Ball State University Athletics
Photo by: Mike Janes Photography
Several Former Baseball Cardinals Preparing for Spring Training
February 09, 2017 | Baseball
MUNCIE, Ind. – It may be cold and snowy in central Indiana, but the start of another professional baseball season is just around the corner for several former Ball State players. Dean Anna, Nestor Bautista, Alex Call, Perci Gardner, Sean Godfrey, Jeremy Hazelbaker, Zach Plesac, Jarett Rindfleisch and T.J. Weir will be headed to Florida or Arizona as early as next week.
Call, Plesac and Rindfleisch all concluded their Ball State careers at the end of the 2016 season. They were then selected in the Major League Baseball Draft. The Chicago White Sox took Call in the third round of the draft. The outfielder finished his first professional season hitting .308 with three home runs, 17 doubles and 10 stolen bases for the Class A Kannapolis Intimidators. Call was named the White Sox' No. 9 prospect heading into 2017 by Baseball America.
Rindfleisch, taken by the Miami Marlins in the draft's ninth round, made his way to the Class-A Batavia Muckdogs at the end of 2016. The catcher played 24 games with the Muckdogs and tallied one home run, seven doubles and nine RBIs. Plesac, a 12th round pick of the Cleveland Indians, did not play in the minor leagues due to an injury.
Garner and Hazelbaker represented Ball State in the major leagues in 2016. After six seasons rising through the minor league ranks, Garner made his MLB debut on Aug. 31, pitching 0.2 innings of relief against the Minnesota Twins. The right-handed pitcher went on to make seven more relief appearances for Cleveland, the eventual American League champion, in September.
Hazelbaker also made his MLB debut in 2016 and was one of the best early storylines of the season. During the first week of 2016, the outfielder went 10-for-19 (.526) at the plate. In the Cardinals' home opener on April 11, Hazelbaker went 4-for-4, with a triple and a double. He made an appearance in 114 games for St. Louis and recorded a .235 batting average with 12 home runs and 28 RBIs. The Arizona Diamondbacks claimed him off waivers in November.
Anna, beginning his 10th season as a professional, recently signed with the Kansas City Royals and was assigned to minor league camp. Anna saw action in the major leagues in 2014 and 2015. Last year, he played in 106 games at the Triple-A level for the Memphis Redbirds. The shortstop hit .266, scored 48 runs and tallied 39 RBIs.
Weir advanced to Double-A baseball last summer in the San Diego Padres organization. Selected in the 17th round of the 2014 draft by San Diego, Weir pitched in 16 games with seven starts for the San Antonio Missions in 2016. Before he was promoted to Double-A, the right-handed pitcher was named Cal League Pitcher of the Week in late May after striking out 12 batters over seven innings for the Lake Elsinore Storm.
Godfrey split time between Class A (Carolina Mudcats) and Double-A (Mississippi Braves) in an injury-shortened 2016. He hit .304 with two doubles and a triple in 11 games with Mississippi. In 14 games with Carolina, the outfielder notched a .269 batting average, with three doubles, a triple and a home run.
Bautista is beginning his fourth year in the professional ranks. The left-handed pitcher missed most of the 2016 season with an injury. He was limited to seven appearances for the Class-A Greensboro Grasshoppers a year ago.
Ball State's 2017 season opener is just around the corner on Feb. 17 in Clearwater, Florida, against No. 22 Maryland.
For the most up-to-date information on the Ball State baseball team, please follow @BallStateSports, @BallStateBB and @CoachMaloney.
Call, Plesac and Rindfleisch all concluded their Ball State careers at the end of the 2016 season. They were then selected in the Major League Baseball Draft. The Chicago White Sox took Call in the third round of the draft. The outfielder finished his first professional season hitting .308 with three home runs, 17 doubles and 10 stolen bases for the Class A Kannapolis Intimidators. Call was named the White Sox' No. 9 prospect heading into 2017 by Baseball America.
Rindfleisch, taken by the Miami Marlins in the draft's ninth round, made his way to the Class-A Batavia Muckdogs at the end of 2016. The catcher played 24 games with the Muckdogs and tallied one home run, seven doubles and nine RBIs. Plesac, a 12th round pick of the Cleveland Indians, did not play in the minor leagues due to an injury.
Garner and Hazelbaker represented Ball State in the major leagues in 2016. After six seasons rising through the minor league ranks, Garner made his MLB debut on Aug. 31, pitching 0.2 innings of relief against the Minnesota Twins. The right-handed pitcher went on to make seven more relief appearances for Cleveland, the eventual American League champion, in September.
Hazelbaker also made his MLB debut in 2016 and was one of the best early storylines of the season. During the first week of 2016, the outfielder went 10-for-19 (.526) at the plate. In the Cardinals' home opener on April 11, Hazelbaker went 4-for-4, with a triple and a double. He made an appearance in 114 games for St. Louis and recorded a .235 batting average with 12 home runs and 28 RBIs. The Arizona Diamondbacks claimed him off waivers in November.
Anna, beginning his 10th season as a professional, recently signed with the Kansas City Royals and was assigned to minor league camp. Anna saw action in the major leagues in 2014 and 2015. Last year, he played in 106 games at the Triple-A level for the Memphis Redbirds. The shortstop hit .266, scored 48 runs and tallied 39 RBIs.
Weir advanced to Double-A baseball last summer in the San Diego Padres organization. Selected in the 17th round of the 2014 draft by San Diego, Weir pitched in 16 games with seven starts for the San Antonio Missions in 2016. Before he was promoted to Double-A, the right-handed pitcher was named Cal League Pitcher of the Week in late May after striking out 12 batters over seven innings for the Lake Elsinore Storm.
Godfrey split time between Class A (Carolina Mudcats) and Double-A (Mississippi Braves) in an injury-shortened 2016. He hit .304 with two doubles and a triple in 11 games with Mississippi. In 14 games with Carolina, the outfielder notched a .269 batting average, with three doubles, a triple and a home run.
Bautista is beginning his fourth year in the professional ranks. The left-handed pitcher missed most of the 2016 season with an injury. He was limited to seven appearances for the Class-A Greensboro Grasshoppers a year ago.
Ball State's 2017 season opener is just around the corner on Feb. 17 in Clearwater, Florida, against No. 22 Maryland.
For the most up-to-date information on the Ball State baseball team, please follow @BallStateSports, @BallStateBB and @CoachMaloney.
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