ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) – With the 2019 MLB Draft on the horizon, the UCF baseball team will no doubt add to its alumni base playing professional baseball. Here’s a look at how the Knights have fared in the professional ranks through the first part of the year.
The newest Knight to reach The Show was Dylan Moore. The 2015 selection earned the utility spot on the Seattle Mariners for Opening Day. In 30 games this season, Moore has a .212 batting average with five RBI and two home runs with an on-base percentage of .317. More recently, the Newport Beach, Calif., native hit .280 with a trio of runs driven in over his last 25 at-bats. Moore’s first career home run came at Kansas City on April 8.
After starting the year in the minors, Dan Winkler was quickly recalled to the Atlanta Braves’ bullpen. The righty has made 20 appearances on the year for 15 2/3 innings of action. He has 18 strikeouts during that span.
Thad Ward has been one of the top pitchers in the Class A South Atlantic League for the Greenville Drive. The 2018 selection has a 4-2 record over 10 starts with a 2.20 ERA. The righty has five quality starts on the year and recently extended his scoreless streak to 21 1/3 innings. Ward has 64 punchouts over 57 1/3 innings of work this year to go along with a strikeout-to-walk ratio of four.
Jason Bahr has a 4-1 record through nine starts with the Down East Wood Ducks on High A. The tall righty has a 2.11 ERA through 47 innings with 45 strikeouts. Opponents are hitting just .190 off the 2017 draft pick. Bahr has a trio of quality starts and has not allowed more than two earned runs this season.
Cre Finfrock has featured exclusively out of the bullpen for the Lansing Lugnuts in Class A. The hard throwing northpaw has a 1.17 ERA through 7 2/3 innings of work this season with 11 strikeouts. He has allowed just a pair of hits and one earned run. He is 2-for-2 on save opportunities.
TRIPLE-A
Chasen Bradford – Tacoma Rainiers (SEA) – Opened the year on the Seattle Mariners. Made 10 appearances and struck out 10. Earned first career save against Boston on March 31. Came out of the bullpen five times in Tacoma.
Ben Lively – Omaha Storm Chasers (KAN) – Made 11 appearances with three starts for a 2-1 record with two saves. Struck out 28 over 29 2/3 innings. Tossed one inning for the Kansas City Royals this year.
Beau Taylor – Las Vegas Aviators (OAK) – Hitting .304 through 34 games with 15 RBI and three home runs. Went on two separate seven-game hitting streaks.
Drew Butera – Albuquerque Isotopes (COL) – Spent time with the Rockies in seven games with a pair of doubles. Hitting .315 in 16 appearances for Albuquerque with 13 walks, six RBI and one home run.
FULL SEASON-A
Eric Hepple – Asheville Tourists (COL) – Made nine appearances out of the bullpen. Has 10 strikeouts in 10.1 innings of work.
NOT ASSIGNED YET
JJ Montgomery – Finished last year in Short Season A with the Aberdeen IronBirds.
Jordan Scheftz – Finished last year in Class A with the Lake County Captains.
Rylan Thomas – Finished last year in Rookie Ball with the Greeneville Reds.
Bryce Tucker – Spent last year rehabbing in Arizona at the Giants’ spring training facility.
INDEPENDENT
Darnell Sweeney – Kansas City T-Bones – Leads the team and the American Association with a batting average of .400 with seven RBI and four home runs through 12 games. Has drawn 11 walks to take OPS to 1.500.\
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