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How are former Arizona Wildcats & Southern Arizona baseball players faring in the pros?

By Javier Morales

Posted on October 2, 2023

LOCAL BASEBALL PLAYERS IN THE PROS

Listing of local baseball players either from high school, Pima or Arizona currently playing in pro baseball. College players not from Southern Arizona high schools are listed who played at Pima College or completed their careers at Arizona.
*Barraza, Sahuarita graduate
*Romero, CDO graduate
*Salazar, Sahuaro graduate

Player	Pos	Sch	Yrs	Team	Lvl	Org
Nate Baez	1B	IRHS	16-19	Cedar Rapids	A+	MIN
Branden Boissiere	1B	UA	19-21	Wilmington	A+	WAS
Tony Bullard	3B	UA	20-23	Beloit	A+	MIA
Alex Bustamante	P	CDO	16-18	Tampa	A	NYY
Clark Candiotti	P	UA	24	ACL Padres	RK	SD
Demetrio Crisantes	SS	Nogales	19-22	Visalia	A	ARI
Bobby Dalbec	1B	UA	14-16	Boston	AAA	BOS
Chase Davis	OF	UA	21-23	Springfield	AA	STL
Jose Dicochea	P	Sahuarita	16-19	Stockton	A	OAK
Matthew Dyer	C	UA	19-20	Montgomery	AA	TB
German Fajardo	P	Nogales	16-19	Modesto	A	SEA
Michael Flynn	P	UA	16-18	Durham	AAA	TB
Matt Fraizer	OF	UA	17-19	Altoona	AA	PIT
Kevin Ginkel	P	UA	16	Arizona	MLB	ARI
Nick Gonzales	INF	Cienega	14-17	Pittsburgh	MLB	PIT
Darick Hall	1B	Buena	11-13	Lehigh Valley	AAA	PHI
Garrett Irvin	P	UA	20-22	Lansing	A+	OAK
Kobe Kato	2B	UA	19-21	Tacoma	AAA	SEA
Jackson Kent	P	UA	23-24	FCL Nationals	RK	WAS
Scott Kingery	2B	UA	13-15	Lehigh Valley	AAA	PHI
Randy Labaut	P	UA	17-19	Columbus	AAA	CLE
Trevor Long	P	UA	21-24	Modesto	A	SEA
Gil Luna	P	UA	18-21	Birmingham	AA	CHW
Aiden May	P	Pima	22	FCL Marlins	RK	MIA
Nik McClaughry	2B	UA	20-23	Fort Wayne	A+	SD
Cade McGee	INF	Salpointe	18-21	Palm Beach	A	STL
Tylor Megill	P	UA	17-19	NY Mets	MLB	NYM
Ian Mejia	P	Sahuarita	16-19	Mississippi	AA	ATL
Andrew Nardi	P	UA	19	Miami	MLB	MIA
Kevin Newman	SS	UA	13-15	Arizona	MLB	ARI
Jared Oliva	OF	UA	15-17	Arkansas	AA	SEA
Spencer Packard	OF	CDO	13-16	Tacoma	AAA	SEA
Rob Refsnyder	OF	UA	10-12	Boston	MLB	BOS
Alfonso Rivas	1B	UA	16-18	Memphis	AAA	STL
Kiko Romero	1B	UA*	23	Somerset	AA	NYY
Milo Rushford	CF	WGHS	19-22	ACL Royals	RK	KC
César Salazar	C	UA*	16-18	Houston	MLB	HOU
Chase Silseth	P	UA	21	Salt Lake	AAA	LAA
Austin Smith	P	UA	21	Rome	A+	ATL
Kevin Stevens	P	Cienega	13-16	Somerset	AA	NYY
Cal Stevenson	OF	UA	17-18	Philadelphia	MLB	PHI
Anthony Susac	P	UA	22-24	Down East	A	TEX
Daniel Susac	C	UA	21-22	Midland	AA	OAK
Alex Verdugo	OF	Sahuaro	11-14	NY Yankees	MLB	NYY
Cam Walty	P	UA	21-24	TBD	TBD	CLE
Avery Weems	P	UA	18-19	Round Rock	AAA	TEX
Austin Wells	C	UA	19-20	NY Yankees	MLB	NYY

*Cienega grad Andre Jackson capped the major-league season with a strong performance in four innings for the Pittsburgh Pirates (Pirates photo)*

RECENT TRANSACTIONS

THURSDAY (9/28)

RHP Chase Silseth (Arizona) activated from injured list (concussion) by Los Angeles Angels. Silseth was hit in the head by an errant throw Aug. 26 in his start against the New York Mets. He initially was placed on the 7-day injured list but remained on the IL for almost a month due to lingering discomfort. He made two starts at Triple-A Salt Lake and allowed two runs over 3 2/3 innings while striking out five and walking six. In his second season with the Angels, Silseth is 4-1 in seven starts with a 4.10 ERA. Silseth will start Friday against the Oakland A’s.

WEDNESDAY (9/27)

INF Kevin Newman (Arizona) released by Cincinnati Reds. Two days after designated him for assignment following a rehab assignment in Louisville (AAA) for an oblique strain, the Reds have released Newman. He played 2018-22 with the Pittsburgh Pirates and this season with Cincinnati after the Reds acquired him in a trade following last season. He batted .253 with 16 doubles, three home runs and 28 RBIs with the Reds this season. Newman, who played with the Arizona Wildcats from 2013-15, is now a free agent.

The #Reds today released IF Kevin Newman.

— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) September 27, 2023

TUESDAY (9/26)

2B Nick Gonzales (Cienega) recalled from Indianapolis (AAA) by Pittsburgh Pirates. In the 42 games since Gonzales was reassigned to Indianapolis from Pittsburgh, he has hit .315. He had 13 doubles, three triples, eight home runs, 22 RBIs and 37 runs. Gonzales also reduced his strikeout rate to 23.8 percent in 181 plate appearances. He was at 30.3 percent in 102 at-bats with the Pirates before he was sent down.

The Pirates have recalled their No. 6 prospect, Nick Gonzales, for his second MLB stint of the season.

Gonzales has been swinging a hot bat this month: https://t.co/VdCo102Sjk pic.twitter.com/sQPvyYhXNC

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) September 26, 2023

LOCAL BATTERS IN THE PROS

Through games of Sept. 22
*Injuries
Dyer (60-day/undisclosed)
Packard (7-day/leg)
Refsnyder (10-day/forearm)

Player	Team	Lvl	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	AVG
Baez	MIN	A+	82	276	38	66	10	2	12	32	0	.239
Boissiere	WAS	A+	48	163	19	34	5	0	3	23	0	.209
Bullard	MIA	A+	47	153	12	46	11	0	1	22	4	.301
Crisantes	ARI	A	63	249	58	83	16	1	6	40	20	.333
Dalbec	BOS	AAA	97	361	68	91	20	1	20	68	11	.252
Davis	STL	AA	8	28	3	7	2	0	1	4	3	.250
*Dyer	TB	AA	39	118	17	25	6	2	1	9	5	.212
Fraizer	PIT	AA	56	192	25	46	7	1	5	21	10	.240
Gonzales	PIT	MLB	89	342	38	92	18	3	5	47	5	.269
Hall	PHI	AAA	114	432	50	102	17	0	16	72	2	.236
Kato	SEA	AAA	16	59	16	21	6	1	0	13	6	.356
Kingery	PHI	AAA	125	463	73	124	17	5	25	67	25	.268
McClaughry	SD	A+	83	255	31	38	10	2	1	18	5	.149
McGee	STL	A	20	66	8	13	1	0	1	8	1	.197
Newman	ARI	MLB	108	284	41	80	17	1	3	28	8	.282
Oliva	SEA	AA	69	214	45	63	7	4	7	40	37	.294
*Packard	SEA	AAA	40	154	24	43	15	0	2	28	0	.279
*Refsnyder	BOS	MLB	93	272	32	77	16	1	11	40	2	.283
Rivas	STL	AAA	96	315	51	72	21	2	3	38	1	.229
Romero	NYY	AA	3	10	1	2	0	0	1	4	0	.200
Rushford	KC	RK	16	52	10	10	0	2	1	4	6	.192
Salazar	HOU	MLB	11	24	5	8	2	0	0	8	0	.333
Stevenson	PHI	MLB	18	24	2	6	3	0	0	6	0	250
Susac	OAK	AA	88	343	39	88	19	3	12	50	7	.257
Verdugo	NYY	MLB	145	546	72	127	28	1	12	58	1	.233
Wells	NYY	MLB	110	339	39	81	18	1	13	54	1	.239

SUNDAY’S HOME RUNS

None

SUNDAY’S BATTING LEADERS

C Austin Wells (Arizona), NY Yankees (MLB), 3-4, run, 2 doubles

2B Nick Gonzales (Cienega), Pittsburgh (MLB), 1-4, double

RF Alex Verdugo (Sahuaro), Boston (MLB), 1-3, run, stolen base

LOCAL PITCHERS IN THE PROS

Through games of Sept. 22
*Injuries
Bustamante (60-day/arm)
Silseth (7-day/elbow)
Stevens (60-day/arm)
Nardi (60-day/elbow)

Player	Team	Lvl	W-L	G	GS	SV	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	ERA
*Bustamante	NYY	A	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.00
Candiotti	SD	RK	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Dicochea	OAK	A	3-6	22	14	1	78.1	75	50	40	42	84	4.54
Fajardo	SEA	A	3-2	35	0	0	65.1	61	48	37	41	73	5.10
Flynn	TB	AAA	0-0	6	0	0	5.2	6	4	4	4	9	6.35
Ginkel	ARI	MLB	8-3	69	0	5	67.2	66	31	25	15	73	3.33
Irvin	OAK	A+	3-2	35	0	1	38.1	45	30	26	25	43	5.95
Kent	WAS	RK	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Labaut	CLE	AAA	3-6	36	3	1	61	57	38	31	43	52	4.57
Long	SEA	A	1-0	9	0	1	8.1	3	1	1	3	8	1.08
Luna	CHW	AA	4-3	42	0	3	45	29	20	14	46	48	2.80
May	MIA	RK	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Megill	NYM	MLB	4-5	15	14	0	71.1	62	36	32	30	83	3.98
Mejia	ATL	AA	8-7	24	23	1	124.1	108	55	48	56	123	3.47
*Nardi	MIA	MLB	3-2	59	0	0	49.2	44	29	28	18	70	5.07
*Silseth	LAA	AAA	0-3	7	7	0	28.1	33	21	20	18	16	6.35
Smith	ATL	A+	0-1	6	0	1	6.2	7	4	3	4	8	4.05
*Stevens	NYY	AA	4-0	31	0	7	39	29	11	11	16	56	2.54
Susac	TEX	A	1-0	8	0	0	9.1	6	1	0	6	12	0.00
Walty	CLE	RK	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Weems	TEX	AAA	0-2	4	1	0	4.1	5	4	4	2	3	8.31

SUNDAY’S NOTABLE PITCHERS

RHP Andre Jackson (Cienega), Pittsburgh (MLB), 4 IP, 1H, 0R, 0ER, 1BB, 2K (no decision)

Andre Jackson goes 1-2-3 in the 3rd in 7 pitches, including this 3-pitch strikeout

81.5 MPH curveball, 2278 RPM, 56 inVB, 7 inHB pic.twitter.com/ApzDJKn7nK

— Platinum Ke’Bryan (@PlatinumKey13) October 1, 2023

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ALLSPORTSTUCSON.com publisher, writer and editor Javier Morales is a former Arizona Press Club award winner. He is a former Arizona Daily Star beat reporter for the Arizona basketball team, including when the Wildcats won the 1996-97 NCAA title. He has also written articles for CollegeAD.com, Bleacher Report, Lindy’s Sports, TucsonCitizen.com, The Arizona Republic, Sporting News and Baseball America, among many other publications. He has also authored the book “The Highest Form of Living”, which is available at Amazon. He became an educator five years ago and is presently a special education teacher at Sunnyside High School in the Sunnyside Unified School District.