Hiura Leads Anteater Pros Through 2018 Season
November 26, 2018 | Baseball
PEORIA, Ariz. --- Anteater baseball wrapped up another year on the professional circuit led by star prospect Keston Hiura's accolades stretching into the fall season.
Keston Hiura, MIL
The former consensus All-American and first round draft pick of the Milwaukee Brewers had a productive first full season as a minor leaguer hitting .293 getting at least 200 at-bats in at High-A Carolina and Double-A Biloxi pounding out 13 HR, 34 doubles, and 43 RBIs. He was named a midseason All-Star and MiLB.com Player of the Month in the Carolina League before jumping to Biloxi in June. He became the first Anteater fitted for the MLB Futures Game during All-Star Weekend, and would rejoin the Shuckers for the stretch run where they would advance all the way to the Eastern League Championship Series before falling.
Hiura's season got an extension earning a roster spot in the prestigious Arizona Fall League made up of top prospects from all 30 Major League club playing out in the desert. Hiura hit at a smoldering clip of .323 cranking five homers in 23 games and driving home 33 RBIs, the second-most in the league's existence, to help him earn AFL MVP honors as his Peoria Javelinas squad would win the league title. He continued to acclimate himself to second base throughout the year, and has risen to the No. 1 ranking of prospects within the Brewers' organization and the No. 30 prospect in all of professional baseball.
Royce Lewis, MIN
The draftmate of Hiura's and Anteater NLI signee remained hot on Keston's heels as the top prospect in the Minnesota Twins' organization and the No. 7 prospect overall enjoying a productive season between Single-A clubs Cedar Rapids and Fort Myers. After 75 games with the Kernels, Lewis had 9 HR, 53 RBIs, and a .315 average earning All-Stars notoriety at the midseason and postseason marks. He promotion to Fort Myers in July saw him crack 14 extra-base hits including five home runs in 46 games in also just his first full season of pro ball.
Andrew Morales, STL
The decorated right-hander finally enjoyed an injury-free campaign in 2018 finding the disabled list just one time for seven days. He spent 46 of his 49 games pitched on the year with Triple-A Memphis helping the Redbirds to a second straight championship. He slid into a new role making every appearance out of the bullpen and recorded six saves in eight opportunities. Morales struck out 74 in 63.2 innings while serving up a respectable 4.24 ERA and 2-4 record in his fifth year of pro ball
Chris Rabago, COL/NYY
The steady catchers made waves of a different pattern in 2018. He started off earning a spot on the Colorado Rockies' 40-man roster and even got some hacks with the big club in Spring Training. He started the year once again at a higher level with Double-A Hartford where he hit .213 with four home runs and 23 RBIs in 66 games with the Yard Goats. In late August, the Thunder optioned Rabago, and he was put on waivers where the New York Yankees would claim the promising backstop later that day. He joined the organization's Double-A affiliate in Trenton where he played sparingly down the stretch and will begin his sixth professional season come 2019
Brian Hernandez, QR
The third baseman returned the the Mexican League for a third year now in his eighth year overall in professional baseball. Hernandez tore the cover off the ball hitting .367 clubbing 163 hits in 109 games which included 28 doubles, 11 HRs, and 92 RBIs for the Tigres de Quintana Roo. Hernandez is hitting .319 over his 312 games since joining the Mexican League with 25 HRs and nearly 200 RBIs
Taylor Sparks, CIN
The former second-round pick found his offensive stride in 2018 with 10 HR and 38 RBIs over 90 games with Double-A Pensacola which included Southern League Player of the Week honors in July before jumping up for his first sniff at the Triple-A level in Louisville later that month. Sparks played in 36 games with the Bats pounding four of his 15 hits for home runs.
Christian Bergman, SEA
The wily veteran in his ninth professional season spent a majority of it in Triple-A Tacoma, but received three separate callups to the parent club, Seattle Mariners. He made a spot start in May dueling with Bartolo Colon in 1 of his 3 MLB appearances. In 25 starts with Tacoma, he went 8-10 with a 5.08 ERA over 141.2 innings where he's put up a 57-44 career minor league mark in 154 outings
Matt Whitehouse, CLE
The lefty started slow not joining Double-A Akron and Triple-A Columbus until mid-May. He made 35 appearances between the two levels including 15 starts going 4-2 and striking out 77 over 84.2 innings. The Rubberducks reached the playoffs winning its opening series against Altoona before being swept by New Hampshire.
John Brontsema, KC
Brontsema scuffled early behind some injuries before hitting full stride in April with Double-A Northwest Arkansas. He found himself all over the diamond at 2B, 3B, at times a first baseman, and even pitched on two occasions. As a hitter, he finished with a .231 average, 2 HR, and 10 RBIs including a 4-for-4 night in mid-May before succumbing to injuries where he missed over two months over the second half of the season
Evan Manarino, OAK
The lefty didn't get going until late May where he joined High-A Stockton. Despite another short DL stint in September, Manarino finished with a 4-6 mark on the mound and a 5.40 ERA in 85 innings making 14 of his 17 outings as a starter for the Ports
Cameron Bishop, BAL
Bishop excelled in his first full pro season catching on with Single-A Delmarva. Out of 22 starts, he allowed three runs or less in 18 of them and tossed five or more innings 21 times. He finished with a 9-7 mark and a 2.94 ERA striking out 99 hitters in 125.2 innings for his Baltimore Orioles affiliate
Calvin Faucher, MIN
The closer took part in 36 games between Single-A Fort Myers and Cedar Rapids as a teammate of Royce Lewis' on many an occasions. Faucher finished with a 4-4 mark and 4.09 ERA striking out 62 hitters in 66 innings and picking up three saves to help push Cedar Rapids into the playoffs
Matt Esparza, CLE
The right-hander in his fourth professional season fought off injuries for a majority of it making just four appearances, three as a starter, between his Rookie team in Arizona and High-A Lynchburg. He was able to strike out nine over 8.2 innings
Ryan Fitzpatrick, CHW
After joining the White Sox short season squad in Great Falls, Montana, Fitzpatrick slid into the lineup 41 times where he hit .246 with six HR and 15 RBIs
Cole Kreuter, STL
Kreuter stumbled out of the gate with the Rookie Cardinals in Florida, but turned it around for 15 RBIs in 34 games with five doubles
Keston Hiura, MIL
The former consensus All-American and first round draft pick of the Milwaukee Brewers had a productive first full season as a minor leaguer hitting .293 getting at least 200 at-bats in at High-A Carolina and Double-A Biloxi pounding out 13 HR, 34 doubles, and 43 RBIs. He was named a midseason All-Star and MiLB.com Player of the Month in the Carolina League before jumping to Biloxi in June. He became the first Anteater fitted for the MLB Futures Game during All-Star Weekend, and would rejoin the Shuckers for the stretch run where they would advance all the way to the Eastern League Championship Series before falling.
Hiura's season got an extension earning a roster spot in the prestigious Arizona Fall League made up of top prospects from all 30 Major League club playing out in the desert. Hiura hit at a smoldering clip of .323 cranking five homers in 23 games and driving home 33 RBIs, the second-most in the league's existence, to help him earn AFL MVP honors as his Peoria Javelinas squad would win the league title. He continued to acclimate himself to second base throughout the year, and has risen to the No. 1 ranking of prospects within the Brewers' organization and the No. 30 prospect in all of professional baseball.
Royce Lewis, MIN
The draftmate of Hiura's and Anteater NLI signee remained hot on Keston's heels as the top prospect in the Minnesota Twins' organization and the No. 7 prospect overall enjoying a productive season between Single-A clubs Cedar Rapids and Fort Myers. After 75 games with the Kernels, Lewis had 9 HR, 53 RBIs, and a .315 average earning All-Stars notoriety at the midseason and postseason marks. He promotion to Fort Myers in July saw him crack 14 extra-base hits including five home runs in 46 games in also just his first full season of pro ball.
Andrew Morales, STL
The decorated right-hander finally enjoyed an injury-free campaign in 2018 finding the disabled list just one time for seven days. He spent 46 of his 49 games pitched on the year with Triple-A Memphis helping the Redbirds to a second straight championship. He slid into a new role making every appearance out of the bullpen and recorded six saves in eight opportunities. Morales struck out 74 in 63.2 innings while serving up a respectable 4.24 ERA and 2-4 record in his fifth year of pro ball
Chris Rabago, COL/NYY
The steady catchers made waves of a different pattern in 2018. He started off earning a spot on the Colorado Rockies' 40-man roster and even got some hacks with the big club in Spring Training. He started the year once again at a higher level with Double-A Hartford where he hit .213 with four home runs and 23 RBIs in 66 games with the Yard Goats. In late August, the Thunder optioned Rabago, and he was put on waivers where the New York Yankees would claim the promising backstop later that day. He joined the organization's Double-A affiliate in Trenton where he played sparingly down the stretch and will begin his sixth professional season come 2019
Brian Hernandez, QR
The third baseman returned the the Mexican League for a third year now in his eighth year overall in professional baseball. Hernandez tore the cover off the ball hitting .367 clubbing 163 hits in 109 games which included 28 doubles, 11 HRs, and 92 RBIs for the Tigres de Quintana Roo. Hernandez is hitting .319 over his 312 games since joining the Mexican League with 25 HRs and nearly 200 RBIs
Taylor Sparks, CIN
The former second-round pick found his offensive stride in 2018 with 10 HR and 38 RBIs over 90 games with Double-A Pensacola which included Southern League Player of the Week honors in July before jumping up for his first sniff at the Triple-A level in Louisville later that month. Sparks played in 36 games with the Bats pounding four of his 15 hits for home runs.
Christian Bergman, SEA
The wily veteran in his ninth professional season spent a majority of it in Triple-A Tacoma, but received three separate callups to the parent club, Seattle Mariners. He made a spot start in May dueling with Bartolo Colon in 1 of his 3 MLB appearances. In 25 starts with Tacoma, he went 8-10 with a 5.08 ERA over 141.2 innings where he's put up a 57-44 career minor league mark in 154 outings
Matt Whitehouse, CLE
The lefty started slow not joining Double-A Akron and Triple-A Columbus until mid-May. He made 35 appearances between the two levels including 15 starts going 4-2 and striking out 77 over 84.2 innings. The Rubberducks reached the playoffs winning its opening series against Altoona before being swept by New Hampshire.
John Brontsema, KC
Brontsema scuffled early behind some injuries before hitting full stride in April with Double-A Northwest Arkansas. He found himself all over the diamond at 2B, 3B, at times a first baseman, and even pitched on two occasions. As a hitter, he finished with a .231 average, 2 HR, and 10 RBIs including a 4-for-4 night in mid-May before succumbing to injuries where he missed over two months over the second half of the season
Evan Manarino, OAK
The lefty didn't get going until late May where he joined High-A Stockton. Despite another short DL stint in September, Manarino finished with a 4-6 mark on the mound and a 5.40 ERA in 85 innings making 14 of his 17 outings as a starter for the Ports
Cameron Bishop, BAL
Bishop excelled in his first full pro season catching on with Single-A Delmarva. Out of 22 starts, he allowed three runs or less in 18 of them and tossed five or more innings 21 times. He finished with a 9-7 mark and a 2.94 ERA striking out 99 hitters in 125.2 innings for his Baltimore Orioles affiliate
Calvin Faucher, MIN
The closer took part in 36 games between Single-A Fort Myers and Cedar Rapids as a teammate of Royce Lewis' on many an occasions. Faucher finished with a 4-4 mark and 4.09 ERA striking out 62 hitters in 66 innings and picking up three saves to help push Cedar Rapids into the playoffs
Matt Esparza, CLE
The right-hander in his fourth professional season fought off injuries for a majority of it making just four appearances, three as a starter, between his Rookie team in Arizona and High-A Lynchburg. He was able to strike out nine over 8.2 innings
Ryan Fitzpatrick, CHW
After joining the White Sox short season squad in Great Falls, Montana, Fitzpatrick slid into the lineup 41 times where he hit .246 with six HR and 15 RBIs
Cole Kreuter, STL
Kreuter stumbled out of the gate with the Rookie Cardinals in Florida, but turned it around for 15 RBIs in 34 games with five doubles
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