I saw a note in the email from the Double-A Chesapeake Baysox last night about Ethan Anderson going 3-for-4 with a solo homer, his 12th of the season, and thought, seems like time, with the College World Series playing to a finish this weekend, to look at how our UVA Baseball CWS alums are doing in the Minors and in MLB.
Might as well start with Anderson (CWS: 2023, 2024), a second-round pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, who is hitting .263/.848 with 12 homers and 27 RBIs.
MLB.com ranks Anderson the #23 prospect in the Baltimore Orioles farm system, but based on his numbers in 2026, he can’t be far from a promotion.
Staying in Chesapeake, Griff O’Ferrall (CWS: 2023, 2024), a first-round pick in 2024, is struggling – hitting just .200/.648 with five homers and 24 RBIs, though his defense at shortstop, his calling card, is good, as usual, with six errors, a .957 fielding percentage and 17 double plays.
Still, I’m worried for our Griffer here – I think his $2.7 million signing bonus is what’s keeping him in the lineup, with the O’s trying to squeeze out what they can from the investment.
Other CWS alums to keep an eye on
MLB
- 2B/3B/SS Ernie Clement (Toronto Blue Jays, CWS: 2015): Another solid season (7 HRs, 28 RBIs, .294 BA/.756 OPS).
- LHP Bennett Sousa (Houston Astros, CWS: 2015): 8.10 ERA in 3.1 IP; in 2025, he was 5-1 with a 2.84 ERA/1.03 WHIP in 50.2 IP.
- OF/1B Pavin Smith (Arizona Diamondbacks, CWS: 2015): 1 HR, 4 RBIs, .176 BA/.574 OPS in 42 PAs.
- LHP Andrew Abbott (Cincinnati Reds, CWS: 2021): 4-4, 3.95 ERA/1.41 WHIP in 15 starts.
- C Kyle Teel (Chicago White Sox, CWS: 2021, 2023): Finishing up minor-league rehab after suffering a hamstring strain in the World Baseball Classic; hitting .429/1.145 in 30 PAs (2 HRs, 6 RBIs) at Triple-A Charlotte on his way back.
- RHP Mike Vasil (Chicago White Sox, CWS: 2021): 5-3, 2.50 ERA/1.25 WHIP in 101.0 IP in 2025; out for the season after Tommy John surgery.
- 3B/CF/2B Zack Gelof (Athletics, CWS: 2021): 11 HRs, 30 RBIs, .286 BA/.843 OPS.
- LHP Connelly Early (Boston Red Sox, CWS: 2023): 5-5, 3.81 ERA/1.32 WHIP in 14 starts.
Triple-A
- C Matt Thaiss (Los Angeles Angels system, CWS: 2014, 2015): 3 HRs, 21 RBIs, .217 BA/.646 OPS. MLB career: 23 HRs, 95 RBIs, .210 BA/.652 OPS in 305 career games.
- SS/2B/3B Nic Kent (Colorado Rockies system, CWS: 2021): 2 HRs, 7 RBIs, .268 BA/.878 OPS in his first season at the Triple-A level.
- RHP Griff McGarry (Los Angeles Dodgers system, CWS: 2021): 2-0, 6.10 ERA/2.03 WHIP in 22 appearances.
- RHP Zach Messinger (New York Yankees system, CWS: 2021): 3-1, 2.82 ERA, 1.07 WHIP in 19 appearances.
- OF Ethan O’Donnell (Miami Marlins system, CWS: 2023): He’s in Triple-A, but still adjusting at the plate (.220 BA/.629 OPS, 2 HRs, 15 RBIs).
Double-A
- RHP Josh Sborz (Texas Rangers system, CWS: 2014, 2015): Two innings pitched in Double-A as he is trying to work his way back into the Bigs. MLB career: 13-13, 4.96 ERA/1.33 WHIP in 154 appearances.
- 3B/2B/1B Jake Gelof (Los Angeles Dodgers system, CWS: 2021, 2023): Starting to hit (.234 BA/.848, 13 HRs, 33 RBIs); his glove is top-notch (one error, .984 fielding percentage).
- LHP Brandon Neeck (Pittsburgh Pirates system, CWS: 2021): 1.04 ERA/1.39 WHIP in Double-A; pitched in 13 games in Triple-A before being sent down, with a 2-1 record, 3.31 ERA/1.71 WHIP.
- OF Chris Newell (Los Angeles Dodgers system, CWS: 2021): 9 HRs, 34 RBIs, .196 BA/.660 OPS.
- 3B/1B Devin Ortiz (Chicago Cubs system, CWS: 2021): 2 HRs, 12 RBIs, .103 BA/.415 OPS.
- RHP Kyle Whitten (Tampa Bay Rays system, CWS: 2021): 2-0, 12.54 ERA/2.68 WHIP in eight appearances.
High-A
- LF/1B/DH Anthony Stephan (Cincinnati Reds system, CWS: 2023, 2024): 0 HR, 3 RBIs, .316 BA/.879 OPS in 24 PAs.
- 2B/SS/3B Henry Godbout (Boston Red Sox system, CWS: 2023, 2024): 7 HRs, 14 RBIs, .277 BA/.902 OPS.
- 3B/SS/2B Luke Hanson (Texas Rangers system, CWS: 2023, 2024): 10 HRs, 42 RBIs, .254 BA/.764 OPS
- LHP Nate Savino (Arizona Diamondbacks system, CWS: 2021): 4-2, 7.31 ERA/1.69 WHIP in 16 appearances.
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Chris Graham
