Former Cougars finding their spots in pro baseball

Former Cougars finding their spots in pro baseball
As spring training winds to a close for Major League Baseball and enters the final stages for minor league baseball, 6 former Barton County Community College players will be finding out soon where they will call home to start the 2007 campaign. One former Cougar is vying to make a roster spot in the Big Leagues, while another has locked up a spot in AAA. The 4 most recent Cougars to play in the pros will be finding out soon where their minor league stops will begin for the summer.

Nate Field is still with the Florida Marlins training camp as the rosters have been whittled the past several days. The Marlins hope to have their roster to 25 in the next day or two and Field is still part of the bullpen mix as a non-roster invitee the spring with Florida. Field, along with Lee Gardner, is battling for the final bullpen spot with the Marlins. Last season Field spent most of the year at AAA Colorado Springs (Rockies organization), leading the league in saves. He threw in 14 games for the Rockies in September. Field has appeared in more MLB games than any other former Cougars, pitching in 88 major league games over the past 4 season.

Jason Stanford has already been sent to AAA Buffalo as the Cleveland Indians decide how to handle its pitching-rich farm system. He is joined at Buffalo by Adam Miller (the No. 14 overall minor league prospect by minorleaguebaseball.com). Last year at Buffalo, Stanford was 6-6 in 21 starts with a 4.01 ERA. He struggled early in the year coming off a near 2-year layoff following Tommy John surgery. Stanford picked up his pitching as the season went on for the Bison. Stanford has started 10 MLB games in his career, appearing in 15. He is the only starter amongst the ex Barton stars.

Jeff Christy was awarded a great compliment this season by the Minnesota Twins organization, being invited to the Twins big league camp after being drafted in 2006. Christy worked his way up 3 levels of the Twins minor league system as a catcher last season after being a 6th round draft pick in June. He ended the season at AA New Britain Rock Cats.

"It is a chance to go play with the big guys," Christy said before taking off for Spring Training. "They told me I can catch, I can throw, and I can call a game. That will keep a player catching for a long time. But to be a starter or a star in the big leagues, you have to hit. That is my where I need to improve.

"It isn't often a 1st-year guy gets to go to big league spring training. It was something I wasn't expecting when I got the call in January."

Christy was sent to the team's minor league camp in mid March and projections have him going to the Beloit Snappers (A) to start the season he could also return to either Fort Meyers (High A) or New Britain as well.

Ryan Phillips continues to work in the Boston Red Sox farm system, entering his 3rd season throwing for the organization. He missed out on the 2004 summer following his 11th round selection due to injury. He threw short-season the following year and spent last year at the Red Sox A level team Greenville Drive. There Phillips was just 2-8 in 16 starts, but posted a 3.26 ERA. The 6-5 lefty's 2-year ERA in the minors is less than 3.00. Phillips has been battling injury again, shutting down after pitching 4 perfect innings over 2 games in winter ball in Hawaii. He could start the season on the disabled list.

Chad Lee will also begin his 1st full season in pro baseball, most likely winding up at A ball in the Oakland A's system. The Kane County Cougars will more than likely be the stop for the hard-throwing right-hander with a possible quick move up to Advanced A Stockton Ports if he pitches well. Last season in Vancouver while pitching in rookie league actioni, Lee tossed a 5 and 6-inning no hit stint but also struggled at times, ending with a 4.24 ERA and a 3-2 mark.

Also in his 1st full season is Nathan Hedrick, who threw last season for the New York Mets rookie team in the Gulf Coast League. Hedrick, a 6-10 righty, was 3-4 with a 5.16 ERA in his 11 games – 5 of which were starts. However in his final 18 innings of work over 6 games, Hedrick allowed just 5 earned runs for a 2.50 ERA.

"I was a closer at Barton and now the Mets are turning me into a starter," Hedrick said, who would be a sophomore at Barton this season but couldn't turn down an 8th-round selection in 2006. "It's different preparation and the pace is different. That took some getting used to.

"The goal the Mets have for me is to be pitching in the majors sometime between 2008 and 2010. My goal is to move up to AA ball this summer or next year."

Hedrick will more than likely start his season in A ball, pitching for either Savannah or Brooklyn.