Baseball Alumni Experience MLB Success in 2011
Oct 17, 2011 | Baseball
Oct. 17, 2011
NEW ORLEANS - Tulane has a proud baseball tradition that reaches all the way to the Major Leagues. This year the Green Wave was represented by five players in the Major Leagues, two of which helped their clubs reach the playoffs. They were also well represented with thirteen players playing in various levels of the minor leagues this year.
Below are the summaries for the players that spent time on the Major League rosters for their respective clubs this season:
Brian Bogusevic was a first round draft pick in 2005 and started his season in the minors hitting .261 for the Triple-A Oklahoma RedHawks before being called up by the Houston Astros. Once in Houston, Bogusevic hit .287, driving in 15 RBI's, in 87 games for the Astros.
Brad Emaus was selected in the 11th round by the Toronto Blue Jays and spent time at the major league level this season with the New York Mets. For the Mets, Emaus posted a .162 batting average in 14 games played with the organization. In Triple-A, Emaus hit .313 and 9 home runs and 28 RBI's for the Colorado Springs Sky Sox.
Brandon Gomes was selected by the San Diego Padres in 2007 and played a major role in the bullpen for the Tampa Bay Rays in their playoff push this season. Gomes was 2-1 with a 2.92 ERA for the Rays in his 40 games this season. In September he came in as a reliever 12 times and allowed just four hits, posting 1.13 ERA, as the Rays secured the American League Wild Card position.
When Mark Hamilton was drafted out of TU in 2006 as a junior, he had already been well decorated with accolades. Hamilton was named 2006 Conference USA Player-of-the Year, was a Baseball America First Team All-American and an ESPN the Magazine All-District pick. In Triple-A Memphis this season, Hamilton hit .345 and drove in 39 RBI in 69 games this season before, being called up to the Majors by the St. Louis Cardinals. Once in St. Louis, Hamilton hit .213 in 38 appearances.
Micah Owings was drafted in the third round of the 2005 draft and shortly after that he won the NL Silver Slugger award as the top offensive pitcher in the National League during the 2007 season. This year, Owings started with a 3-1 record and a 4.85 ERA as a starter for the Triple-A Reno Aces before being called up by the Arizona Diamondbacks. In an impressive Major League season, Owings went 8-0, posting a 3.57 ERA in a relief role. In the post-season Owings came in relief against Milwaukee on October 5th and secured the win, pitching two scoreless innings.
Below are the summaries for the players that played in the minor leagues in 2011:
Michael Aubrey (1B) was the number eleven overall draft pick in the 2003 draft. At TU Aubrey was named Conference USA Player-of-the-Year and was a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award, given to the best player in college baseball. Aubrey became the first player in school history to record 100 hits twice in a career and is among the top-ten in school history in batting average, RBI's, hits and home runs. This season Aubrey hit 11 home runs, driving in 35 RBI, and posting a .273 batting average in 82 games for the Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs of the Washington Nationals organization.
Preston Claiborne was selected in the 2010 draft by the New York Yankees. This season, Claiborne posted a 3-7 record with a 3.11 ERA in 81 innings for the Tampa Yankees of the Single-A Florida State League.
Conrad Flynn was a free agent signee by the Arizona Diamondbacks after the 2011 season. He appeared in 17 games, posting a 6.16 ERA and a 4-4 record for the Pioneer League's Missoula Osprey.
Sam Honeck was an 11th round draft pick in 2009 by the Mets and spent this season with the Single-A Savannah Sand Gnats. Honeck hit .227 and drove in 36 RBI's in 75 games this season.
Shooter Hunt was drafted in the first round of the 2008 draft by the Minnesota Twins. This season Hunt went 2-0 with a 7.38 ERA and a save in 28 relief appearances for the Single-A Fort Myers Miracle.
Aaron Loup was a ninth round draft pick by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 2009 draft. Loup pitched 65 innings of relief and posted a 4.66 ERA for the Dunedin Blue Jays of the Single-A Florida State League.
Tommy Manzella hit .232 as he split time this season between the Oklahoma City RedHawks and the Reno Aces, of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League. Manzella was selected in the third round of the 2005 draft by the Houston Astros.
Josh Prince was selected in the third round of the 2009 draft by the Milwaukee Brewers. Prince hit .281 with 5 home runs this season. He also stole 24 bases in 75 games this season for the Single-A Brevard County Manatees.
Taylor Rogers was a 25th round selection of the San Francisco Giants in the 2009 draft. Rogers started 27 games on the mound this season, posting a 12-10 record with a 2.91 ERA for the Single-A Augusta Green Jackets.
Anthony Scelfo played both baseball and quarterbacked the football team during his time at Tulane before becoming the eighth round Tampa Bay Rays draft pick in 2008. Scelfo stole 15 bases, drove in 44 RBI's and hit a .253 this season for the Single-A Charlotte Stone Crabs.
Rob Segedin was the third round draft pick of the New York Yankees in 2010. Segedin posted a .287 average and 55 RBIs this season in Single-A for the Tampa Yankees and the Charleston Riverdogs. Currently he is hitting .267 for the Phoenix Desert Dogs of the Arizona Fall League.
Josh Zeid was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 10th round of the 2009 draft and was a big part of the trade that sent Hunter Pence to the Phillies at the trade deadline. Zeid, now a member of the Astros organization, went 2-4 with 6.55 ERA in 35 appearances for the Double-A Reading Phillies and Corpus Christie Hooks. Zeid is currently pitching for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League.
After finishing his career in 2011, Drew Zizinia threw 25 innings in 19 appearances on the mound for the Single-A Yakima Bears. The right-hander posted a 1-2 record and a 7.01 ERA for the Arizona Diamondbacks affiliate.
