Category: General News
#BirdDroppings for June 6
- Notes from Day 1 of Draft
- Host family applications open
- Dinner on the Diamond
Notes from Day 1 of Draft
Good morning Osprey fans, yesterday was a big day here at Osprey headquarters with the first day of the 2014 MLB First-Year Player draft. The Diamondbacks slithered into the fountain of youth with four draftees that have never enrolled in a college class.
Touki Time!!
Striaght from Phoenix-The Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) selected right-handed pitcher Touki Toussaint (@_YoSoy_Touki) out of Coral Springs (Fla.) Christian Academy with their first selection (16th overall) in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.
Toussaint, 17, went 8-2 with a 1.22 ERA in 63.1 innings pitched while striking out 104 batters for the Crusaders. The Vanderbilt commit led Coral Springs to the Florida State Final Four en route to being named the Miami Herald 2014 5A-2A Pitcher of the Year. In Toussaint’s junior campaign, he garnered invitations to the Perfect Game (PETCO Park) and Under Amour (Wrigley Field) All-American games, and as a sophomore, struck out 18 batters over 6.0 innings pitched in the PG World Wood Bat Championships. Toussaint earned a gold medal with the USA Baseball 16U National Team in 2011.
“We’re really excited to add this type of arm, athlete and talent to our system,” said Ray Montgomery, the Arizona Diamondbacks Director of Scouting. “Touki has an electric fastball, a plus curveball and a combination of two or three pitches that are starter quality. He’s very advanced, very worldly and the type of person that Touki is off the field, still outweighs the talent he has on the field.”
The 6-for-2, 198-pound right-handed pitcher was rated by Baseball America as the nation’s third-best high school pitcher and MLB.com as the No. 8 Prospect, overall, in today’s draft. Toussaint is the 20th first-round selection for the D-backs and 11th taken from the high school ranks. The D-backs had two first-round selections in 2003, 2009 and 2011.
Toussaint spent a handful of his childhood years in Haiti after his birth in Pembroke Pines. His family later returned to Florida in 2004 and attended Coral Springs Christian Academy starting his sophomore year. Baseball is a recent love for Toussaint,with most of his success coming over the past couple of years. Baseball America stated that, “Toussaint might have the least baseball experience of any top draft prospect, yet arguable the highest ceiling of any high school pitcher.”
Ray Montgomery said, “I think the person may outweigh the talent. He’s a very good athlete that can handle the bat. He plays shortstop when he doesn’t pitch. I do like the overall athleticism and I like that he played other sports. I really like that he wasn’t involved in one sport his whole life. He’s a really worldly kid.”
Toussaint initially committed to the University of Miami but later rescinded his commitment to the Hurricanes and currently holds a verbal pledge to Vanderbilt University.
Reed about Cody
The D-backs selected left-handed pitcher Cody Reed with the 54th pick in the second round of the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.
Reed, a native of Ardmore, Alabama, went 10-2 with a 0.46 ERA this spring. The 6′ 3″, 250-pounder was recently named the Gatorade Alabama Baseball Player of the Year. In leading the Ardmore High School Tigers to the ASHAA Class 4A state championship round, Reed racked up the second-highest strikeout total in state history by totaling 226 strikeouts. Equally impressive, he only walked 17 batters in 92 innings. His 0.46 ERA was also put him in the record books for the single-season seventh lowest for pitchers with at least 50 innings. Reed also boats a 20-strikeout career game.
Reed also put on a show at the plate with a .494 average, 6 homeruns, 33 RBI, and an .800 slugging percentage. The lefty features a fastball that has reportedly reached as high as 95 mph to showcase his four-pitch mix.
Baseball America ranked the 17-year old Reed the 44th prospect in the nation, and MLB.com placed him at 61st.
Similar to Toussaint, Reed is also a Vanderbilt University commit. That brings our Vandy commit total to 2 from Day 1.
Position Players show up in Comp. Balance Round B
The D-backs selected with the 69th pick of the draft in Competitive Balance Round B outfielder Marcus Wilson from Junipero Serra High School in Gardena, California. Arizona also picked at 70th and took another high school prospect in shortstop Isan Diaz from Springfield Central High School in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Wilson, who checks in at 6′ 3″, 175 pounds, has a very projectable frame with his young age. He hit .359 with 5 homeruns and 17 RBI as a senior. The outfielder made one error his entire senior campaign and was perfect in stolen base attempts. The 17-year old also pitched to a 1.34 ERA on the mound but figures to develop in the outfield in Arizona’s system. Wilson jumped out to scouts at the Major League Scouting Bureau Southern California Invitational Showcase at the Urban Youth Academy in Compton.
Isan Diaz, 5’10”, 180 pounds, is a high school shortstop that projects at second base in the Arizona farm system. The senior led Springfield Central to the Valley Wheel League championship as a junior.
As a senior, he posted a .509 average, .651 on-base percentage, .930 slugging percentage, 4 homeruns, and 8 doubles. The lefty bat was tabbed as Baseball America’s 55th best prospect in the nation.
Diaz was born in Puerto Rico and moved to the United States at a young age. Similar to first round pick Touki Toussaint, Diaz moved into the country around the start of elementary school and transferred high schools before his sophomore year.
Out of the four draft picks Thursday, three are Vanderbilt University commits as Isan Diaz joins Touki Toussaint and Cody Reed. Marcus Wilson is committed to Arizona State University.
So the D-Backs choose four high schoolers, and Tom Corbin of Vanderbilt isn’t the happiest of campers to see three potential anchors in Nashville slither their way to the Desert.
Host Family Applications Open
The Missoula Osprey are in the process of accepting applications from interested people who wish to be host families for the upcoming 2014 season.
The host family program is a way for players to have a home away from home, as they play in Missoula over the summer. Players pay a minimum of $200 to the host family for rent, and are responsible for their own transportation and food. The players will arrive on June 13, with opening day scheduled for June 19, and stay until early September.
People who are interested in serving as a host family may call the Osprey at (406) 543-3300 and request an application, or stop by the MSO Hub Box Office at 140 N. Higgins to pick up an application.
For more information, please contact Grant Warner at (406) 541-9314.
Dinner on the Diamond
The Missoula Osprey in conjunction with the Hospice Care Foundation, Missoula Aging Services and Aspen Hospice of Montana announced their partnership on the second annual Dinner on the Diamond that will take place Thursday, July 24 at Ogren Park Allegiance Field.
The unique evening will allow event-goers to have dinner on the Blackfoot Party Deck at Ogren Park Allegiance Field. A buffet-style traditional ballpark menu with sides, soda, water and dessert is on tap. Beer and wine will be available for purchase.
Tickets for the event are $25 per person. Tickets for a family of four to five may be purchased for $100. Call the Hospice Care Foundation for other ticket options.
The gates will open at 5:30 p.m. for a social time, with dinner and games scheduled from 6-8 and music by DJ Aaron Traylor as well as dancing and other activities from 8 – 10 p.m.
The event will also feature a reverse raffle, silent auction and 50-50 raffle.
Tickets for the event are on sale at the MSO Hub Box Office and from the Hospice Care Foundation, Aspen Hospice of Montana and Missoula Aging Services.
Happy Day 3 of the Draft, check back this weekend for more info on who Arizona chooses today!
#BirdDroppings for June 4
- O’s on the Road to the Show
- O’s in The Show- Chase Anderson
- Draft Eve
Good morning Osprey fans!
Today #BirdDroppings brings you swoop of good news on the success of former O’s.
O’s on the Road to the Show
-The Diamondbacks have named Bradin Hagens (09) their Pitcher-of-the-Month for May. Per the Arizona release:
Hagens, 25, went 3-0 with a 2.48 ERA (8 ER in 29.0 IP) and 19 strikeouts in 5 starts in May for the BayBears. He enters June with a 4-game win streak (from May 5-present) after beginning the season without allowing an earned run in 4 games as a reliever (9.1 IP). Hagens limited the opposition to a .186 batting average (19-for-102) in May, and did not allow more than 3 earned runs in any of his 5 starts. The 2013 Southern League midseason All-Star and Mobile Player of the Month for April was drafted in the sixth round of the 2009 First-Year Player Draft from Merced Community College.
You can give him a follow on Twitter, too- @Bradin_Hagens16.
-Andrew Velazquez (12), a 7th round pick in the 2012 D-Back’s draft, has been streaky. But in a good way.
On May 31, Andrew Velazquez snapped a 22-game hit streak (May 5—May 30). Over that stretch, he batted .366 with a .431 on-base percentage, 34 hits and 13 extra-base hits. Velazquez entered June with an active 36-game on-base streak, dating back to April 22. He carried a .304 batting average and .387 on-base percentage over that span. He had recorded 11 triples on the season—three more than any hitter at any level of professional baseball. Velazquez ranked among Midwest League leaders in triples (1st, 11), total bases (1st, 107), runs (2nd, 42), extra-base hits (T-3rd, 24) and hits (4th, 64).
-Alex Glenn (12) owns the third-highest homerun rate in the California League with a dinger once every 15.58 at-bats.
I’ve linked his Twitter account.
-Jake Lamb (12) and teammate David Peralta had tied for the Southern League lead with 17 doubles for the Mobile BayBears.
Here’s Lamb’s tweet machine.
-21 year-old Silvino Bracho (13), Enrique Burgos, and Matt Stites and combined for 23 saves in May—each finishing in the top-8 among Minor League relievers.
It was not until May 30 that Bracho suffered his first career blown save that broke up a string of 26-straight saves to begin his minor league career.
O’s in The Show
Chase Anderson (09) pitched Arizona past Colorado last night in Denver and tallied another W to his name. In the process he became one of five MLB pitchers since 1998 to win at least his first four starts. Minus a 5th inning DJ LeMahieu homerun, the righty dazzled to move to 4-0 on the year.
His line:
6 IP 4H 1R 1ER 2BB 3K 1HR 3.32ERA
Draft Eve
We’re just a little more than 30 hours away from another annual rite of passage in professional baseball with this year’s draft quickly approaching.
Zach Buchanan of AZcentral.com wrote a preview with thoughts from the Arizona front office on the draft and current farm system.
Read it here.
For those that want to preview what Arizona’s picks on the first day might look like compared to current and former Major Leaguers, here’s a nifty tool from baseball-reference.com
Thanks for cleaning up these #BirdDroppings with me, and be sure to visit http://www.missoulaosprey.com and check back here for draft coverage beginning tomorrow!
#BirdDroppings for June 2, 2014
Today’s Droppings
- New Broadcaster Intro
- Osprey Alumni in MLB update
- Arizona Draft Dates and Times
Good afternoon Osprey fans!
I hope you’re as ready for Opening Day as I am with only 17 more days separating you from your 2014 Missoula Osprey.
My name is Nolan Alexander and I will serve as your “Voice of the Missoula Osprey” this season. I hope this blog will serve as a supplement to stories and information you hear on 102.9 FM ESPN Montana and on http://www.missoulaosprey.com over the course of the season.
I want to know you, the fans, on a personal level this season, so please drop me an email at Ospreybroadcast@gmail.com if you’re listening in, have a question, or just want to say hello. In my opinion, what makes a broadcast is having a conversation, and I want to have an open dialogue on and off air.
A little about myself in addition to this spring’s release–
I just wrapped up 4 years as the “Voice of Georgia Tech baseball” on WREK Atlanta capped off by calling the ACC Championship game victory for the Jackets. You might remember 2013 Osprey slugger Daniel Palka, who I had the pleasure of calling his entire Tech career.
After the season I will drive back to Atlanta to finish my last semester at Georgia Tech with a degree in Business Administration.
This is my first time in Montana and I am at a loss of words for how beautiful the West is, especially this state and city. I’ve only been here a few days after traveling 2600 miles, but I can already tell that Missoula is a special place.
I was born in Atlanta, Georgia, and have called the South my home for all my life, but I love traveling and look forward to sharing pictures and stories from our travels around the Pioneer League.
I want to get to know this beautiful city well when time allows during the hectic season, so I’ll take any and all advice on your favorite trails, parks, restaurants, and activities.
I look forward to this season and providing an enjoyable experience for you the listener over the air and on this blog. Hopefully the Osprey will cap it off with a Pioneer League Championship in September!
If you’d like to know more about me and the Osprey this summer, there are plenty of options.
1- Follow this blog.
2- Follow the Osprey on Social Media. Facebook and Twitter
3- Follow me on Twitter
4- Send an email to Ospreybroadcast@gmail.com
Thank you for taking the time to get to know a little more about me and I can’t wait for Opening Day to arrive!
#BirdDroppings
UPDATE ON OSPREY ALUMNI WITH MLB EXPERIENCE
With the promotion of Chase Anderson (09) to Arizona early last month, the running total of Osprey to reach The Show stands at 46.
I’ve attached a full list in chronological, alphabetical, and seasonal order. This list will be updated as the season progresses and former O’s continue to receive the good news.
Osprey Alumni to Reach Major Leagues.06.2.14
2014 MLB FIRST-YEAR PLAYER DRAFT
The draft is right around the corner and www.missoulaosprey.com will have you covered when news breaks of new members of the Arizona Diamondbacks Organization.
The Diamondbacks hold the following picks:
1st round- 16th
2nd round-54th
Comp. Balance round B- 69th, 70th
3rd round- 89th
4-40th rounds- 16th each
The Draft will be broadcast live on June 5th on MLB Network and MLB.com and will be available live on MLB.com June 6th and 7th.
The times are as follows from MLB.com/draft and are listed in MT.
June 5th
4 P.M.- Draft preview show on MLB Network and MLB.com
5 P.M.- Live draft for rounds 1- Comp.B on MLB Network and MLB.com
June 6th
11 A.M.- rounds 3-10 on MLB.com
June 7th
11 A.M.- rounds 11-40 on MLB.com
Lastly for your night reading, take a look at the MLB.com D-Backs writer Steve Gilbert’s insight into Arizona’s approach to the 2014 draft.
Perez activated, Goldy delivers, Valverde reports, and we take a trip around the farm…Missoula Geese?
Monday April 15 is not only TAX DAY, but 66 days from Opening Day for the Missoula Osprey.
Jose Valverde finally made it to Detroit Tigers minor league camp. He seemed to do just fine in his first outing at extended spring training.
Some geese invaded the Osprey nest adjacent to Ogren Park Allegiance Field. Look for the Osprey to have some promotions around geese this year at the stadium, but a franchise name change just isn’t in the cards at the moment.
Paul Goldschmidt delivered the lone RBI and run of the game in the D-Backs 1-0 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday.
Houston Summers has found a new niche, post baseball on the University of North Carolina Track & Field team and he’s excelling.
Lyle Overbay has stuck with the Yankees at first base and has raised his average to .278 with a pair of homers on the early season.
Let’s head around the Diamondbacks minor league system with updates on Osprey alumni.
49 on Full-Season Clubs – BayBears, Rawhide and Goldy Oh My…
The Missoula Osprey have 49 alums on full-season clubs within the Diamondbacks minor league system including Ender Inciarte, who was returned to the Diamondbacks system after spending opening day on the Phillies 25-man major league roster. Inciarte was assigned to Double-A Mobile and is one of ten alums on their roster.
Alums Bradin Hagens and Rossmel Perez were the battery in this gem thrown by Hagens for the BayBears. Hagens was helped at the plate by Jon Griffin and Inciarte. Eric Smith closed the game, earning his first save of the season, in an all-out-Osprey driven victory 2-1.
16 Osprey in the bigs, Valverde resigns with Tigers, Eaton rehabbing & GOLDSCHMIDT HAPPENS!
Osprey alum Ender Inciarte (2009) become the 40th Osprey to reach the major leagues this week spending Opening Day on the Philadelphia Phillies 25-man roster before being Designated for Assignment. Due to his Rule V status, it is likely he will return to the Arizona Diamondbacks organization once the speedy outfielder clears waivers.
Inciarte was one of 16 former Osprey to start the season on a 25-man major league roster including two from the inaugural club in 1999, Lyle Overbay with the New York Yankees and Jorge De La Rosa with the Colorado Rockies.
Papa Grande slims down, plus Shaw makes Tribe
The decision on roster spots is closing in for Major League Baseball teams as they get ready to break camp in both Arizona and Florida. In fact, some of the teams have already announced some of, if not all of, their intentions.
However, there are still players looking for teams to land on this season, with one of those being former Osprey reliever Jose Valverde (2000).
That could be solved soon. The free agent has not only shed the rough ending to last season with the Detroit Tigers, but he has shed some pounds, too. Continue reading
So of the former Osprey, Who’s Next??
by Ben Catley
87 days until Opening Night
It’s that time of the year, where, since the Bird Droppings blog was born, I have stuck my neck out and attempted to predict who would be the next Osprey to make their Major League debuts.
While I was gathering the information and trying to make my mind up on whom they could be … I came up with two questions:
- How many of the players that I have mentioned have actually made it to the Major Leagues?
- What Osprey year has the most Major Leaguers? (OK, so this was VP/GM Jeff Griffin’s question … it was a great one to ask!) Continue reading
UPDATE: Eaton out 6-8 weeks, Parra likely to start in CF
Some bad news for Osprey fans came out of Arizona Diamondbacks’ camp this week, when it was announced that outfielder Adam Eaton (2010) would miss the first six weeks, possibly more, with an injury to his left elbow.
Eaton was batting .390 this spring, with 23 hits and 10 RBIs in 59 at-bats. The club’s timeline puts the outfielder back with the D-backs around the beginning of May. However, Eaton is saying he will do whatever it takes to get himself back as soon as possible. He will not have to wait long to swing the bat, and will take some at-bats in Extended Spring Training while working his arm back into shape and preparing for a rehab assignment. Continue reading
First update of Spring …
There’s 91 days until Opening Night in Missoula …
Welcome to Spring … officially. Today is the first full day of the Spring Equinox. It’s also the first of two days when people will call in sick then miraculously recover and head out to their favorite food establishment with big screen TVs to watch March Madness. Don’t worry … we’re not saying a word.
Roster Moves:
– The Baltimore Orioles have reassigned left-handed pitcher Daniel Schlereth (2008 Osprey) to minor-league camp. Schlereth struggled this spring, and will likely start the season at Triple-A Norfolk. Continue reading