Cards in the Pros

Ball State baseball alumni are shining across all levels of professional baseball. Below are a few recent highlights, with stats reflective of games played through Sept. 2.

Alex Call (Los Angeles Dodgers) – Call was acquired from Washington at the trade deadline and has been a consistent contributor for the pennant-chasing Dodgers. For the year, the outfielder has posted a slash line of .269/.364/.748 in 242 at bats with 12 doubles, two triples, four home runs, 29 RBI and 41 runs scored.

Kyle Nicolas (Pittsburgh Pirates) – Nicolas has tossed eight straight scoreless frames in his last five appearances while striking out four and allowing only four hits. The right-handed pitcher had scoreless outings in 9 of 11 August appearances, punching out 14 in 16.0 innings of work.

Zach Cole (AAA Sugar Land Space Cowboys in Houston's system) – Cole got promoted to Triple-A on Aug. 25 and has not skipped a beat, hitting four home runs for seven RBI in seven games since getting called up. The outfielder has slashed .274/.368/.903 in 329 at bats with 20 doubles, six triples, 18 home runs, 56 RBI, 15 steals and 60 runs scored so far this year between AA Corpus Christi and AAA Sugar Land.

Chayce McDermott (AAA Norfolk Tides) – McDermott registered a 0.87 ERA with 13 strikeouts in 10.1 August innings before posting a punchout in a scoreless frame in his initial September appearance.

Ty Johnson (AA Montgomery Biscuits) – Johnson has the fourth-most strikeouts (132) in the Southern League heading into the final month of the season while posting a 2.66 ERA and 0.97 WHIP in 101.1 innings pitched. The right-handed pitcher has made 18 starts among his 24 appearances in his first full season in the Tampa Bay system.

Tyler Schweitzer (AA Birmingham Barons) – Schweitzer has not allowed an earned run in 41.2 innings so far this year with the Barons. The left-handed pitcher boasts a 6-0 record with 36 strikeouts in his 10 appearances in Double-A, while also seeing time with Triple-A Charlotte this season.

Merritt Beeker (Single-A Fredericksburg Nationals) – Beeker boasts a 1.85 ERA and 1.12 WHIP in 63.1 innings so far in his first full professional season. The left-handed pitcher has struck out 78 in 38 appearances working primarily out of the bullpen a season after being named the Mid-American Conference Pitcher of the Year.

Ryan Brown (High-A Great Lakes Loons) – Brown has punched out 90 in 46.0 frames between Single-A Rancho Cucamonga and High-A Great Lakes in the Dodgers system. The right-handed pitcher has the top strikeouts per nine innings (17.61) and second-best strikeout percentage (42.5) among minor league pitchers with at least 40 innings of work.

Dylan Grego (Single-A Lake Elsinore Storm) – Grego was Lake Elsinore's player of the week last week after notching 10 hits, including two doubles, a triple and two home runs, for five RBI and scoring six runs. Drafted less than two months ago by the San Diego Padres, Grego has played mostly second base with some work at shortstop and second base early on in his professional career.

Players Mentioned

Merritt Beeker

Dylan Grego

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