Frontier League

CWL

In March, the California Winter League (CWL) released a list of all players that were signed during or after the CWL season.

The list, which was updated after the season on February 27th, included 69 players who had signed at least a spring training contract for various independent leagues and major league organizations.

Since all the leagues are now mid-way through their seasons, we have decided to do an update to see how many CWL players are still on active rosters around the country.

Here is a look at how those players have done:

Major League Baseball

Evan Crower Philadelphia Phillies (Released by the Phillies and Windy City Thunderbolts before playing any games.)
*Steven Pollakov Chicago White Sox (Playing for the Great Falls Voyagers (Rookie) with a .250 avg in 8 games.)
*Kevin Lenik Texas Rangers (Playing for the Spokane Indians (Short Season) with a 0-1 record and 9.00 ERA in 8 games.)
Kade Andrus Arizona Diamondbacks (Released by the DBacks. Spent 3 games with Joplin Blasters (.167 avg) before being released.)
Connor Hoffman Arizona Diamondbacks (Released by the DBacks. Spent 3 games with Sussex County Miners (.125 avg) and 4 games with Traverse City Beach Bums (.083) and currently on DL.)
*Tanner Kiest Texas Rangers (Released by the Rangers. Played 2 games with Sussex County Miners (9.50 ERA), 2 games with Lincoln Saltdogs (0.00 ERA), and currently playing with Florence Freedom (12.00 ERA in 4 games.))
Jarrett Martin Texas Rangers (Released by the Rangers. Played 2 games with Ottawa (0-1, 7.11 ERA), 2 games with Sussex (0-1, 7.11 ERA) and 7 games with Rockland (0-2, 5.12 ERA.))

John Cruz Florence Freedom (Sent to Gary. Released. Signed to Schaumburg and released.)
Clayton Crum Florence Freedom (Released without playing a game.)
*Josh Wright Florence Freedom (Released, but signed by River City. Has a 2-1 record and 4.50 ERA.)
Darius Washington Florence Freedom (Released without playing a game.)
*Matt Pobereyko Florence Freedom (0-2 with 1.33 ERA before signing with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Currently has a 0.00 ERA in 5 games in the Arizona Rookie League.)
*Kenneth Frosch Evansville Otters (Playing with a 4-2 record with 1.33 ERA in 25 games.)
Victor Barron Evansville Otters (Released. Signed with Normal. Released after batting .167 in 8 games.)
Buddy Elgin Evansville Otters (Released without playing a game.)
*Kenny Knudsen Schaumburg Boomers (Playing with a 0-1 record and 6.09 ERA in 15 games.)
Scott Ward Schaumburg Boomers (Released without playing a game.)
Pete Leonello Southern Illinois Miners (Released without playing a game.)
Carl Jameson Southern Illinois Miners (Released without playing a game.)
Brandon Boyle Windy City ThunderBolts (Released after playing in 9 games with a 4-1 record and 8.25 ERA.)
Kevin Barker Windy City ThunderBolts (Released after playing in 23 games with a .158 average.)
Ryan Strombom Windy City ThunderBolts (Released after playing in 9 games with a 3-4 record and 5.71 ERA)
Alex Miden Windy City ThunderBolts (Released without playing a game.)
*Andrew Lowe Windy City ThunderBolts (Playing with a 1-0 record and 3.50 ERA in 17 games.)
Quintin Alexander Windy City ThunderBolts (Released without playing a game.)
*Brady Muller Windy City ThunderBolts (Playing with a 2-6 record with a 3.44 ERA in 10 games.)
*Luke Barker Traverse City Beach Bums (Playing with a 0-3 record and 1.88 ERA in 29 games.)
Wes Wallace Traverse City Beach Bums (Released after playing in 14 games with a .050 avg.)
Matt Burns Traverse City Beach Bums (Released after having a .192 avg in 9 games.)
Brian McKenna Traverse City Beach Bums (Released without playing a game.)
Lucas Hunter River City Rascals (Traded to Pittsburg Diamonds. Released without playing a game.)
*Mike Jurgella River City Rascals (Playing with a .265 avg in 41 games.)
Josh Eatherly River City Rascals (Released without playing a game.)
Alec Saikal River City Rascals (Released without playing a game.)
*Ben Allison Normal Cornbelters (Released. Currently signed with Florence. Has a 1-0 record and 4.50 ERA in 3 games.)
Kaleb Barlow Normal Cornbelters (Released without playing a game.)
Max Ayoub Gateway Grizzlies (Released without playing a game.)
Derek Hasenbeck Gateway Grizzlies (Released without playing a game.)
Andrew Wellwerts Lake Erie Crushers (Released without playing a game.)
*Parker Norris Lake Erie Crushers (Playing with a .209 avg in 42 games.)
Nate Antone Lake Erie Crushers (Released without playing a game.)
Tom Nagy Lake Erie Crushers (Released without playing a game.)
Dakota Freese Joliet Slammers (Released without playing a game.)
*Casey Fletcher Joliet Slammers (Playing with a .234 avg in 28 games.)
Alex Simone Washington Wild Things (Released without playing a game.)
*Brian O’Keefe Washington Wild Things (Playing with a 2.10 ERA in 13 games.)
Alex Williams Washington Wild Things (Released without playing a game.)
Tyler Garkow Washington Wild Thing (Released after having a 11.04 ERA and 0-2 record in 3 games.)

Atlantic League

Colin Moberly New Britain Bees (Released after 3 games with a 0-2 record and 27.00 ERA.)
*Nick Murphy New Britain Bees (Playing with a .153 avg in 22 games.)

American Association

Will Soto Joplin Blasters (Released after having a .266 avg in 26 games.)
*Mason Morioka Joplin Blasters (Released. Currently playing with Sonoma Stompers with a .287 avg in 39 games.)
Brandon Landanger Lincoln Saltdogs (Released without playing a game.)
Kaz Nezu Lincoln Saltdogs (Released without playing a game.)

Can-Am League

Jalen Harris Sussex Miners (Traded to Trois-Rivieres Aigels. Released after 11 games with a .211 avg.)
*Michael Tamburino Sussex Miners (Playing with a 1-2 record and 5.04 ERA in 11 games.)
*Alex DeBellis Rockland Boulders (Played 33 games with Rockland with a .208 avg. Traded to Sussex Miners and has a .254 avg.
Max Schonfeld Trois-Rivieres Aigles (Released after pitching in 6 games with a 0-3 record and 11.63 ERA.)

Pacific Association

*Kyle Adie San Rafael Pacifics (Playing with a .292 avg in 28 games.)
*Julian Esquibel San Rafael Pacifics (Playing with a 2-0 record and 4.34 ERA in 19 games.)
*Mark Lindsay San Rafael Pacifics (Playing with a .167 avg in 15 games.)
Trent Zaks Pittsburg Diamonds (Released without playing a game.)
Iszac Valdez Pittsburg Diamonds (Released after 10 games with a .250 avg.)
*Ian Hagenmiller Pittsburg Diamonds (Playing with a .159 avg in 14 games.)
Ethan Szabo Sonoma Stompers (Released after hitting .293 in 25 games.)
Landon Hunt Sonoma Stompers (Did not attend spring training.)
Masahiro Miyadera Sonoma Stompers (Did not attend spring training.)
*Marcus Blackmon Sonoma Stompers (Playing after 14 games with a .182 avg.)
*Eddie Mora -Loera Sonoma Stompers (Playing with a .252 avg in 36 games.)

*Currently on an active roster.
Only 25 of the 69 players are currently on an active roster as we hit the halfway mark of the baseball season.

(All independent league statistics/transactions courtesy of pointstreak.com. All MiLB stats courtesy of MiLB.com)

I’ve been to hundreds of baseball games in the past few years. Players, on teams both home and away, come and go constantly in this sport.

As an advocate for indy ball and minor league baseball, I’ve seen plenty.

However this weekend, I was able to meet up with a team that made me feel as if I’ve known all of them since the beginning of their careers. This might sound a little crazy, especially since I had only met two of the guys previously, but sometimes, that’s just how it happens in baseball. When you get a group that gels so well together, it’s easy to come in and feel as if you belong.

The Florence Freedom of the Frontier League came into town this Friday to play a three game series against my “home team” the Washington Wildthings. From the coaching staff (Pelf, AJ, Sean, and Brian) to the players (especially the fantastic bullpen), everyone welcomed me like I was coming to their home stadium, not the other way around!

The Freedom haven’t gotten off to the best start in the league – they’re currently in last place in the West division – but that hasn’t stopped their drive, determination and great attitude. While they have a tall mountain to climb, sweeping the Lake Erie Crushers last week and going 8-2 in their last 10 games shows that they are moving steadily in the right direction.

For the most part, the Freedom are a true indy ball team. The majority of the players have been around indy ball their entire careers with only a handful of players that have had any affiliated experience. For more than a few guys, including two players who just concluded their college careers, Florence has been their only professional experience.

In a league where affiliated cast-offs have become more the norm than the exception lately, this team has committed to having a roster full of true independent players. That may be why I’m so partial to this group.

The indy ball life is tough, but for 80% of the team, that’s all they’ve ever known.

Friday, I was able to make their stay in Washington just a bit easier. After catching up with a player I’ve known for the last few years thanks to this site, outfielder/DH Austin Newell, I passed out as many 20% off Denny’s restaurant coupons as I could collect so far this season. A 20% off coupon may not seem like much (and in the grand scheme of things I know it isn’t!), but the guys were all more appreciative than I could ever have imagined.

20160701_175407 — Me with Austin Newell after giving him his drawing!

During the game, I also got a chance to talk to their bullpen and get to know them. As far as indy ball bullpens go, this one is full of the characters you would expect. They have the veteran indy ball guy, a couple of affiliated guys – one vet spending his last days in pro ball and a rookie trying to fix some things to eventually get back, true rookies, and guys at every step in-between of their careers. They’re the perfect balance of being loose and having fun while getting down to business late in the game. They instantly won me over.

I did happen to notice that their bullpen snack bag was lacking a bit during the game. So naturally, I decided to take on the challenge to make them a better one for the next day. Saturday morning, I went shopping for whatever snacks, candy and pizza thingys/bread things (the name used by Bubba and the others who have never experienced the greatness of pepperoni rolls) could fit in the Leonardo Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles backpack I bought – they clearly needed an upgrade over the Disney Princess backpack they’ve been carrying!

Leo packed and ready to join the bullpen

If you love independent baseball and want to help the guys but don’t know how, may I suggest doing something similar for a team. Seeing the looks on guys’ faces when they are handed a cartoon backpack filled with treats is really something special.

As it turns out, the guys had a surprise for me as well! During the exchange after BP, the bullpen handed me a ball signed by the entire team and before the start of the game, AJ their hitting coach came out with a brand new Florence Freedom bat signed by everyone.

Team Signed Ball

Team Signed Bat

Honestly, I don’t do what I do for anything. I write this site and help players when I can because I truly love this sport and the guys that play it. But with that being said, it is incredible to be treated the way I have been by this team. I was absolutely blown away by this group of guys and how supportive they are of me and the site. It was nice to be able to explain to them what Indy Ball Island is all about too!

To the Florence Freedom players (especially my favorite group of pitchers who put up with me hanging around the bullpen – TJ Bozeman, Jeremy Hutchinson, Pete Levitt, Davis “Bubba” Adkins, Tanner Kiest, and Tony Vocca) and the coaching staff: Dennis Pelfrey, AJ Cicconi, Sean Repay, and Brian White, THANK YOU for a perfect weekend of watching indy ball. Just know that you all have a fan for life no matter where you go! Good luck for the rest of the season and beyond!

Writing and sharing stories about Independent Baseball.

Indy Ball Island

Tag Archives: Frontier League

2016 California Winter League Draft Mid-Season Update