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.