Another Plateau for Independent Game: 50 Players Headed to Major League Camps

It seems pretty basic:  If a major league team needs pitching—and who doesn’t, either right away or at some time during the grueling season—the scouting department had better include the Independent leagues somewhere in its blueprint for finding arms.

A record 50 players who have toiled outside of the affiliated ranks, including 38 hurlers, will be in major league spring training camps over the next few days, based on records maintained by the Independent Baseball Insider.

The overall number has been steadily in the 40s in recent years (49 in 2009 was the previous high), but 2012 will end up being the best year ever (barring a last minute release) for the so-called Independent “graduates” to be rewarded with a chance for the top brass in the 30 major league camps in Florida and Arizona to evaluate their skills.

Of the 50 players, 16 are on major league 40-man rosters (a slight drop from the 18 of last year and 21 in both 2009 and 2010), but the number of non-roster invitees has climbed to what our records show is an all-time high of 34.  There were 29 in 2011.

Recent experience shows that another two dozen or so hopefuls with Indy backgrounds will get the opportunity to come over from minor league camps and play in one or more major league games.  We counted 27 such players last spring and still another 10-15 who were in major league dugouts for a day even though they did not break into the box score.

The Atlantic League, which always caters to the more experienced professionals than the other four Independent leagues, sits atop the list with 20 of its former players headed into major league camps.  The American Association stands second at 12.  The North American League, about to enter its second season, does not have any players among the 50 although the three circuits that were merged into this southwestern and western league account for 19 players.

(Note:  The roster of players is in the version of this column that went to subscribers.)

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FOR ADDITIONAL INDEPENDENT BASEBALL COVERAGE

www.AtlanticLeagueBaseball.com ADDED TO www.IndyBaseballChatter.com

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Unsigned List Still Lengthy

It would seem to be getting late for the 25 pitchers and a similar number of position players we show who were in affiliated leagues at the end of last season and still are unsigned.  While a limited few have already gone back to the Indy ranks, the free agent list includes pitchers Mark DiFelice and Randy Williams, catcher Robinson Cancel and outfielders Joey Gathright and Jay Gibbons in addition to J. D. Drew who had major league time one year ago.

All-Stars on All-Indy Prospect Rosters

At least five of last season’s all-stars are on the rosters known so far from talent scout Nick Belmonte for the very first Independent League Prospect Tournament which will take place at Al Lang Field in St. Petersburg, FL February 25-March 4.

All-star second baseman Danny Bomback (Pittsfield, MA) and third baseman Mark Minicozzi (Worcester, MA) headline the Can-Am League team along with 11-game winner Pat Moran (Pittsfield) and 10-game winner Alex Smith (Newark, NJ).  Bomback went .355/5/47 with 26 steals and Minicozzi was at .328/15/77.  First baseman Trent Lockwood, who produced a .338/20/90 season at Fort Worth, TX, is on the American Association team.

All-star second baseman Will Block (Southern Illinois) and 10-game winner Justin Hall (Washington, PA) are headliners on the Frontier League team.  The North American League squad has not been announced although it is known Pitcher of the Year Chandler Barnard (San Angelo, TX) will take part.

We will post the rosters on www.IndyBaseballChatter.com this weekend.

(This is an excerpt from the column Bob Wirz writes year round on Independent Baseball.  Fans may subscribe for 2012 at www.WirzandAssociates.com, enjoy his blogs, www.AtlanticLeagueBaseball.com and www.IndyBaseballChatter.com, or comment to RWirz@aol.com.  The author has 16 years of major league baseball public relations experience with Kansas City and as spokesman for two Commissioners and lives in Stratford, CT.)