It is always nice to see the Independent leagues getting more players to the major leagues.
Sixteen onetime Indy players were active rosters on Opening Day last season with three more on disabled lists. That number climbed to 20 in 2017, and still stands at that count with two players added recently although the DL list has grown to four and one health-challenged player recently was outrighted to Triple-A.
A record 45 players with Independent experience were in the majors at some time last season.
The roster at the start of this week including both the major league and Independent affiliations:
Pitchers (14 + 3 on DL)--Tim
Adleman, Cincinnati (New Jersey, Can-Am League, and Lincoln and El Paso,
American Association); Craig Breslow, Minnesota (New Jersey, Northeast League);
Luis Garcia, Philadelphia (Newark, Can-Am); #Junior Guerra, Milwaukee (Wichita, American
Association); Rich Hill, Los Angeles-NL (Long Island, Atlantic League); #Scott
Kazmir, Los Angeles-NL (Sugar Land, Atlantic); Brandon Kintzler, Minnesota (St.
Paul, American Association, and Winnipeg, Northern League); Vidal Nuno,
Baltimore (Washington, Frontier League); *James Paxton, Seattle (Grand Prairie,
American Association); *Tanner Roark, Washington (Southern Illinois, Frontier);
Chaz Roe, Atlanta (Laredo, American Association); *Max Scherzer, Washington
(Fort Worth, American Association); #Bo
Schultz, Toronto (Grand Prairie); *Robby Scott, Boston (Yuma, North American
League); Josh Smoker, New York-NL (Rockford, Frontier); Tom Wilhelmsen, Arizona
(Tucson, Golden League); Brad Ziegler, Miami (Schaumburg, Northern).
Position Players (6+1 on DL)--OF-1B-Stephen
Cardullo, Colorado (Rockland, Can-Am); #INF-Stephen Drew, Washington (Camden,
Atlantic); OF-Chris Marrero, San Francisco (Somerset,
Atlantic); OF-Jose Martinez, St. Louis (Rockford); OF-1B*-Daniel Nava,
Philadelphia (Chico, Golden); OF-David Peralta, Arizona (Amarillo and Wichita,
American Association, and Rio Grande Valley, North American); C-Rene Rivera,
New York-NL (Camden).
*First professional game was in an Independent
League
#Is on disabled list
Notes: Adleman
and Garcia have been added since Opening Day.
Breslow, Cardullo, Marrero, Nava and Wilhelmsen were non-roster invitees
when spring training started. Tanner
Scheppers, Texas (St. Paul, American Association) was on the disabled list when
the season started but has been sent outright to Triple-A.
Get the independent minor league baseball trivia question of the day by clicking this link: Independent Minor League Baseball Trivia Questions