Four 2024 Baysox to Participate in Arizona Fall League
September 25, 2024 - Eastern League (EL)
Chesapeake Baysox News Release
Bowie, M.D. - Four players from the 2024 Bowie Baysox have been selected to participate in the Arizona Fall League (AFL), which begins on Monday, October 7.
C Creed Willems, RHP Tyler Burch, OF Douglas Hodo III and RHP Houston Roth will play for the Surprise Saguaros this fall. Manager Roberto Mercado will serve as the manager for the Saguaros.
Willems, 21, joined the Baysox on August 27 from High-A Aberdeen after hitting a team-high 13 homers, 18 doubles and 51 RBI in 82 games with the IronBirds. He batted .262 with four homers and 14 RBI in 16 games at Double-A, including his first multi-homer game of his career on August 28 at Akron. The Orioles 8th round selection in 2021 batted .476 (10-for-21) with three doubles, a homer and eight RBI in the final series of the season at Erie.
Burch, 27, pitched in two games with the Baysox after spending most of the season on the injured list. He threw 1.2 innings in the final series of the season at Erie after making six rehab appearances with High-A Aberdeen. Burch was acquired by the Orioles in a trade with the Phillies in July 2021.
Hodo, 24, debuted with the Baysox on August 29 after slashing .248/.397/.378 with 12 doubles, six homers, 29 RBI and 42 stolen bases with High-A Aberdeen. He was third on the team and seventh in the South Atlantic League in stolen bases. The Orioles 6th round pick in 2022 batted .267 with six doubles, a homer, four RBI and stole five bases in 14 games with the Baysox.
Roth, 26, completed his second season with the Baysox and pitched in 33 games out of the bullpen. The Orioles 29th round pick in 2019 recorded a 3.35 ERA in 48.1 innings with 65 strikeouts and had a 1.57 ERA on the road.
All four players are participating in the Arizona Fall League for the first time.
Mercado led the Baysox to a 62-75 overall record in his first year as Baysox manager. The New Britain, Ct. native helped oversee a Baysox pitching staff that posted the fourth-best ERA in the Eastern League (3.79) and struck out the second-most batters in all of Double-A (1,319), a new Baysox single-season record.
The 2025 Baysox home opener is scheduled for Tuesday, April 8 against the Erie SeaWolves at Prince George's Stadium. The rest of the 2025 schedule will be released at a determined date, including road games, game times and a promotional/events schedule.
For more information, call 301-805-6000, or visit us online at Baysox.com. Stay up to date with the latest team news and promotional info by following the Baysox on Facebook, Instagram, and X.
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