MWL1 Peoria Chiefs

Chiefs add three players from Boise

Published on July 25, 2008 under Midwest League (MWL1)
Peoria Chiefs News Release


PEORIA, IL- The Peoria Chiefs in conjunction with the Chicago Cubs have announced that infielder Josh Harrison and relievers Casey Coleman and John Muller will join the Chiefs from Short-Season Boise before Friday's game at Dayton. Muller replaces Jordan Latham who was promoted on Tuesday while Harrison takes the place of Gian Guzman who broke his leg on Thursday and Coleman replaces Julio Castillo who has been demoted to Mesa in the Arizona Rookie League. All three newcomers will be available for the Chiefs Friday night in Dayton at 7:00 pm EST. Harrison, a 6th round draftee this June out of the University of Cincinnati, hit .351 with a home run, 11 doubles and 25 RBI in 33 Northwest League games. He has scored 27 runs and stolen 12 bases with 23 walks and just 12 strikeouts. He leads the Hawks in batting average, games played, doubles, RBI, stolen bases and on-base percentage while committing just two errors. Harrison is 31-for-82 (.378) in July with 24 RBI in 23 games. He collected a career-high four hits and four RBI against Tri-City on July 16. The 21-year-old was the 2008 Big East Player of the Year and a 2nd Team All-American for the Bearcats this season. He hit .378 with five homers, 54 RBI, 32 stolen bases and 22 doubles as Cincinnati won a school-record 38 games. Muller appeared in 14 games for Boise this season going 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA. He leaves the NWL among the league leaders in saves with eight while only blowing one chance. The 23-year-old has 21 strikeouts and seven walks in 18 innings of work while holding opponents to a .185 average. He has worked four straight outings since allowing his last earned run, and Muller's only blown save resulted in his first win on June 27. Muller signed with the Cubs as a free agent in 2007 out of St. Thomas Aquinas College. He pitched for Boise in 2007 as well going 2-3 with a 5.15 ERA in 25 bullpen outings. Muller saved three games last season while striking out 51 in 43 2/3 innings of work. Coleman was drafted in the 15th round this June out of Florida Gulf Coast University, a NCAA Division II program. The right-hander is 1-1 with a 4.05 ERA in seven outings and four starts this season for Boise. On Wednesday, he allowed four earned runs and six hits in 4 1/3 innings as a starter against Everett. He had allowed two earned runs or less in every other outing this season. The 21-year-old Florida native is a third generation pro ball-player who went 7-3 in his final year of college while posting a 4.11 ERA in 70 innings. He was a starting shortstop for FGCU in 2007. Castillo, 1-2 with a 2.86 ERA in six outings, has been demoted to Mesa. Castillo took the loss in Thursday's contest in Dayton after allowing four runs on three hits, a walk and two hit batters in 2/3 if an inning. He was ejected for his role in a bench-clearing brawl and will be sent to Mesa's roster as the investigations into the incident continue. The Midwest League office is currently reviewing the game tape and will hand down all disciplinary actions at a later date.

Guzman broke his left leg during the first inning of Thursday's contest at Dayton when he collided with Chiefs pitcher Julio Castillo while trying to field a grounder. The injury will end his 2008 season and he will likely remain behind at a Dayton hospital as the Chiefs travel to Fort Wayne following the Friday contest against the Dragons. Guzman appeared in 33 games for Peoria this season and hit .202 with two home runs, three doubles, 11 runs scored and five RBI. Both of Guzman's home runs came at Wisconsin on July 4 in the Chiefs 9-6 victory. He played mostly second base this season, but also started five games at shortstop while seeing time at third and first base late in games as well. Overall, Guzman made six errors in 33 games and hit .320 while leading off an inning.

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