Brooks Hatch Blog: Nine Knights’ Alums on Opening-Day MLB Rosters

Happy Tuesday, everyone, from the world-wide headquarters (WWHQ) of the Corvallis Knights, your 2016-2017 West Coast League champions!

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Nine alums of the Aloha/Corvallis Knights were on the active roster on Thursday when major leagues opened the 2018 season.

This year’s big-league Knights are pitchers Matt Andriese (2009) of Tampa Bay, Matt Boyd (2010) of Detroit, Marc Rzepczynski (2006) of Seattle, Josh Osich (2008) of San Francisco, Tyler Anderson (2009) of Colorado and Bud Norris (2005) of St. Louis; catcher Chris Stewart (2001) of Atlanta, infielder Matt Duffy (2010) of Tampa Bay and outfielder Mitch Haniger (2010) of Seattle.

A former Long Beach State star, Duffy (pictured above) missed the entire 2017 season while recovering from ankle surgery. Norris, of Cal Poly, played for the Angels in 2017; Stewart, a Riverside City College alum, played for Pittsburg. The other six former Knights all returned to their 2017 clubs.

Opening-day MLB rosters featured 22 players who played for West Coast League teams, including four Seattle Mariners. Seattle’s CEO, John Stanton, is part of the ownership group that operates WCL clubs in Walla Walla and Yakima Valley.

For a list of all of this year’s WCL big leaguers, please click here.

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The Miami Marlins have released veteran corner infielder Taylor Ard (2009), a former standout at Mt. Hood Community College and Washington State. He was a WCL all-star for us in 2009.

Originally drafted by Seattle in 2012, Taylor played six years in the minors and was a career .245 hitter, with 50 homers and 250 RBIs. He reached as high as double-A with the Marlins and spent last season with Jacksonville in the Southern League.

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Time to update the college stats of our incoming pitchers. We’ll do the position players next Friday.

BRENDAN BECK: The Stanford righty is 3-0, 1.25 in five games, with 12 strikeouts in 21.2 innings.

LANDEN BOURASSA: The righty from San Francisco is 4-1, 2.95 in six games, with 37 strikeouts in 36.2 innings.

COOPER CHANDLER: The righty from Pepperdine is 1-2, 6.35 in eight games, with 21 strikeouts in 22.2 innings.

CASON CUNNINGHAM: The lefty from Linfield is 5-3, 4.31 in eight games, with 54 strikeouts in 39.2 innings.

GRANT FISHER: The righty from Western Oregon, a 10-day signee, is 0-1, 7.45 in four games, with five strikeouts in 9.2 innings.

JACOB FRICKE: The lefty from Western Oregon is 1-1, 1.80 in seven games, with a save and 18 strikeouts in 20 innings.

MILES GLAZIER: The lefty from UC Irvine is redshirting this spring.

ABBOTT HAFFAR: The righty from UC Riverside is 0-0, 3.52 in six games, with five strikeouts in 7.2 innings.

IAN MACIVER: The righty from Utah 0-1, 8.10 in two games, with three strikeouts in 3.1 innings.

ELI MORSE: The righty from Portland 2-3, 3.43 in seven games, with 40 strikeouts in 42 innings.

DARREN NELSON: The righty from Cal Poly is 3-2, 2.40 in seven games, with 22 strikeouts in 30 innings.

LOGAN NOUSEN: The righty from Oregon Tech, a 10-day signee, is 2-3, 6.38 in 12 games, with eight strikeouts in 18.1 innings.

JACOB PALISCH: The lefty from Stanford is 2-0, 0.54 in 10 games, with a save and 13 strikeouts in 16.2 innings.

AARON POPE: The lefty from Dixie State is 0-1, 7.45 in four games, with seven strikeouts in 9.2 innings.

CONNOR REDMOND: The righty from Cal Poly is 0-2, 7.56 in eight games, with seven strikeouts in 8.1 innings.

AARON SHOUP: The lefty from St. Martin’s is 0-4, 8.85 in six games, with 11 strikeouts in 20.1 innings.

DANIEL SLOMINSKI: The righty from San Francisco is 2-0, 3.00 in seven games, with eight strikeouts in nine innings.

KOLBY SOMERS: The lefty from Oregon 1-2, 3.66 in seven games, with 14 strikeouts in 19.2 innings.

COLE SPEAR: The righty from UC Irvine is 0-1, 5.62 in five games, with nine strikeouts in eight innings.

MICKEY WALKER: The righty from St. Martin’s is 0-4, 5.18 in six games, with 31 strikeouts in 33 innings.

TREVOR WELLS: The righty from Linn-Benton is 0-0, 0.00 in three games, with three saves and four strikeouts in 4.1 innings.

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Our 2018 season tickets are now on sale! For more details or to order your tickets online, please click here. Tickets may also be purchased by calling us at 541-752-5656 or by visiting our office at 4th Street and Jefferson Avenue in downtown Corvallis. See you at the ballpark in 2018!

We also have three fireworks nights and tons of other promotions planned for this summer. Our entire promotional schedule is also available, by clicking here.

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The Walla Walla Sweets have signed Yavapai College lefty Tommy Costello for the 2018 season. Please click here for more details, from Our Sports Central.

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That’s all for today. Have a great Easter weekend, and we will see you on Tuesday.