Ouch: Hand/wrist injuries have plagued two all-star quality MLB players from the S.A. area

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Two major league ball players from the San Antonio area, both of them with All-Star credentials, have suffered from rotten luck in general and hand/wrist fractures in particular this season.

For Josh Jung and Jordan Westburg, their seasons were unceremoniously interrupted when they failed to avoid inside pitches that veered into their hands as they prepared to hit.

Westburg, a Baltimore Orioles infielder who once played at New Braunfels High School, had to be removed from a home game Wednesday when he was hit on the hand in the fifth inning against Toronto.

Baltimore manager Brandon Hyde told reporters that he hopes Westburg can return to the lineup by the end of the season.

“They just X-rayed it,” Hyde said Wednesday in an Associated Press story. “How it heals and those type of things is way beyond my expertise.”

It was a tough break for the Orioles and for Westburg, who debuted in the MLB All-Star game a few weeks ago. The 25-year-old Westburg is batting .269 with 18 home runs and 58 RBIs. He is now on the 10-day injured list.

Jung, a Texas Rangers infielder who played in high school at MacArthur in San Antonio, has suffered misfortune in both of his two seasons in the majors.

Last season, as a rookie, he hit 23 home runs, made the All-Star squad and won a World Series title. But he missed much of the second half with a fractured thumb that he hurt while fielding a ball at third base.

Just as this season was getting underway, the dark clouds of bad luck converged again. Batting in a game at Tampa Bay, he was hit by a pitch. After a lengthy rehabilitation from a fractured wrist, Jung was activated Tuesday.

Notable

All Star Mookie Betts of the Los Angeles Dodgers also fell victim to an errant inside pitch in June. He broke his left hand when he was hit during the seventh inning of a June 16 game against the Kansas City Royals at Dodger Stadium, according to an AP story. Manager Dave Roberts said on Wednesday that Betts could be back by mid-August, according to mlb.com.

AAC Commissioner Pernetti visits UTSA

American Athletic Conference Commissioner Tim Pernetti at UTSA on Friday, June 20, 2024. - Photo by Joe Alexander

American Athletic Conference Commissioner Tim Pernetti at UTSA on Friday. – Photo by Joe Alexander

By Joe Alexander

American Athletic Conference Commissioner Tim Pernetti was in San Antonio on Friday to get acquainted with UTSA athletic department officials.

Pernetti also met with members of the media on Friday afternoon at the Roadrunner Athletics Center of Excellence (RACE).

In April, Pernetti became the second commissioner in American Conference history. He followed Mike Aresco, who had led the conference since 2013.

American Athletic Conference Commissioner Tim Pernetti at UTSA on Friday, June 20, 2024. - Photo by Joe Alexander

American Athletic Conference Commissioner Tim Pernetti at UTSA on Friday. – Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA’s Campos receives contract extension through 2029

The University of Texas System on Wednesday approved a contract extension for UTSA’s Lisa Campos through Nov. 30, 2029. Campos is UTSA’s Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics.

Named to lead UTSA’s athletic department on Nov. 17, 2017, Campos has worked at the helm of a program in transition.

In her tenure, the department has opened the Roadrunner Athletics Center for Excellence, has announced plans for a basketball and volleyball training center and has moved the entire program from Conference USA to the American Athletic Conference.

UTSA recently completed its first season in the AAC.

The contract extension, approved by the Executive Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs, marks the second contract extension for Campos during her tenure at UTSA, according to a news release from the UTSA athletic department.

Campos’ base salary in FY25 will be $550,000, increasing annually by $25,000 throughout the life of the contract and reaching $650,000 by FY29.

Mission possible: Josh Naylor helps lead Cleveland to the top of the AL Central Division


Josh Naylor emerged as one of the Texas League’s RBI leaders in the summer of 2018 with the San Antonio Missions. In this file video, he flared a run-scoring single to left field against the Northwest Arkansas Naturals.

By Jerry Briggs
Special to The JB Replay

The San Antonio Missions’ alumni in major league baseball enjoyed quite a day on Sunday. Jackson Merrill homered for the San Diego Padres against the Washington Nationals. In Houston, Luis Urias made some nice plays at third base and had a clutch hit to tie the game late against the Houston Astros.

In the same game, big Andres Munoz came on to pick up the save in the Mariners’ 5-4 victory. But what jumped out to me this morning while watching the highlights was the power show by Josh Naylor, a mainstay for the American League Central Division-leading Cleveland Guardians.

Naylor hit a two-run home run in the eighth inning, a sizzling line drive into the right field seats that helped propel the Guardians to a 4-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels. At Cleveland, the left-side hitting Naylor increased his totals in home runs (to eight) and RBI (26) to rank among the leaders in the American League.

Naylor, from Mississauga, Ontario in Canada, was the 12th overall pick in the 2015 draft by the Miami Marlins. In 2016, he was traded to the Padres. By the next year, in 2017, he was in Double-A San Antonio. In 2018. Naylor became a fixture with the Missions with 17 home runs and 74 RBI.

The Padres traded him in 2020 to the the Guardians. Despite sustaining injuries in 2022 (dislocated ankle) and 2023 (oblique), he has bounced back to play 32 of 34 games for the Guardians, mostly at first base. He also has the unique chance to play on the same major league team with his younger brother, Bo Naylor, the Guardians’ catcher.

Another younger brother, Myles Naylor, was the 39th pick in the 2023 draft by the Oakland A’s. Myles Naylor is playing for the Stockton Ports in the Class A California League.

Periodically, I’ll take a look at how former Missions players are faring in the big leagues this summer. Josh Naylor, who hit line drives all over Wolff Stadium for a couple of years, is definitely one to keep an eye on.

Three from New Braunfels on the rise in the American League

Notable: Former New Braunfels High School and Texas A&M pitcher Bryce Miller is scheduled to start tonight in Arlington for the Seattle Mariners against the World Series champion Texas Rangers.

Miller is off to a fast start in his second season in the major leagues.

The 6-foot-2 righthander has been nearly untouchable in April. This month, he’s 3-0 in three starts, winning on the road at Milwaukee and at home against the Chicago Cubs and the Cincinnati Reds. In his three April outings, Miller has yielded only one earned run in 19 and 1/3 innings.

Elsewhere:

Two former University of Texas players, Kody Clemens and Bryce Elder, took full advantage of promotions to the major leagues recently.

Clemens belted a three-run homer for the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday night in his first MLB game of the season. He was called up from Triple A in the wake of Phillies’ star Bryce Harper’s absence on paternity leave. Clemens, 27, started fast this spring, hitting .270 with three home runs and 11 RBI at Lehigh Valley.

Elder started and pitched the Atlanta Braves to a 3-0 victory against Miami. He yielded eight hits in 6 and 2/3 scoreless innings his first MLB start this season. The right-hander struck out four and walked none. Elder pitched in 41 games for the Braves over the past two seasons but didn’t make the squad out of spring training. Last season, he was 12-4.

Getting another chance, he made a statement about his professionalism.

“It says a lot about him,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said in an Associated Press story. “The dedication, the focus — everything. When we sent him down, he said, ‘I’ll be ready when you need me.’ And he was. He had really good command of all of his pitches. We’ve seen him do that before.”

UTSA pitching strikes out 12 in a 4-2 victory over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi

Ryan Beaird. UTSA beat A&M-Corpus Christi 4-2 in non-conference baseball on Tuesday, April 15, 2024, at Roadrunner Field. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Ryan Beaird, a UTSA junior from San Antonio’s Reagan High School, pitched three scoreless innings in relief and struck out five to earn the victory. – Photo by Joe Alexander

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Ryan Ward, Ryan Beaird, Braylon Owens and Ruger Riojas combined for 12 strikeouts without a walk Tuesday night as UTSA beat the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders 4-2 at Roadrunner Field.

Coming off a two-to-one series victory at Memphis in the American Athletic Conference last weekend, UTSA scored three unearned runs in the third inning and made it stand up, improving to 12-4 over its last 16 games. UTSA is 3-1 on Tuesday nights during that stretch.

The Roadrunners didn’t play great in all phases of the game. They were thrown out on the bases three times.

Ryan Ward. UTSA beat A&M-Corpus Christi 4-2 in non-conference baseball on Tuesday, April 15, 2024, at Roadrunner Field. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Ryan Ward, a UTSA senior from San Antonio-area Clemens High School, started and pitched three scoreless innings. Ward allowed only one hit. – Photo by Joe Alexander

But with Ward, Beaird, Owens and Riojas throwing strikes all night, they were able to win against their South Texas rivals after losing two of three to the Islanders in Corpus Christi last month.

Beaird (1-0) earned the victory with three shutout innings. He allowed four hits and struck out five. After Owens got in trouble in the eighth, Riojas entered with a runner at second and one out. He promptly fanned two batters to end the threat.

With two outs in the top of the ninth, the Islanders got a runner aboard on an infield error, bringing leading hitter Issac Webb to the plate as the potential tying run. Webb, in the end, flied to center, giving UTSA the victory and Riojas his sixth save of the season.

Records

Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 17-24
UTSA 22-15

Coming up

American Athletic Conference series
Friday: UAB at UTSA, 6 p.m.
Saturday: UAB at UTSA, 2 p.m.
Sunday: UAB at UTSA, noon

Notable

Cole Modgling, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi’s fifth-year senior from Medina Valley High School, had three hits in his first three at bats and finished three for four. The Islanders used five pitchers. Junior righthander Joshua Flaugher (0-2) was tagged with the loss. He yielded three hits and three runs, all of them unearned after shortstop Mason Person’s fielding error in the third inning.

Matt King. UTSA beat A&M-Corpus Christi 4-2 in non-conference baseball on Tuesday, April 15, 2024, at Roadrunner Field. - Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA shortstop Matt King gloves an infield chopper against A&M-Corpus Christi. On offense, he produced two hits and a run scored for the Roadrunners. – Photo by Joe Alexander

Baseball: Services are set for 1969 Mets catcher Jerry Grote

Services have been set for former major league baseball player Jerry Grote, a member of the 1969 World Series champion New York Mets, according to the family’s obituary.

Visitation will take place on April 20 from 4–7 p.m. at Scanio-Harper Funeral Home, 3110 Airport Road, in Temple. A funeral service will follow the next day on April 21 at 2 p.m. at Heritage Country Church, 9677 Lark Trail, in Salado.

Burial will be on April 22 at 2 p.m. at the Grote Family Cemetery, 15940 Lookout Road., in Selma.

Grote, 81, a Belton resident, died on April 7. He grew up in San Antonio and played at MacArthur High School and Trinity University. Grote played 16 seasons in the majors and made World Series appearances in 1969 and 1973 for the Mets and 1977 and 1978 for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Texans in MLB: Westburg finds his power stroke for the Baltimore Orioles

Texans Jordan Westburg, Jordan Hicks and Chris Paddack all enjoyed big days on Wednesday in the major leagues.

Highlights

Westburg (formerly of New Braunfels High School) hit a go-ahead, three-run homer in the Baltimore Orioles’ 7-5 victory over Boston at Fenway Park. It was the second home run for Westburg in his last seven games after hitting three in 68 games last year as a rookie.

The game was hyped nationally as the MLB debut for Jackson Holliday, who is considered the No. 1 prospect in the game.

For Orioles fans, it was the first time that they were able to see Holliday, Gunnar Henderson and Westburg — all drafted in the top two rounds over the past few years — in a game together. Westburg is the oldest player of the three at age 25. Henderson is 22 and Holliday 20.

An Austin native who grew up in Stillwater, Okla., Holliday went zero for four and struck out twice. But he collected his first major league RBI on an infield grounder as the Orioles rallied from a 5-0 deficit to win.

Meanwhile, right-handed pitcher Jordan Hicks (from Houston-area Cypress Creek HS) earned the win for the San Francisco Giants in a 7-1 victory over the Washington Nationals.

In a home game at San Francisco’s Oracle Park, Hicks gave up a second-inning home run to Joey Gallo but went on to blank the Nationals the rest of the way. He worked six innings and yielded one run on four hits.

Hicks, a relief pitcher in his first six seasons in the majors, including a little more than five with the St. Louis Cardinals, has pitched well as a member of the Giants’ starting rotation. He improved to 2-0 with a 1.00 earned run average over three starts.

Minnesota Twins righty Chris Paddack (an Austin native, formerly of Cedar Park HS) worked the first 4 and 2/3 innings in his team’s 3-2 road victory against the powerful Los Angeles Dodgers. Paddack has started his first full season on an active roster since he underwent ACL surgery in May of 2022.

Fans in San Antonio might remember Paddack from his days as a minor leaguer in the San Diego Padres’ farm system. The 6-foot-5 righthander notched seven starts for the San Antonio Missions in 2018.

Texans in MLB

Tyler Alexander/LHP/Tampa Bay Rays/Chicago native/Southlake Carroll HS/TCU – The 29-year-old Alexander is scheduled to pitch in the starting rotation with the Rays after working mostly out of the bullpen last year with the Detroit Tigers.

Chase Anderson/RHP/Boston Red Sox/Wichita Falls Rider/North Central Texas College/Oklahoma – The 36-year-old is entering his 11th year in the major leagues and his first season with the Red Sox. In his career, he is 59-56 with a 4.34 ERA.

Grant Anderson/RHP/Texas Rangers/Port Arthur native/West-Orange Stark HS/McNeese State — The high-kicking, side-winding righty is starting his second season in the majors with the Rangers. He’s scheduled to pitch out of the bullpen. His brother, Aidan, is in the Rangers’ farm system.

Brett Baty/3B/New York Mets/Round Rock native/Lake Travis HS — Baty enters his third season with the Mets. After they drafted him with the 12th overall pick in the 2019 draft, he toiled in the minors until a 2022 call up. Has hit .210 in 119 major league games with the Mets.

Josh Bell/1B/Miami Marlins/Dallas Jesuit HS – Bell solidified himself as the Marlins’ starting first baseman in spring camp. He’s got the run-producing credentials. He has RBI totals of 88, 71 and 74 the past three seasons, from 2021 through 2023, respectively. Bell has also played for the Pirates, the Nationals and the Padres.

Cavan Biggio/UTILITY/Toronto Blue Jays/Houston St.Thomas HS/University of Notre Dame – The son of former Houston Astros star Craig Biggio, starting his sixth season in the majors, is expected to play a utility role. Could see quite a bit of time at second base. Biggio helped lead St. Thomas to the 2011 TAPPS Class 5A state championship.

Cody Bradford/LHP/Texas Rangers/Aledo HS/Baylor — Bradford was a late-season callup for the Rangers last year. He pitched 56 innings in 20 games, including eight starts. He crafted a 4-3 record with a 5.20 earned run average. In the playoffs, he appeared in five games, all in relief, including two appearances in the World Series. Bradford had a postseason record of 1-0 with a 1.17 ERA.

Matt Carpenter/DH-1B/St. Louis Cardinals/Galveston/Missouri City Elkins HS/TCU — The 38-year-old Carpenter, a former All-Star in St. Louis, returns to the Cardinals after a few years away with the Yankees and Padres.

Colton Cowser/OF/Baltimore Orioles/Cypress/Cy Ranch HS/Sam Houston State – After playing 26 games in the big leagues late last season, Colton Cowser made the Orioles out of spring training. He was the fifth overall pick in the 2021 draft out of Sam Houston State.

Nathan Eovaldi/RHP/Texas Rangers/Houston native, attended Alvin HS. — Eovaldi is projected to play a leading role as the Rangers attempt to defend their American League and World Series titles. He is in his second season with Rangers after he spent the previous five seasons with the Boston Red Sox. Drafted in the 11th round in 2008, by the LA Dodgers, out of Alvin High School.

Kyle Finnegan/RHP/Washington Nationals/Houston-area Kingwood HS/Texas State University — Projected to pitch out of the bullpen as he starts his fifth season in MLB, all with the Nationals. In his career, he has forged a 19-18 record with a 3.53 earned run average. Played for Coach Ty Harrington at Texas State from 2011-13.

Paul Goldschmidt/1B/St. Louis Cardinals/The Woodlands HS/Texas State – An eighth-round draft pick by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2009, Goldschmidt starts his 14th season in the majors. A former seven-time All Star, he ranks fifth among active players in hits (1,909) behind only Joey Votto, Freddie Freeman, Andrew McCutcheon and Jose Altuve. He played for Ty Harrington at Texas State from 2007-09.

Trent Grisham/OF/New York Yankees/Burleson/Richland, North Richland Hills HS — Dealt from the San Diego Padres to the Yankees in the Juan Soto trade. Grisham broke into the big leagues in 2019 with the Milwaukee Brewers. Started in the outfield the past four seasons with the Padres, winning gold gloves as a centerfielder in 2020 and 2022. Played in Triple A for the San Antonio Missions in 2019 before his call up to the majors. Hit for the cycle in his last game before getting the call to the big leagues.

Ke’Bryan Hayes/3B/Pittsburgh Pirates/Tomball Concordia Lutheran HS – Hayes starts his fifth season in the majors, all with the Pirates. Drafted by the Pirates out of high school in 2015 with 32nd pick on the first round. He’s known as a defensive specialist though he did hit a career-high 15 home runs last year. Spent some time last summer battling a sore back.

Jordan Hicks/RHP/San Francisco Giants/Houston Cypress Creek HS – Hicks gets a fresh start in his career as a starter with the Giants. Hicks has been in the big leagues as a reliever since 2018. Through 2023, he had pitched in 212 games. He was 12-21 with a 3.77 ERA. The Cardinals traded him to the Toronto Blue Jays last summer. Hicks elected free agency in the offseason, and he later signed with the Giants.

Josh Jung/INF/Texas Rangers/San Antonio MacArthur HS/Texas Tech — Last year, as a rookie in his first full season in the major leagues, Josh Jung made the American League All-Star team, hit 23 home runs and produced 70 RBIs. He also overcame an injury late in the season to help the Rangers win their first World Series title. He’s expected to start at third base tonight against the Cubs after sitting out much of the spring with a leg injury. Played for coach Tom Alfieri at MacArthur and for Tim Tadlock at Texas Tech.

John King/LHP/St. Louis Cardinals/Sugar Land Clements HS/University of Houston – King, a native of Laredo who grew up in the Houston area, has pitched parts of the last four seasons in the majors. He’s 11-10 with a 3.91 ERA in 107 appearances, all out of the bullpen. The Rangers traded him to the Cardinals last summer in the Jordan Montgomery deal. King opened the 2024 season in Triple-A at Memphis but was recalled to the big league club on March 31.

Shea Langeliers/C/Portland, Ore., native/Keller HS/Baylor University — The sturdy rookie catcher proved he was up to the task, working in 135 games last season in his first full year in the majors. He hit .205 with 22 homers and 63 RBIs. Langeliers played for Rob Stramp at Keller HS and for Steve Rodriguez at Baylor. He was the ninth pick in the 2019 draft, out of Baylor, by the Braves.

Nick Loftin/UTILITY/Kansas City Royals/Corpus Christi Ray HS/Baylor University — Loftin made the opening day roster based on his play with the Royals last September, when he hit .323 in 19 games, and then his strong showing in spring training. The Royals selected him 32nd overall in the 2020 draft out of Baylor.

James McArthur/RHP/Kansas City Royals/New Braunfels High School/University of Mississippi — The 6-foot-7 righthander was traded from the Phillies to the Royals last summer. He has made the best of it, earning four saves in 18 relief appearances last season. Now, he’s earned a spot on the Royals’ opening-day roster.

Bryce Miller/RHP/Seattle Mariners/New Braunfels HS/Texas A&M — In a surprise move that ended up pleasing everyone in the Great Northwest last year, the Mariners moved Miller up from Double-A to the major leagues in early May and watched in wonderment as he went 8-7 with a 4.32 ERA. He pitched 131.1 innings in 25 starts.

Shelby Miller/RHP/Detroit Tigers/Round Rock native/Brownwood HS – The 33-year-old Miller starts his 13th season in the major leagues in Detroit. Miller is pitching out of the Tigers’ bullpen. Drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2009 out of Brownwood High School, he has pitched in the majors for the Cardinals, Braves, Diamondbacks, Rangers, Cubs, Giants, Pirates and Dodgers. Miller, who had five starts in the minors with the San Antonio Missions in 2019, is 42-48 with a 4.06 ERA lifetime in the big leagues.

Hoby Milner/LHP/Milwaukee Brewers/Dallas/Fort Worth Paschal HS/University of Texas – The 33-year-old Milner could see a more prominent role in the Brewers’ bullpen with an injury to ace reliever Devin Williams. Milner was drafted in the seventh round out of UT in 2012 by the Phillies.

A.J. Minter/LHP/Atlanta Braves/Tyler/Brook Hill School in Bullard/Texas A&M – Minter is expected to help anchor the Braves’ bullpen once again. He’s pitched seven previous seasons, all with the Braves, and has posted 35 saves and 105 holds. His record is 19-25, and his ERA is 3.35. Minter played for Coach Terry Pirtle at the Brook Hill School in East Texas and for Rob Childress-coached teams at Texas A&M from 2013-15.

Max Muncy/INF/Los Angeles Dodgers/Midland native/Keller HS/Baylor University — The 32-year-old Muncy is expected to start at third base for the Dodgers, considered one of the favorites to win the National League pennant and World Series. Coming off a 35-homer, 105-RBI year, Muncy is in his ninth season in the majors. In 2012, he was drafted on the fifth round by the Oakland A’s, a few weeks after he led 49-win Baylor to an NCAA Super Regional.

Chris Paddack/RHP/Minnesota Twins/Austin native/Cedar Park HS — Paddack will enter his sixth season in the majors and his third with the Twins as a starter. Sidelined in May of 2022 with an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery, he returned and pitched at the end of last season and in the playoffs. Paddack was drafted out of high school in 2015 by the Marlins. Later traded to the Padres, he pitched in 2018 with the Double-A Missions in San Antonio.

Colin Poche/LHP/Tampa Bay Rays/Flower Mound/Flower Mound Marcus HS/ University of Arkansas/Dallas Baptist — The 30-year-old lefty will start his fourth season in the majors pitching out of the Rays’ bullpen. Poche was an eye-opening 12-3 with a 2.23 earned run average last year.

Ryan Pressly/RHP/Houston Astros/Flower Mound Marcus – Even with the Astros’ addition of Josh Hader as closer, the 35-year-old Pressley will be counted on heavily in high-leverage situations late in games. He’s pitched in 564 games in his career and another 46 in the playoffs during the Astros’ run of success. In high school, Pressly attended American Heritage Academy for three years and was an 11th-round pick of the Red Sox out of Marcus HS in 2011.

Brooks Raley/LHP/New York Mets/San Antonio native/Uvalde HS/Texas A&M — The 35-year-old Raley has enjoyed a long and winding career in professional baseball, getting drafted in 2009, breaking into the major leagues in 2012, playing in Korea from 2015-19, and then hitting his stride in the big leagues from 2020 to the present. Last year, he pitched in 66 games for the Mets out of the bullpen and posted a 2.80 earned run average. This will be his second season in New York.

Anthony Rendon/INF/Los Angeles Angels/Houston Lamar HS/Rice University – The 33-year-old Rendon starts his fifth season with the Angels. He came to the team in 2020 on a $245 million long-term contract. Plagued by injuries, he’s had trouble living up to expectations. Rendon hasn’t played more than 58 games in any season since he joined the team. A power-hitting third baseman, he slugged a total of 103 home runs in a four-year stretch from 2016-19 with the Washington Nationals. He was the sixth overall pick in the 2011 draft by the Nationals out of Rice.

Grayson Rodriguez/RHP/Baltimore Orioles/Nacogdoches Central Heights HS – Rodriguez (7-4, 4.35) more than held his own as a rookie for the AL East Division champions. He should settle in nicely as the No. 2 starter behind recently-acquired Corbin Burnes.

Burch Smith/RHP/Miami Marlins/San Antonio native/Tyler Lee HS/University of Oklahoma – The 33-year-old Smith returns to the majors after spending the past two seasons playing overseas in Japan and Korea. In 2019, Smith pitched as a starter in Triple-A with the San Antonio Missions. He hasn’t pitched in the majors since 2021.

Drew Smith/RHP/New York Mets/Fort Worth/Crowley HS/Dallas Baptist – The 30-year-old righthander is 11-12 with a 3.53 earned run average over five seasons, all with the Mets. Reached the big leagues in 2018, and sat out all of 2019 after elbow surgery. Last summer, his earned run average ticked up a bit to 4.15, but he remained as a fixture in the pen with 62 appearances.

Trevor Story/INF/Red Sox/Irving HS – The 31-year-old Story is looking for a re-set on his career going into his third year in Boston. Last year, he sat out 112 games with an elbow injury. He returned to play 43 games in August and September and hit only .203. The Sox hope he can regain some of the form he had with the Colorado Rockies, where he enjoyed a couple of 30-plus homer and 20-plus steal seasons. Story was the 45th pick in the 2011 draft out of Irving High School.

Ross Stripling/RHP/Oakland A’s/Pennsylvania native/Southlake Carroll HS/Texas A&M – The San Francisco Giants shipped the 34-year-old Stripling to the struggling A’s in February. With the A’s, he’ll bring veteran savvy to the clubhouse. He’s 38-43 with a 3.96 earned run average in his career. In high school, Stripling played for Larry Hughes at Southlake Carroll. In college, he pitched the Rob Childress-coached Aggies to three NCAA tournaments, including the 2011 College World Series.

Jose Trevino/C/NY Yankees/Corpus Christi St. John Paul II/Oral Roberts – Will enter his third year with the Yankees and his sixth in major league baseball. Trevino is coming off an injury-marred season in which he was lost to the team in July with a torn ligament in his right wrist. Trevino, formerly of the Texas Rangers, made the All-Star team and won a Gold Glove in 2022.

Will Vest/RHP/Detroit Tigers/Houston-area Fort Bend Ridge Point HS/Stephen F. Austin University – Will Vest opens his fourth season in the majors and his third with the Tigers as a middle innings reliever.

Michael Wacha/RHP/Kansas City Royals/Iowa City native, Texarkana Pleasant Grove HS, Texas A&M University – Wacha signed last December as a free agent with the Royals. Clated to be the fourth starter in the Royals’ rotation, Wacha has fashioned a 88-54 record in 11 previous seasons in the majors. He was an All-American at Texas A&M in 2010 and 2011.

Jordan Westburg/INF/Baltimore Orioles/New Braunfels HS/Mississippi State – Westburg, in his first season in the majors, hit .260 and played all over the infield in 68 games last year. He’ll be asked to play a similar role this season.

Bobby Witt Jr./INF/Kansas City Royals/Fort Worth-area Colleyville Heritage HS — Witt enters his third season in the majors with a new contract, which reportedly covers 14 years, including 11 of it guaranteed for $288 million. The No. 2 overall pick in the 2019 draft blossomed last season, hitting 30 home runs and stealing 49 bases. He is the son of former Rangers pitcher Bobby Witt.

Connor Wong/C/Boston Red Sox/Pearland HS/University of Houston — The 27-year-old Wong became a starter last year and played in 126 games. He’ll have the job again because of his defensive prowess, particularly his throwing arm and his ability to manage games. The Sox are hoping he can improve on a .235 average, 9 HR and 36 RBIs.

Softball: No. 24 Baylor edges UTSA, 2-1

UTSA starting pitcher Jamie Gilbert. Baylor beat UTSA 2-1 in non-conference softball on Tuesday, April 9, 2024, at Roadrunner Field. - Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA starting pitcher Jamie Gilbert went the distance on Tuesday afternoon at home against the Baylor Bears. No. 24 Baylor emerged with a 2-1 victory. – Photo by Joe Alexander

With some UTSA fans donning “Beat the Bears” T-shirts Tuesday afternoon, the stage was set for a showdown at Roadrunner Field.

The 24th-ranked Bears fell behind early but scored one run in the fifth inning and another in the seventh to down the Roadrunners. Ashlyn Wachtendorf came up big for Baylor with RBI singles in both innings.

Working hard on a 110-pitch performance, Jamie Gilbert starred for UTSA. The senior from La Vernia allowed only five hits and one earned run. Jaylen Prichard went three for four at the plate for the Roadrunners.

Prichard, a junior from Liberty, Tex., helped UTSA score its only run of the game in the bottom of the third.

With one on and one out, she singled to left to put runners at first and second. Taylor Jensen then reached on an error, allowing Madi Hays to score from second base.

Records

Baylor 22-14
UTSA 12-30

Coming up

Charlotte will play at UTSA in an American Athletic Conference series, Friday at 6 p.m. and then Saturday and Sunday, both at 1 p.m.

UTSA right fielder Caton Letbetter. Baylor beat UTSA 2-1 in non-conference softball on Tuesday, April 9, 2024, at Roadrunner Field. - Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA right fielder Caton Letbetter tracks down a fly ball against the Baylor Bears. – Photo by Joe Alexander .

Austin Claunch delivers a strike in his first pitch at UTSA

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

On his first pitch at UTSA, new men’s basketball Austin Claunch threw a strike.

It came on a hot and muggy Tuesday afternoon in a ceremonial sequence just before the Baylor Bears played the Roadrunners in softball. The 34-year-old Claunch toed the circle and threw under-handed, just as they do in the women’s fast pitch game. His left-handed offering was true, and it appeared to be in the zone on the inside corner.

New UTSA men's basketball coach Austin Claunch was at the Roadrunners softball game on Tuesday, April 9, 2024, at Roadrunner Field to throw out the first pitch. - Photo by Joe Alexander

New UTSA men’s basketball coach Austin Claunch completed his duties as an assistant coach at the University of Alabama on Saturday when the Crimson Tide lost in the Final Four to the eventual champion Connecticut Huskies. – Photo by Joe Alexander

Claunch, who grew up in Houston, is in town fresh off a trip to the NCAA Final Four.

He worked for the past season as an assistant coach in the resurgent basketball program at the University of Alabama. The Crimson Tide, under head coach Nate Oats, marched all the way to the Final Four in Glendale, Ariz., where they lost in the NCAA semifinals Saturday to the UConn Huskies.

The Huskies beat the Tide 86-72 and then polished off the Purdue Boilermakers in Monday night’s NCAA title game.

At the end of UTSA’s season in March, the university elected not to renew Steve Henson’s contract, setting the stage for a new head coach to come in and take charge.

Four days after the Roadrunners were eliminated in the first round of the American Athletic Conference tournament, the university announced on March 17 that it had hired Claunch.

As one of the youngest Division I coaches in the nation, Claunch led the Nicholls State (La.) Colonels to 90 victories in five seasons and a couple of Southland Conference regular-season titles.

Claunch is expected to meet the media Thursday afternoon.

New UTSA men's basketball coach Austin Claunch was at the Roadrunners softball game on Tuesday, April 9, 2024, at Roadrunner Field to throw out the first pitch. - Photo by Joe Alexander

New UTSA men’s basketball coach Austin Claunch showed his stuff Tuesday afternoon by throwing out the first pitch. And, yes, he is a lefthander. – Photo by Joe Alexander