Quincy Gems Release 27-Man Roster For 2014
March 10, 2014 - Prospect League (Prospect)
Quincy Gems News Release
The Quincy Gems recently released their 27-man roster for the 2014 season, and they will welcome five players back from last year's 2013 team that played for the Prospect League championship.
Back on the roster this summer are pitchers Jake Busiek from Arkansas-Little Rock, Brandon Ley from Quincy University and Joe Mortillaro from Western Illinois, third baseman Ryan Light from Lindenwood and first baseman Matt Marek from Quincy University. Also returning to the Gems is infielder Matt Munoz, who played for Quincy in 2012. He now attends Cal-Poly Pomona after transferring from San Diego State.
The 2014 Gems have:
- Five players from California and two players who play for colleges in California.
- Four players from Western Illinois University.
- Three players each from Quincy University and Loyola Marymount University.
- Two players each from St. Mary's (Calif.) College, Jefferson College, Lindenwood University, the University of Missouri and Southeastern Louisiana University.
- 13 freshmen, 8 sophomores and 6 juniors.
Chris Martin returns for his eighth season as the manager of the Gems. His regular-season record during his tenure is 216-164. He has guided the Gems to two Prospect League championships in the league's five years, and he also coached the team in its final two years in the Central Illinois Collegiate League.
The Gems open their season on Wednesday, May 28 at Hannibal, Mo., against the Hannibal Cavemen. The Gems' first home game at QU Stadium is Friday, May 30 against the Danville Dans.
PLAYER BIOGRAPHIES
Tyler Adkison
freshman outfielder
San Diego State
Culver City, Calif.
NOTES: Member of Mater Dei High School baseball team that was ranked No. 5 in the nation in 2013. Hit .368 with 15 extra-base hits as a senior. Started 3 of 9 games this spring for the Aztecs.
Brendon Allen
sophomore right-handed pitcher
Jefferson College
Moscow Mills, Mo.
NOTES: Attended Troy Buchanan High School. Pitched 29.2 innings in eight games last spring, striking out 31 and compiling 5.16 ERA for Jefferson College, which placed fifth in NJCAA World Series. Played in summer 2013 with Ocean State Waves of New England Collegiate Baseball Association.
Logan Bone
junior catcher
University of Missouri
Festus, Mo.
NOTES: Hit .319 with 6 doubles and 8 RBIs in 106 at-bats for Jefferson College in spring 2013. Batted .225 in 80 at-bats in St. Louis Collegiate Metro League in summer 2013. Has one at-bat in 10 games this spring for the Tigers.
Vince Braman
freshman right-handed pitcher
St. Mary's College (Calif.)
Murrieta, Calif.
NOTES: Compiled 3.44 ERA in 20.1 innings pitched as a senior at Vista Murrieta High School. Made two relief appearances in 9 games this spring for the Gaels.
Cassidy Brown
freshman catcher
Loyola Marymount University
Hudson, Ohio
NOTES: Named 2013 Player of the Year in Ohio according to Max Preps. Hit .429 with 24 doubles, 5 home runs as a senior at Walsh Jesuit High School in Ohio. Started 6 of 8 games this spring for the Lions.
Jake Busiek
junior left-handed pitcher
University of Arkansas-Little Rock
Wildwood, Mo.
NOTES: Went 3-2 in seven starts with 30 strikeouts and 3.51 ERA as a sophomore for Jefferson County in spring 2013. Threw 37 innings in 13 games for Quincy Gems in summer 2013, going 4-2 with 4.86 ERA and 30 strikeouts. Made one relief appearance in 10 games this spring for Trojans. Attended Lafayette High School in St. Louis.
Brennan Catalano
sophomore pitcher
Southeastern Louisiana University
Loranger, La.
NOTES: Pitched 8.2 innings in 7 appearances as a freshman, compiling 6.24 ERA. Made one relief appearance in 9 games this spring for the Lions.
Kyle Cedotal
sophomore right-handed pitcher/outfielder
Southeastern Louisiana University
Denham Springs, La.
NOTES: Started 15 fames as a freshman outfielder, hitting .218 with 11 runs scored. Pitched 16 games, starting sixh, compiled 5-5 record with one save and 5.19 ERA. Started 7 of 9 games for the Lions this spring, plus made two relief appearances.
Preston Church
freshman left-handed pitcher
Western Illinois University
Ogden, Iowa
NOTES: In high school career, went 25-5 with a 0.98 ERA and 371 strikeouts in 204 innings pitched. Made 1 relief appearance in 7 games this spring for Leathernecks.
Clayton Evans
sophomore outfielder
Southeast Missouri State University
Fenton, Mo.
NOTES: Named to the Ohio Valley Conference all-freshman team and Louisville Slugger All-Freshman team in 2014. Played in 54 games, started 49, playing all three outfield positions. Hit .325 with 52 hits. eight doubles, two triples, and two home runs. Scored 27 runs and drove in 24. Started 6 of 10 games this spring for the Redhawks. Led Rockwood Summit to Missouri state championship as a senior.
Mitch Gasbarro
sophomore infielder
Eastern Illinois University
Glen Ellyn, Ill.
NOTES: Played in 28 games, making 20 starts, as a freshman at EIU. Hit .200 (16-for-80) with 21 runs, five RBIs and a home run. Started 11 games at shortstop and nine at second base.Started nine of 10 games this spring for the Panthers. Played last summer for the DuPage Hounds of the Midwest Collegiate League.
Geoffrey Hartlieb
freshman right-handed pitcher
Lindenwood University
Highland, Ill.
NOTES: Played basketball at Quincy University in 2012-13 and averaged 1.8 points per game in 24 appearances. Didn't play baseball last year. Has recorded 2 saves and 6.75 ERA in 6 2/3 innings over 5 relief appearances this spring.
Tyler Knight
freshman right-handed pitcher
Loyola Marymount University
Carmel, Calif.
NOTES: Redshirted at Virginia Tech in spring 2013. Played for North Fork Ospreys in the Hamptons Collegiate Baseball League last summer, went 2-2 with 3.20 ERA in 45 innings.
Brandon Ley
junior right-handed pitcher
Quincy University
Quincy, Ill.
NOTES: Pitched in 8 games at QU as a sophomore, going 1-3 with 3.48 ERA in 31 innings. Pitched in 11 games for the Gems last summer, going 2-3 with 3.85 ERA.
Ryan Light
junior third baseman
Lindenwood University
St. Peters, Mo.
NOTES: Hit .281 with 26 RBIs, started all 47 games during sophomore year at Lindenwood. Batted .250 with 19 RBIs in 224 at-bats for the Gems last summer. Started all 9 games this spring for the Lions.
Adam McGinnis
freshman catcher
Western Illinois University
Normal, Ill.
NOTES: Batted .441 for his career at Normal West High School. Hit .486 as a senior and was first team all-state. Started one out of seven games this spring for WIU.
Matt Marek
sophomore first baseman
Quincy University
Coral Springs, Fla.
NOTES: Hit. .257 with 14 RBIs in 140 at-bats for the Gems last summer. Hit. 284 with 32 RBIs in 134 at-bats in 2013 at John Wood Community College. Started three of four games this spring for QU.
Dominic Miles
freshman outfielder
Quincy University
Quincy, Ill.
NOTES: Named The Quincy Herald-Whig's Player of the Year in 2012 when he batted .456 with 19 extra-base hits, 24 RBIs and 43 runs scored as a junior at Quincy Notre Dame. Hit .333 as a senior, walked 26 times in 87 plate appearances. Started two of four games this spring for QU.
Austin Miller
freshman outfielder
Loyola Marymount University
Greeley, Colo.
NOTES: Hit. 500 as a senior and .525 as a junior at Greeley West High School. Hitting team-high .370 and started first 8 games of season as center fielder as freshman at Loyola Marymount.
Joe Mortillaro
junior right-handed pitcher
Western Illinois University
Middle Village, N.Y.
NOTES: Compiled 6.75 ERA in 69 innings at Gateway Community College in Arizona in 2013. Transferred from Manhattan College after freshman year. Recorded 12 saves and didn't give up an earned run in 27 innings last summer for the Gems.
Matt Munoz
junior infielder
Cal-Poly Pomona
West Covina, Calif.
NOTES: Hit .298 and started 44 out of 48 games for San Diego State in 2013 before transferring. Hit .277 with 29 RBIs and three HRs in 47 games for the Gems in 2012. Started all 16 games for the Broncos, hitting .254 this spring.
Cameron Neff
freshman right-handed pitcher
St. Mary's College
Salinas, Calif.
NOTES: Was 10-2 with 1.29 ERA as a senior at Palma High School. Has started 2 of the Gaels' 9 games this spring.
Chris Piteo
freshman right-handed pitcher
University of Maine
Middle Village, N.Y.
NOTES: Compiled 7-2 record and 1.75 ERA, named to New York Post All-City team as a senior. Made one relief appearance in 7 games this spring for the Black Bears.
Tyler Troutt
sophomore left-handed pitcher
Chattanooga State Community College
Alcoa, Tenn.
NOTES: Posted 7-3 record with 4.16 ERA in 14 appearances, striking out 67 batters in 75 innings in 2013. Made 4 appearances in 11 games for the Tigers this spring. Has signed to play at Middle Tennessee State University in 2014-15.
Chris Tschida
freshman infielder
Western Illinois University
Joliet, Ill.
NOTES: Helped Joliet Catholic win the Class 3A state baseball championship, hitting .390 with 32 RBIs, 44 runs scored and 20 extra-base hits. Hit. 496 as a junior with 33 RBIs 20 extra base hits. Projected by Baseball America to be the 2014 Freshman of the Year in the Summit League. Started 5 of 7 games this spring for the Leathernecks.
Sean Ullrich
freshman outfielder
University of Missouri
Ballwin, Mo.
NOTES: Used his redshirt year in 2013 at Missouri. Had 69 RBIs and 103 hits in career at Marquette High School, both third -base in school history. Started 3 of 10 games this spring for the Tigers.
Mitch Weis
Sophomore right-handed pitcher
Jefferson College
Ballwin, Mo.
NOTES: Didn't allow a run in 12 innings pitched as a freshman at Jefferson. Was chosen as one of four captains of Jefferson's 2014 team. Posted a 1.10 earned run average over 32 innings, making 14 appearances for the Nevada Griffons of the MINK League last summer.
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