Perhaps Not Another Mercedes, But Anthony Bender a New Major Leaguer

            While it seems totally safe to say nothing is going to top Yermin Mercedes's amazing production for the Chicago White Sox in terms of contributions from Independent Baseball graduates during the 2021 season, it always will be a Red Letter Day when another name is added for the very first time to an active major league roster.

            Anthony Bender became the 274th Independent player since 1993 (Source: IndyBaseballChatter) to pull on a major league uniform this week.  The right-handed pitcher, whose sinker averaged more than 97 miles per hour during spring training according to Statcast, joined the Miami Marlins.  At the age of 24, Bender pitched two games for Sioux City in the American Association in 2019 after four years in the Kansas City and Milwaukee farm systems, then spent two months last summer with that league's Milwaukee Milkmen (2-1, 5.48 for 22 appearances).

            Twenty-five other players with Independent experience have experienced major league time (or been on injured lists) so far this young season, but Bender is the first to get his initial opportunity at baseball's top level.

            Meanwhile, Mercedes, the catcher-DH who came out of the unheralded Pecos League (Douglas and White Sands) and the onetime United League (San Angelo) and became the American League's Rookie Position Player of the Month for April, saw his imposing season average drop to .386--roughly 150 points above the major league average--when he pinch hit Wednesday afternoon in Chicago's 10-inning, 1-0 loss at Cincinnati.

            Mercedes started the season with hits in his first eight times at bat, a feat the Elias Sports Bureau reported has not been accomplished in the majors since at least 1900.  He made his major league debut with a single at bat last season.

            "I think he was upset when he made the out (ninth at bat),” said White Sox manager Tony La Russa, who has been in the game for 60 years, told MLB.com at the time.  “And it’s clutch. That’s the thing, it’s not just for show. He’s putting us in a great position to win."

            Two other Indy grads who have been called back up to the majors recently are righty James Hoyt (American Association and North American League) by the Los Angeles Angels and infielder Ildemaro Vargas (Atlantic League) by the Chicago Cubs.

Other Moves

            One of the Independent game's best recent finds, hurler Tanner Roark (Southern Illinois, Frontier League), is a free agent after being let go by Toronto.  He has won 10 or more games five times since his major league debut nine years ago, compiling a 76-68, 3.85 record mostly in starting roles for the Blue Jays and three other teams. 

            Former major league pitcher Tim Adleman (Lincoln and El Paso, American Association; New Jersey, Can-Am League; Long Island, Atlantic) came off the free agent roles and is listed in Cincinnati's alternate training site.  Shortstop Peter Mooney, another New Jersey Jackals product, has a new minor league contract from Miami.   

INDEPENDENT BASEBALL CLAIMS 16 SPOTS ON MAJOR LEAGUE ROSTERS; 4 OTHERS INJURED

            Two players with a single game of major league experience are among the 16 onetime Independent Baseball graduates who have opened the regular season with big-league jobs, the annual review by IndyBaseballChatter.com has revealed.  Another four are on the injured list.

            First baseman John Nogowski, who played at Sioux City in the American Association in 2017, hit a robust .333 (11-for-33) with a .477 on-base percentage this spring to land a bench job with St. Louis.  Yermin Mercedes is one of the trio of catchers on the Chicago White Sox 26-man active list after he hit .277 (13-for-51) in spring training.  Mercedes spent all of 2014 in the Pecos (Douglas and White Sands) and United (San Angelo) Leagues for a renewed start on his pro career after three seasons in the Dominican Summer League under the Washington Nationals banner.

            Nogowski went 1-for-4 in his only game with the Cardinals last season while Mercedes got a single at bat (0-for-1) in his initial major league contest.

            Thirteen of the 16 major leaguers are pitchers, and the American Association dominates with 10 players out of its circuit, eight more than from any other league.

            Pitchers (13)--Ross Detwiler, Miami (York, Atlantic League);  *Randy Dobnak, Minnesota (Utica, United Shore League);  Junior Guerra, Los Angeles-AL (Wichita, American Association);  Rich Hill, Tampa Bay  (Long Island, Atlantic);   Brandon Kintzler, Philadelphia (St. Paul, American Association, and Winnipeg, when in the Northern League); *Chris Martin, Atlanta (Grand Prairie, American Association); Tyler Matzek, Atlanta (Texas, American Association);   *James Paxton, Seattle (Grand Prairie);  *Tanner Roark, Toronto (Southern Illinois, Frontier League);  Chaz Roe, Tampa Bay (Laredo, American Association);  *Max Scherzer, Washington (Fort Worth, American Association);  Caleb Thielbar, Minnesota (St. Paul);  *Eric Yardley, Milwaukee (Trinidad and Taos, Pecos League).

                Position Players (3)--C Yermin Mercedes, Chicago-AL (Douglas and White Sands, Pecos, and San Angelo, United League);  1B John Nogowski, St. Louis (Sioux City, American Association);  OF David Peralta, Arizona (Amarillo and Wichita, American Association, and Rio Grande Valley, North American League).         

                Injured List (4)--RHP*Nick Anderson, Tampa Bay (Rockford and Frontier Greys, Frontier); RHP John Brebbia, San Francisco (Sioux Falls and Laredo, American Association);  OF Jose Martinez, New York-NL (Rockford, Frontier);  RHP Justin Topa, Milwaukee (Rockland, Can-Am League).

                *Started career in an Independent league

Nogowski, Dobnak, Thielbar Have Majors Jobs, Others Still Hopeful

        It is still about 72 hours until the cry of Play Ball becomes real so much can happen as major league teams juggle their rosters to get to the 26-man Opening Day limit.

        But considerable positive news already is known for some of the former Independent Baseball players who started spring training last month hoping to survive all of the painful cuts before April 1.

        --Onetime Sioux City (American Association) first baseman John Nogowski has officially landed a bench job with St. Louis after a terrific spring.  He will be a pinch hitter as well as a backup at first base and the corner outfield positions.

       --The United Shore League's No. 1 find, right-hander Randy Dobnak, has given the Independent ranks another bragging point by not only sticking with Minnesota but garnering a five-year contract extension that reportedly could amount to nearly $30 million.  He pitched for Utica in the Michigan-based league.

            --Southpaw Caleb Thielbar's persistence has paid off with a second consecutive time in the Twins' bullpen at age 34, but only after he returned to St. Paul (American Association) for two seasons (2016-17) after his first stint of two-plus years with the American Association team had ended.  He tried to make it with two other organizations after his second time in St. Paul.

       --All signs point to veteran reliever Brandon Kintzler (St. Paul plus Winnipeg when it was still in the Northern League) being in Philadelphia's bullpen although the team has not officially promoted him from his non-roster status in spring training.

       Some of the decisions still to be made are whether righty Chase DeJong (Sugar Land, Atlantic League) will stick with Pittsburgh despite a solid spring, will lefty Scott Kazmir (Sugar Land) land a comeback role with San Francisco and can veteran Luis Garcia (Newark, Can-Am League) squeeze his way onto the New York Yankees bullpen.  Miami seems ready to keep both James Hoyt and Ross Detwiler in the bullpen with first-timer Anthony Bender, another Sioux City product, still in the picture.

       There have been disappointments, of course, with No. 1 probably being Tampa Bay's shelving Indy native Nick Anderson (Rockford and Frontier Greys, Frontier League) for at least 60 days because of elbow problems.  Marcus Walden of Boston, Andrew Albers of Minnesota and Mike Kickham of the Los Angeles Dodgers had some excellent outings this spring, but could not nail down jobs, at least to start the season.

       Still others decisions loom prior to Thursday's openers, and IndyBaseballChatter.com will track those as part of our annual list of all Independent players who will open in the majors.

              

GUERRA BACK IN BIGS AS VARIOUS OTHER SPRING TRAINING BATTLES CONTINUE

             The first sure thing--if there is such a thing for non-poster boys in spring training--is that veteran right-hander Junior Guerra, a onetime starting pitcher in the American Association, will open the season in the major leagues with the Los Angeles Angels.

            Although a regular on major league pitching staffs since 2017, the 36-year-old, who went 18-7 in two seasons at Wichita ('11, '13), entered the Angels' camp this spring as a non-roster player.  The native Venezuelan won a promotion to the 40-man roster this week, and seems certain to be on Joe Maddon's 26-man opening day roster.

            While Guerra's immediate future seems settled, the intrigue remains for many of the 30 non-roster players as well as a few of the other former Independent Baseball players with 40-man roster status who started the spring in major league camps.  Opening day is little more than two weeks away so the palms are likely to be sweating each time one of these players gets into an exhibition game.

            Prime examples can be found in the Chicago White Sox camp in Arizona and at Tampa Bay's base in Florida.

            Pecos and United League grad Yermin Mercedes, who got into his only major league game last season, could be the second or third catcher for the Chisox, or he could be back in the minor leagues if Tony LaRussa and company decide two backstops are sufficient.

            The debate between two and three has heightened by the fact vet Yasmani Grandal has been slowed by a knee injury.  Mercedes and Zach Collins seem to be next in the picture.

            “Competition is good right now,” Mercedes told MLB.com. “Just working hard here with the coaches.  They are giving their support for everybody here.  Just believe in everybody and give them the chance.  Doing the best we can do.  We are feeling good with the coaches and Tony.” The 28-year-old has hit .273 (6-for-22) in 11 Cactus League appearances with three doubles and six runs batted.

            The Tampa Bay competition is heightened by the fact the defending American League champions had 15 members of its extremely deep pitching staff with 0.00 earned run averages this spring entering Grapefruit League play Wednesday.  That group included Indy grads Chris Mazza (Southern Maryland, Atlantic League, and San Rafael, Pacific Association) and non-roster Brian Moran (Bridgeport, Atlantic).  Both have made three appearances.  Also seemingly in the picture are Dietrich Enns (2.70 ERA) and returning free agent Chaz Roe.  Enns worked in the City of Champions Cup league in Joliet, IL last summer while Roe has spent time in the American Association.  Nick Anderson, who started his career in the Frontier League (Rockford and Frontier Greys), is anchored in a relief job, likely as a closer.

            This 'n That--Sioux City product (American Association) John Nogowski is making a stiff bid to stick on St. Louis's bench by hitting .333 (6-for-18) with a homer and eight RBI.  The first baseman had one four-hit contest...It may be too much of an uphill battle this spring, but onetime Fargo (American Association) catcher Nick Kahle has a double and homer among three hits and only five official plate appearances.  He also has four RBI in four games for Milwaukee...lefty Zac Rosscup, re-signed by Colorado and a product of the Constellation Energy League in Sugar Land, TX last summer, has made two scoreless appearances (1.1 IP) for the Rockies...Tim Dillard has called it quits after 18 pro seasons, including several major league stints and Indy time with Lancaster (Atlantic League) and Milwaukee (American Association)...Toronto signed free agent right-hander James Dykstra once again.  His Independent experience was in the Atlantic League (Southern Maryland and Sugar Land) as well as with Sioux City.

Kazmir, Roe Help Lift Indy Count in MLB Camps Past One Year Ago

    With veterans Scott Kazmir and Chaz Roe leading the way, four more pitchers have jumped the count of former Independent league players in major league spring training camps to 52.  That is one more than last spring, with 44 of them being mound hopefuls.

    The addition of the left-handed Kazmir, who was at Sugar Land, TX of the Atlantic League in 2012, as a non-roster player with San Francisco is somewhat of a surprise in that he is now 37 and has not pitched in the majors since 2016 (Dodgers).  He has dazzled with all-star talent during his career.  On his side is that Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi and Kazmir have had time together with both Oakland the Los Angeles.

    Once one of the game's most promising talents before a variety of injuries slowed him, Kazmir has a career record of 108-96 for nearly 300 major league starts.

    Roe, 34, threw for a number of major league organizations recently before leaving free agency for another turn with Tampa Bay's strong bullpen.  The right-hander, whose Indy experience came in the American Association, will be in his ninth major league campaign and his fifth in a row with the Rays, for whom he has compiled a 3.54 ERA with 139 strikeouts in 119.1 innings spread over 151 appearances.  He was limited to 10 outings last season before elbow problems popped up, costing him of being with the team as Tampa Bay won the American League championship.

    Roe's presence with Tampa Bay gives the Rays one more reason Independent fans will be following the team.  They recently signed Rich Hill as a potential starter, and have standout reliever Nick Anderson along with talented Trevor Richards, former Boston Red Sox Chris Mazza and have invited southpaws Dietrich Enns and Ian Krol to camp.  The latter pair kept their careers moving last summer when they pitched in the quickly-organized City of Champions Cup league in Joliet, IL.

   The Rays also recently purchased righty Stetson Allie from the Kansas City Monarchs of the American Association although he is not in the big-league camp.  The Monarchs had signed him during the offseason.

Long Island's Travis Snider Joins Braves Organization

    It would not be much of a surprise if outfielder Travis Snider found his way into an Atlanta Braves game this spring even though he is not currently listed among those in the major league camp.  He inked a minor league deal, and was with current General Manager Alex Anthopoulos when both were with Toronto.  Snider has spent time with the Long Island Ducks (Atlantic League) since he hit the last of his 54 major league home runs.