Anteater Baseball Pros Make Moves in 2021
January 01, 2022 | Baseball
IRVINE, Calif. --- UC Irvine baseball had one of its best seasons in 2021, and alums of the program enjoyed equally successful campaigns on the professional level. Here's a look at the Anteaters in pro ball and how they fared:
Keston Hiura - Milwaukee Brewers | Keston had one of the rougher seasons of the Anteater pros especially coming off a whirlwind rookie campaign in 2019 and solid 2020. The Major Leaguer began hitless through his first five games, and during the season never got the batting average over .200. He was demoted in mid-June to Triple-A Nashville batting .130, returned a couple weeks later before being sent down against at the end of July with a .166 average. He got back with the big club during the final two series of the regular season in time to get an RBI single and enter off the bench for a game in Dodger Stadium in front of friends and family.
It was an especially important game for the Hiuras after he had learned his mother had some form of lymphoma earlier in the season. It was announced in April right before the Brewers played in San Diego with his family in attendance. He and the family got good news around his return to the squad in late September that his mom was in remission in her battle.
Grateful Hiura Makes Surprise Return to the Crew
The Brewers again reached the Postseason for a third time in Hiura's three seasons with the big club, but he did not earn the call to the Postseason squad for the first time. There is still a lot left in the tank as he's now in a battle for playing time on an established Brewers team. Hopefully with a clear mind he can regain his form in 2022 and continue his ascent as one of the MLB's best and brightest young players.
Chris Rabago - Albuquerque Isotopes | The Anteater shortstop continues to ride the minor league wave in his eighth season in the pros mostly with the Colorado Rockies organization. For the first time, he stayed put for a second season in Triple-A Albuquerque. In each of his first six seasons, Rabago methodically climbed the ladder through the organization even earning a pair of invites to Spring Training as a non-roster player and a spot on the 40-man roster in 2017. Rabago has settled into Triple-A platooning behind the plate to play 53 games this year and raise his average to .234; his highest mark in four years, while adding three home runs and stealing four more bases. The 28-year-old has elected free agency this offseason and will look to find a new spot to land for the 2022 season.
Calvin Faucher - Durham Bulls | One of the best stories of the season was one Calvin Faucher. After being drafted in 2017 by the Minnesota Twins, he seemed to take a back seat to 'Eater NLI signing and first overall pick Royce Lewis as teammates for the first three seasons.
Faucher got a new breath of life last year in July while sitting in Double-A Wichita with a 7.04 ERA to suddenly jettisoned to Wichita when he found out he was part of a deal with MLBer Nelson Cruz to head to the Tampa Bay Rays organization. The Rays saw something in him and bumped him up to Triple-A Durham after two games where he flourished in 20.1 winnings over 11 games and three starts striking out 26 and recording a 1.77 ERA.
This past month, he was added to the Rays' 40-man roster to avoid getting snapped up in the Rule 5 Draft, and has earned praise as a top sleeper prospect from some of MLB's reporters.
The Durham staff has really helped fine-tune his game from this Baseball America article, and he's got a chance to make an impact with the organization moving forward.
Andre Pallante - Memphis Redbirds | Another Anteater that make a big move this season was Andre Pallante. Pallante was solid in his first pro season in 2019 with 38 strikeouts in 35.2 innings, a 2.78 ERA, and a spot on the New York-Penn League All-Star Team.
After a year away with the minor leagues shut down, Pallante continued to work even earning his degree in early 2021, and he graduated to the next level on the field starting the year in Double-A Springfield where he made 21 starts throwing nearly 100 innings and keeping the ERA respectable at 3.82. He even got a shot with Triple-A Memphis holding his own in a start for four innings and earning a hold out of the bullpen.
His season was good enough to get an invite to the prestigious Arizona Fall League for all the teams' best prospects and Pallante shone. He was billed as one of the league's hardest throwers topping out a 99 mph and led the league with a 1.29 ERA while sitting down 21 hitters in 22 innings.
Pallante has been put on plenty of radars heading into the 2022 season from his Arizona Fall Star performance.
Christian Koss - Greenville Drive | An Anteater that rose to the occasion at the plate was Christian Koss. He hit the ground running in 2019 with Grand Junction on the Rookie Level in the Rockies organization hitting .332 with 51 RBIs and all kinds of All-Star honors. His Rockie life was short-lived as the Red Sox traded for him and shipped him to Advanced-A Greenville. The shortstop hunkered down for 104 games and hit .271 with 15 home runs of his 40 extra-base hits, and added 10 stolen bases as part of his honor as the best baserunner in the Red Sox organization.
Boston Red Sox prospect Christian Koss told parents "I need popcorn kernels" after slow start
Koss was routinely lighting up the highlight reels with defensive plays and mammoth home runs including a three-home run night he had.
Koss joined Pallante in the Arizona Fall League as well getting a late all and performing well in limited action. Most recently, he joined fellow players down in the Bahamas for the Don't Blink HR Derby, Celebrity Softball Game, kids clinic, and more going on for the fourth year.
Cameron Bishop - Bowie Baysox | Bishop comtinues to ascend within the Orioles organization starting the year in Double-A Bowie. He made 12 appearances posting 48.1 innings striking out 54 while going 3-1 with three saves and a 3.17 ERA before injury set him back. He finished with a few starts coming back in High-A Delmarva, but continued his year in the Arizona Fall League where he helped the Mesa Solar Sox to a championship from 12.1 innings.
Royce Lewis - Pensacola Blue Wahoos | The No. 1 overall draft pick missed the entirety of the 2021 season with an injury. His rehab looks to have him ready for the 2022 season, and like Faucher was added to the team's 40-man roster along with a couple invites to Spring Training. Still looking to find his footing in pro ball, Lewis has been up and down playing in every level as high as Double-A with Wichita hitting .266 with 30 HR and 150 RBI in his pro career.
Brandon Lewis - Great Lakes Loons | B-Lew's second pro season was more of the same launching mammoth home runs starting in Low-A Rancho Cucamonga where he hit 10 homers in 44 games. He earned the call-up to High-A Great Lakes powering 20 more HR in 55 games for 30 total home runs in 2021, 15th-most in all of minor league baseball. Lewis added 86 RBI hitting .279 on the year between both levels playing each corner infield position. Lewis showed up on the top 30 prospects for the organization halfway through the season
Taylor Rashi - Eugene Emeralds | Taylor Rashi's second pro season began in High-A Eugene where he spent the entire 2021 season. He made 32 appearances, 30 out of the pen, which includes a hold, two saves, and a 6-3 record for the league champions. He turned around a couple rough appearances out of the gate to finish with a 4.44 ERA and 68 strikeouts in 46.2 innings.
2021 Class | The five Anteaters joining the pro ranks last year caught a glimpse of playing time. Peter Van Loon broke through with High-A Delmarva tossing 13 innings with a 3.46 ERA. Mike Peabody got in a couple games in High-A Tri-City before an injury. He played alongside Anteater alum Griffin Mazur down the tail end of 2021. Dillon Tatum also got some action in instructional ball while Trenton Denholm will look to make his debut in 2022.
Keston Hiura - Milwaukee Brewers | Keston had one of the rougher seasons of the Anteater pros especially coming off a whirlwind rookie campaign in 2019 and solid 2020. The Major Leaguer began hitless through his first five games, and during the season never got the batting average over .200. He was demoted in mid-June to Triple-A Nashville batting .130, returned a couple weeks later before being sent down against at the end of July with a .166 average. He got back with the big club during the final two series of the regular season in time to get an RBI single and enter off the bench for a game in Dodger Stadium in front of friends and family.
It was an especially important game for the Hiuras after he had learned his mother had some form of lymphoma earlier in the season. It was announced in April right before the Brewers played in San Diego with his family in attendance. He and the family got good news around his return to the squad in late September that his mom was in remission in her battle.
Grateful Hiura Makes Surprise Return to the Crew
The Brewers again reached the Postseason for a third time in Hiura's three seasons with the big club, but he did not earn the call to the Postseason squad for the first time. There is still a lot left in the tank as he's now in a battle for playing time on an established Brewers team. Hopefully with a clear mind he can regain his form in 2022 and continue his ascent as one of the MLB's best and brightest young players.
Chris Rabago - Albuquerque Isotopes | The Anteater shortstop continues to ride the minor league wave in his eighth season in the pros mostly with the Colorado Rockies organization. For the first time, he stayed put for a second season in Triple-A Albuquerque. In each of his first six seasons, Rabago methodically climbed the ladder through the organization even earning a pair of invites to Spring Training as a non-roster player and a spot on the 40-man roster in 2017. Rabago has settled into Triple-A platooning behind the plate to play 53 games this year and raise his average to .234; his highest mark in four years, while adding three home runs and stealing four more bases. The 28-year-old has elected free agency this offseason and will look to find a new spot to land for the 2022 season.
The home runs continue for the Isotopes as Chris Rabago connects on a two-run homer to extend the Isotopes lead to 6-0! pic.twitter.com/ju83k07jXN
— Albuquerque Isotopes (@ABQTopes) June 28, 2021
Calvin Faucher - Durham Bulls | One of the best stories of the season was one Calvin Faucher. After being drafted in 2017 by the Minnesota Twins, he seemed to take a back seat to 'Eater NLI signing and first overall pick Royce Lewis as teammates for the first three seasons.
Faucher got a new breath of life last year in July while sitting in Double-A Wichita with a 7.04 ERA to suddenly jettisoned to Wichita when he found out he was part of a deal with MLBer Nelson Cruz to head to the Tampa Bay Rays organization. The Rays saw something in him and bumped him up to Triple-A Durham after two games where he flourished in 20.1 winnings over 11 games and three starts striking out 26 and recording a 1.77 ERA.
PITCHERS ARE ATHLETES TOO pic.twitter.com/fbGARC5h0s
— Wichita Wind Surge (@WindSurgeICT) July 17, 2021
This past month, he was added to the Rays' 40-man roster to avoid getting snapped up in the Rule 5 Draft, and has earned praise as a top sleeper prospect from some of MLB's reporters.
The Durham staff has really helped fine-tune his game from this Baseball America article, and he's got a chance to make an impact with the organization moving forward.
Nasty breaking ball from new #Rays reliever Calvin Faucher. pic.twitter.com/5KvTp3jzet
— Josh Norris (@jnorris427) August 6, 2021
Andre Pallante - Memphis Redbirds | Another Anteater that make a big move this season was Andre Pallante. Pallante was solid in his first pro season in 2019 with 38 strikeouts in 35.2 innings, a 2.78 ERA, and a spot on the New York-Penn League All-Star Team.
After a year away with the minor leagues shut down, Pallante continued to work even earning his degree in early 2021, and he graduated to the next level on the field starting the year in Double-A Springfield where he made 21 starts throwing nearly 100 innings and keeping the ERA respectable at 3.82. He even got a shot with Triple-A Memphis holding his own in a start for four innings and earning a hold out of the bullpen.
His season was good enough to get an invite to the prestigious Arizona Fall League for all the teams' best prospects and Pallante shone. He was billed as one of the league's hardest throwers topping out a 99 mph and led the league with a 1.29 ERA while sitting down 21 hitters in 22 innings.
Pallante has been put on plenty of radars heading into the 2022 season from his Arizona Fall Star performance.
Big day for Dre #RipEm
— UCI Baseball (@UCIbsb) October 1, 2021
?? First Triple-A start
?? 4 IP, ER, 2 K and a Memphis W
?? Spot in the Arizona Fall League https://t.co/geQ6m3lIKA
Christian Koss - Greenville Drive | An Anteater that rose to the occasion at the plate was Christian Koss. He hit the ground running in 2019 with Grand Junction on the Rookie Level in the Rockies organization hitting .332 with 51 RBIs and all kinds of All-Star honors. His Rockie life was short-lived as the Red Sox traded for him and shipped him to Advanced-A Greenville. The shortstop hunkered down for 104 games and hit .271 with 15 home runs of his 40 extra-base hits, and added 10 stolen bases as part of his honor as the best baserunner in the Red Sox organization.
Boston Red Sox prospect Christian Koss told parents "I need popcorn kernels" after slow start
Koss was routinely lighting up the highlight reels with defensive plays and mammoth home runs including a three-home run night he had.
.@RedSox prospect Christian Koss thought he was in for "one of those days" after fanning in his first at-bat.
— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) August 6, 2021
Instead, he continued his offensive resurgence with the first three-homer game in @GreenvilleDrive history.
?? https://t.co/71ZML2JM2h pic.twitter.com/IdMSyZ118m
Koss joined Pallante in the Arizona Fall League as well getting a late all and performing well in limited action. Most recently, he joined fellow players down in the Bahamas for the Don't Blink HR Derby, Celebrity Softball Game, kids clinic, and more going on for the fourth year.
Cameron Bishop - Bowie Baysox | Bishop comtinues to ascend within the Orioles organization starting the year in Double-A Bowie. He made 12 appearances posting 48.1 innings striking out 54 while going 3-1 with three saves and a 3.17 ERA before injury set him back. He finished with a few starts coming back in High-A Delmarva, but continued his year in the Arizona Fall League where he helped the Mesa Solar Sox to a championship from 12.1 innings.
Royce Lewis - Pensacola Blue Wahoos | The No. 1 overall draft pick missed the entirety of the 2021 season with an injury. His rehab looks to have him ready for the 2022 season, and like Faucher was added to the team's 40-man roster along with a couple invites to Spring Training. Still looking to find his footing in pro ball, Lewis has been up and down playing in every level as high as Double-A with Wichita hitting .266 with 30 HR and 150 RBI in his pro career.
Brandon Lewis - Great Lakes Loons | B-Lew's second pro season was more of the same launching mammoth home runs starting in Low-A Rancho Cucamonga where he hit 10 homers in 44 games. He earned the call-up to High-A Great Lakes powering 20 more HR in 55 games for 30 total home runs in 2021, 15th-most in all of minor league baseball. Lewis added 86 RBI hitting .279 on the year between both levels playing each corner infield position. Lewis showed up on the top 30 prospects for the organization halfway through the season
Brandon Lewis hit his 20th homer for Great Lakes, and it's his 30th overall, which leads all Dodger minor leaguers for the season pic.twitter.com/FSWPwd8QSr
— Josh Thomas (@jokeylocomotive) September 6, 2021
Taylor Rashi - Eugene Emeralds | Taylor Rashi's second pro season began in High-A Eugene where he spent the entire 2021 season. He made 32 appearances, 30 out of the pen, which includes a hold, two saves, and a 6-3 record for the league champions. He turned around a couple rough appearances out of the gate to finish with a 4.44 ERA and 68 strikeouts in 46.2 innings.
Solid first start for @Taylor_Rashi:
— Eugene Emeralds (@EugeneEmeralds) June 24, 2021
3.0 IP | 1 H | 0 R | 0 BB | 4 K#GoEms x #SFGiants pic.twitter.com/CeVgye1bLK
2021 Class | The five Anteaters joining the pro ranks last year caught a glimpse of playing time. Peter Van Loon broke through with High-A Delmarva tossing 13 innings with a 3.46 ERA. Mike Peabody got in a couple games in High-A Tri-City before an injury. He played alongside Anteater alum Griffin Mazur down the tail end of 2021. Dillon Tatum also got some action in instructional ball while Trenton Denholm will look to make his debut in 2022.
1?6?ORIOLES MLB DRAFT BREAKDOWN: RHP PETER VAN LOON1?6?@UCIbsb Head Coach Ben Orloff joins the pod to talk:
— Locked On Orioles (@LockedOnOrioles) September 1, 2021
??Van Loon's two years at UC Irvine
??His journey from JuCo to UCI
??How he helped lead his team to the 2021 NCAA tournament
??And more!
??: https://t.co/zWqPs9qMqG pic.twitter.com/uxHh48nzDZ
First pro home run last night for @GriffMazur. pic.twitter.com/vXCUzIUWRz
— Jared Ravich (@JaredRavich) August 21, 2021
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