The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Blazers in the Pros Update
9/7/2017 2:24:00 PM | Baseball
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – With the 2017 minor league playoffs currently taking place it is time to take a look back at another successful season of former Blazers in the professional ranks.
Brewer Hicklen | Kansas City Royals Organization
Hicklen is wrapping up a successful rookie ball season where he split time between the Arizona Royals and Idaho Falls Chukars. Hicklen batted .340 with 50 hits tallying five triples and four home runs. He swiped 16 bases with a .427 on base percentage and scored 37 runs.
Hicklen played for the Blazers from 2015-2016 before becoming UAB's highest ever defat selection going 210th overall in the seventh round to the Royals.
Adam Lau | Boston Red Sox Organization
Lau spent the 2017 season with the Salem Red Sox of the Carolina League. He appeared in 37 games striking out 68 batters over 63.1 innings. Batters hit just .241 against him.
Lau played for the Blazers from 2013-2015 before being selected in the 37th round of the 2015 draft by the Boston Red Sox.
James Naile | Oakland Athletics Organization
Naile appeared 18 games in 2017 splitting time between the Arizona Athletics, Stockton Ports and Midland Rockhounds. He threw 73.2 innings giving up 68 hits while hitters hit just .243 against him.
Naile played for the Blazers from 2013-2015 before being selected in the 20th round by the Athletics in the 2015 First-Year Player Draft.
Benji Waite | Independent League
Waite spent the 2017 season with the St. Paul Saints and the Fargo-Morehead Redhawks of the Independent League. He threw 87.2 innings in 20 games striking out 59 batters and giving up 86 hits.
Waite played for the Blazers from 2006-2010.
Garrett Whitlock | New York Yankees Organization
Whitlock is wrapping up his first season in the minor leagues where he has split time with the Gulf Coast League Yankees and the Pulaski Yankees. Whitlock has appeared in five games since June. He has surrendered just 14 hits while striking out 22 batters between the two teams. Pulaski won the Eastern Division of the Appalachian League.
Whitlock played for the Blazers in 2016 and 2017 before being selected in the 18th round of the 2017 draft by the New York Yankees.
Tim Anderson | Chicago White Sox
Anderson has spent the previous two seasons at shortstop for the Chicago White Sox. In 2017 he is hitting .246 with 122 this and 15 home runs. The Alabama native has tallied 48 RBI and scored 56 more runs.
Anderson signed his Letter of Intent with the Blazers but opted out to join the White Sox's organization.
Jorge Benitez | Seattle Mariners Organization
Benitez spent the 2017 season competing against Hicklen and Naile in the Arizona Rookie League as a member of the Arizona Mariners. He appeared in 13 games tossing 25.1 innings. Benitez gave up 28 hits while striking out 24 batters.
Benitez signed his Letter of Intent with the Blazers but joined the Seattle Mariners organization instead.
Ethan Lindow | Philadelphia Phillies Organization
Lindow spent the 2017 season as a member of the Gulf Coast League Phillies. He appeared and started in eight games fanning 34 batters over 27.2 innings. Batters hit just .241 against him.
Lindow signed his Letter of Intent with the Blazers but opted out to join the Phillies' organization.
For more information on the UAB Baseball team follow the Blazers on Twitter and Instagram (@UAB_Baseball).
Brewer Hicklen | Kansas City Royals Organization
Hicklen is wrapping up a successful rookie ball season where he split time between the Arizona Royals and Idaho Falls Chukars. Hicklen batted .340 with 50 hits tallying five triples and four home runs. He swiped 16 bases with a .427 on base percentage and scored 37 runs.
Hicklen played for the Blazers from 2015-2016 before becoming UAB's highest ever defat selection going 210th overall in the seventh round to the Royals.
Adam Lau | Boston Red Sox Organization
Lau spent the 2017 season with the Salem Red Sox of the Carolina League. He appeared in 37 games striking out 68 batters over 63.1 innings. Batters hit just .241 against him.
Lau played for the Blazers from 2013-2015 before being selected in the 37th round of the 2015 draft by the Boston Red Sox.
James Naile | Oakland Athletics Organization
Naile appeared 18 games in 2017 splitting time between the Arizona Athletics, Stockton Ports and Midland Rockhounds. He threw 73.2 innings giving up 68 hits while hitters hit just .243 against him.
Naile played for the Blazers from 2013-2015 before being selected in the 20th round by the Athletics in the 2015 First-Year Player Draft.
Benji Waite | Independent League
Waite spent the 2017 season with the St. Paul Saints and the Fargo-Morehead Redhawks of the Independent League. He threw 87.2 innings in 20 games striking out 59 batters and giving up 86 hits.
Waite played for the Blazers from 2006-2010.
Garrett Whitlock | New York Yankees Organization
Whitlock is wrapping up his first season in the minor leagues where he has split time with the Gulf Coast League Yankees and the Pulaski Yankees. Whitlock has appeared in five games since June. He has surrendered just 14 hits while striking out 22 batters between the two teams. Pulaski won the Eastern Division of the Appalachian League.
Whitlock played for the Blazers in 2016 and 2017 before being selected in the 18th round of the 2017 draft by the New York Yankees.
Tim Anderson | Chicago White Sox
Anderson has spent the previous two seasons at shortstop for the Chicago White Sox. In 2017 he is hitting .246 with 122 this and 15 home runs. The Alabama native has tallied 48 RBI and scored 56 more runs.
Anderson signed his Letter of Intent with the Blazers but opted out to join the White Sox's organization.
Jorge Benitez | Seattle Mariners Organization
Benitez spent the 2017 season competing against Hicklen and Naile in the Arizona Rookie League as a member of the Arizona Mariners. He appeared in 13 games tossing 25.1 innings. Benitez gave up 28 hits while striking out 24 batters.
Benitez signed his Letter of Intent with the Blazers but joined the Seattle Mariners organization instead.
Ethan Lindow | Philadelphia Phillies Organization
Lindow spent the 2017 season as a member of the Gulf Coast League Phillies. He appeared and started in eight games fanning 34 batters over 27.2 innings. Batters hit just .241 against him.
Lindow signed his Letter of Intent with the Blazers but opted out to join the Phillies' organization.
For more information on the UAB Baseball team follow the Blazers on Twitter and Instagram (@UAB_Baseball).
Players Mentioned
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