Wang, the veteran on the comeback trail, and 26-year-old southpaw Cervenka are the first two players to be on an active major league roster this season for the first time after seeing some action in Independent Baseball.
What may be most impressive it that it was only last season when they were in the Atlantic League, Wang at Southern Maryland (Waldorf) and Cervenka with Sugar Land, TX. In all, four of last season’s Atlantic Leaguers have now gotten to the majors, including current Oakland starter Rich Hill (Long Island, NY) and last September’s Tim Stauffer (Sugar Land) with the New York Mets.
Cervenka, called up by the Braves Monday for his first trip to the majors, is the 212th player to be active on a major league roster after playing in an Indy league since the non-affiliated leagues first played 23 years ago. Forty-two of those players started their pro career in an Independent circuit including six who are active today.
Cervenka gives the Indy leagues 16 active major leaguers today, with three more on the disabled list of big-league teams. The list with the team and the Independent affiliations in parenthesis:
Pitchers (12 + 3 on DL)
- Craig Breslow, Miami (New Jersey, Northeast League)
- Hunter Cervenka, Atlanta (Sugar Land, Atlantic League)
- Jon Edwards (DL), San Diego (San Angelo, North American League, and Alpine, Pecos League)
- Rich Hill, Oakland (Long Island, Atlantic)
- Luke Hochevar, Kansas City (Fort Worth, American Association)
- Scott Kazmir, Los Angeles-NL (Sugar Land)
- Logan Kensing, Detroit (Bridgeport, Atlantic)
- Vidal Nuno, Seattle (Washington, Frontier League)
- Tanner Roark, Washington (Southern Illinois, Frontier)
- Tanner Scheppers (DL), Texas (St. Paul, American Association)
- Max Scherzer, Washington (Fort Worth)
- Bo Schultz (DL), Toronto (Grand Prairie, American Association)
- Chien-Ming Wang, Kansas City (Southern Maryland, Atlantic)
- Tom Wilhelmsen, Texas (Tucson, Golden League)
- Brad Ziegler, Arizona (Schaumburg, Northern League).
Position players (4)
- Chris Colabello, Toronto (Worcester and Nashua, Can-Am League)
- Stephen Drew, Washington (Camden, Atlantic)
- Daniel Nava, Los Angeles-AL (Chico, Golden)
- David Peralta, Arizona (Amarillo and Wichita, American Association and Rio Grande Valley, North American)
NOTE: A complete list of the 212 players who have been on a major league roster after playing Independent Baseball is available for private use for $19.95 from http://www.IndyBaseballChatter.com.
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