Midwest League

Italy calls on pitcher Alex Maestri in 2013 World Baseball Classic win-or-go-home showdown

Roberto Angotti1 Comment

Pitcher Alex Maestri is representing Team Italy for the fourth time in the 2013 World Baseball Classic.
Starting pitcher Alex Maestri is representing Italy
for the fourth time in the 2013 World Baseball Classic.
The first Italian-born pitcher signed
by MLB is experiencing a renaissance. The two-time MiLB All-Star spent five seasons in the Chicago Cubs system. Alex Maestri later ventured Down Under, where he would be named 2011 Australian Baseball League (ABL) Team World All-Star and given the inaugural ABL Fan Choice Award. When I first met the 27-year-old right-hander at the Italian MLB Academy near Pisa last year, he told me that the Kagawa Olive Guyners wanted him to pitch in Japan. He took on the the role of the team’s closer and was a knock out from day one. In each of the two months he played for Kagawa in 2012, he was named the indy league’s pitcher of the month.

Closer Alessandro Maestri was not afraid to show his winning Italian spirit by striking out Jayson Nix to beat Team U.S.A. for the first time in 21 years during the 2007 Baseball World Cup on November 9, 2007.
Closer Alessandro Maestri was not afraid to show his Italian winning spirit by striking out Jayson Nix to beat Team USA for the first time in 21 years during the 2007 Baseball World Cup hosted by Chinese Taipei.
On July 9, 2012, Maestri’s contract was purchased by the Orix Buffaloes of the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) League. He worked diligently to advance from the farm team to the top-ranked league in Japan. In his NPB debut for the Orix Buffaloes, the international baseball ambassador from Italy pitched 6.1 innings to earn his first victory while allowing just one run with four hits and striking out five. He went on to dominate in the NPB and made seven more starts for the 2012 Orix Buffaloes. Posting a 4-3 record with a 2.17 ERA,
Alex Maestri averaged nearly one strikeout per inning
(49.2 innings/40 K). He was equally impressive during his 2011/12 ABL campaign. The Brisbane Bandits pitcher finished third in the ABL in innings pitched (63.2) and strikeouts (53), fourth in WHIP (1.16) and sixth in ERA (3.25). In Round Eight of the regular season, he earned Australian Baseball League Pitcher of the Week honors after throwing a stellar complete game two-hitter against the Canberra Cavalry.
Alex Maestri pitched for the Brisbane Bandits during the 2011/12 ABL season.
Alex Maestri pitched for the Brisbane Bandits during the 2011/12 ABL season.
wbc_logo Team Italy starting pitcher Alex Maestri faces Team Puerto Rico today at 7pm (EST) in a win-or-go-home showdown televised live on the MLB Network from Marlins Park in Miami. He and his fellow Italian teammates are ready to show the world that the defending European Champions are loaded with talent ready to lock and load in the competitive 2013 World Baseball Classic.

Roberto: Welcome back to the USA!
Alex Maestri: How are doing Roberto? It’s nice to talk to you. I’m feeling good. It’s been a long journey coming here. Everything is good. I’m glad to be with the Italian national team now. I’m looking forward to this WBC tournament and this year coming up.

Roberto: After your successful campaign for the Japan Professional League’s Orix Buffaloes, the team has really stepped up its efforts in recruiting players from overseas.
Alex Maestri: Yeah, you know, every year the team signs foreign players. This year we got seven so we’re probably going to have to rotate. That’s stuff that I can’t control, but it’s going to be fun. The team looks very good. We have a lot of Japanese players that are pretty good and young so I think it’s going to be an exciting year.

Roberto: Did you enjoy the food in Japan?
Alex Maestri: The food there is great. It’s so good. I heard good things about Japanese food before I went there, and when I got there I really appreciated it. Their cuisine is not all about sushi like we think. That’s what I thought too before I went there, but they actually have a huge variety of good food. It’s all very, very good.

Roberto: Did you find a good plate of pasta there?
Alex Maestri: Actually, you know what, they are very good at cooking pasta too. They can reproduce everything very well. They are very good at learning about other cultures and making it theirs.

Roberto: The Japanese have the longest life span. So they must be doing something right.
Alex Maestri: They are doing a lot of things right.

Roberto: Your Japanese YouTube video is amazing. Have you ever been in the spotlight like that before?
Alex Maestri: Not at all. That was like the first time. After the game, the player of the game gets interviewed in front of the fans in the stadium and put on the big screen. My debut was actually a great game. I got to do that right on the field. It was cool. This fan had this Italian flag with him, and he came all the way close to the dugout. He passed the flag to one of the reporters who gave it to me. So it was good, it was good seeing the colors of Italy in Japan.
I was very proud too to represent those colors in a good way.

Roberto: It almost had an Olympic feel to it.
Alex Maestri: Yeah, you see those gold medal runners walking around the track with their flags. I was just standing around though. It was a really a weird day. I really didn’t feel uncomfortable. I really didn’t know what was going on.

Roberto: It must have been an adrenalin rush.
Alex Maestri: It was during the game. Afterwards, I was just relaxed and happy. I was done pitching, and we won the game.milbRoberto: Tell me about what you remember most about playing Minor League Baseball.
Alex Maestri: I was here in the states for six years, and five of those six years were with the Cubs. I have a lot of great memories with that team. The game that I remember the most was a Cubs Spring Training game, and I was with the big league team against the A’s. They gave me one inning, and it was pretty good.
Roberto: And you got to face Italian American Jason “Giambino” Giambi.
Alex Maestri: Actually Giambi is the only one who actually got a hit off me. I faced four guys, and three (Orlando Cabrera, Matt Holliday and Eric Chavez) of the four were strikeouts.
Roberto: Since he is Italian, were you giving him a free pass to first base?
Alex Maestri: (Laughing) Yeah, I guess so.

Italian American Jason "Giambino" Giambi was the only A's hitter to get on base versus Alex Maestri.
Italian American Jason “Giambino” Giambi was the only A’s hitter to get on base against pitcher Alex Maestri in a 2009 Chicago Cubs Spring Training game under Cubbie manager Lou Pinella.
Roberto: Let’s talk about the development of baseball in Italy. Is playing on Team Italia like serving in the Italian military and serving your country?
Alex Maestri: Yeah, I mean in Italy we have a lot of good players. It’s a shame that there is not much money supporting baseball so it’s not easy to develop guys. But we have the Italian MLB Academy now, and you know it’s doing very good. There are some young players that are doing some really nice work. And there’s more and more scouts going down there to look at them. It’s a pleasure for me to represent the country all over the world. And even if I just play for myself on the team that I play with, I always play for my colors, I’m always proud of that.
Alessandro Maestri with Italian teammates Pat Venditte, Luca Panerati and Alessandro Vaglio. (Photo by Michele Gallerani/FIBS)
Alessandro Maestri with Italian teammates Pat Venditte, Luca Panerati and Alessandro Vaglio during a break while at Oakland A’s Minor League facility. (Photo by MG-Oldmanagency / FIBS)
Roberto: Forza Italia! Forza Azzurri!
Alex Maestri: Yeah, per sempre Forza Azzurri!

Roberto: You don’t take any prisoners when you pitch, and you proudly wear your colors on your sleeve. It shows that you pour your heart and soul every time you step on the mount to throw.
Alex Maestri: Yeah, I think that’s what you have to do on the mound. You’re not always going to succeed. But that’s the attitude you’ve got to have to pitch.

Roberto: Italy pitching coach Bill Holmberg has changed the mindsets of many on this staff for the better.
Alex Maestri: Bill has been my pitching coach forever. He has known me since I was a kid And you know I started working with him when I was 18-year-old and started to go to the Italian MLB Academy. But even before that he was working with me. He’s my main pitching coach. I always try to go the Academy during the offseason and have a few workouts with him. I really like the way he teaches pitching. I think everybody, all the pitchers that get to work with him, they appreciate his work.

Roberto: He was the one who wrote your name on a scouting report for the Chicago Cubs, and the next thing you know you were signed to MLB.
Alex Maestri: At the time he was an international scout for the Chicago Cubs, and you know I was doing pretty good. I was young and I was doing good for my team. And he said that he was going to take a chance and sign me. He said that I could make the Big Leagues. He really believed in me. He gave me a great opportunity to come over and gave me a chance to play in the states.

Pitching coach Bill Holmber and hitting coach Mike Piazza (Michele Gallerani / FIBS)
Italia pitching coach Bill Holmberg and hitting coach Mike Piazza (MG-Oldmanagency / FIBS)
Roberto: Mike Piazza could be doing else, but instead he chooses to with you as the hitting coach for Team Italy.
Alex Maestri: We really love that. It’s great to have him around in the dugout. He’s like doing this for fun. He enjoys working with us… That’s why we appreciate it so much. I think he is positively influencing the program that we have. The fact that the team is winning and improving proves it. So that’s why he keeps coming back.

Roberto: Coach Piazza helps pitchers as well, right?
Alex Maestri: Oh definitely. We always have meetings in the morning.. He comes in with Bill and always says his opinion on our pitching. He was one of the best catchers in the game so he obviously knows a lot about pitching too. It’s just great having him around.

Roberto: Being the underdog, Team Italy plays like there is no tomorrow.
Alex Maestri: I guess it’s kind of normal since baseball is not so developed in Italy. People don’t really respect Italian baseball, but you know it’s kind of like the fun part of playing. Nobody really thinks that we are strong. But I think we are a very good team actually, and we should again surprise a lot of people around the world.

Roberto: It this also an opportunity to play on the world’s stage to show MLB what they missed out on?
Alex Maestri: I don’t think I have to have any sort of revenge, I just want to play good for myself and my country. I was here in the states, and they gave me a great opportunity to play here. I had a lot of great experiences here so it’s not like I’m mad at anybody. Things just went that way. I had a tough year in 2010 so it’s normal that I got released. You know I’m still playing baseball. I’ve got a great opportunity now in Japan. I just love what I do so like I said before I am just going to play for my country and not for anybody else.

Roberto: You look healthy and happy. With this Italian team playing to win, I know you are going to give it your all.
Alex Maestri: Yeah, I think a few years back, the Italian national team just went out playing a few tournaments to kind of like participate. But now with manager Marco Mazzieri, you have a very good attitude and it rubs off on all the players. Now you have a very strong group that won two European Championships back-to-back. And now everybody is starting to feel confident about themselves. And in baseball that’s what is about—confidence. You know we got ability so we need to be confident and just go out there and play baseball.

Team Italy pitcher Alex Maestri was once regarded as having the best slider in the Cubs organization.
Alex Maestri had some serious movement on his arsenal of pitches in the 2009 WBC.
Roberto: You have a wicked slider which was once regarded as one of the best in the entire Chicago Cubs organization.
Alex: I’ve got my pitches like everybody else. I just got to keep working on them and make them as confusing as I can for hitters.

Roberto: In prior in WBC competitions, you have been stellar. I hope that you will continue to shine in the upcoming 2013 WBC.
Alex Maestri: Yeah, you know, that’s the plan. We always try to do our best. And that’s what I’m trying to do this time around. Right now I’m getting ready and going day-by-day. It’s going to be a lot of fun, and I’ll definitely give my best effort.

Roberto: Are there any players in the WBC that you know from you days in MiLB?
Alex Maestri: The only guys that I remember is catcher Chris Robinson from Canada. We were in the same organization. We never really played together. I have played against many of the USA players like Mike (Giancarlo) Stanton and Jonathan Lucroy. It’s cool facing them again in the World Baseball Classic.

Roberto: Every pitch has to count with the WBC pitch limits in place.
Alex Maestri: Yeah, that’s kind of like the plan every time you go out. You know it’s a team sport so everybody is going to have do his own thing. I know that I will do my part with my pitching, but once I’m done with my pitches then there is someone else coming in to take over. We just all have to do this together, and it’s going to be touch. We’re playing the best teams in the world, and it’s going to be hard work. So we’re going to have to be really focused.

Roberto: You have to execute.
Alex Maestri: Yeah, you’ve got to be able to execute and if you don’t you just lose games. That’s why we play this game. You know, we enjoy that part of it.

Italia pitcher Alessandro Maestri will face Team Canada in the WBC. (Michele Gallerani / FIBS)
Italia pitcher Alessandro Maestri beat Canada in the 2013 WBC. (MG-Oldmanagency / FIBS)

Roberto: What does it mean to be an Italian playing baseball?
Alex Maestri: I just started to play baseball because of my brother. At the time I wasn’t really watching any baseball on TV. I started doing that later on, but it was cool seeing all those guys with Italian names written on the back of their jerseys. I just grew up hoping that one day that I would be able to take their place.

Roberto: With the influx of MLB players now joining Team Italy, how will it change the personality of La Squadra Azzurri.
Alex Maestri: I think it’s going to be the same. We have a good personality now. Those players are going to definitely improve the level. Because obviously they are Big League players and they have more experience than we do. It’s going to make the team better, but I don’t think it will change the personality of the team.

Roberto: You are representing Italy on all corners of the earth wherever you compete.
Alex Maestri: I feel like it. I always travel the world and play baseball in different countries. But my roots are always with me so I feel very proud of that. I’m sure all the other guys feel proud of that too—even the Big League players that are going to play for us. We already had a bunch of them in the World Baseball Classic, and they play as hard as we do. They want to win, and it’s just going to be great to do it all together.

Alex Liddi and Alex Maestri
Migliori Amici Alex Liddi and Alessandro Maestri

Roberto: Any favorites? Has the Dodgers’ Nick Punto lived up to his name as the shredder by tearing the jersey off walk-off heroes after Team Italy victories?
Alex Maestri: I don’t know about Punto, but another guy who had an unbelievable WBC tournament was Chris Denorfia. At the tournament, he really gave everything he had. He made some great plays defensively and had some clutch hits so it’s going to be good to see him again. Jason Grilli has been with us for the first two World Baseball Classics. He’s just a great guy. He loves to come and play for us. Alex Liddi, of course, is one of my best friends.
I haven’t seen him in a long time. I saw him the other day, and it was just great seeing him again. He’s really family. I feel like his brother. And all the other guys that are going to come are going to be very welcome.

Roberto: You will be in the capable hands of catchers Drew Butera from the Minnesota Twins and Tyler LaTorre from the San Francisco Giants. Have you ever worked with them before?
Alex Maestri: Actually not. I haven’t had the pleasure to work with them yet. It’s going to happen in the WBC.RizzoRoberto: Since you were in the same organization as the Cubs’ Anthony Rizzo, it will be sort of a Cubbie reunion with two Italians on the same team.
Alex Maestri: Yeah, I heard really a lot of good things about him. We both played for the same organization so it will be good.

Roberto: Anything else you would like to say before we sign off?
Alex Maestri: I’d like to say hi to everybody. I would like to thank the great people all over the world. I really enjoy what I’m doing now. I might not be enjoying this for the past seven years if it had not been for them. Thanks!

Roberto: I really enjoyed meeting you at the Italian MLB Academy and talking with you today here in Arizona prior to the 2013 World Baseball Classic. Thanks for your time!
Alex: Thank you very much, and thank you for the work you do for Team Italy. It’s good to have somebody who really cares about this team and tries to promote the team as much as you do. Thank you for doing that.
Roberto: Thank you. It’s my pleasure. I believe in you and Italian baseball. God bless Italia! italy colors

Top 40 Americans in the ABL (#21-30)

Roberto AngottiLeave a comment

Blacktown Olympic Stadium, home of the Sydney Blue Sox
ABL action from Blue Sox Stadium at Blacktown International Sportspark in Sydney, Australia
Australian_Baseball_League_Team_LogosIt is believed that baseball was introduced to Australia by American gold miners in the Victorian gold rush of the 1850s. Back then miners would play baseball on the gold fields when they received time off for rest. The first reports of organized baseball teams appeared in Ballarat, Victoria in 1857. So it should come as no surprise that Americans are still playing
ball in places like Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Canberra and Perth as participants in the Australian Baseball League. Let’s look at some of the Top 40 Americans in the ABL.
#30 C.J. Beatty of the Brisbane Bandits (photo by Joe Vella/SMP Images/ABL)
#30 C.J. “Hollywood” Beatty of the Brisbane Bandits (Photo by Joe Vella / SMP Images)
C.J. Beatty hit his sixth homer of the season in final ABL game on January 26, 2013 at Blue Sox Stadium.
#30 C.J. Beatty hit his sixth homer of the season
in his final ABL game on January 26, 2013 in Sydney.
(Photo courtesy of Joe Vella / SMP Images / ABL)
#30 C.J. Beatty was selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 26th round of the 2009 MLB June Amateur Draft after all-star play at North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro, North Carolina. He progressed rapidly up the ranks in 2010 to Single-A Advanced Palm Beach in the Florida State League before the Cardinals farm system released him after discovering an irregular heartbeat during his 2011 camp physical. Although he was cleared to play after an EKG, the red birds acted on the side of caution with his release. cjbeattywhatsnottolove
The current official twitter photo for @cjbeatty44
The current official Twitter photo for @cjbeatty44
That didn’t stop him from pursing his dream. After Independent ball stints
in the North American League (San Angelo, Edinburg, and Fort Worth)
and the American Association League (Lincoln), the 24-year-old North Carolinian relished his time in the ABL playing third base for the Brisbane Bandits. He earned the ABL Round 11 Player of the Week title after a multi-home run game in which he drove in five of the Bandits’ six runs. The former St. Louis Cardinals farmhand had hits in all four games of the Bandits’ Round 11 series, going 6-for-11 (.667) with three homers and eight RBI. Beatty led Brisbane in both slugging percentage (.483) and on-base plus slugging percentage (.845) while batting .252 during 2012-13.
#29 JaDamion Williams of the Sydney Blue Sox in the Australia Series against Team Australia (photo by
#29 JaDamion Williams of the Sydney Blue Sox (Photo by Joe Vella / SMP Images / ABL)
JaDamion Williams is considered the fastest player in the Minnesota Twins organization. (Photo courtesy of Brett Crockford/SMP Images)
#29 JaDamion Williams is the fastest prospect in the entire Minnesota Twins organization.
(Brett Crockford / SMP Images)
#29 JaDamion “J.D.” Williams played in his first year in the ABL after spending three seasons in the Minnesota Twins minor league system. A 10th round draft pick by the Twins in 2010 out of high school, J.D. inked a $125,000 signing bonus and spent the first two years at the rookie level before jumping to Single-A in 2012. He struggled in his pro debut, hitting just .214 while playing primarily second base in the Gulf Coast League in 2010, but switched to the outfield while moving up to Elizabethton in 2011 and thrived. He batted .317 with 17 extra-base hits, 25 walks, and 10 steals in 50 games. Williams demonstrated that beyond tools and projection there was a talented baseball player beneath all the speed and athleticism. With the Beloit Snappers in 2012, the Florida native batted .234 and stole 23 bases in 32 attempts. The 21-year-old’s power numbers have also gone up every year, hitting one in his first season and six in 2012. Playing 37 games for the 2012-13 Sydney Blue Sox in the ABL, the switch-hitting outfielder contributed greatly to the team’s second place finish in the standings despite a lackluster .218 batting average.
#28 Zac Fuesser was an Adelaide Bite nomination for the ABL Fan Choice Award.
#28 Zac Fuesser was an Adelaide Bite nominee for the 2013 ABL Fan Choice Award.
Catcher Chris Adamson and Zac Fuesser discuss strategy. ( Joe Vella / SMP Images)
Adelaide catcher Chris Adamson and #28 Zac Fuesser discuss strategy. (Photo by Joe Vella / SMP Images)
Drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 19th round of the 2008 MLB June Amateur Draft after graduating from South Carolina’s York High School, #28 Zac Fuesser chose not to sign in favor of attending college. Yet, the left-handed hurler was snagged as a 2009 34th round draft pick by the Pittsburgh Pirates after receiving a $125,000 signing bonus. Since embarking on his professional baseball career at age 18, Fuesser has appeared in 83 games for three different minor league teams in the Pirates system and has a career 3.73 ERA. He spent his 2011 and 2012 campaigns pitching for Single-A West Virginia Power prior to joining the Adelaide Bite in the Australian Baseball League. Named to Team World in the 2012 ABL All-Star game, the 22-year-old southpaw contained Team Australia and pitched one scoreless inning. Second on the Adelaide pitching staff in strikeouts (57) in 57.1 innings of work, starter Zach Fuesser appeared in 11 games during the 2012-13 ABL season and posted a 4-4 record with a 3.61 ERA. He held opponents to a .259 batting average and had a strong 1.44 ground outs per fly outs ratio.
@JonJones707 twitter profile photo
Twitter profile photo for #27 Jonathan Jones of
the Canberra Cavalry (@JonJones707 on Twitter)
#27 Jonathan Jones was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 29th round of the 2010 draft after a successful collegiate career for the Long Beach State Dirtbags. Prized for his speed, strong throwing arm and defensive prowess in the outfield, the 22-year-old Northern California native played in 90 games for the 2012 Single-A Advanced Dunedin Blue Jays and posted a .266 batting average before venturing down under in the Australian Baseball League. The Canberra Cavalry center fielder was promising in the early going (.258 BA, 1 HR, 2 SB), but unfortunately had to return home after only eight games due to a hamstring issue that shortened his ABL experience.

twitter_logo“I believe that Twitter is a great tool. It gives the fans access to follow their favorite players and see what they are doing, learn their likes and dislikes, and even get to see photos. It allows fans to feel like they have a personal relationship and for the athletes, and in return, it allows us to see all the fans’ love and support.”

#26 Andrew Kittredge of the Adelaide Bite (photo by Theron Kirkman / SMP Images)
#26 Andrew Kittredge of the Adelaide Bite (Theron Kirkman / SMP Images / ABL)
After a stellar high school baseball career, #26 Andrew Kittredge–a Spokane, Washington-born right-handed pitcher–was taken in the 45th round of the 2008 draft by the Seattle Mariners. Kittredge began his pro ball career after playing at the University of Washington in Seattle. He completed his first full season in the Mariners organization by splitting time between three different leagues within the farm system in 2012. Starting at Single-A Clinton before jumping up to Double-A Jackson, the 22-year-old Mariners prospect spent most of the season pitching for Single-A Advanced High Desert Mavericks. During the course of his brief 2012 elevator ride up-and-down, Kittredge made 25 appearances in 42 innings of relief and went 3-1 with a 4.07 ERA while striking out 43. Working as the 2012-13 Adelaide Bite closer in the ABL, Andrew saved six games and compiled a 3-1 record with a 4.73 ERA while striking out 25.

#25 Nathan Melendres of the Adelaide Bite (Theron Kirkman / ABL Images)
#25 Nathan Melendres of the Adelaide Bite (Courtesy of Theron Kirkman / SMP Images)
#25 Nathan Melendres was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the 17th round of the 2011 MLB June Amateur Draft from his hometown University of Miami Hurricanes in Florida. The 22-year-old outfielder was one of three Adelaide Bite imports to have finished the 2012 season with the High Desert Mavericks of the California League. Having only played in 23 games in 2012 during his second season in the Mariners organization, Nathan put together a .307 batting average with two home runs and 15 RBI between
his time at Single-A Advanced High Desert, Single-A Clinton and the Arizona Rookie League. However, he got his work in this off-season in 26 ABL contests. With a .245 batting average, five extra-base hits and five homers to his credit while in an Adelaide Bite uniforn, Melendres made his impression felt
in Australia and excited the Mariners’ faithful.
#24 Carlos Alonso of the Brisbane Bandits (Photo by Scott Powick / SMP Images / ABL)
#24 Carlos Alonso of the Brisbane Bandits (Photo by Scott Powick / SMP Images / ABL)
#24 Carlos Alonso (Photo by Steve Bell / SMP Images)
#24 Carlos Alonso (Steve Bell / SMP Images / ABL)
#24 Carlos Alonso was selected in the 32nd round of the 2010 draft by the Philadelphia Phillies after playing for the University of Delaware. The Los Gatos, California native began his collegiate baseball career at Santa Barbara City College, where he was a two-time First Team All-Western State Conference third baseman. Hitting over .360 two years straight for the Vaqueros, he started 88 consectutive games at Santa Barbara City College and led his team to the playoffs twice.
Carlos Alonso at the University of Delaware
University of Delaware’s Carlos Alonso
Leaving the West Coast in search of more playing time, Alonso transferred to the University of Delaware and was under the guidance of head baseball coach Jim Sherman. Upon being drafted by the Phillies in 2010, Sherman was supportive
of Alonso regardless of his chosen career path. “Wherever Carlos goes, whatever he decides to do beyond baseball, whether he plays baseball for a career professionally, or goes into the business sector of the world, no matter what part of the country he’s in, he’s always going to be perceived as a class individual,” Sherman said. “I think people are just going to gravitate towards him.” Ranked #25 in Bleacher Report‘s 2012 Phillies Top 25 Positional Prospects, the righty infielder played 93 games for Single-A Advanced Clearwater and racked up a respectable .278 batting average.

Carlos Alonso
Carlos Alonso
A versatile utility player who can play any infield or outfield position,
the 25-year-old Phillies farmhand is valuable commodity for any team manager. While in Australia, Alonso anchored the Brisbane Bandits infield at third base. Bandits manager Kevin Jordan said, “Like a lot
of guys, Carlos got out here and you’re learning the whole league overnight, literally. You get thrown in the fire. For him, it is what
it is. I told him what was going to happen, that he was going to be thrown into it, that he was going to have to pretty much learn all
the pitchers; where to play guys defensively, on the fly and he’s starting to come around, especially with the bat.” Alonso ended the 2012-13 ABL season with a .209 batting average and seven doubles.
Twitter profile photo of #23 Adam Melker of the Perth Heat
Twitter profile photo of #23 Adam Melker of the Perth Heat (@AdamMelker on Twitter)
#23 Adam Melker (Ryan Schembri / SMP Images)
#23 Adam Melker (Photo courtesy
of Ryan Schembri / SMP Images / ABL)
#23 Adam Melker was selected by the
St. Louis Cardinals in the 44th round of the June 2010 Amateur Draft from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. After completing his third season
in the Cardinals organization and putting up good 2012 numbers (126 games, .278 batting average, 10 home runs, 35 RBI) at Double-A Springfield, Melker was reunited with former Perth Heat manager and current Corvallis Knights skipper Brooke Knight–who took his 2011-12 Aussie champion Heat to South Korea to represent Australia in the 2012 Asia Series. Prior to arriving in mid-October to play for Perth in the ABL, the left-handed hitting slugger exuded excitement. “I’m really excited,” said Melker. “I’ve heard baseball in Asia is extremely good so I’m looking forward to the challenge. Some time off this winter would have been nice, but I couldn’t turn down and opportunity to play baseball on two other continents…”Lo-_Res_Alcohol._Think_Again_Perth_HEAT_Logo_BLK_Background_

Melker remained with the Heat until mid-December and then
returned to the United States. “I would have liked to have stayed longer,” he said. “But I needed some time off that
I could dedicate to strength training and get 100% healthy before I headed off to spring training in March.” During
the 22 ABL games Melker played in the Perth outfield,
he contributed to the Heat’s early season offensive attack
with a .247 batting average–including two doubles, two
triples, one home run, six RBI and one stolen base.

#22 Tyler Herr of the Sydney Blue Sox shows the umpire the ball after applying a tag at the plate during a 2011 Gulf Coast League in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Kevin Johnson / Newport News)
Minnesota Twins prospect #22 Tyler Herr shows the umpire the ball after applying a tag in
a 2011 Gulf Coast League game in Fort Myers, FL. (Photo by Kevin Johnson / Newport News)
#22 Tyler Herr ( Ben Southall / SMP Images)
#22 Tyler Herr, Sydney Blue Sox reliever and ABL Team World All-Star (Ben Southall/SMP Images)
#22 Tyler Herr of the Sydney Blue Sox was selected by the Minnesota Twins in 44th round of the 2009 draft. Launching his pro ball career in 2010 at age 19, the intimidating right-hander from Texas now has three seasons under his belt in the Twins’ minor league system with a career 8-4 record and a 3.38 ERA. Through 90 innings pitched, Herr has allowed just 87 hits while striking out 74. Making 21 appearances for the 2012 Appalachian League champions Elizabethton Twins, the six-foot-eight hurler went 3-0 with a 2.56 ERA. After coaching the 2012 Minnesota Twins extended Spring Training rookie ball club, former Twins minor leaguer and current Sydney Blue Sox manager Jason Pospishil liked what he saw and invited Herr to join his squad in the ABL. The first-year Sydney skipper said, “He has a power sinker in the 93-95 mph range with a good slider and developing change-up. More importantly, he has a tremendous work ethic.” Herr was summoned out of the 2012-13 Sydney Blue Sox bullpen in 16 games and went 3-2 with a 3.57 ERA.
#22 Justin Howard of the Adelaide Bite (Ryan Schembri / SMP Images / ABL)
#21 Justin Howard of the Adelaide Bite (Photo by Ryan Schembri / SMP Images / ABL)
#21 Justin Howard (Ryan Schembri / SMP Images)
#21 Justin Howard (Ryan Schembri / SMP Images)
#21 Justin Howard of the Adelaide Bite was both a newsreel highlight and a major letdown in Australia after the ABL Player of the Week for Round 6
(4 games played, 9-for-14 for a .643 batting average, 4 doubles, 4 RBI, and 6 runs total) sustained an elbow injury and had to return to America for surgery. In his last nine games prior to his departure, the left-handed hitting 25-year-old Bite first baseman/ DH was on a roll–going 15-for-35 with five doubles and five RBI–but left with a down-to-earth .266 batting average.Justin Howard Player of the Week
Drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in
the 24th round of the 2010 MLB June Amateur Draft from University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, Justin Howard has successfully been promoted each of his three seasons for the Buccos. The native Texan hit .283 with two homers and 29 RBI in 83 games for Single-A Advanced Bradenton prior to playing in the ABL. He will certainly be welcome to return to the Adelaide Bite next season.

Toronto Blue Jays prospect Marcus Knecht brings Can Do Attitude from Canada to Canberra Cavalry

Roberto AngottiLeave a comment

Detroit’s Octavio Dotel usually wrecks havoc on right-handed hitters like Canadian-born Marcus Knecht, but on April Fools in a 2012 Jays Spring Training game Toronto’s 2010 third-round draft pick had the last laugh by blasting his first Grapefruit League home run off the veteran Dominican bullpen specialist.

Ex-Jays skipper/new Boston Red Sox Manager John Farrell sits and watches Marcus Knecht
launch a home run off Octavio Dotel in a 2012 Blue Jays Spring Training game on April 1st.
Originally selected in the 23rd round of the 2008 Amateur First-Year Draft by the Milwaukee Brewers after making Langley, British Columbia’s Brett Lawrie their first-round pick, former Brewers scouting director and current Mariners General Manager Jack Zduriencik thought that a common denominator of Canadian blood would add up to two of the country’s finest prospects crossing the border together as one into Wisconsin. Mathematicians would agree that the strategy was logical since Knecht was Lawrie’s teammate on the Canadian Junior National Team, and the Brewers believed that Lawrie might be able to influence Knecht to sign with Milwaukee. Lawrie signed with the Brewers for a $1.7 million signing bonus before going to play for Team Canada in the 2008 Olympic Summer Games and eventually became a Blue Jay in a late 2010 trade for pitcher Shaun Marcum (who recently became a free agent and expressed interest in returning to the Blue Jays if the team is interested in having him back). Unlike Lawrie, Knecht instead passed on the offer to play professionally in the Brewers organization in favor of perfecting his game in U.S. collegiate ball while continuing to represent his country on Team Canada in international baseball competitions worldwide.
Brett Lawrie (center) practices with members of the Canadian Junior National Team before a
2012 Blue Jays Spring Training exhibition game. (Photo by the Canadian Baseball Network)
Jays’ Marcus Knecht
After playing on Team Canada in the 2008 World Junior Baseball Championships in Edmonton and being named to the Tournament All-Star Team, Knecht was a major contributing member of the bronze medal- winning 2010 Baseball World Cup team and the gold medal-winning 2011 Pan American Games squad. Transferring from Oklahoma State University, where he struggled to get at-bats as a freshman, to Connors State College was instrumental for Knecht to develop in an everyday role in 2010. The results were off-the-charts as Knecht hit .453 with 23 homers, 20 steals and a .540 on-base percentage. He was selected in the third-round of the 2010 Amateur First-Year Draft by the Toronto Blue Jays after being followed by ex-Jays’ scouting director and current assistant GM Andrew Tinnish.
Markus Knecht awaits the call-up to home at Rogers Centre. (Photo by Alexis Brudnicki)
Accepting a $250,000 signing bonus, Knecht signed on-the-spot with Toronto and went straight to work in launching his pro career with Short-Season Single-A affiliate Auburn Doubledays (now affiliated with the Washington Nationals). After being voted the Canadian Baseball Network Player of the Year in 2010, the six-foot-one North York, Toronto native outfielder was promoted in 2011 to Single-A Lansing, where he posted a .273 average with a team-leading 16 home runs and 86 RBI for the Lugnuts. Knecht’s offensive power was noticed early on, and he was named a 2011 Midwest League Eastern Division All-Star. After impressing Jays skipper John Farrell (now with the Boston Red Sox) with his powerful bat and quick feet on the field during 2012 Blue Jays Spring Training, Knecht was assigned to Single-A Advanced Dunedin Blue Jays. It was May Day everyday for opposing pitchers who could not stop the red-hot Knecht during the month of May, when he rattled off 28 hits (including 7 doubles, 1 triple, and 6 home runs) accounting for 22 RBI.
The 22-year-old is hoping to continue with his offensive prowess and defensive excellence as a member of the Australian Baseball League’s Canberra Cavalry. Second only to last season’s ABL Champion Perth Heat in team offense and pitching, the Canberra Cavalry narrowly missed the ABL playoffs. With the injection of Knecht’s “Can Do” attitude, Canberra will be charging right out of the gate for a 2013 playoff berth.