Sac State Baseball Players in the Pros Update
Jun 29, 2022 12:00AM ● By Sacramento State Athletics News ReleasePhiladelphia Phillies first baseman Rhys Hoskins played at Sacramento State from 2012-14. Photo courtesy of Bob Solorio & Sacramento State Athletics
SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) - Summer is here and, as the temperatures begin to heat up, so have the performances of Sacramento State baseball alumni at all levels across the country (all stats as of June 15).
Rhys Hoskins (Philadelphia Phillies - MLB)
Fresh off a 4-for-5 performance against Miami that saw him slug a double, a pair of home runs — the first a three-run shot that tied the game, and the second a solo shot that gave Philadelphia the lead — and drive in six (https://www.mlb.com/phillies/video/rhys-hoskins-two-home-run-game), Hoskins is enjoying a stellar month of June, batting .354 with nine extra base hits and 12 RBI for the Phillies, with hits in 11 of his last 15 games and raising his average 26 points in the process. The six-year Major League veteran is batting .480 and slugging 1.080 over his last seven games and hitting .351 over his last 15 contests. Hoskins’ 13 home runs this year are third on the team behind only Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper, while his 36 RBI are second behind only Harper.
Sam Long (San Francisco Giants - MLB)
Following a brief stay at AAA Sacramento, Long has rejoined the San Francisco roster after being recalled on June 7 and has shined in his last three appearances — all in relief — for the big club, allowing just four hits over his last eight scoreless innings, walking a pair and striking out three to lower his ERA to 1.96 in 12 Major League appearances. He surrendered a single hit at Miami in two innings of work in his first game back on June 2, walked only one without allowing a hit in three scoreless innings against Colorado on June 7, and scattered three hits over three innings in a start against the rival Dodgers on June 11. When you include his five appearances for the River Cats before returning to the Bay Area, Long has posted a 2.35 ERA over his last 15.1 innings of work, having not allowed a run since May 10 at El Paso.
Nathan Lukes (Buffalo Bisons - Toronto Blue Jays AAA)
Now in his third full season at the Triple-A level with the Blue Jays organization, Lukes has blistered the ball through the first 54 games of the season, batting .301 with an .819 OPS for Buffalo in the International League, adding 16 doubles, five home runs, and 26 RBI to his stat line while also swiping 12 bases. Lukes is hitting .324 in the month of June — mere points behind the .325 he hit in April for the Bisons — thanks to hits in nine of his 12 games this month, which included four home runs and 11 RBI in that stretch.
Justin Dillon (Syracuse Mets - New York Mets AAA)
Before making a trip to the seven-day disabled list on May 31, Dillon has been solid out of the bullpen for Syracuse, posting a 3.45 ERA over 15.2 innings of work in 11 appearances for the Mets’ Triple-A squad, striking out 18 and holding opponents to a .254 average. In his last appearance against Rochester, he struck out a season-high four over 1.2 innings of work and posted a 1.86 ERA in six appearances in the month of May, allowing just two earned on eight hits over 9.2 innings of work while striking out 10.
Ian Dawkins (Birmingham Barons - Chicago White Sox AA)
Dawkins opened his 2022 season at the Double-A level by hitting .288 in the month of May for the Barons — including a 4-for-4 night against Rocket City with a pair of doubles and three runs scored. He is currently hitting .256 with a .722 OPS, slugging four doubles and a pair of home runs for the season.
James Outman (Tulsa Drillers - Los Angeles Dodgers AA)
Outman has been a huge part of the Drillers’ lineup to start the 2022 campaign, hitting .283 with a .547 slugging percentage and a .940 OPS through the first 55 games of the season. Outman has slugged 15 doubles and 13 home runs while driving in 36 for Tulsa, scoring 49 times and drawing 33 walks. He has hits in eight of the team’s 10 games in the month of June, hitting .306 with an .834 OPS — thus far his best month of the year. Outman has 15 multi-hit games this year, including a 4-for-6 performance against Springfield back on April 23.
Austin Roberts (Altoona Curve - Pittsburgh Pirates AA)
In his first season at the Double-A level, Roberts has posted a 2-0 record with a 5.40 ERA and a save for the Curve in 17 games (16 relief appearances), striking out 22 over 20 innings. He has not allowed a run and scattered only four hits over his last four appearances (4.0 innings), striking out three, and opened the year allowing only two runs over his first eight games (11 innings), earning the win in his debut against Harrisburg on April 9 and striking out a season-high five over two innings against New Hampshire on April 20.
Tanner Dalton (Myrtle Beach Pelicans - Chicago Cubs A)
Coming off a stint on the 60-day disabled list, Dalton is currently on the roster with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans but has yet to make an appearance on the mound. In 2021, Dalton was 2-3 with a 7.61 ERA with the High-A South Bend Cubs, striking out 44 over 36.2 innings out of the bullpen.
Scott Randall (Hillsboro Hops - Arizona Diamondbacks High-A)
After posting a 2-0 record with a sub-one ERA in five games with Visalia in his professional debut season, Randall has started nine games with the High-A Hillsboro Hops in 2022, posting a 2-3 record with a 4.43 ERA, striking out 43 in 42.2 innings of work and holding opponents to a .255 average. He picked up his first career win with seven shutout innings against Spokane on May 10, scattering just four hits and striking out five, while earning his second victory with a “quality start” against Tri-City on Jun 1, striking out a career-high eight.
Travis Adams (Fort Meyers Mighty Mussels - Minnesota Twins A)
With only one professional game under his belt entering 2022, Adams has blossomed in Fort Meyers to start the season, posting a 4-2 record and a 2.40 ERA in his first nine starts, striking out 50 over 45 innings, while scattering just 24 hits and holding opponents to a .156 average. He earned his first career win in his season debut against Clearwater, allowing a run on three hits and striking out three over five innings on April 10, and has struck out a career-high eight batters in each of his last two starts against Tampa (June 4) and Daytona (June 10), winning the former after allowing a run on two hits over five innings and suffering the tough-luck loss in the latter after giving up two runs on five hits over five innings.
Ryan Walstad (Boise Hawks - Pioneer League)
A recent signee in Boise, Walstad has played two games for the Hawks, including a 3-for-5 performance with a pair of runs scored and a double in only his second appearance with the club. A career .301 hitter for the Hornets from 2019-21, Walstad wrapped up his career in the green and gold in 2021 hitting .338 (including a .397 clip in conference play) with 20 doubles, six home runs, and 46 RBI en route to All-Western Athletic Conference first team honors.
Parker Brahms (Evansville Otters - Frontier League)
In five starts with the Otters, Brahms is 3-1 overall with a 2.32 ERA, striking out 28 batters over 31 innings. He earned his first win on May 18 against the Empire State Greys, allowing a run on two hits in six innings while striking out eight, and tied his season high eight strikeouts against Windy City on June 8 in a six-inning no-decision. Brahms struck out six over six innings in his last start against Schaumburg, allowing just two runs on five hits.
Scott Burcham (Charleston Dirty Birds - Atlantic League)
After starting the year with the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs, Burcham has played the last 39 games for the Charleston Dirty Birds, collecting 30 hits with four doubles, a pair of home runs, and 11 RBI.
Mitch Lively (Bravos de Leon - Mexican League)
Lively is 2-0 with a 7.41 ERA in seven starts (34 innings) with the Bravos de Leon in the Mexican League, throwing a season-high six innings against Aguascalientes on May 19.