Twenty-One CPL Alumni Named to MLB Opening Day Rosters
April 1, 2014 - Coastal Plain League (Coastal Plain) News Release
The 2014 Major League season got under way this past week with 21 Coastal Plain League alumni finding themselves on big league rosters. Aaron Barrett (High Point-Thomasville) of the Washington Nationals and Ian Thomas (Peninsula) of the Atlanta Braves, both made their major league debuts in their clubs first game of the season on March 31.
Thomas in particular took a unique rode to the big leagues after going undrafted out of Virginia Commonwealth University in 2009. The talented left-hander spent time in Canada and Pennsylvania playing independent league baseball for a few years before joining Atlanta's organization in 2012. Despite never pitching above AA ball, Thomas was impressive enough to earn a spot on the big league roster out of camp.
More established Coastal Plain League alumni making clubs again this year included Justin Verlander (Wilson) for Detroit, Mark Reynolds (Fayetteville) for Milwaukee and Ryan Zimmerman (Peninsula) for Washington. Verlander was named the team's opening day starter for the sixth consecutive season, pitching six innings while allowing only two runs and helping the team to a win over Kansas City.
The American League had the most alumni represented with 12, while the National League followed closely with nine. Seven teams had two CPL alumni on their rosters, with no team having more than that. However, Detroit is likely to become the only team with three CPL representatives when the team's veteran outfielder Andy Dirks returns from the disabled list.
Also missing their team's respective 25-man rosters, and instead landing on the 15-day DL, was the Houston Astros' Asher Wojciechowski (High Point-Thomasville) and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim's Brian Moran (Wilson). Wojciechowski, the team's 14th ranked prospect, was setback in spring training by a strained shoulder muscle that is likely to keep him out for a few more weeks. Meanwhile, Moran went on the DL with elbow inflammation, and has a chance to make his major league debut for the Angels sometime this season if his rehab progresses as planned.
Other notable CPL alumni that did not make a big league roster but did impress during spring training, were the Oakland Athletics' Billy Burns (Edenton), New York Mets' Eric Campbell (Martinsville) and San Diego Padres' Kevin Quackenbush (Fayetteville). Burns led the Athletics' with 22 hits and 10 stolen bases, and if not for the team having an excess of outfield depth, he very well could have made the club out of camp. Regardless, he along with Campbell and Quackenbush could be making an appearance soon at the big league level if the need arises.
Eleven of the 14 current CPL teams have at least one representative among current MLB spring training rosters (noting that Morehead City shares New Bern's history). Edenton leads the way with four, while Wilson and Peninsula both come in a close second with three. Next are Fayetteville, Morehead City/New Bern, and Florence who each have two alumni represented. Wilmington, Petersburg, Columbia and High Point-Thomasville round out the field with one current major league alumni each. In addition to the current CPL clubs, two past CPL organizations in Durham and Outer Banks, each had one alumni represented on opening day rosters.
The complete list of CPL alumni can be seen below:
American League
Baltimore Orioles
David Lough - Florence "07
Steve Pearce - Fayetteville "04
Detroit Tigers
Don Kelly - Petersburg "00
Justin Verlander - Wilson "02
Kansas City Royals
Greg Holland - Edenton "06
Justin Maxwell - Outer Banks "02
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Michael Kohn - Florence "05/ Columbia "06
Joe Smith - Edenton "05
New York Yankees
Vidal Nuno - Edenton "08
Adam Warren - New Bern "06
Oakland A's
Evan Scribner - Edenton "06
Tampa Bay Rays
Brandon Guyer - Wilmington "05
National League
Atlanta Braves
David Carpenter - Peninsula "06
*Ian Thomas - Peninsula "08
Cincinnati Reds
J.J. Hoover - Wilson "07
Los Angeles Dodgers
A.J. Ellis - Durham "01/ "02
Miami Marlins
Tom Koehler - New Bern "06/ "07
Milwaukee Brewers
Mark Reynolds - Fayetteville "03
New York Mets
Bobby Parnell - Wilson "03
Washington Nationals
*Aaron Barrett - Thomasville '09
Ryan Zimmerman - Peninsula "03
About the Coastal Plain League:
The Coastal Plain League is the nation's hottest summer collegiate baseball league. Celebrating its 18th season in 2014, the CPL features 14 teams playing in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. The CPL gives college players the chance to refine their skills with the use of wooden bats. Players are housed with local host families for the summer and past experiences have been very positive for both players and hosts. Further more, the CPL has had over 1,100 alumni drafted and 65 alums - including 2011 AL MVP and Cy Young winner Justin Verlander - make their Major League debut thus far; while another notable alum - Russell Wilson - won Super Bowl XLVIII. For more information on the Coastal Plain League, please visit the league website at CoastalPlain.com, and be sure to friend us on Facebook (at www.facebook.com/coastalplainleague) and follow us via Twitter (as CPLBaseball).
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Coastal Plain League Stories from April 1, 2014
- No April Fools' Joke: Two CPL Alums Make MLB Debuts on Opening Day - Coastal Plain
- Twenty-One CPL Alumni Named to MLB Opening Day Rosters - Coastal Plain
- Blowfish to Play USA Baseball, - Lexington County Blowfish
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