows he’s Reggie Jackson. I’ll put it that way,” Marshall said. “But he’s pretty cool, a nice guy. He was giving me tips on how to make it to the big leagues.”

Another fellow with big league ties will be making Marshall’s acquaintance soon.

Mike Veeck, the son of legendary baseball owner Bill Veeck, runs the club in Charleston.

Like his dad, Veeck is known for crazy promotions.

The River Dogs open their season Thursday against Rome, Ga.,

Saturday’s promotion is something called Economic Stimulus Night featuring a Stuff My Pockets Wallet Giveaway and a Win the Boss’ Money game of chance all preceded by a Run Forrest Run 5K race.

“Playing baseball 24/7 is something I love,” Marshall said. “I get to do something I love every day. It can’t get much better than that.”

I am very pleased to announce that OF Quinn Guest from Pearland HS has signed to play at Concordia University in Austin Texas. Congrats to Tammy, Lonnie and Quinn.

Abel Flores who signed with Wharton JC has signed with D1 with Texas Southern University.

GLENDIVE, MONTANA- Brent Diegel, Head Coach of the Dawson Community College Buccaneers baseball team, is proud to announce today that sophomore catcher Jeff Allen has signed a letter of intent to play baseball for the University of Texas in Brownsville. The UT-Brownsville Scorpions compete in the Red River Athletic Conference and in Region VI of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).

Jeff, a switch-hitting catcher from Katy, Texas, has played for DCC the past two years, catching in 24 games and racking up a notable .286 batting average with 18 RBIs and 4 doubles. Once at UT-Brownsville, Jeff will be competing for the starting catcher position. “I have been following Jeff’s progress as a player over the last two years… he’s a smart player who comes from a great family,” said Scorpions Head Coach Bryan Aughney. “Jeff has the versatility we like to see in a new recruit. He’s a quality player.”

UT-Brownsville Coach Bryan Aughney is no stranger to the DCC baseball program, having played for the Buccaneers in 2001 and 2002. Originally from Bozeman, he is in his first season as head coach at UT-B. Coach Aughney said he hopes to make it back to Glendive for his 10 year reunion and the DCC Alumni game.

To find out more about the Buccaneer baseball program, contact Coach Diegel at 406.377.9492. For more information on Dawson Community College athletics, visit us on the web at www.dawson.edu/athletics or call the DCC athletic department at 406.377.9450.

Jeff told me tonight that he has loved living in Montana for the last two years and playing for Coach Diegle. “It was a great life experience” I have made many friends and have grown as both a player and a person. I am looking forward to my time with Coach Aughney in Brownsville, but still have work to be done here at Dawson before I come back home to Texas.

LHP Colton Pitkin Drafted by Astros.

Colton reports to Greeneville Tenn. Rookie League for the Astros.

RHP Brett Marshall from Baytown Sterling signs with the Yankees and reports Thursday August 7, 2008 to Tampa to start his professional career. Congratulations to the entire Marshall Family and best of luck. Fox 26 news will have the story tonight August 6, 2008 at 9pm.

I wanted to take this time to say goodbye to Levi Martinez. Levi from Willis high school has been in our program for over a year and he is leaving for the navy next week. He has always been a class act in our program and it has been my honor to coach him. Good luck and thanks in advance for your service to our country.

Jeff Allen catcher from Dawson CC has been named team captain for the second time in as many years. Congratulations to Jeff on a job well done.

2007 Brad Hicks C Magnolia signs with Blinn JC (Football)Signs with Texas Tech 2009 (football). Congrats to Brad and his family.

Jimmy Mott and Jeff Allen from Dawson CC open their 2009 season today 2/23/09 in Sterling CO.