Tennessee Athletics
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – As Vols from across the country continue to perform in the professional ranks, a new class of pros are just getting their start.
Drew Gilbert homered in his first at-bat with the FCL Astros while Jordan Beck had a hit with the ACL Rockies. In other places, Zach Daniels has swung a hot stick for the Asheville Tourists.
Five Vols in total will be playing in the Field of Dreams games in Dyersville, Iowa as Chase Wallace and the Quad Cities River Bandits face Jake Rucker, Alerick Soularie and the Cedar Rapids Kernels on Tuesday, August 9. Then on Thursday, August 11, Nick Senzel’s Reds face Yan Gomes’ Cubs in the MLB Field of Dreams game.
The second pro baseball update of the year can be found below.
Vols in the MLB
Garrett Crochet – LHP, Chicago White Sox
Will not appear in 2022 season
Yan Gomes – C, Chicago Cubs
Season: 56 G, 181 AB, 15 R, 41 H, 63 TB, 7 2B, 5 HR, 14 RBI, 3 BB, 28 K, .227 AVG, .246 OBP, .348 SLG
Came out of the All Star break strong with a multi-homer day at Philadelphia (7/24). He has hits in four of his five games played, including a multi-hit game at St. Louis (8/2). The backstop also scored a pair of runs against San Francisco last Saturday (7/30)
Nick Senzel – CF, Cincinnati Reds
Season: 75 G, 250 AB, 35 R, 62 H, 80 TB, 9 2B, 3 HR, 18 RBI, 17 BB, 54 K, 5 SB, .248 AVG, .305 OBP, .320 SLG
Continued his production for the Reds following the break and has scored six runs, collected seven hits and added three doubles to his line. He finished a red-hot month of July with 21 hits and 12 runs scored.
Vols in the MiLB
Justin Ammons – OF, Vancouver Canadians (High-A TOR)
Has not played in 2022 season
Jordan Beck – OF, ACL Rockies (Rookie COL)
Season: 1 G, 2 AB, 1 H, 1 TB, 1 RBI, .500 AVG, .500 OBP, .500 SLG
Made his professional debut in the Arizona Complex League, collecting a base hit and driving in a run.
Chad Dallas – RHP, Vancouver Canadians (High-A TOR)
Season: 16 App, 16 GS, 1-5, 4.03 ERA, 67 IP, 63 H, 41 R, 30 ER, 34 BB, 68 K, 1.45 WHIP
Electric in his first start after the break, Dallas tossed six scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and two walks while punching out eight batters against Everett (7/28) and took a no decision. Made another start against Tri-Cities, going five innings and giving up five hits for three runs in another no decision.
Zach Daniels – LF, Asheville Tourists (High-A HOU)
Season: 65 G, 244 AB, 44 R, 63 H, 113 TB, 9 2B, 1 3B, 13 HR, 38 RBI, 31 BB, 90 K, 16 SB, .258 AVG, .344 OBP, .463 SLG
Has seen a surge in his offensive numbers, including the already impressive power figures. In his first game after the break, Daniels was 3-for-4 with a double, a home run and a pair of runs scored. He crushed another big fly against Aberdeen (7/26) and rounded out the month with a three-run shot on July 31. Had a 4-for-5 day on Wednesday (8/3) at Hickory where he carded a double and an RBI in the 8-7 victory.
Max Ferguson – 2B, Greenville Drive (High-A BOS)
Season: 92 G, 349 AB, 77 R, 77 H, 125 TB, 14 2B, 8 3B, 6 HR, 50 RBI, 76 BB, 105 K, 55 SB, .221 AVG, .363 OBP, .358 SLG
Was included in the August 2 trade that sent Eric Hosmer from San Diego to Boston and was assigned to High-A Greenville. Doubled in his first game as a member of the Drive and was on a tear leading up to his trade. In his last game with Fort Wayne, Ferguson was 2-for-5 with a double and a home run, two RBIs and two runs scored.
Drew Gilbert – OF, FCL Astros Orange (Rookie HOU)
Season: 2 G, 6 AB, 1 R, 3 H, 6 TB, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 SB, .500 AVG, .571 OBP, 1.000 SLG
Assigned to the Florida Complex League on August 4 and made his professional debut, homering in his first career professional at-bat.
Sean Hunley – RHP, Montgomery Biscuits (AA TB)
Season: 20 App, 4 GS, 3-1, 4 HLD, 3.00 ERA, 54 IP, 55 H, 19 R, 18 ER, 9 BB, 45 K, 1.19 WHIP
In his first appearance after the break, Hunley was dealing out of the bullpen, chewing up four innings and allowing just one hit while punching out five against the Mississippi Braves (7/23) in a 2-1 victory.
Jackson Leath – RHP, Down East Wood Ducks (A TEX)
Season: 19 App, 2-4, 1 SV, 6.75 ERA, 22.2 IP, 20 H, 22 R, 17 ER, 15 BB, 22 K, 1.50 WHIP
Came out of the break with a scoreless appearance at Carolina (7/24) where he went 1.1 innings with a strikeout.
Andrew Lee – RHP, Harrisburg Senators (AA WAS)
Season: 23 App, 3-2, 1 SV, 4.42 ERA, 38.2 IP, 36 H, 20 R, 19 ER, 21 BB, 48 K, 1.47 WHIP
Tied a season high with five strikeouts in his last outing against Altoona where he went 1.2 innings and allowed just two hits. Helped the Senators to a 7-5 victory.
Zach Linginfelter – RHP, Rocket City Trash Pandas (AA LAA)
Season: 22 App, 2-1, 4 HLD, 6.67 ERA, 29.2 IP, 27 H, 22 R, 22 ER, 19 BB, 36 K, 1.55 WHIP
Has not pitched since the middle of July.
Andre Lipcius – 2B, Toledo Mud Hens (AAA DET)
Season: 90 G, 310 AB, 52 R, 81 H, 130 TB, 20 2B, 1 3B, 9 HR, 39 RBI, 61 BB, 59 K, 12 SB, .261 AVG, .388 OBP, .419 SLG
Promoted to AAA Toledo on August 3 and promptly got a hit in his first game with the Mud Hens. Homered with AA Erie against Reading (7/28) and drove in two of the three SeaWolves runs in the game.
Connor Pavolony – C, Aberdeen IronBirds (High-A BAL)
Season: 40 G, 112 AB, 18 R, 20 H, 29 TB, 4 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 12 RBI, 29 BB, 45 K, .179 AVG, .363 OBP, .259 SLG
Recently returned to the active roster and scored a pair of runs, along with driving in one, in his first game back on July 31.
Jake Rucker – 3B, Cedar Rapids Kernels (High-A MIN)
Season: 84 G, 305 AB, 54 R, 74 H, 115 TB, 16 2B, 5 3B, 5 HR, 32 RBI, 44 BB, 71 K, 16 SB, .243 AVG, .353 OBP, .377 SLG
Finished July and started August on a high note, homering in back-to-back contests and going on a six-game hitting streak. He has been on base in 9-of-10 games since the break and recorded 21 total bases in 10 games.
Andrew Schultz – RHP, Jersey Shore BlueClaws (High-A PHI)
Season: 31 App, 0-3, 1 SV, 8 HLD, 4.80 ERA, 30.0 IP, 23 H, 19 R, 16 ER, 20 BB, 48 K, 1.43 WHIP
Finished July off with back-to-back scoreless appearances out of the bullpen against Wilmington on July 26 and 29, striking out three and allowing just two baserunners in those appearances, including earning the hold in a 3-0 victory (7/29)
Alerick Soularie – OF, Cedar Rapids Kernels (High-A MIN)
Season: 82 G, 299 AB, 59 R, 66 H, 111 TB, 12 2B, 3 3B, 9 HR, 34 RBI, 44 BB, 97 K, 15 SB, .221 AVG, .330 OBP, .371 SLG
Been a run-scoring machine since the break, crossing the plate 13 times in 10 games. He has scored multiple runs in five of those 13 games and has a pair of multi-hit games, one coming on July 30 and another on August 4.
Liam Spence – SS, ACL Cubs (Rookie CHC)
Season: 45 G, 123 AB, 18 R, 19 H, 30 TB, 6 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 16 RBI, 22 BB, 37 K, 2 SB, .154 AVG, .293 OBP, .244 SLG
Laced a triple against Brewers Blue (7/28) and drove in one in the contest.
Garrett Stallings – RHP, Bowie Baysox (AA BAL)
Season: 19 App, 15 GS, 5-8, 1 CG, 6.95 ERA, 80.1 IP, 101 H, 65 R, 62 ER, 18 BB, 92 K, 1.48 WHIP
Has taken on a role in the rotation and pitched well for the Baysox, earning two wins and posting three-straight outings of 5.2 innings and no more than two runs allowed. Hasn’t allowed more than two earned runs in an appearance since June and finished the month of July with a 1.46 ERA.
Drew Steckenrider – RHP, Tacoma Rainiers (AAA SEA)
Season (MLB): 16 App, 2 SV, 0-2, 5.65 ERA, 14.1 IP, 21 H, 9 R, 9 ER, 5 BB, 10 K, 1.81 WHIP
Season (MiLB): 10 App, 0-0, 1 HLD, 1 SV, 5.23 ERA, 10.1 IP, 13 H, 7 R, 6 ER, 9 BB, 8 K, 2.13 WHIP
Has not allowed a run since the break, logging 4.1 scoreless innings where he has struck out four and allowed no more than one hit in each appearance. Also earned his first AAA save of the season against El Paso (7/26), nailing down a 2-0 win.
Christin Stewart – SS, Worcester Red Sox (AAA BOS)
Season: 90 G, 301 AB, 47 R, 73 H, 141 TB, 14 2B, 18 HR, 49 RBI, 46 BB, 117 K, 9 SB, .243 AVG, .352 OBP, .468 SLG
Had a two-run homer yesterday, his second blast since the break with his first coming in the last game of July at Buffalo (7/31). Currently riding a six-game hitting streak heading into the weekend series against Durham.
Chase Wallace – RHP, Quad Cities River Bandits (High-A KC)
Season: 21 App, 1-0, 4 HLD, 6.55 ERA, 33 IP, 38 H, 26 R, 24 ER, 24 BB, 21 K, 1.88 WHIP
Made two appearances after the break, going three innings, striking out four and allowing just two hits and one run.
Zach Warren – LHP, Lehigh Valley IronPigs (AAA PHI)
Season: 26 App, 0-0, 4 HLD, 4.97 ERA, 25.1 IP, 22 H, 14 R, 14 ER, 15 BB, 28 K, 1.46 WHIP
Started back strong after the break, throwing three consecutive scoreless outings. Allowed just one baserunner in those appearances, a walk, while striking out three to closeout the month of July.