Former Grizzlies Thriving in Affiliated Baseball
December 9, 2024 - Frontier League (FL)
Gateway Grizzlies News Release
Sauget, Ill. - The Gateway Grizzlies have sent 52 players over the course of their 23 seasons in the St. Louis Metro East on to affiliated Minor League Baseball. Four of those players have signed with Major League organizations in just the last two years and another has continued to pitch well at the highest level, with the Grizzlies providing an important stepping stone to success in affiliated ball.
The most-recent Grizzlie to be signed, Nate Garkow (2023-24), was inked by the Toronto Blue Jays in June, and had an immediate impact with a 4-0 record in 12 games at Single-A Dunedin along with a 2.14 ERA, 30 strikeouts, and just 10 walks in 21 innings while also surrendering just nine hits in that span. He earned a promotion to Double-A New Hampshire as a result, and pitched three scoreless innings over three games while striking out four and walking one in the Eastern League.
Osvaldo Berrios (2024) was the first Grizzlie to be signed this past season, and after dominating on the mound for Gateway, he was signed by the St. Louis Cardinals. Just like Garkow, he sparkled at Single-A in Peoria, posting a 2.34 ERA and eight saves in 24 games while fanning 44 batters and walking only nine in 34 2/3 innings. He also earned a promotion to Double-A Springfield, making one appearance there.
Two players signed in 2023 also continued to thrive this past summer. Sam Gardner (2021-23) pitched nearly the entire season at Double-A Biloxi in the Milwaukee Brewers organization, putting up a 2.34 ERA and 48 strikeouts against only 12 walks in 37 innings. It came hot on the heels of an outstanding debut season with the Brewers at A-Advanced Wisconsin where the former Grizzlie had a 2.22 ERA in 21 games with 59 strikeouts and 25 walks in 44 2/3 innings alongside three saves.
John Murphy (2021-22) also continued his success in the Cincinnati Reds organization in 2024, as he was outstanding at A-Advanced Dayton with a 4-1 record, a 1.79 ERA, and eight saves in 32 appearances along with 42 strikeouts and 10 walks in 40 1/3 innings. He also pitched in two games for Triple-A Louisville this past summer. That followed a 2023 campaign where he pitched across three levels of the organization, and had seven saves, 59 strikeouts, and 24 walks in 60 1/3 innings while pitching to a 4.33 overall ERA.
Finally, former Grizzlie Trevor Richards (2015-16) continued his stellar career in the Major Leagues, pitching in 55 games in 2024 between the Toronto Blue Jays and Minnesota Twins. 2024 was his seventh big league season, with the Illinois native now approaching 300 career games with five different clubs while striking out over 600 batters in 560 career innings. Originally from Aviston, Illinois in Clinton County, Richards dominated as a starter over two years with the Grizzlies before signing with the Miami Marlins in 2016, beginning his ascent all the way to the majors.
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