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Mariners manager on Bryce Miller: ‘Calm, cool as any young player I’ve ever seen’

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Bryce Miller’s performance for the Seattle Mariners late Tuesday night at the Oakland Coliseum reverberated all the way back to his Texas home, where he made at least one evening television sportscast in San Antonio on Wednesday night and generated stories on more than a few local websites.

In his major league debut, the 24-year-old New Braunfels High School alumnus took a perfect game against the A’s into the sixth inning. He finished with only one run allowed on two hits in six innings. Perhaps more eye opening, the 24-year-old righthander struck out 10 and walked none.

Yes, he did it against the A’s, the team with the worst record in baseball. But his stuff was so good, it raised eyebrows in the Mariners organization, with manager Scott Servais calling it “an unbelievable performance” in postgame comments aired on Roots Sports.

“Calm, cool as any young player I’ve ever seen, for any young player getting to start his first major league game,” Servais said. “That’s kind of what we saw in spring training. But you never really know when the lights come on, and it was the same guy.

“He got in an awesome rhythm, a groove, with his secondary pitches. Obviously, the fastball’s got all kinds of life on it, and the swing and miss that that can bring from other lineups. You can’t ask for much more. That was some kind of shot in the arm.”

When the game started, it was sort of a curiosity, with A’s rookie Mason Miller going against a kid from Texas named Bryce Miller (no relation). When it reached the sixth inning, both pitchers were still in the game and both had no hitters going.

In the bottom of the sixth, with Bryce on the mound, the A’s came to life with Tony Kemp delivering a one-out single. Eventually, former San Antonio Missions star Esteury Ruiz doubled to drive in Kemp with the game’s first run.

By the top of the seventh, the A’s had a 1-0 lead, with Mason Miller still on the mound, throwing well and retiring the Mariners 1-2-3. For the A’s rookie, that was it. He was done, and the game would be turned over to the A’s bullpen. The Mariners took advantage of the situation, scored twice late and won the game, 2-1.

In the aftermath, historians and data specialists determined that Miller had become the only pitcher in Mariners history to strike out 10 batters in his debut. He joined Stephen Strasburg and Johnny Cueto as the only pitchers in AL/NL history to post 10 plus strikeouts and no walks in his first game.

Bryce Miller was still beaming about it all in his first Mariners’ post-game news conference. “I’ve been dreaming about it since I was little,” he said in remarks published by mlb.com. “I’ll definitely take the results from today.”

Earlier in the afternoon on Tuesday, New Braunfels coach Robert Alford talked about the pride he feels in what his former player has accomplished in simply reaching the big leagues. Alford coached him for three years on varsity through 2017 on a team that also included Baltimore Orioles’ prospect Jordan Westburg.

“It’s just a really, really cool deal,” Alford said of Miller’s promotion to the majors.

Alford said Miller had “a ton of upside” coming out of New Braunfels and elected to play one year in 2018 at Blinn Junior College. From there, he signed with Texas A&M of the Southeastern Conference and continued to progress.

At A&M, he faced a serious challenge when his second season with the Aggies in March of 2020 was cut short by the coronavirus pandemic. Undeterred, Miller didn’t flinch. By June, he joined the Brazos Valley Bombers in the Texas Collegiate League and continued to work on his craft.

Alford applauded Miller and all the ball players around the state who pursued their goals during a time of uncertainty.

“Like you said, it was just a lot of people trying to chase their dream,” Alford said. “There was so much fear of the unknown and what was happening with Covid … but (there was a sense that) ‘I still need to get out there and do what I’m supposed to do.’

“I saw it all across the summer, because I’ve got two boys myself, and we were driving all over Texas and watching them play. You see all those kids out there, just trying to have some sense of normalcy. It was pretty impressive.”

Missions president Burl Yarbrough ran the Flying Chanclas de San Antonio in the TCL out of Wolff Stadium in both 2020 and 2021. In 2020, the TCL was the only baseball show in town after the minor league season was canceled.

Three years ago, Miller and the Bombers were the opposition to Yarbrough and the Chanclas. But upon learning Tuesday morning that Miller had made the major leagues, he acknowledged that it “was really cool” to have someone from the 2020 TCL break through to the highest level of baseball.

Recalling what it was like to meet specific health and safety protocols on a nightly basis that summer, Yarbrough reflected on what it all meant to him.

“None of us had ever been through anything like that,” he said. “You take those kids that had their season taken away from them at the college level, and we had lost our (entire) season at Triple-A that summer. We were just looking for something to put together and have an opportunity for kids to play. It’s something that I’m very proud of, that we were able to get all that done.

“Because, man, it would have been a long, long year without baseball.”

Bryce Miller from New Braunfels and Texas A&M started on the mound for the Brazos Valley Bombers and pitched three scoreless innings against the Flying Chanclas on Tuesday at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander

Three years ago, former New Braunfels High School standout Bryce Miller pitched for the Brazos Valley Bombers in the Texas Collegiate League. Today, he is coming off a historic first start in the big leagues with the Seattle Mariners . – File photo by Joe Alexander

Research points to nine African Americans from the state of Texas in Major League Baseball

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

As Major League Baseball celebrates Jackie Robinson Day, some in the state of Texas are wondering about the current state of affairs with the national pastime.

What exactly is the issue?

Trent Grisham played for the San Antonio Missions for part of the 2019 season before being called up by the Milwaukee Brewers. - photo by Joe Alexander

Online data indicates that San Diego Padres outfielder Trent Grisham (above) is one of only nine athletes from Texas high schools or colleges in Major League Baseball. – File photo by Joe Alexander

Well, it is likely that only nine African-Americans with roots in Texas high school and college baseball have played in major league games through the first few weeks of this season, according to biographical data and photographs of the athletes available online.

Based on research conducted over the past month by The JB Replay, a total of 68 athletes from high schools or colleges in the state have either played in a game or have been on an active MLB roster since the season opened on March 30.

Within those 68 biographies posted online, photos of only nine African Americans were found.

San Antonio’s Fred Battles, the father of Tampa Bay Rays prospect Jalen Battles, expressed dismay with the findings in the report. Though he has long suspected that few African Americans from Texas have been making major-league rosters lately, the statistics unveiled this week surprised him.

“It’s shocking,” said Battles, a former basketball player at Judson High School, whose son Jalen attended Madison. “It’s bad. There has to be a way we can figure this out.”

Major League Baseball fields 30 teams. Each team has 26 spots on active rosters through the end of August. So, in essence, there are 780 jobs available in MLB at the moment, not counting players on the injured list.

Here are the names of MLB’s active African-American players with roots in Texas high schools or colleges, according to the The JB Replay’s analysis:

* Josh Bell, Cleveland Guardians designated hitter from Dallas Jesuit Prep

* Trent Grisham, San Diego Padres outfielder from Richland.

* Darik Hall, Philadelphia Phillies first baseman from Dallas Baptist University

* Ke’Bryan Hayes, Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman from Tomball Concordia Lutheran

* Taylor Hearn, Texas Rangers pitcher from Royse City

* Jordan Hicks, St. Louis Cardinals pitcher from Cypress Creek

* Corey Julks, Houston Astros outfielder from Friendswood

* Gregory Stone Garrett, Washington Nationals outfielder from Richmond George Ranch

* Canaan Smith-Njigba, Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder from Rockwall-Heath.

In a story published Friday, USA Today found that only 6.1% of MLB players on this year’s opening-day rosters are black, 58 of the 945 players on the active, injured and restricted lists, the smallest percentage since 1955.

It’s hard to say if the numbers of African-Americans ball players from Texas have decreased, as well. But it is surprising that a sports-crazy state with vibrant population centers in Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, Austin and San Antonio has fewer than 10 black athletes in all of the major leagues.

Battles tied both social and financial issues to the popularity of youth baseball among black kids in Texas.

“My initial reaction is, when (Texas athletes) are younger, we don’t have anyone pushing baseball,” Battles said. “In the other sports it’s so much easier, financial-wise. It’s easier to go out and find a basketball and find a basketball court. Or, to find a football field. A little football costs $15.

“In baseball, a bat is $300. A glove is $200. To play, you have to find a field, and it’s hard to find a baseball field to play. Especially in the inner city. You’re not going to find one worth playing on.”

Houston-based minister Ray Mackey III, whose great uncle was Negro Leagues star Biz Mackey, said MLB can do more to promote the game to African-American youth.

“It’s a work in progress, if I may frame it that way,” Mackey said. “MLB is still not at a level of doing all that could be done to help cultivate African Americans into the sport. I’m not talking necessarily into (the majors) but just into the sport itself.”

Robinson emerged as the first black athlete to play in MLB since the late 1800s when he took the field for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. Throughout his career, Robinson distinguished himself not only with his talent and exciting play, but also with the restraint he showed in the face of racial prejudice. He hit .311 for his career.

Biz Mackey, from Luling, played for a short time with the San Antonio Black Aces in the early 1900s and then moved on to a long career in the major leagues of black baseball as both a player and manager.

Along with Josh Gibson and Roy Campanella, Mackey is regarded as one of the greatest catchers in Negro Leagues history. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown in 2006.

Missions’ Hall of Fame owners make a splash with the fans on opening night at Wolff Stadium

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Pregame ceremonies for the San Antonio Missions' home opener at Wolff Stadium on Tuesday, April 11, 2023. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Former Spurs guard Manu Ginobili acknowledges the crowd Tuesday at the home opener for the San Antonio Missions. Ginobili is a partner in the Missions’ new ownership group. – Photo by Joe Alexander

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

The San Antonio Missions’ home opener on Tuesday night had a little something extra. It had style. It had thundering fighter jets flying low over a packed grandstand at Wolff Stadium.

It had all of that, plus an unmistakable Hall of Fame feel.

In pre-game festivities, the newly-sodded infield was populated by the likes of baseball great Nolan Ryan and Spurs basketball superstars David Robinson and Manu Ginobili, all three of them part of the franchise’s new ownership group.

Pregame ceremonies for the San Antonio Missions' home opener at Wolff Stadium on Tuesday, April 11, 2023. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan, baseball’s all-time strikeout king, signs autographs for Missions fans at Wolff Stadium Tuesday night. Ryan is in the franchise’s new ownership group. – Photo by Joe Alexander

Mayor Ron Nirenberg, participating in the ceremonial first pitch, uncorked a throw that sailed high and a little inside. Hey, no problem. Robinson stretched out his 7-foot-1 frame to make the grab as the crowd cheered.

Later, just after the home team took the field, Ginobili stood adjacent to the visitors’ dugout wearing his Missions jersey.

“I’m very excited to be here with my family, for our first game,” Ginobili told the crowd on a cordless microphone. “I hope you have a great time. But now, it’s time to play ball!”

And play they did.

With the Frisco RoughRiders in town for a six-game series, the Missions won 4-0 in front of 6,811 fans and kicked off a new era of great expectations for a franchise that dates back to 1888.

The autograph lines for Ryan, Robinson and Ginobili may have been longer than the beer lines, and in San Antonio, on opening night, that’s saying something.

“We’re proud to be here,” said Ryan, baseball’s all-time strikeout leader. “It’s exciting to start the season. I think the Missions are going to have a good team, so it should be an exciting year.”

Ryan is one of the principals in Ryan Sanders Baseball. The group’s other lynchpins are Reid Ryan, the son of the former Houston Astros and Texas Rangers great, and also Don Sanders.

Luke Montz San Antonio Missions manager March 31, 2023 at Wolff Stadium

The Missions downed the Frisco RoughRiders 4-0 for first-year manager Luke Montz. – File photo by Joe Alexander

In the offseason, Ryan-Sanders formed a partnership with a few principals in San Antonio real estate firm Weston Urban and various other major players to buy the Missions from California-based Elmore Sports Group.

Elmore had held the rights to the Missions from 1988 through 2022 before agreeing to sell for a reported $28 million.

The interest from Ryan-Sanders stemmed from the group’s promotion of a series of preseason major league baseball games known as “The Big League Weekend,” which drew large crowds in downtown San Antonio at the Alamodome.

“We’ve played exhibition games here. We knew … how many baseball fans there were here in San Antonio,” Ryan said. “We just thought it was a good opportunity.”

Ryan acknowledged the strength of the group, which is fronted by three of the biggest names in Texas sports history — his own name, Robinson and Ginobili.

“It’s interesting that the ownership is made up of so many outstanding individuals,” he said. “There are so many local people here that are supportive of baseball in San Antonio. We were thrilled with that.”

Ever since the news broke about the potential for a sale, the possibility of a new stadium being built in the city has been a part of the discussion.

Asked about the short- and long-term vision for Ryan Sanders baseball in San Antonio, Ryan touched on the stadium topic.

“Well, I would say, is there going to be a new stadium built?” he asked. “There may be an opportunity for that. It’s hard to say. But I think it’s going to be a long-term investment. We’ll be involved in baseball here in San Antonio for quite awhile.”

According to the team’s official website, the franchise’s board of directors consists of five individuals, including Hope Andrade, Bob Cohen, Bruce Hill, Reid Ryan and Randy Smith.

Evan Mendoza, who homered in the second inning, congratulates Tirso Ornelas after Ornelas homered in the third. The San Antonio Missions beat the Frisco RoughRiders 4-0 on Tuesday, April 11, 2023, at Wolff Stadium in the Missions' home opener. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Tirso Ornelas (left) is congratulated by Evan Mendoza after Ornelas hit one out of the park in the third inning. Mendoza had homered in the second. – Photo by Joe Alexander

Among the investors are Ryan Sanders Baseball; Graham Weston, the founder of Weston Urban; former San Antonio mayor Henry Cisneros and his wife, Mary Alice; and Peter J. Holt, the chairman of Spurs Sports and Entertainment. Also, on the list are David Robinson and family and Many and Manu Ginobili.

Weston Urban, according to the firm’s website, began in 2012 “as an effort to attract and retain San Antonio’s new generation of talent by reviving the city’s center.

“With primary services in development, leasing, and lending,” the company’s website says, “Weston Urban has helped to create and define the San Antonio skyline through both thoughtful historic redevelopment and strategic ground-up construction.

“Our firm builds with a purpose – to cultivate human connection through a vibrant urban core where pedestrian-friendly business, recreation, public spaces, art and culture attract the talent of today and tomorrow.”

The Missions have attracted some notable talent in their past, as well. Players who have played in San Antonio include Brooks Robinson, Billy Williams, Joe Morgan and Dennis Eckersley.

Dodgers-era stars populated the teams in the 1970s, ’80s and ’90s, including Fernando Valenzuela, Orel Hershiser, Pedro Martinez, Mike Piazza and Adrian Beltre.

Trea Turner and Fernando Tatis, Jr., lead the list of current big leaguers who were members of the San Diego Padres’ organization while playing in the minors in San Antonio for the Missions.

“This team matters to a lot of folks in San Antonio,” Reid Ryan said. “It’s generations, going back to 1888. It’s one of the oldest franchises in the industry. So we want to see great things happening, now that it’s owned by local people in Texas, and I think you’re going to see that.”

The Missions lived up to the hype from the opening ceremonies by registering a shutout and hitting a couple of home runs. Nolan Watson started and pitched three innings of one-hit ball. Seth Mayberry (1-0) pitched the fourth to earn the victory. Four other pitchers closed the door on the RoughRiders, who were limited to three hits.

Solo homers came off the bats of Evan Mendoza and Tirso Ornelas.

“It’s exciting,” first-year manager Luke Montz said. “It’s always good to get a win. With everything going on around here, the new ownership, the excitement of the crowd, just coming home playing after a three-game series on the road. All the hard work you put in. Everyone’s amped up to get to this point. It’s good to get a win and move on to the next one.”

You had to grow up fast to write about the boys of summer at V.J. Keefe

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Here we are at Wolff Stadium, and the boys of summer are on the field for warmups.

We have sunshine, patchy cloud cover and 77 degrees. The Texas League home opener for the Missions is only a few hours away, and I’m blogging from the press box, trying to sort out what it all means.

We’ll talk in due course about what it means for the players, the coaches and the Missions’ new ownership group. For now, I’m going to tell you why opening day with this ball club is always special for me.

Back in the 1978, the team played at St. Mary’s University, at V.J. Keefe Field. I was in my first summer in a new job at the old San Antonio Light newspaper.

Just a little more than 10 months out of college, working in the press box at V.J. Keefe proved to be both exhilarating and exasperating.

Time spent watching the likes of Dave Stewart throw fastballs past opposing hitters was always balanced against the hair-pulling nature the profession.

In journalism school at San Antonio College and the University of Texas, I always faced deadlines and the pressures associated with writing something that was accurate and mildly entertaining, and then submitting it on time to editors at the school paper.

But in my first summer at V.J. Keefe, it was different. It was intense. I do believe, if memory serves, that reporters for The Light and the Express-News at the time would cover the game, total up the box score and then drive downtown to write a quick story at the office.

If the game ran long, the pressure was on. In those days, you’d either motor the car a little faster than the speed limit would allow on bumpy Culebra Avenue, hoping for green lights along the way.

Or, from a phone in the press box, you’d dictate your box score and your story to an editor back at the office

Just thinking about it now sort of makes my head hurt. At the same time, I really only have favorable and fond memories of covering the San Antonio Dodgers and, later, the Missions, at V.J. Keefe.

Getting to know all the people was the best. It really was one of the highlights of my career. In the clubhouse, I met Stewart, Fernando Valenzuela, Orel Hershiser, John Wetteland and Ramon and Pedro Martinez. Also, Eric Karros and Mike Piazza.

In the press box, though, I met some folks who would turn out to be some of my best friends.

Guys like the late Tim Griffin, Harry Page, Clifford Broyles and Jim Hutton. As for a young lady named Elaine Noll, I didn’t know her well, but I always had immense respect for her as one of the first female sports writers in San Antonio.

Eventually, through the 1980s and into the early 1990s, we all were blessed with the advancement of technology.

All of us, at both newspapers, eventually were given laptop computers to use on night assignments. The Teleram. The Radio Shack laptop. Whatever. They all made our lives so much easier on a nightly basis.

Anyway, that’s my first thought today. Better go grab a couple of rosters and get ready for the new season.

Westburg slams the 44th home run of his minor league career

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Weekend highlights

Baltimore Orioles’ prospect Jordan Westburg hit his second home run of the season for the Triple-A Norfolk Tides on Sunday afternoon.

The former standout at New Braunfels High School and Mississippi State has clubbed 44 homers in his three-year career in the minor leagues. Westburg homered 27 times last season as he split time between Double-A and Triple-A in the Orioles’ system.

In addition, Minnesota Twins prospect Dalton Shuffield also had a good weekend, picking up two hits and two RBIs for the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels. Shuffield, who played primarily at shortstop at Johnson High School and Texas State, has played outfield and some infield so far this season.

Here’s an updated list of San Antonio-area players in minor league baseball:

Douglas Hodo III: Started his second season in the minors playing outfield for the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds, an affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. Hodo split time between rookie and Single-A ball in the Orioles’ system last year. The Orioles selected Hodo on the sixth round of the 2022 draft out of the University of Texas. He played at Boerne High School.

Tristan Stivors: Named to the opening-day roster of the High-A Winston-Salem Dash, an affiliate of the Chicago White Sox. The 24-year-old righthander pitched four games last season, split between the White Sox’ Rookie and Single A levels. The Sox selected him on the 16th round of the 2022 draft after a season at Texas State University in which he led the Bobcats to the NCAA tournament and was named first-team All American as a closer. Stivors played in the San Antonio area at Medina Valley High School.

Forrest Whitley: Opened his eighth year in the minors last week at Triple-A Sugar Land, an Astros affiliate, by pitching out of the bullpen. The 6-7 righthander retired the first 10 batters he faced and ultimately gave up one run on four hits to earn the victory against Round Rock. Whitley, a former Astros top prospect, has had multiple setbacks in his career, including a 2021 Tommy John elbow surgery. The 17th overall choice by the Astros in the 2016 draft is 10-17 with a 4.97 earned run average.

Asa Lacy: Started the season on the 7-day injured list at Double-A Northwest Arkansas, a Kansas City Royals affiliate. Lacy is 4-7 with a 7.09 ERA in two minor league seasons. The Royals selected Lacy with the fourth overall pick in the 2020 draft out of Texas A&M University. He pitched previously at Kerrville Tivy High School.

James McArthur: Opened as a starting pitcher at Triple-A Lehigh Valley, an affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. The 6-foot-7, 26-year-old righthander is starting his fifth season in the minors. He is 9-20 with a 4.31 earned run average. McArthur was selected in in the 2018 draft on the 12th round by the Phillies out of Ole Miss. Played in high school at New Braunfels.

Justin Lange: Assigned to the Tampa Tarpons, a Class A affiliate of the New York Yankees. Lange is a 21-year-old right-handed pitcher. He is 3-4 with a 6.63 earned run average over two previous seasons in the minors. Traded from the San Diego Padres organization to the Yankees in March 2022. Lange was drafted 34th overall by the Padres out of Llano High School in 2020. Native of Fredericksburg.

Nick Fraze: Started the season with the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats, an affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. Fraze, a 25-year-old, right-handed pitcher, picked up his first victory of the season in two innings of relief. He is 8-8 with a 3.44 earned run average as a professional. Drafted in the 22nd round in 2019 by the Blue Jays out of Texas State University in San Marcos. Played at Hebron High School.

Bryan Arias: Has played two games at Triple-A Sugar Land. Arias is in his fifth year and fourth season in the minors. He toiled last season for Double-A Corpus Christi, playing in 92 games and batting .220. He played at San Antonio’s Marshall High School and in college for the UTSA Roadrunners. Drafted in the 28th round in 2019 out of UTSA.

David Hamilton: Made his 2023 debut at shortstop with the Triple-A Worcester Red Sox. Known for his speed, Hamilton has stolen 124 bases in two seasons in the minors. He was traded in December 2021 from the Milwaukee Brewers to the Boston Red Sox organization. Hamilton was drafted out of the University of Texas in 2019. He went in the eighth round to the Brewers. Hamilton played at San Marcos High School.

Jordan Westburg: Opened the year with the Triple-A Norfolk Tides, an affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. The 24-year-old infielder, entering his fourth year in the minors, is a career .273 hitter, with 44 home runs and 192 RBIs. He was drafted 30th overall by the Orioles in 2020 out of Mississippi State University. He previously played for New Braunfels High School.

Jace Jung: Started the season with the High-A West Michigan Whitecaps. Jung was a 2022 first-round draft pick of the Detroit Tigers out of Texas Tech University. The younger brother of Texas Rangers third baseman Josh Jung played in high school at MacArthur High School.

Dalton Shuffield: Homered in his season debut Thursday for the Single-A Fort Myers Mighty Mussels. Shuffield is in his second year in the minor leagues with the Minnesota Twins organization. Shuffield hit .271 across three levels last year, which included 14 games at Triple-A St. Paul. Drafted in 2022 by the Twins on the 10th round out of Texas State University. He previously played at Johnson High School in San Antonio.

Jalen Battles: Named to start at shortstop Friday for the Charleston River Dogs. Battles played five games at the rookie league level last year and is starting this season at Single-A in Charleston, the home of the Tampa Bay Rays affiliate. He made a name for himself as a shortstop at the University of Arkansas, an NCAA Division I powerhouse. Drafted by the Rays in the fifth round in 2022. Previously played in San Antonio at Madison High School.

Hudson Head: Started in center field at High A Greensboro, N.C., with the Greensboro Grasshoppers, an affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. The 22-year-old outfielder from Churchill is starting his fourth season in the minors. He hit 15 home runs at Single A Bradenton in 2021 and another 10 at Greensboro last season. Selected in the third round of the 2019 draft by the San Diego Padres. Traded to the Pirates, in January of 2021.

Forrest Whitley shines in season debut at Triple-A Sugar Land

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Could this be the year for Forrest Whitley to reach the major leagues with the Houston Astros?

Whitley, from Alamo Heights High School, is off to a good start.

Pitching for the Triple-A Sugar Land Space Cowboys on Thursday, the 25-year-old righthander made his season debut out of the bullpen and retired the first 10 batters he faced, striking out two.

Whitley (1-0) was credited with the win in Sugar Land’s 5-2 victory over Round Rock. The 6-7 righthander worked four innings and allowed one run on four hits. He struck out four and walked one.

He was drafted in 2016 by the Astros out of Alamo Heights. The Astros selected him in the first round with the 17th overall pick.

Through seven years in the minors, he has battled through injuries and assorted adversities to a 10-17 record a 4.97 ERA.

With the minor-league baseball season underway, here’s a look at some of the other notable players from the San Antonio and South Texas area:

Tristan Stivors: Named to the opening-day roster of the High-A Winston-Salem Dash, an affiliate of the Chicago White Sox. The 24-year-old righthander pitched four games last season, split between the White Sox’ Rookie and Single A levels. The Sox selected him on the 16th round of the 2022 draft after a season at Texas State University in which he led the Bobcats to the NCAA tournament and was named first-team All American as a closer. Stivors played in the San Antonio area at Medina Valley High School.

Asa Lacy: Started the season on the 7-day injured list at Double-A Northwest Arkansas, a Kansas City Royals affiliate. Lacy is 4-7 with a 7.09 ERA in two minor league seasons. The Royals selected Lacy with the fourth overall pick in the 2020 draft out of Texas A&M University. He pitched previously at Kerrville Tivy High School.

James McArthur: Opened as a starting pitcher at Triple-A Lehigh Valley, an affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. The 6-foot-7, 26-year-old righthander is starting his fifth season in the minors. He is 9-20 with a 4.31 earned run average. McArthur was selected in in the 2018 draft on the 12th round by the Phillies out of Ole Miss. Played in high school at New Braunfels.

Justin Lange: Assigned to the Tampa Tarpons, a Class A affiliate of the New York Yankees. Lange is a 21-year-old right-handed pitcher. He is 3-4 with a 6.63 earned run average over two previous seasons in the minors. Traded from the San Diego Padres organization to the Yankees in March 2022. Lange was drafted 34th overall by the Padres out of Llano High School in 2020. Native of Fredericksburg.

Nick Fraze: Started the season with the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats, an affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. Fraze, a 25-year-old, right-handed pitcher, picked up his first victory of the season in two innings of relief. He is 8-8 with a 3.44 earned run average as a professional. Drafted in the 22nd round in 2019 by the Blue Jays out of Texas State University in San Marcos. Played at Hebron High School.

Bryan Arias: Has played two games at Triple-A Sugar Land. Arias is in his fifth year and fourth season in the minors. He toiled last season for Double-A Corpus Christi, playing in 92 games and batting .220. He played at San Antonio’s Marshall High School and in college for the UTSA Roadrunners. Drafted in the 28th round in 2019 out of UTSA.

David Hamilton: Made his 2023 debut at shortstop with the Triple-A Worcester Red Sox. Known for his speed, Hamilton has stolen 124 bases in two seasons in the minors. He was traded in December 2021 from the Milwaukee Brewers to the Boston Red Sox organization. Hamilton was drafted out of the University of Texas in 2019. He went in the eighth round to the Brewers. Hamilton played at San Marcos High School.

Jordan Westburg: Opened the year with the Triple-A Norfolk Tides, an affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. The 24-year-old infielder, entering his fourth year in the minors, is a career .273 hitter, with 43 home runs and 189 RBIs. He was drafted 30th overall by the Orioles in 2020 out of Mississippi State University. He previously played for New Braunfels High School.

Jace Jung: Started the season with the High-A West Michigan Whitecaps. Jung was a 2022 first-round draft pick of the Detroit Tigers out of Texas Tech University. The younger brother of Texas Rangers third baseman Josh Jung played in high school at MacArthur High School.

Dalton Shuffield: Homered in his season debut Thursday for the Single-A Fort Myers Mighty Mussels. Shuffield is in his second year in the minor leagues with the Minnesota Twins organization. Shuffield hit .271 across three levels last year, which included 14 games at Triple-A St. Paul. Drafted in 2022 by the Twins on the 10th round out of Texas State University. He previously played at Johnson High School in San Antonio.

Jalen Battles: Named to start at shortstop Friday for the Charleston River Dogs. Battles played five games at the rookie league level last year and is starting this season at Single-A in Charleston, the home of the Tampa Bay Rays affiliate. He made a name for himself as a shortstop at the University of Arkansas, an NCAA Division I powerhouse. Drafted by the Rays in the fifth round in 2022. Previously played in San Antonio at Madison High School.

Hudson Head: Started in center field at High A Greensboro, N.C., with the Greensboro Grasshoppers, an affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. The 22-year-old outfielder from Churchill is starting his fourth season in the minors. He hit 15 home runs at Single A Bradenton in 2021 and another 10 at Greensboro last season. Selected in the third round of the 2019 draft by the San Diego Padres. Traded to the Pirates, in January of 2021.

Rangers’ acquisition of Robbie Grossman pays dividends on opening day

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

As the new Major League Baseball season dawned on Thursday, I was feeling pretty good about my annual project of identifying players from Texas on opening-day rosters — and then I learned all about Robbie Grossman.

Grossman, drafted into pro baseball in 2008 out of Cy-Fair High School in the Houston area, hit a three-run homer in his Texas Rangers debut.

His blast off Aaron Nola in the fourth inning helped propel the Rangers to an eye-opening, nine-run, fourth-inning.

Ultimately, it was just the sort of push that the Rangers needed to claim an 11-7 victory in the first game of the new season against the Philadelphia Phillies.

As for me, I was like, ‘How could I overlook Robbie Grossman?’

For the past two years, just for kicks, I’ve tried to come up with a list of former Texas high school and college athletes on opening day rosters.

So, earlier this week, I went about the task of taking my research from the past two years and using it to publish an updated list for 2023.

After reading all about Grossman’s heroics in Arlington last night, I looked into his background, and there it was. Though he was born in San Diego, Calif., he moved to Texas and played ball in the Houston area at Cy-Fair High School.

Oh, well.

Better late than never. In the interest of transparency, just wanted to note that Mr. Grossman, in his 11th season in the majors, is now officially on my list.

For the record, he’s played in his 11-year career for the Astros, the Twins, the A’s, the Tigers, the Braves and now, the Rangers.

When the Rangers signed him in the offseason, the plan initially called for the switch-hitting journeyman to platoon in the outfield. He would likely make his starts batting from the right side against left-handed pitchers.

As it turned out, Grossman apparently worked hard in the spring making adjustments in his swing to earn an expanded role.

According to reporting earlier this month by Molly Burkhardt at mlb.com, he worked with Rangers hitting coach Tim Hyers to tone down his leg kick.

The ploy started to work, and by the end of the spring, he had started to hit better and better from the left side against righthanders.

By opening day, Rangers manager Bruce Bochy had seen enough, and he penciled Grossman into the lineup against Phillies ace righthander Aaron Nola.

In his first at bat, he struck out looking. But in his second trip to the plate, he uncorked a swing and made contact on a ball that landed beyond the wall in right center.

As you might expect, long-suffering Rangers fans enjoyed Grossman’s trot around the bases almost as much as the ballplayer himself.

I must say, after looking into Grossman’s background last night, I enjoyed it as well.

Having spent 45-something years covering athletics in this state, I know it’s never a good idea to underestimate anyone who grew up playing Texas high school baseball.

Sometimes, they fly under the radar, and then, wham, you see a three-run homer leaving the yard on opening day.

Texas carries 11-game win streak into series against Texas Tech

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Texas Tech at Texas

Friday: 7 p.m.
Saturday: 2:30 p.m.
Sunday: 2:30 p.m.

Did you know? The 14th-ranked Texas Tech Red Raiders (18-4, 2-1) will travel to face the Texas Longhorns (15-7, 0-0), with the Longhorns riding an 11-game winning streak. Texas hasn’t lost since March 5 at Cal State Fullerton. Tech pitcher Brandon Beckel is serving a four-game suspension for his ejection from Sunday’s series finale against Oklahoma State in Lubbock, according to the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal.

Kansas at TCU

Friday: 6:30 p.m.
Saturday: 2 p.m.
Sunday: 1 p.m.

Did you know? TCU outfielder Luke Boyers from Boerne Champion went two for five and homered against Abilene Christian on Tuesday night and then went two for four and homered against Northwestern on Wednesday. Boyers is batting .228 for the season. TCU (12-9, 1-2) lost two of three at Oklahoma last weekend. Collin Baumgartner starts for Kansas (8-11, 0-0) tonight against TCU’s Ryan Vanderhei.

Baylor at Oklahoma State

Friday: 6 p.m.
Saturday: 1 p.m.
Sunday: 1 p.m.

Did you know? Riding a three-game winning streak, Baylor (9-12, 2-1) will travel to play 20th-ranked Oklahoma State (17-5, 1-2). Baylor won the last two of a home series last week against Kansas State before taking a mid-week victory against Sam Houston State. Hunter Simmons is 10 for 12 at the plate in Baylor’s last three games.

Texas A&M at Tennessee

Friday: 5:30 p.m.
Saturday: 11 a.m.
Sunday: noon

Did you know? The Aggies (15-6, 1-2) rallied with four runs in the eighth inning Sunday to down LSU 8-6 and salvage a 1-2 series at home against the No. 1-ranked team in the nation. The Aggies will take a 2-3 record against ranked teams into Knoxville, against the No. 12 Tennessee Vols (16-6, 0-3). The Vols lost all three of an SEC-opening series at Missouri last week. Coach Tony Vitello was ejected in the first game of Sunday’s doubleheader against the Tigers.

UTSA at Rice

Friday: 3 p.m.
Saturday: 2 p.m.
Sunday: 1 p.m.

Did you know? The Roadrunners (18-4, 3-0 in Conference) lead the conference in batting average (.336) and earned run average (2.72). They had a 10-game winning streak snapped Tuesday night at UT Rio Grande Valley. The Owls (11-10, 3-0) will welcome back members of the 2003 College World Series champions. Rice, coached by Jose Cruz Jr., hit four home runs in an 8-7 loss at Texas A&M Tuesday.

Texas State at Coastal Carolina

Friday: 5 p.m.
Saturday: 1 p.m.
Sunday: 11 a.m.

Did you know? Levi Wells, the projected starter tonight for the Texas State Bobcats, was ranked in the offseason by mlb.com as the 49th best prospect in the 2023 draft. Wells is 4-0 with a 1.14 earned run average. He’s 12-3 with a 2.67 ERA over the past two seasons.

Houston Christian at Incarnate Word

Friday: 6:30 p.m.
Saturday: 2 p.m.
Sunday: 1 p.m.

Did you know? Former major league baseball player Lance Berkman‘s is in his second season as head coach at Houston Christian. Berkman played in high school at New Braunfels Canyon. HCU is struggling at 2-18 going into Southland Conference play.

UT Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros put an end to UTSA’s 10-game winning streak

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

UTSA’s 10-game winning streak came to an end on a windy Tuesday night in Edinburg.

Pitcher J.C. Ariza beat the Roadrunners for the second time in two seasons, throwing five innings to help the UT Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros stop their own five-game losing streak with a 5-3 victory.

Last May, Ariza worked six innings in San Antonio and emerged as the winning pitcher as UTRGV downed UTSA 12-1 at Roadrunner Field.

This time, he came up big again, holding the Roadrunners to five hits and two runs. The 6-foot-5 righthander walked none and struck out four.

With timely hitting, UTRGV scored three times in the second inning off Drake Smith and twice in the fourth against Robbie Maldonado for a 5-0 lead.

UTSA pulled to within 5-2 in the fifth on solo homers by Caleb Hill and Taylor Smith. After that, the UTRGV bullpen stopped the momentum and saved the game for the home team.

In the ninth inning, UTSA put a scare into the home team when Antonio Valdez led off with a solo home run against Sebastian Mejia. Mejia, eventually, would get out of the jam. With a base runner at first, he struck out Garrett Poston for the last out.

UTSA’s winning streak was two shy of the school record. In 1994, the Roadrunners in only their third year as a program won 12 straight under coach Jimmy Shankle.

Records

UTSA 18-4
UTRGV 10-10

Coming up

UTSA at Rice, Friday, 3 p.m.
UTSA at Rice, Saturday, 2 p.m.
UTSA at Rice, Sunday, 1 p.m.

South San brings out its legends in an emotional tribute to coach Cliff Gustafson

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

South San and Central Catholic high school athletes stood dutifully on the base paths at Burrows-Gustafson Stadium as the junior ROTC color guard marched out, the American flag went up and the national anthem played.

Only a few fans were in the stands, but this was no ordinary Tuesday night, non-district baseball game.

More than 20 former ball players who thrilled South San fans in the 1950s and 1960s, men now in their 70s and 80s, were introduced on the stadium’s public address to distinguished visitors — the family of the late Cliff Gustafson.

Later, the school’s mariachi band serenaded everyone with beautiful music, featuring brass, guitar and vocals.

All of it served as a simple but elegant show of respect to Gustafson, the Texas baseball icon who passed away on Jan. 2 at the age of 91.

Several of the coach’s family members attended, and one of them expressed heart-felt gratitude for the gesture extended by the school district.

“This is special because (coaching here) meant so much to him,” said Scott Shepperd, Gustafson’s grandson. “When he wanted to talk about baseball, he wanted to talk about these guys.”

Shepperd made his remarks as he surveyed a field filled with his grandfather’s former high school players.

“For everyone to come out and show up like they did, it was just really special to our family,” he said. “We miss him so much. But this is a really neat thing, to honor him (here).”

Former South San players on hand were a roll call of the greats led by Gustafson, who won seven state championships with the Bobcats:

# Tony Zamora, who played on the coach’s first South San team in 1955. Pitchers Bobby Lara and Robert Zamora, who starred for state title teams in the late 1950s and early ’60s.

# Plus, standouts on the 1967 state champions who went undefeated: among them, Nati Salazar, John Langerhans, Mike Markl, Casey Sanchez, Frank Tondre, Raul Zamora and Lucio Leal.

Under Gustafson, the Bobcats posted a 344-85-5 record in 13 seasons, according to an article penned by veteran sportswriter David Flores for Kens5.com.

They also won district 12 titles, advanced to the Class 3A state tournament nine times and brought home state championships in ’58, ’59, ’61, ’63, ’64, ’66 and ’67. Gustafson’s last team, in ’67, finished 39-0.

Former Baylor University standouut Raul Zamora, the youngest of four Zamora brothers who attended South San, worked to organize the search for former players so they would know about the event. Some were easy to find because they had attended past reunions.

Others, not so much.

“The hard part I had was, I had to start from 1955,” said Raul Zamora, a 1968 South San grad. “I’m glad my brother Tony was on that team, and then (brother) Robert was right in the middle, so I was able to work both ways to see how many of the players we could find.”

Some of the greats of the game in San Antonio were not on social media, so it was a challenge to locate them

“One of the problems with the (1950s-era players) was, they’re in their 80s,” Zamora said. “They don’t do Facebook.They still play checkers. So in their mind they had to go back in their little black books and find who was on the team, and not only a phone number, but where they lived.

“Because, one thing I personally did, I went out looking for some of these guys. The (phone) numbers didn’t work. ‘But he lives over here, off this street.’ So I’d go knocking … and one led to another, to another and another.”

For the most part, Gustafson has been remembered since his passing for his career at the University of Texas, one of the most high-profile jobs in college baseball.

He worked 29 seasons for the Longhorns, and he won 22 Southwest Conference titles, two national titles and coached headline players such as Roger Clemens and Greg Swindell.

Not quite as much emphasis has been placed on the job that kick-started Gustafson’s career. At South San, the Harlandale High School grad was known as a program-builder.

Building on foundations of youth development established by coaches Mel Barborak and Jim Heiser, Gustafson and South San basketball coach Jimmy Littleton worked in tandem to perfect the system, one former player said.

“When I was coaching (basketball) at Lee (High School), I used the phrase — and I’m sure I heard it here — ‘If ya’ll don’t do it right, we’ll be here ’til dark-thirty,’ ” 1962 South San grad Newton Grimes said. “Well, that came from my upbringing right here.

“We worked. I mean, we out-worked people.

“Yes, the coaching had a lot to do (with the success on the field), but it takes a lot of good things going on (at the same time). You had a program started, (and) they came in and took over. And they took it to the limit.”

At the high school level, many elements enter into the picture of championship programs. A disciplined approach is one. But compassion also plays a part in it. For instance, during the 1966 playoffs, the father of the team’s star pitcher passed away.

Nati Salazar was crushed.

The personal loss to his family was devastating. Add in the financial issues, and it didn’t bode well for the Bobcats. Salazar decided he wanted to pitch anyway, to honor his father, who worked as a bricklayer.

With Salazar on the mound for key games down the stretch, the Bobcats won the sixth of their seven championships,

“Gus gave me a ball (signed by all the players), and they dedicated the game to my dad,” the 1967 South San grad said, his voice cracking with emotion. “He signed, in memory of my dad. I still have it.”

Lucio Leal, a 1968 graduate, said the keys to Gustafson’s title teams in 1966 and 1967 were outstanding talent and “a really tight” group of players who played together from an early age.

He said he thinks he was about 10-years-old when he first got to know the coach.

“My parents had a house across the street from the ballpark,” Leal explained. “So as little kids, we were chasing balls, keeping score, being bat boy. What was really neat was, after we got through chasing balls, or whatever, coach would give us a broken bat or a baseball, something like that.”

From a young age, players were versed in the fundamentals because of offseason games in the neighborhood that were organized through the high school coaching staff.

As the athletes reached high school, the best of them went into American Legion ball. In that regard, Lucio said he and a group of friends went to a tournament in Nashville in the summer of 1965, before their 10th-grade season in high school.

By the time they were upperclassmen, the shared experience of playing together in the modest, blue-collar neighborhood, eating at one another’s homes, taking long bus rides together — paid off.

The ’66 team won its last six games before the ’67 club added 39 more, sending Gustafson off to coach the Longhorns, having won 45 in a row.

“We just had this close-knit team and had been playing for years together,” Leal said. “That’s why we were so dang good. No one could beat us. I didn’t care — (Class) 4A, 3A — we were just unstoppable.”