Waves in the Pros 2017 Recap
10/10/2017 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
MALIBU, Calif. - With the 2017 MLB regular season in the books, we took a look back at all of the former Pepperdine baseball players playing professionally this year. Between the big, minor, international and independent leagues, 22 Waves are currently playing professional baseball. Here's a snapshot of how they fared.
MLB
Eric Thames - Milwaukee Brewers - 138 games played, .247/.359/.518 slash, 31 HR, 63 RBI
After returning to the majors from Korea prior to the 2017 campaign, Thames put up the most notable professional season of any Wave this year, getting out to one of the hottest starts in all of baseball for the Brewers. His numbers finally came back to earth a bit, but Thames was a mainstay in the heart of the Milwaukee lineup all year, posting MLB career highs in just about every major offensive category, and a WAR of 1.4 as the Brewers' first-baseman.
Chase d'Arnaud - Braves/Red Sox/Padres/AAA - 35/45 MLB/AAA games played, .190/.242/.306 MLB slash
d'Arnaud bounced around a bit this season, starting the year with the Braves (11 games) before being claimed by the Red Sox (2 games) and finally ending up with the Padres (22 games). He also played 45 games for the Padres' triple-A affiliate El Paso Chihuahuas, where he put up an impressive slash line of .297/.363/.424. d'Arnaud also spent a couple stints on the injured list for San Diego in an up and down season.
Zach Vincej - Cincinnati Reds/AAA - 9/110 MLB/AAA games played, .111/.333/.111 MLB slash
Vincej became the 34th major league player to come out of Pepperdine when he made his MLB debut this past September. A late-season roster call-up by the Reds, Vincej was hitting .270 with 38 RBI and 36 runs scored for Cincinnati's triple-A affiliate Louisville Bats before getting his first taste of the big leagues. With the Reds, Vincej came off of the bench nine times, picking up his first career hit against the defending champion Chicago Cubs on Sept. 30.
INTERNATIONAL
Danny Worth - SK Wyverns (Korean Baseball Organization) - 3 games, .111/.273/.111 slash
Started the year as a free agent before signing with SK Wyverns in the KBO. Played just three games before suffering a season-ending injury.
MiLB
Brad Anderson - Inland Empire 66ers (Los Angeles Angels/Hi-A) - 6 games, .313/.421/.375, 5 H, 1 2B, 1 RBI
Played six games for the Angels' single-A affiliate 66ers before being assigned to extended spring training.
Austin Bernard - Boise Hawks (Colorado Rockies/A-short) - 34 games, .231/.312/.372, 3 HR, 8 2B, 16 RBI
Bernard was selected by the Rockies in the 10th round of this year's draft and assigned to the team's short-season affiliate Boise Hawks where he played 34 games.
Aaron Brown - Clearwater Threshers (Philadelphia Phillies/Hi-A) - Batting: 28 games, .222/.239/.322, 2 HR, 3 2B, 8 RBI. Pitching: 14 appearances, 19.0 IP, 4.74 ERA
Brown played 24 games for the Phillies' double-A affiliate while also receiving an invite to the spring training with the big-league club. Brown later announced he would be transitioning back to the mound after playing in the outfield to that point during his professional career, heading to rookie ball and finally the Hi-A Threshers to regain his pitching form. Brown was a star two-way player for the Waves during his collegiate career.
Austin Davidson - Potomac Nationals (Washington Nationals/Hi-A) - 102 games, .272/.354/.406 slash, 7 HR, 4 3B, 22 2B, 53 RBI
In his fourth year of professional ball, Davidson played the entire season with Hi-A Potomac, getting a healthy workload at 102 games played and 379 at-bats.
Barry Enright - Albuquerque Isotopes (Colorado Rockies/AAA) - 14 starts, 5-4 record, 6.30 ERA
After playing some in Mexico, the former big-leaguer was signed by the San Diego Padres early this year before being traded to the Rockies and playing the bulk of his season with triple-A Albuquerque.
Max Gamboa - AZL Dodgers (Los Angeles Dodgers/rookie) - 1.0 inning pitched, 1 K, 1 H
Gamboa was hurt following his professional debut of one inning, landing on the 60 day DL and effectively ending his season during Arizona League play. The Dodgers drafted Gamboa in the 18th round this year.
Max Green - Connecticut Tigers (Detroit Tigers/A-short) - 21 appearances, 25.2 IP, 2.81 ERA
After being drafted by the Tigers in the 8th round, Green made 21 solid relief appearances for the team's short-season affiliate, striking out 28 batters and walking 11.
Manny Jefferson - Kane County Cougars (Arizona Diamondbacks/A) - 121 games, .221/.291/.298, 2 HR, 3 3B, 20 2B, 40 RBI
In his second professional season and first of full-season A-ball, Jefferson was a mainstay in the Kane County lineup all year, getting 420 at-bats on the season.
Eric Karch - Inland Empire 66ers (Los Angeles Angels/Hi-A) - 22 appearances, 2 starts, 3-2 record, 43.2 IP, 3.50 ERA, 1 SV
Karch bounced back and forth between the Hi-A 66ers and double-A Mobile Baybears during his fourth professional season, making the second most appearances of his career with 22.
Jackson McClelland - Dunedin Blue Jays (Toronto Blue Jays/Hi-A) - 45 appearances, 53.2 IP, 1.34 ERA, 15 SV
McClelland had a breakout season in his third year of professional ball, posting a career low sub-2.00 ERA and career high 15 saves. He started the year with the Blue Jays' single-A affiliate Lansing Lugnuts, before being promoted to Hi-A Dunedin.
Hutton Moyer - Mobile Baybears (Los Angeles Angels/AA) - 24 games, .207/.267/.293, 1 3B, 6 2B, 6 RBI
Moyer was promoted to double-A Mobile prior to the 2017 season and got 92 at-bats over the course of 24 games during his third professional season.
A.J. Puckett - Winston-Salem Dash (Chicago White Sox/Hi-A) - 25 stats, 10-7 record, 135.2 IP, 3.98 ERA
Puckett was traded mid-season from the Kansas City Royals to the White Sox as part of the deal that sent Melky Cabrera to KC. In his second season of professional ball, Puckett tossed a career-high 135.2 innings, going 10-7 with 119 strikeouts and 51 walks.
Ben Rodriguez - GCL Twins (Minnesota Twins/rookie) - 50 games, .290/.399/.457 slash, 4 HR, 2 3B, 11 2B, 40 RBI
After being drafted by the Twins in the 38th round of the 2017 draft, Rodriguez was phenomenal at the plate in rookie ball, posting an OPS of .856 and 17 extra-base hits while playing in the Gulf Coast League.
Joe Sever - Akron RubberDucks (Cleveland Indians/AA) - 120 games, .283/.335/.387 slash, 7 HR, 2 3B, 21 2B, 54 RBI
Spent time at both triple-A and double-A for the Indians, with the bulk of his production coming in Akron. Was a spring training non-roster invitee for Cleveland.
Ryan Wilson - GCL Orioles (Baltimore Orioles/rookie) - 12 appearances, 8 starts, 47.0 IP, 4.40 ERA
Wilson made 12 appearances on the mound, with eight starts and four relief appearances in his first professional season. Wilson was drafted in the 33rd round of the 2017 draft by the Baltimore Orioles. He struck out 54 batters and walked 14 in rookie ball action.
INDEPENDENT
Chris Fornaci - Vallejo Admirals (Pacific Association)
Moved from the Southern Illinois Miners to the Vallejo Admirals early in the 2017 season. Batted .223 on the season and .333 in the playoffs for the Admirals.
Harrison Kain - Wichita Wingnuts (American Association)
Posted a slash line of .307/.390/.404 for the Wingnuts, playing 54 games in the American Association. Also had three homers, one triple, 10 doubles and 31 RBI in his sixth professional season.
Kolten Yamaguchi - Evansville Otters (Frontier League)
In his second professional season, Yamaguchi played in 33 games for the Evansville Otters. He had a slash line of .258/.360/.312, driving in 13 runs with one homer and two doubles.
