IRVINE, Calif. --- The Anteaters continue make waves at the next level with players throughout the minor leagues from rookie ball to the Majors. While a crop of Anteaters have joining the professional ranks, others have moved on from the game to new ventures. Here's a look at the 15 Anteaters within MLB organizations and how they fared in the 2017 season:
Christian Bergman, P
Seattle Mariners - 13 games (8 starts), 4-5, 5.00 ERA, 54 IP, 15 BB, 33 K
Tacoma Rainiers (AAA) - 16 starts, 9-4, 5.34 ERA, 86 IP, 18 BB, 63 K
Bergman signed on with the Seattle Mariners in the offseason after seven seasons within the Colorado Rockies organization. He began in Triple-A Tacoma and showed out to a 5-0 start earning the bump back to the bigs. He had a couple exceptional starts going 7+ shutout innings earning a win in each and striking out a career high nine hitters in one. He also had some bumps in the road, namely 10 runs allowed in a four-inning start, but would bounce back with a few more quality starts and another dud (9 ER over 2.2 IP) mixed in as he would return to Tacoma. Bergy was selected, optioned, outrighted, designated, and just about everything else you could do between Tacoma and Seattle, but ultimately made a solid impression with his new club. He has now made 68 career MLB appearances, 23 as a starter, with an 11-14 all-time record to this point for the 24th-rounder.
Brian Hernandez, 3B
Tigres de Quintana Roo (AAA Mexican League) - 97 games, .301 (109-for-362), 20 2B, 1 3B, 6 HR, 58 RBI
Hernandez also joined a new club for the 2017 season, his second as part of the Mexican League, this time with the southern division's Tigres de Quintana Roo stationed on the Yucatan Peninsula in the Gulf of Mexico near Cancun. The team finished third in the division falling in the first round of the playoffs, but Hernandez played 97 of 106 games and led the team in average, RBI, and runs scored and was among the team's top players in doubles, home runs, and walks.
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Matt Whitehouse, P
Akron Rubberducks (AA), Columbus Clippers (AAA) - 30 games (20 starts), 9-8, 4.86 ERA, 116.2 IP, 31 BB, 90 K
The left-hander continued to lift his game up making 19 starts in Double-A with another quick dip into Triple-A with Columbus where he allowed 7 ER in 0.2 IP in his first outing, and found his rhythm in his one start (1 ER over 5.1 IP) to get the win. On multiple occasions, he went four or five innings of hitless ball, and also finished with quality starts with a save and a complete game mixed in.
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Matt Esparza, P
Akron Rubberducks (AA), Lynchburg HillCats (A+) - 26 starts, 8-8, 4.38 ERA, 141.2 IP, 47 BB, 112 K
Whitehouse's teammate, Matt Esparza, began the season in Hi-A before joining Whitehouse in Akron. Around the peaks and valleys were a consistent stretch of eight consecutive starts from May 19 to June 29 where Esparza earned a quality start including eight innings allowing three hits and a run while not issuing a walk and striking out 10 on May 31. He's now 22-19 overall in this his third minor league season spanning 55 starts.
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Andrew Morales, P
Springfield Cardinals (AA), Palm Beach Cardinals (A+), Memphis Redbirds (AAA) - 29 games, 2-1, 2 saves, 3.44 ERA, 34 IP, 14 BB, 36 K
It was good to see Andrew Morales return to a good place after injuries had set him back. He didn't make any starts, but in 29 games, rose out of Hi-A Palm Beach back into Double-A where he struck out 28 over 23 innings going 2-1 with a pair of saves. It earned him his first look at Triple-A joining Memphis for the playoff run which has them in the Pacific Coast League title series one win away from the Triple-A championship.
Evan Manarino, P
Stockton Ports (A+), Midland RockHounds (AA) - 30 games (18 starts), 8-12, 5.55 ERA, 129.2 IP, 17 BB, 105 K
Manarino began 2017 much like 2016 with some lights-out pitching both as a starter and reliever to earn his first look in Double-A where he allowed 24 earned runs in 26.2 innings.
Andrew Thurman, P
Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (A+), Tulsa Drillers (AA) - 17 games (4 starts), 2-1, 1.91 ERA, 33 IP, 13 BB, 26 K
Another successful return to the mound was Andrew Thurman. After a suspect end to his run with the Braves, the Dodgers organization gave him a shot, and he exploded on the scene in Single-A as a reliever tossing shutout ball for his first five outings earning the bump to Double-A Tulsa. He fared well, and then returned to Single-A as a starter where he did not allow an earned run in three of four starts. Overall, he posted a 1.91 ERA in 17 games between the two levels which included 0 HRs in a season that ended in the playoffs with a loss to Chris Rabago's Lancaster Jethawks.
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Taylor Sparks, 3B
Dayton Dragons (A+), Pensacola Blue Wahoos (AA), Arizona League Reds (Rk) - 57 games, .199 (41-for-206), 9 2B, 1 3B, 10 HR, 29 RBI
Taylor Sparks struggled in an injury-mired 2017. He was set down after 18 games with Double-A Pensacola in April, and did not return to the field until mid-July with the rookie team briefly before finishing out the final 33 games of the season with Single-A Dayton where he hit 7 HRs and drove in 22 runs.
Chris Rabago, C
Lancaster Jethawks (A+) - 89 games, .272 (83-for-305), 18 2B, 8 3B, 1 HR, 43 RBI
Rabago is in his fourth season with the Rockies organization, and for the fourth straight year he spent the entirety of his season with one team a level higher than the year before. It was also his highest-volume of playing time after putting in 47, 45, and 77 games respectively in years prior, Rabago played 89 games with another exceptional offensive output. He rode that roll into a solid postseason to where he's hitting .375 (6-for-16) with 3 doubles and 4 RBI as the Jethawks have found themselves in the Cal League title series.
John Brontsema, 2B/3B
Wilmington Blue Rocks (A+), Lexington Legends (A) - 74 games, .296 (66-for-223), 14 2B, 1 3B, 5 HR, 23 RBI
New to the pro ball scene last season, Brontsema made some bigger leaps in his first full season in the minors beginning in Single-A Lexington. He hit .323 with 4 HRs including a game where he went 4-for-4 with 5 runs scored powering him up to Hi-A. The offensive numbers slowed to .226 with 2 RBI in 22 games at Wilmington, but the future is bright for the infielder.
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Keston Hiura, 2B/DH
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (A), Arizona League Brewers (Rk) - 42 games, .371 (62-for-167), 14 2B, 7 3B, 4 HR, 33 RBI
Keston Hiura's 2017 college season was well-documented, and it flowed into a No. 9 overall pick and even more expectation at the professional level. He shot out of a cannon at the rookie level hitting .435 in 15 games including 4 HRs and 5 triples. At Single-A Wisconsin, he continued to hit with 50 hits in 27 games and not reaching base in just a handful of his professional games. In addition, he made his debut in the field finally testing the arm out after months of patiently strengthening it. Unfortunately, it was a tight hamstring that cut his first professional season short, but it looks as though he will be in top shape when 2018 comes around.
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Cameron Bishop, P
Aberdeen Ironbirds (SS), Gulf Coast League Orioles (Rk) - 9 starts, 1-1, 0.72 ERA, 37.2 IP, 16 BB, 39 K
The arduous saga that was
Cameron Bishop's season included injuries at the collegiate level and signing deadline controversies, but he ultimately made it to the Baltimore Orioles organization making his debut in late July with the rookie team. After one start, he was sent to Single-A Aberdeen where he was lights-out allowing three earned runs over eight starts and no starts allowing multiple earned runs.
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Calvin Faucher, P
Elizabethton Twins (Rk) - 5 games, 3-0, 1 save, 1.23 ERA, 7.1 IP, 3 BB, 13 K
Another newcomer to pro level
Calvin Faucher also had an abbreviated stint in 2017 making just five appearances. He was impactful with rookie ball earning three wins and a save in those five games as the Elizabethton Twins ended up winning the Appalachian League title.
Alex Guenette, C
Helena Brewers (Rk), Arizona League Brewers (Rk) - 18 games, .208 (11-for-53), 1 2B, 3 RBI
Guenette was a pleasant add-on to the group of players drafted signing as a free agent and being assigned to rookie ball along with
Keston Hiura. He had four hits and three RBI in Arizona before heading to Helena where he's struggled with the bat, but done very well at catcher and even seen some time at 1B.
Mikey Duarte, SS
Great Falls Voyagers (Rk) - 2 games, .143 (1-for-7), RBI
Duarte had some hard luck at the beginning of his pro career. Early in the second game, he was hit in the head on a relay throw from the outfield which kept him out for the remainder of the pro season. He did put up a hit and an RBI in his first two games, and the program will monitor his progress as he looks to return for the 2018 season
Two other Anteaters made waves for other reasons:
Dylan Axelrod reached the Majors with the White Sox and Reds while spending time in the Padres and Marlins organizations. He made a few appearances with the Israeli squad in the 2017 World Baseball Classic, and following the event, officially retired from the game following 233 career minor league outings and a 9-15 record at the MLB level in 59 games. He has returned to his hometown of Santa Barbara where he is now the coach of the California Collegiate League team, Santa Barbara Foresters.
One-time potential Anteater
Royce Lewis made UCI history by going No. 1 overall in the June draft, and he has since signed with the Minnesota Twins. Lewis jumped from rookie ball to Single-A Cedar Rapids after 36 games finishing his first pro season hitting .279 with 4 HR and 27 RBI.
