2020 Blazers News

Title	NewsDate	location	Story
Stoudt makes good return after T-J surgery October 30, 2020 RHP Levi Stoudt (Lehigh, Quakertown Blazers, 2017), the Top ACBL Prospect in 2017, underwent Tommy-John surgery after being drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the third round of the June 2019 MLB Amateur Draft. Stoudt was invited to the Arizona Instructional League and Andy McKay, Director of Player Development for the Mariners, noted that Stoudt has created as much buzz as any arm in camp now. He has been 95-96 with his fastball and combines this with a plus changeup. He’s the guy people are here to see. They don’t miss his appearances. Nick Snyder (West Virginia, South Jersey Giants, 2017, Trenton Generals, 2018) was also invited to the Arizona Instructional League by the Arizona Diamondbacks who drafted him in the 11th round of the June 2019 MLB Amateur Draft. The 6-7 LHP was the second Top ACBL Prospect in 2018 and had an excellent rookie season at short season Hillsboro in the Northwest League where he posted a 2-0 record with a save and a 0.00 ERA. In 16 innings he struck out 27 with nine base on balls. In other ACBL news Vincent Timpanelli (Ramapo, New York Phenoms, 2019) signed a free agent contract with the Cincinnati Reds. As a catcher he hit .279 with five home runs and 32 RBIs for the Phenoms in 2019. He made a strong showing on the mound this past summer and his future with the Reds may be on the mound.
Former ACBL pitchers play big role in 3-pitch Inning records September 10, 2020 Lou Trivino (Slippery Rock, Quakertown, 2011) on Monday became the fifth former ACBL pitcher to record a three pitch inning, the 189th in MLB history, on Monday as the Oakland A’s defeated the Houston Astros 6-0. Baseball Almanac data indicates that the American League has posted 82 3-Pitch Innings with Walter Johnson leading the way with four from 1911 thru 1917. Jim Mecir (Eckerd, Nassau) threw a three pitch eighth inning on May 17, 1998 for Tampa Bay. Allen Watson (NY Tech, Long Island) tossed a three pitch ninth inning for the New York Yankees on September 26, 1999. Pete Harnisch (Fordham, Long Island) tops the National League list of 106 3-Pitch Innings with three 3-Pitch Innings for the Cincinnati Reds. The first one was the fifth inning on September 26, 1998 followed by fourth inning feats on August 24, 1999 and April 7, 2001. Jamie Moyer (Saint Joseph’s, Allentown) put a 3-Pitch Inning on the record for the Philadelphia Phillies on May 7, 2013.
Trivino has three pitch inning September 8, 2020 RHP Lou Trivino (Slippery Rock, Quakertown Blazers, 2011) closed out the Oakland A’s 6-0 win over the Houston Astros with a three pitch ninth inning. All three pitches resulted in outfield putouts by centerfielder Ramon Laureano. This was the 188th three pitch inning in MLB history. The last pitcher to throw one was reportedly Mike Minor in September 2019. Info on when all three outs went to the same player is not available at present. Trivino now has eight consecutive scoreless relief appearances with a 2.76 ERA for the division leading A’s who host the Astros in a doubleheader today.
Jordan DiValerio Signs with Boston Red Sox June 16, 2020 Jordan DiValerio Photo Courtesy of Sideline Photos, LLC Jordan DiValerio (Saint Joseph’s University, Quakertown Blazers) signed a free agent contact with Boston Red Sox on Sunday morning, the first day that NDFAs could sign after the MLB 2020 Amateur Draft. This spring the 6-1, 200 lb. RHP posted a 3-1 record with a 2.38 ERA across four starts in the shortened season. Two of his wins were earned in Hawk victories over Coastal Carolina and Ohio State. His 33 strikeouts and three victories tied him for the Atlantic 10 lead in both categories. In 2017 DiValerio posted a 1-0 record for the Blazers over five starts and 25 innings. He struck out 24 with nine base on balls while posting a 2.80 ERA and was #8 on the ACBL Top Prospect List for 2017.
2020 ACBL Season has been cancelled May 30, 2020
Blazers pro ball update April 11, 2020 It’s a good time to summarize the progress of former Blazers who await the resumption of their baseball careers which have been placed into uncertainty because of the COVID-19 crisis. RHP Lou Trivino (Slippery Rock, Blazers,2011) is expected to open the season in a setup or middle-relief role for the Oakland A’s. Trivino has fully recovered from a cracked rib injury in September. LHP Tim Mayza (Millersville, Blazers, 2011) continues to rehab from Tommy-John reconstructive surgery plus a left flexor tendon repair. Mayza was injured in September after topping the Toronto Blue Jays with 68 relief appearances. He is expected to be ready for spring training in 2021. Catcher Alex Kowalczyk (Pitt, Blazers, 2013) is slated to return to Frisco, the AA affiliate of the Texas Rangers where he hit .250 with three home runs and 16 RBIs in 2019. RHP Robbie Welhaf (Elon, Blazers,2016) is currently on the roster of the West Michigan Whitecaps, the A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. Welhaf had an outstanding season for the Whitecaps in 2019 while posting a 2.69 ERA in 14 starts over 90 innings. He posted 85 strikeouts with only nine walks and topped the Midwest League with a 0.82 WHIP. Catcher Angel Lopez Alvarez (Northampton CC, Blazers, 2016) returns to the Lake County Captains, an A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians in the Midwest League. In 2019 Lopez split time between the Arizona Rookie League team and Lake County and hit .196 with one home runs and 12 RBIs. RHP Chris Kachmar (Lipscomb, Blazers, 2016-17) is coming off an excellent first season in pro ball in the Chicago Cubs organization. The 6-3 right-hander started the season with the Cubs’ rookie team in the ARL where he went 1-0 with a 2.25 ERA . In four games over eight innings he posted 12 strikeouts with a 1.00 WHIP. He was promoted to the Eugene Emeralds of the short season Northwest League. At Eugene he recorded a 4-0 record with a 1.56 ERA in 10 appearances with 24 strikeouts and 11 walks in 17 innings. RHP Levi Stoudt (Lehigh, Blazers, 2017) was drafted in the third round by the Seattle Mariners in the 2019 MLB Amateur Draft. He underwent Tommy-John surgery after the draft and is currently in rehab and has started to throw on a limited basis. Nat Ballenberg, the Blazers’ pitching coach in 2012, is now the pitching coach for the Pensacola Blue Wahoos, the AA affiliate of the Minnesota Twins in the Southern League. Ballenberg was the pitching coach at Haverford College for nine years and became the pitching coach for the Twins’ Fort Myers team in 2019.