VMI currently has seven players on professional baseball rosters. Below are brief capsules on each. All statistics are current as of June 30.
Sam Roberts, A Beloit (Oakland) – Roberts had been primarily a middle infielder until this season, but in 2014, has converted to a full-time pitcher. He has yet to see an official at-bat, but has registered 11 1/3 innings on the mound, posting a 3.97 ERA. Opponents are hitting just .244 against him.
Coby Cowgill, Advanced-A Lake Elsinore (San Diego) – Cowgill has pitched for two teams this year, taking the hill for Fort Wayne in the Midwest League and Lake Elsinore in the California League. The right-hander has gone 3-3 with a 7.24 ERA and has battled command, walking 25 in 39 2/3 innings after issuing 32 free passes in over 70 innings last season.
Adam Lopez, A Kannapolis (Chicago White Sox) – Lopez has yet to pitch this season after suffering a knee injury in the off-season.
Reed Garrett, Short-Season A Spokane (Texas) – Garrett has pitched very well in his first three professional starts for Spokane. He beat a Eugene team led by Trea Turner, the former N.C. State shortstop and this year’s Brooks Wallace Award winner, on June 16, striking Turner out to open his professional career. Since then, Garrett has thrown 4 1/3 innings in back to back games, taking two no-decisions. Overall, he sits at 1-0 with a 2.63 ERA.
Connor Bach, Short-Season A Auburn (Washington) – After just one outing at Washington’s rookie league affiliate in Florida, a two-inning relief appearance that saw him earn a victory, Bach was promoted to the Nationals’ New York-Penn League affiliate in Auburn, N.Y. He allowed two runs in his only inning of work thus far for the Doubledays.
Trey Barham, Lincoln Saltdogs (American Association) – After being released by Oakland over the winter, Barham caught on with the independent Lincoln Saltdogs out of the American Association, the same league that contains the better-known St. Paul Saints, among other teams. Barham has appeared in 13 games out of the bullpen, posting a 1-0 record and a 7.24 ERA.
Michael Devine, Normal Cornbelters (Frontier League) – Devine is in his third season in the Frontier League and was brought in by the Cornbelters out of Normal, Ill. on June 24. He opened the year for Traverse City, making five starts and posting a respectable 3.72 ERA. He made his first appearance, a start, for Normal on June 24.