The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Baseball Summer Spotlights
7/18/2019 1:12:00β―PM | Baseball
BIRMINGHAM- Even though the UAB baseball season ended in May, there are still several Blazers making waves throughout the baseball community.
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There are 10 current Blazers who are participating in varying summer collegiate leagues and six former UAB baseball standouts climbing their way through the minor leagues.
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As for the current players, sophomore Jess Davis and senior J Paul Fullerton are leading the way in the collegiate summer league. Both are playing for the Chugiak-Eagle River Chinooks in the Alaska Baseball League (ABL). Davis, J., sits in the ABL with a .276 average, 18 runs, 10 RBI, 14 stolen bases and one homerun. Fullerton sits with a .245 average, 12 runs, and 20 RBI.Β Both made the ABL All-Star team but played on opposite teams.
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Former Blazers Brewer Hicklen and Garret Whitlock are becoming standouts in the professional baseball world.Β Throughout his minors career Hicklen has amassed 156 runs, 124 RBI and 26 homeruns. This summer alone he has hit 5 homeruns, 24 RBI, and stolen 32 bags. Hicklen currently sits at 13th in the Carolina league for batting average (.279) and plays for the Wilmington Blue Rocks. Whitlock currently pitches for the Trenton Thunder and has pitched a total of 205.1 innings with 201 strikeouts throughout his minors career. This summer Whitlock has pitched 70.1 innings with 57 strikeouts.
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Other current UAB baseball players are shining throughout the summer collegiate baseball leagues. Junior Justin Wiley is with the Madison Mallards of the Northwoods League this summer and has tallied 11 runs throughout the season. Sophomore Tyler O'Clair is playing with teammates Davis, J., and Fullerton in the ABL. He has amassed 26 strikeouts on 22 innings of work.
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Moving over to the Valley League, teammates junior Riley Davis and sophomore Jonah Smith are playing together for the Covington Lumberjacks. Davis, R., has pitched 18 innings and totaling 16 strikeouts with a 1.00 ERA. Smith has thrown 12 strikeouts on 10.1 innings of work.
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In the Coastal Plain League Brady Green has notched seven strikeouts with the Florence Redwolves. Sophomore Ian McWilliams has racked up nine strikeouts with the Lima Locos of the Great Lakes League and senior Sylvester Toe has tallied 28 strikeouts over 14.1 innings pitched with the Norcross Astros of the Sunbelt League and recorded 2 saves.
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Back in the minor leagues, recently drafted Blazers Graham Ashcraft and Tyler Tolbert are starting out their professional careers. Ashcraft was drafted in the sixth round of the 2019 MLB Draft by the Cincinnati Reds becoming the highest ever drafted player in UAB program history. He currently plays for the Greeneville Reds and has notched a total of 19 innings with 23 strikeouts. Tolbert was drafted in the 13th round of the 2019 MLB Draft by the Kansas City Royals joining his teammate Ashcraft in the 2019 draft class. Tolbert now plays for the AZL Royals and has tallied 6 RBI on 11 hits with 8 stolen bases.
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Former UAB standouts James Naile and Adam Lau are also making their careers in professional baseball. Naile plays for the Las Vegas Aviators and has pitched 505.1 innings with 354 strikeouts throughout his career. This summer Naile has thrown 99.0 innings and tallied 70 strikeouts. Lau plays for the Portland Sea Dogs and has totaled 235.1 innings pitched throughout his career with 251 strikeouts. This summer Lau has recorded a 3.02 ERA this far with 41.2 innings pitched and 42 strikeouts.
For more information on the UAB baseball team, follow @UAB_Baseball on Twitter and Instagram.Β
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There are 10 current Blazers who are participating in varying summer collegiate leagues and six former UAB baseball standouts climbing their way through the minor leagues.
Β
As for the current players, sophomore Jess Davis and senior J Paul Fullerton are leading the way in the collegiate summer league. Both are playing for the Chugiak-Eagle River Chinooks in the Alaska Baseball League (ABL). Davis, J., sits in the ABL with a .276 average, 18 runs, 10 RBI, 14 stolen bases and one homerun. Fullerton sits with a .245 average, 12 runs, and 20 RBI.Β Both made the ABL All-Star team but played on opposite teams.
Β
Former Blazers Brewer Hicklen and Garret Whitlock are becoming standouts in the professional baseball world.Β Throughout his minors career Hicklen has amassed 156 runs, 124 RBI and 26 homeruns. This summer alone he has hit 5 homeruns, 24 RBI, and stolen 32 bags. Hicklen currently sits at 13th in the Carolina league for batting average (.279) and plays for the Wilmington Blue Rocks. Whitlock currently pitches for the Trenton Thunder and has pitched a total of 205.1 innings with 201 strikeouts throughout his minors career. This summer Whitlock has pitched 70.1 innings with 57 strikeouts.
Β
Other current UAB baseball players are shining throughout the summer collegiate baseball leagues. Junior Justin Wiley is with the Madison Mallards of the Northwoods League this summer and has tallied 11 runs throughout the season. Sophomore Tyler O'Clair is playing with teammates Davis, J., and Fullerton in the ABL. He has amassed 26 strikeouts on 22 innings of work.
Β
Moving over to the Valley League, teammates junior Riley Davis and sophomore Jonah Smith are playing together for the Covington Lumberjacks. Davis, R., has pitched 18 innings and totaling 16 strikeouts with a 1.00 ERA. Smith has thrown 12 strikeouts on 10.1 innings of work.
Β
In the Coastal Plain League Brady Green has notched seven strikeouts with the Florence Redwolves. Sophomore Ian McWilliams has racked up nine strikeouts with the Lima Locos of the Great Lakes League and senior Sylvester Toe has tallied 28 strikeouts over 14.1 innings pitched with the Norcross Astros of the Sunbelt League and recorded 2 saves.
Β
Back in the minor leagues, recently drafted Blazers Graham Ashcraft and Tyler Tolbert are starting out their professional careers. Ashcraft was drafted in the sixth round of the 2019 MLB Draft by the Cincinnati Reds becoming the highest ever drafted player in UAB program history. He currently plays for the Greeneville Reds and has notched a total of 19 innings with 23 strikeouts. Tolbert was drafted in the 13th round of the 2019 MLB Draft by the Kansas City Royals joining his teammate Ashcraft in the 2019 draft class. Tolbert now plays for the AZL Royals and has tallied 6 RBI on 11 hits with 8 stolen bases.
Β
Former UAB standouts James Naile and Adam Lau are also making their careers in professional baseball. Naile plays for the Las Vegas Aviators and has pitched 505.1 innings with 354 strikeouts throughout his career. This summer Naile has thrown 99.0 innings and tallied 70 strikeouts. Lau plays for the Portland Sea Dogs and has totaled 235.1 innings pitched throughout his career with 251 strikeouts. This summer Lau has recorded a 3.02 ERA this far with 41.2 innings pitched and 42 strikeouts.
For more information on the UAB baseball team, follow @UAB_Baseball on Twitter and Instagram.Β
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