Here is the list of former Valley Leaguers drafted in 2012. Again, I have not gone through current rosters, so there may a couple more to add. Free agent signings should begin any minute now, so I'll add to this list as I hear of them. Also keep in mind that the draft was shortened to 40 rounds this year, so that begins to explain why "only" 51 players were drafted, when 71 were picked last year.

2012 Drafted Players

Round, Pick, Name, College, VL Team, ML Team

 3  115 Johnathan (Mac) Williamson, Wake Forest (Harrisonburg 2011)- San Francisco Giants
 5  168 Matt Wessinger, St. John's (Fauquier 2009)- Colorado Rockies
 6  205 Eric Phillips, Georgia Southern (Luray 2010-11)- Toronto Blue Jays
 6  207 Eric Stamets, Evansville (Haymarket 2010)- Los Angeles Angels
 8  267 Austin Adams, South Florida (Staunton 2011)- Los Angeles Angels
 8  271 Nathan Minnich, Shepherd (Winchester 2010-11)- Boston Red Sox
 9  290 Richie Rodriguez, Eastern Kentucky (Covington 2009-11)- New York Mets
10  330 Jacob Wilson, Memphis (Luray 2009)- St. Louis Cardinals
10  337 Matt Snyder, Mississippi (Haymarket, Winchester 2011)- New York Yankees
12  394 Julio Felix, Pima CC (Harrisonburg 2011)- Detroit Tigers
13  399 Brian Holmes, Wake Forest (Harrisonburg 2010)- Houston Astros
13  409 Stuart Pudenz, Dallas Baptist (Front Royal 2011)- Oakland A's
14  447 Sherman Johnson, Florida State (Covington 2009-10)- Los Angeles Angels
14  450 Anthony Melchionda, Boston College (Rockbridge 2009)- St. Louis Cardinals
15  469 Vincent Voiro, Penn (Woodstock 2010-11)- Oakland A's
17  520 Dalton (DJ) Hicks, Central Florida (Luray 2009)- Minnesota Twins
18  575 Hunter Adkins, Middle Tennessee State (Staunton 2010)- Milwaukee Brewers
18  576 Ryan Harvey, Seton Hall (Covington 2010)- Texas Rangers
19  580 Jonathan Murphy, Jacksonville (Luray 2010-11)- Minnesota Twins
19  590 Tyler Vanderheiden, Samford (Front Royal 2010-11)- New York Mets
20  613 Shane Halley, Virginia (Waynesboro 2011)- Kansas City Royals
20  635 Michael Garza, Georgetown (Woodstock 2009-10)- Milwaukee Brewers
21  646 Jordan Steranka, Penn State (Winchester 2009)- Pittsburgh Pirates
21  648 Rayan Gonzalez, Bethune-Cookman (Harrisonburg 2009)- Colorado Rockies
21  659 Jeremy Fitzgerald, Tennessee Wesleyan (Waynesboro 2010)- Atlanta Braves
21  663 Rudy Flores, Florida International (Haymarket 2010)- Arizona Diamondbacks
22  684 Will Hudgins, Notre Dame (Woodstock 2009)- Washington Nationals
23  711 Kale Kiser, Nebraska Lincoln (Luray 2011)- Chicago White Sox
23  714 Casey Selsor, Texas San Antonio (Covington 2010)- Washington Nationals
23  717 Michael Snyder, Florida Southern (Haymarket 2011)- Los Angeles Angels
24  735 Christopher Nunn, Lipscomb (Winchester 2010)- San Diego Padres
25  759 Ryan Dineen, Eastern Illinois (Covington 2010-11)- Houston Astros
27  826 Jacob Johansen, Dallas Baptist (Front Royal 2011)- Pittsburgh Pirates
27  829 Ryan Mathews, North Carolina St (Waynesboro 2009)- Oakland A's
27  836 Justin Gonzalez, Florida State (Covington 2010)- Los Angeles Dodgers
27  840 Joseph Cuda, Eckerd (Staunton 2010-11)- St. Louis Cardinals
27  845 Tyler Duffie, Texas Christian (Covington 2011)- Milwaukee Brewers
28  851 Matt Brazis, Boston College (Winchester 2009, 2011)- Seattle Mariners
28  867 Joel Capote, St. Thomas (Luray 2010)- Los Angeles Angels
28  870 Dodson McPherson, Wingate (Harrisonburg 2011)- St. Louis Cardinals
29  903 Adam McConnell, Richmond (Rockbridge 2009)- Arizona Diamondbacks
30  932 Michael Williams, Kentucky (Covington 2009)- Tampa Bay Rays
30  935 Jonathan Armold, Flagler (Front Royal 2011)- Milwaukee Brewers
31  945 Matthew Shepherd, Tennessee Tech (Waynesboro 2009)- San Diego Padres
32  971 Richard Palase, Lynchburg (Rockbridge 2011)- Seattle Mariners
33 1027 Saxon Butler, Samford (Front Royal 2011)- New York Yankees
34 1038 Chris Cowell, Richmond (Woodstock 2010)- Colorado Rockies
36 1089 Michael Martinez, Florida International (Luray 2011, COvington 2010)- Houston Astros
36 1111 Miguel Rodriguez, UNC Charlotte (Woodstock 2010)- Boston Red Sox
37 1136 John Sgromolo, Flagler (New Market 2011)- Los Angeles Dodgers
38 1167 Jake Boyd, Stetson (Luray 2011)- Los Angeles Angels

 (51)

Tuesday night, former Winchester Royal Tyler Thornburg (08), now pitching for Double-A Huntsville, took a perfect game into the 8th inning against Tennessee. He ended up pitching 7 1/3 innings, while allowing 1 hit, 1 run (earned), o walks, and striking out 11.

The bigger story, though, is that Thornburg is blasting his way through the minor leagues. A 3rd round draft pick of the Milwaukee Brewers in 2010, Tyler has been almost unhittable in his time in the minor leagues. In 2010, he went 1-0, 1.93, with 38 strikeouts in 23 innings. In 2011, he went 10-6, 2.57, with 160 strikeouts in 136 2/3 innings, and this year so far he's 1-0, 0.98, with 24 strikeouts in 18 1/3 innings pitched. He may just be pitching in Milwaukee before too long. 

Boxscore is here. 

You know, don't you, that when the major league season starts, the minor league season starts, too? (Even in East Africa I know this!)

Here are a couple quick hits about the new season:

Tony Thomas (Harrisonburg 05) has been assigned to triple-A Pawtucket again. Click here to view a short interview with Tony. (I think he's on the DL to start the season, though.)

Clint Robinson (Harrisonburg 05-06), coming off a 326/399/533 season, is back in triple-A Omaha. He went 3-5 with 2 doubles in the season opener. PIcking up right where he left off, it seems. Maybe he'll get a few major league at-bats this year.

In the majors, Yonder Alonso (Luray 06) went 0-4 for the Padres, and Jason Kipnis (Covington 06-07) went 0-5 with 2 walks. 

One last thing. I just finished up my list of Valley League alumni who are playing pro ball. It took me so long that I had to share it with the three people who might still check in. So here it is: pro players 2012 VERSION. 

(I'm just going to post like I've not been away for a while...)

While seven former Valley Leaguers made their major league debut in 2011, there is a flip side to the industry- players who are released. Eleven players have been given their walking papers over the past few months. Here they are:

• Mike Schwartz (Harrisonburg 09) was released by the White Sox. Drafted in the 17th round of the 2010 draft, Mike hit 221/373/320 over 277 plate appearances in two seasons. You would think with that OBP, someone might take a flier on Mike...
• Gerard Hall (Luray 07), Kansas City. Gerard was a free agent signing by the Royals in 2009. In 818 plate appearances over parts of three seasons, Gerard hit 239/320/340. He topped out in Wilmington of the Carolina League.
• Derek Hamblen (Waynesboro 08), also Kansas City. Derek was signed as a free agent just this year, and hit just 121/216/167 in 66 at-bats in Burlington of the Appalachian League. 
• Justin Fradejas (Luray 10), also the Kansas City Royals. Justin, like Hamblen, was signed as a free agent just this year. Justin hit very well for Idaho Falls in the Pioneer League, ending with 310/414/429 numbers over 99 plate appearances.
• Jonathan Koscso (Woodstock 09), drafted in the 29th round of the 2011 draft by the Tampa Bay Rays. Koscso, like Fradejas, hit well enough to have another chance, in my opinion. He hit 310/437/380 in 71 at-bats. 
• Travis Smink (Front Royal 06, Luray 08), was released by the Houston Astros. A 31st round draft pick in the 2009 draft, Travis went 6-5, 4.57, with 12 saves and a 1.371 WHIP over parts of three seasons.
• Jacke Healey (Waynesboro 08), also Houston. Jacke, a 27th round draft pick in the 2010 draft, hit 163/228/302 in 295 at-bats over two seasons. 
• Alex Jones (Covington 09), released by Milwaukee. A 27th round pick in the 2010 draft, Alex went 2-3, 3.98, with 2 saves and a 1.361 WHIP over parts of two seasons. 
• Matt Holland (Front Royal 10), released by the Philadelphia Phillies. Matt was drafted this past June in the 22nd round, and hit 236/309/409 in 110 at-bats in the Gulf Coast League.
• Nick Cicio (Staunton 10), released by the Minnesota Twins. Nick, a free agent signing this summer, went 2-0, 1.74, with a 0.871 WHIP, and 20 strikeouts in 20 2/3 innings pitched. This was in the Gulf Coast League.
• Matt Browning (Staunton 08), released by the Seattle Mariners. Drafted in the 43rd round in 2010, Matt hit 263/347/365 in 478 plate appearances. 

Ecclesiastes 3:1: "There is a time for everything, and a season for everything under heaven." (NIV)

Maybe you've noticed that the posts on this site have dried up; maybe not.I suppose it's time for an explanation.

Back in November of 2006, I started this blog because I just had to write about something. I love baseball, and I love writing about baseball, and here was this league right in my own backyard- and some of the players went on to the majors! If I was following them anyway, why not start to put some coherant thoughts together for public consumption?

Well, 1,711 posts and over 175,000 visitors later, it seems it's just about time to end the ride.

Back in December, my wife and I received an email from a school in Nairobi, Kenya, called Rosslyn Academy. Both English teachers by trade, we had taught there from 1999 to 2004. Besides the fact that we adopted our children there, we always felt like our years in Nairobi were some of the best of our lives: it was difficult at times, but overall the most enriching experience of our time on earth.

Well, we received an email from the superintendent asking us if we would like to consider returning to East Africa for the upcoming school year. We had to apply within ten days or so, and we had our interview via Skype at 6:00 AM in the morning... and to make an already-too-long story shorter, we were offered jobs just about two weeks ago. We have decided to accept the offer to return to Kenya for a minimum of two years. We will leave the states either in late July or early August, which would give me some time to say goodbye to some of my favorite people and places in the entire Valley.

Following God's call in my life has always been paramount. Writing this blog has brought me into contact with all kinds of people- most of whom I now consider friends. (Not just Facebook friends, either!) Just as important, I've felt like I was a part of something- something fun and exciting. I could go to games, interview players, and hold my little notebook and jot down thoughts. I could hold up my radar gun and pretend to be a scout. I could say hello to broadcasters, owners, and die-hard fans in many of the Valley League towns. But I just can't ignore that call.

I hope very much to do a couple things, even while we're living in another continent: I hope to keep up with my lists of players, both who have played in the league and who has been drafted by major league organizations, and stats of pro players, which is probably my most favorite aspect of tracking players. I may post these on this site, but I may not. I would also like to finish up my lists from the past season, but that may need to be a couple larger posts instead of individual ones.

Thanks so much for supporting this site as its season is coming to a close. And if any of you find yourselves flying into Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, drop me a line!

Moving on down the list, today we have our #6 hitter in the Valley League in 2010, Covington's Mike Martinez.

Mike, now a junior at Florida International, obviously had an excellent season in the furthest reaches of the league. He hit 336/384/600, with 24 runs, 3 doubles, 10 home runs, 36 RBI, and a 10/22 BB/K ratio in 32 games and 125 at-bats. He finished 6th in the league in batting average, 3rd in home runs, tied for 7th in RBI, and tied for second in slugging percentage.

Mike has also clearly proven himself at the college level. As a freshman in 2009, he hit 335/427/495 at FIU, with 7 doubles, 2 triples, 6 home runs, and a 24/38 BB/K ratio in 182 at-bats. He was named a Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American.

As a sophomore, he hit even better, ending with a 378/448/580 line, with 19 doubles, 1 triple, 9 home runs, 47 runs and 55 RBI in 238 at-bats. He added a solid 26/45 BB/K ratio.

Congratulations on your excellent season, Mike!

Picture courtesy of Haymarket Joe Photography