Mountaineers alums are climbing the ladder

Trey Amburgey is making waves with the GCL
Yankees (Rookie League). /Bryan Green Photo

As the 2015 NECBL season wrapped up with the Vermont Mountaineers claiming their third title in franchise history, the team’s long list of alums are still playing across the country. Just as many of this year’s class will move on to professional baseball, many players from the team’s 13-year history are currently enjoying strong starts to their minor league careers. Here is a rundown of eight of them, headlined by the players who’ve had the most success.

Each of these players have a shot at becoming the next player on the team’s “Made it to the Majors” banner. Currently, Christian Friedrich (Rockies), Nick Martinez (Rangers), David Carpenter (Nationals) and A.J. Pollock (Diamondbacks) are all in the highest level of baseball in the United States.

Hitters

Micah Johnson, 2B, White Sox
Current Level/Age: AAA/24,5’10”/185, S/R
Drafted: 291st overall (9th round) in 2012 out of Indiana by the Chicago White Sox

Johnson got his cup of coffee earlier this season and played in 27 games for the White Sox, hitting at a .270 clip. However, defensive woes saw him return to Triple-A Charlotte, where he’s hit the cover off the ball. Somewhat injury-prone, Johnson recently went on the disabled list with a hamstring strain after hitting almost .400 in the month of July. He boasts a .328/.383/.487 slash line, and White Sox assistant general manager Buddy Bell mentioned in an interview with the Chicago Sun-Times that his defense has been “really good” with the Knights. A return to the pros is almost inevitable once he returns from injury, as the White Sox current second basemen are tied for last in the majors in WAR (Wins Above Replacement).

Brian O’Grady, 1B/CF, Reds
Current Level/Age: A+/23,6’2”/215, L/R
Drafted: 245th overall (8th round) in 2014 out of Rutgers by Cincinnati

After a breakout first year with Rookie-level Billings, O’Grady continued to hit the ball well for the Class-A Daytona Dragons, but he’s since hit a wall with Cincinnati’s Advanced-A affiliate, the Daytona Tortugas. The center fielder is hitting just .135 through his first 28 games and has managed just two extra-base hits. O’Grady is remembered in Vermont as the Swamp Bat who knocked the Mountaineers out of the playoffs in 2013, but he stole a franchise-record 25 bases in 2011, his first year in the NECBL. As for his future, O’Grady is over-matched in A+ and most likely won’t be moving up the Reds ladder any time soon. One concerning stat is that his walk rate has plummeted to just 9 percent with the Tortugas while his strikeout rate is hovering near one-third at 29 percent.

Amburgey slides into third with Vermont last year.

Trey Amburgey, CF, Yankees
Current Level/Age: R/20,6’2”/210, R/R
Drafted: 393rd overall (13th round) in 2015 out of St. Petersburg by Nnew York Yankees

Amburgey caught many scouts’ attention with an impressive All-Star campaign in 2014 for the Mountaineers, and the Yankees snagged him in the 13th round. He signed, preventing him from returning to Vermont for a second summer — which would have turned an already dangerous lineup into the league’s best, easily. He’s started his professional career off on the right foot in the rookie-level Gulf Coast League, hitting a team-best .378 despite being half a year younger than the league-average. At only 20, Amburgey is already turning heads in the Yankees system as someone who has good bat speed, is a plus runner and is an athletic outfielder. He’s definitely a guy to watch in the coming years.

Matt Duffy, 3B, Astros
Current Level/Age: AAA/26,6’3”/220, R/R
Drafted: 610th overall (20th round) in 2011 out of Tennessee by Houston

Duffy is a big bat who can hit for both average and power, as evidenced by his .294/.369/.472 slash line over five years in the minor leagues. An All-Star in each of the past four seasons, Duffy has gradually moved up the ranks and sits in Triple-A Fresno with a .300 batting average and 16 home runs in 105 games. Currently blocked in the majors by the likes of Jed Lowrie, Luis Valbuena and Marwin Gonzales, Duffy still has a shot to get called up if one of them goes down. He’s improved his plate discipline this year as well, striking out almost five percent less while drawing walks more frequently.

Pitchers

Kyle Grana, RHP, Cardinals
Current Level/Age: A/24,6’4”/245, R/R
Drafted: Signed as a non-drafted free agent in 2013 out of Bellarmine by St. Louis

Grana was undrafted due to scouts questions on his size, as the big right-hander checks in at 245 pounds. He’s quickly proved them wrong in the Cardinals system, dominating opponents with Class-A Peoria. The closer, only 24, has moved up a level each year and has found success every step of the way. Despite having 30 saves and a 1.09 ERA over 63 career minor league appearances, Grana doesn’t appear on any Cardinals prospect lists and has been viewed largely as an organizational guy. St. Louis is also already grooming a pair of prospective closer in No. 11 prospect Sam Tuivailala and No. 26 Chris Perry.

Cody Ege, LHP, Marlins
Current Level/Age: AA/24, 6’1”/185, L/L
Drafted: 460th overall (15th round) in 2013 out of Louisville by Texas
 
After allowing just two earned runs over 19 appearances as a freshman out of Louisville’s bullpen, Ege was a reliable starter for the Mountaineers in 2011. He’s since returned to the bullpen and has found plenty of success after a lights-out junior year for the Cardinals. A 15th-round draft pick, Ege was recently dealt from the Rangers to Miami and has continued his excellent season. He’s thrown 52 innings across both organizations and has a 0.92 ERA while averaging almost 11 strikeouts per nine innings. There is plenty of MLB potential in Ege, as he’s only 24 and has already had plenty of success across five levels.
 
Robert Strader, LHP, Orioles
Current Level/Age: SS/21,6’5”/225, R/L
Drafted: 373rd overall (12th round) in 2015 out of Louisville by Baltimore

Just a year ago, Strader turned in his 19th appearance in a Mountaineers uniform as he spent two years in Vermont. His 2014 season was cut short due to an injury, but he finished with a 1.18 ERA over 38 innings of work with manager Joe Brown. A projectable southpaw, Strader has gotten off to a good start with Baltimore’s short-season affiliate Aberdeen. He has 17 strikeouts in 16 innings, and although walks are a problem, he’s getting used to the minors. Bottom line, Strader is only 21 and has already shown a lot of potential.

Cole Johnson, RHP, Twins
Current Level/Age: AAA/26,6’3”/200, R/R
Drafted: 1348th overall (44th round) in 2011 out of Notre Dame by Minnesota

Any kind of career out of a 44th-round pick is viewed as a success, and Johnson is certainly making a case to take that next step into the majors. Since being promoted midway to Triple-A midway through June, Johnson has a 2.89 ERA over 12 appearances and and 19 innings despite being a year younger than most of his teammates. He doesn’t have overpowering stuff but avoids walks and he should be ready to be tested in a bullpen role in the majors shortly.