University of Pittsburgh Athletics
#ProPanthers Update – Panther All-Stars
7/13/2019 4:55:00 PM | Baseball
PITTSBURGH – After being selected in the MLB First Year Player Draft, former University of Pittsburgh baseball players have been a familiar presence in their leagues' All-Star games in recent years.
Currently only one-step away from the MLB, former Panther T.J. Zeuch turned heads in his season with the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats in 2018. In 21 starts with New Hampshire, the righty finished with an impressive 3.08 ERA and nine wins to go along with 11 quality starts. Zeuch's performance earned him a spot in the Eastern League All-Star game, where he pitched 1.0 innings without giving up a hit.
In 2019, Zeuch made the jump up to Triple-A, joining the Buffalo Bisons after returning from an injury earlier this season. In three starts with the Bison, the Mason, Ohio native has already picked up his first quality start, going 6.0 innings, giving up just two earned runs on July 3 against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. He also went 5.2 scoreless in his first appearance with Buffalo on June 22 against the Norfolk Tides.
Voted to an all-star game for the second consecutive year, infielder Charles Leblanc continues to impress at every level. As a member of the Down East Wood Ducks in 2018, Leblanc was named to the Carolina League All-Star Game. He finished the season with a .349 on-base percentage, knocking in 72 runs in 131 games. In 2019, Leblanc is it again, this time with the Double-A Frisco RoughRiders of the Texas League. Currently hitting .289 with a .353 on-base percentage, Leblanc was named to the Texas League All-Star Game that took place on June 25.
Although at the Major League level now, catcher Kevan Smith was an annual all-star working his way through the Chicago White Sox's system. Named the MiLB Organization All-Star in both 2012 and 2013, Smith would also be named to two all-star games as he fought his way to the majors. While with the Kannapolis Intimidators in 2012, the catcher was named to the South Atlantic League All-Star Game hitting .282 with an on base mark of .344 that season. Two years later in 2014, Smith was voted to the Southern League All-Star Game while boasting an on-base percentage of .376 and hit .290 with the Birmingham Barons.
Currently with the Los Angeles Angels, Smith has had a breakout season in his fourth year in the majors and first with his new team. Appearing in 81 games thus far, the former Panther is currently hitting .296, ranking sixth on the team, and boasting an impressive .387 on-base percentage, ranking fourth on the Angels.
During his first season at the professional level in 2018, pitcher Yaya Chentouf made an early display of his skill in the New York-Penn League. Voted to the league's all-star game as a member of the Connecticut Tigers, Chentouf was an integral part of the team during the season, boasting a 2.23 ERA and racking up nine saves in 23 games. This season, Chentouf made the transition up to the Midwest League with the West Michigan Whitecaps, where he has already pitched 49.0 innings in 29 appearances.
In 2017, former Panthers Alex Kowalczyk, Isaac Mattson, and Nick Yarnall were named all-stars after their impressive seasons. Kowalczyk was named a MiLB.com Organization All-Star after a stellar year with the Hickory Crawdads of the South Atlantic League. Mattson was named to the Pioneer League Postseason All-Star Team after dominating batters with the Orem Owlz, while Yarnall tore apart the Pioneer League, hitting .368 on the year, to be named to the All-Star game.
Below is a complete list of current #ProPanthers in the MLB ranks.
* undrafted free agent
#H2P | Twitter | Instagram
Currently only one-step away from the MLB, former Panther T.J. Zeuch turned heads in his season with the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats in 2018. In 21 starts with New Hampshire, the righty finished with an impressive 3.08 ERA and nine wins to go along with 11 quality starts. Zeuch's performance earned him a spot in the Eastern League All-Star game, where he pitched 1.0 innings without giving up a hit.
In 2019, Zeuch made the jump up to Triple-A, joining the Buffalo Bisons after returning from an injury earlier this season. In three starts with the Bison, the Mason, Ohio native has already picked up his first quality start, going 6.0 innings, giving up just two earned runs on July 3 against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. He also went 5.2 scoreless in his first appearance with Buffalo on June 22 against the Norfolk Tides.
Voted to an all-star game for the second consecutive year, infielder Charles Leblanc continues to impress at every level. As a member of the Down East Wood Ducks in 2018, Leblanc was named to the Carolina League All-Star Game. He finished the season with a .349 on-base percentage, knocking in 72 runs in 131 games. In 2019, Leblanc is it again, this time with the Double-A Frisco RoughRiders of the Texas League. Currently hitting .289 with a .353 on-base percentage, Leblanc was named to the Texas League All-Star Game that took place on June 25.
Although at the Major League level now, catcher Kevan Smith was an annual all-star working his way through the Chicago White Sox's system. Named the MiLB Organization All-Star in both 2012 and 2013, Smith would also be named to two all-star games as he fought his way to the majors. While with the Kannapolis Intimidators in 2012, the catcher was named to the South Atlantic League All-Star Game hitting .282 with an on base mark of .344 that season. Two years later in 2014, Smith was voted to the Southern League All-Star Game while boasting an on-base percentage of .376 and hit .290 with the Birmingham Barons.
Currently with the Los Angeles Angels, Smith has had a breakout season in his fourth year in the majors and first with his new team. Appearing in 81 games thus far, the former Panther is currently hitting .296, ranking sixth on the team, and boasting an impressive .387 on-base percentage, ranking fourth on the Angels.
During his first season at the professional level in 2018, pitcher Yaya Chentouf made an early display of his skill in the New York-Penn League. Voted to the league's all-star game as a member of the Connecticut Tigers, Chentouf was an integral part of the team during the season, boasting a 2.23 ERA and racking up nine saves in 23 games. This season, Chentouf made the transition up to the Midwest League with the West Michigan Whitecaps, where he has already pitched 49.0 innings in 29 appearances.
In 2017, former Panthers Alex Kowalczyk, Isaac Mattson, and Nick Yarnall were named all-stars after their impressive seasons. Kowalczyk was named a MiLB.com Organization All-Star after a stellar year with the Hickory Crawdads of the South Atlantic League. Mattson was named to the Pioneer League Postseason All-Star Team after dominating batters with the Orem Owlz, while Yarnall tore apart the Pioneer League, hitting .368 on the year, to be named to the All-Star game.
Below is a complete list of current #ProPanthers in the MLB ranks.
|
#ProPanthers
|
| Name | Year | Team/League (Organization) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ray Black |
2011
|
San Francisco Giants (MLB)
|
had 2 strikeouts in first call up to majors of 2019 on July 5
|
| Yaya Chentouf |
2018
|
West Michigan/A (Tigers)
|
has gone 7 straight scoreless appearances
|
| RJ Freure |
2018
|
Quad Cities/A (Astros)
|
|
| Dan Hammer |
2019
|
Aberdeen/A Short (Orioles)
|
made professional debut on July 13
|
| Joe Harvey |
2014
|
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre/AAA (Yankees)
|
has allowed only 2 ER in last 10 outings
|
| Hobie Harris |
2015
|
Tampa/A Advanced (Yankees)
|
|
| Alex Kowalczyk |
2016
|
Frisco/AA (Rangers)
|
hitting .316 in last 10 games
|
| Charles Leblanc |
2016
|
Frisco/AA (Rangers)
|
had a 10-game hitting streak from June 22-July 5
|
| Cole MacLaren |
2019
|
GCL Tigers East/Rookie (Tigers)
|
tallied his first career hit on July 6
|
| Isaac Mattson |
2017
|
Mobile/AA (Angels)
|
has not given up an earned run since June 9
|
| Josh Mitchell |
2017
|
Wilmington/A Advanced (Royals)
|
has a 2.81 ERA on the season
|
| Manny Pazos |
2017*
|
West Virginia/A (Mariners)
|
|
| Connor Perry |
2019
|
GCL Tigers/Rookie (Tigers)
|
went 1-2 with 2 stolen bases on July 6
|
| Matt Pidich |
2018
|
Dayton/A (Reds)
|
owns a .183 opponent average on the season
|
| Liam Sabino |
2018
|
Johnson City/Rookie (Cardinals)
|
has on on base mark of .391 this year
|
| Kevan Smith |
2011
|
Los Angeles Angels/MLB
|
|
| Matt Wotherspoon |
2014
|
Baltimore Orioles/MLB
|
|
| Nick Yarnall |
2016
|
Rancho Cucamonga/A Advanced (Dodgers)
|
went 2-3 with an RBI on July 1
|
| Derek West |
2019
|
Tri-City/A (Astros)
|
|
| T.J. Zeuch |
2016
|
Buffalo/AAA (Blue Jays)
|
on IL
|
* undrafted free agent
#H2P | Twitter | Instagram
Players Mentioned
RHP/OF
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