With the MLB season nearing the All-Star break, former NC State players are in the full swing of things. Also, 2018 draft picks have settled into their first experience at the next level.
Trea Turner, Washington Nationals
With his young years plagued by injuries, Turner has now played in all 81 games for the Nationals this season, only 17 games from his career high. He is batting .270 with a .764 OPS while stealing 22 bags, which is good for second in the MLB.
The 25-year-old is fifth in the National League in All-Star voting for shortstops with a climbing 3.3 wins above replacement, just a decimal behind his career high in that category. With nine home runs to his name, he will almost certainly break his career high of 13 by the end of the season. Washington finds itself five games out of the NL East Division lead and two games behind the second wild card spot.
Carlos Rodon, Chicago White Sox
After a delayed start due to injury, Rodon returned to the big leagues on June 9. He pitched five innings and gave up two runs. In total, he has made five starts this season posting a 1-3 record and a 4.55 ERA. Unfortunately for Rodon, the White sox find themselves 16.5 games back in the American League Central.
His best outing came on June 24 in a 10-3 win against the Oakland Athletics where he pitched 8 innings and gave up two runs on seven hits with three strikeouts.
Cory Mazzoni, Chicago Cubs Organization
The relief pitcher has made seven appearances in the majors this year and managed a 1.17 ERA in 7.2 innings. He was optioned to triple-A on June 27 where he has spent most of the 2018 season.
He will continue to come up every so often to help the Cubs in their bullpen and likely stay up when the rosters expand later in the season.
Andrew Knizner, St. Louis Cardinals Organization
Knizner started the season in triple-A, but has played most of the year in double-A Springfield. The catcher has had a great season at the plate, hitting .323 between the two teams and putting up a slugging percentage of .443 including 10 doubles.
Knizner has been a solid catcher in the minors, but has only been able to throw out nine base stealers on 41 attempts so far this year.
Evan Mendoza, St. Louis Cardinals Organization
After playing the first 37 games in single-A advanced, Mendoza has joined fellow Pack alum Knizner in double-A Springfield. Mendoza batted .349 in single-A with 10 extra-base hits in 37 games.
Now with 39 games under his belt in double-A, his average is .278, but has still been a consistent producer with nine extra-base hits and 14 RBIs at third base.
Joe Dunand, Miami Marlins Organization
Dunand started the year in single-A advanced with the Jupiter Hammerheads where he hit .263 with seven home runs and 42 RBIs in 66 games. This has been his first consistent playing time since he was drafted in the second round in the 2017 MLB Draft.
Dunand was recently promoted to double-A to play for the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp where he has gone four for 25 with three doubles and 10 strikeouts in eight games. The promotion will cause a little adjustment on the hitting side, but the expectation is that he will continue to move up the ranks.
Brett Kinneman, Pittsburgh Pirates Organization
The recent seventh-rounder started his professional career in single-A short where he has batted .265 with eight walks in 11 games. The Pack’s leader in home runs has yet to hit one at the next level, but surely he will get comfortable and show his power in the future.
Brock Deatherage, Detroit Tigers Organization
The outfielder started in the Gulf Coast rookie league where he hit an amazing four home runs in two games with seven RBIs before being promoted to single-A where he has since cooled off. Deatherage is six for 25 with two extra-base hits and four stolen bases in seven games.
Josh McLain, Los Angeles Dodgers Organization
McLain also played two games in the rookie league where he went two for six and then moved up to single-A where he has played eight games. The ninth-rounder is batting .303 (10 for 33) with five doubles, six RBIs and three stolen bases.
