Hawkeyes in the Minor Leagues

With the MiLB season wrapping over the last couple of weeks, it is time to do a quick run through of how the former Hawkeyes performed this past season. The season saw four players play at the AAA level with one player making their MLB debut. Three players were drafted in the 2020 draft and joined the rest of the former Hawks in the pros.

Triple A

P Nick Allgeyer – Buffalo Bison (Toronto Blue Jays)

Allgeyer had the biggest moment of all the Hawkeyes in the league this season when he made his MLB debut on July 2nd vs Tampa Bay. Although it was his only MLB appearance, he threw a scoreless inning vs the AL’s #1 seed.

Nick became the 25th former Iowa player to make the MLB and the first since 2013. He also became the first Rick Heller coached player from Iowa to make the MLB.

For AAA Buffalo, Allgeyer threw in 21 games, posting a 5.23 ERA. He struck out 74 in 84.1 innings pitched, but struggled with walks (52).

SS Mason McCoy – Norfolk Tides (Baltimore Orioles)

McCoy spent the entire season in AAA, batting .216 with nine home runs and 41 RBIs. The shortstop also accumulated 13 stolen bases. Since his debut in 2017, Mason has moved up the ranks from A Short Season up to AAA.

McCoy doing it from the field and at the plate back on September 18th.

RF Robert Neustrom – Norfolk Tides (Baltimore Orioles)

Neustrom started the minor league season with AA Bowie Baysox, but after batting .284 with a .364 OBP over 62 games he got the call up to AAA to team up with his former teammate Mason McCoy.

With the Tides, Neustrom mashed nine home runs, while racking up 16 doubles and a .340 OBP. On the entire season, he hit 16 home runs, accumulated 83 RBIs, 34 extra base hits, .265 batting average and a .353 OBP.

In my opinion, Robert Neustrom is the next one in line to be called up the big league.

Double A

1B Jake Adams – Corpus Christi Hooks (Houston Astros)

Adams played in 27 games for the AA Astros affiliate and struggled batting just .141 with 13 hits. Unfortunately, on July 18th the Hooks released Adams. He was battling an injury just before the season and landed on the IL once again in early July.

LF Joel Booker – Birmingham Barons (Chicago White Sox)

Booker started in AAA with Charlotte, but was moved down after getting just two hits in eight games to start the season. With AA Birmingham, Booker accumulated 41 hits, 5 home runs and a .232 batting average. He also stole 15 games for the Barons. Joel has been up and down from AA and AAA over the last couple of seasons, but is stuck behind a lot of outfield talent in the White Sox organization

C Tyler Cropley – Northwest Arkansas Naturals (Kansas City Royals)

Cropley played in 26 games with the Naturals, hitting two home runs, but batting just .194. Despite, the disappointing numbers Cropley’s team the Naturals won the AA Central Championship.

Tyler still has a great arm behind the plate.

High A

P Zach Daniels – Rome Braves (Atlanta Braves)

Daniels had a great season for the Rome Braves this year posting a 2.11 ERA over 30 appearances. He struck out 46 over 47 innings of work, while allowing just 11 earned runs. This season is the best one he has had since coming to the minor leagues.

Will be interesting to see if he gets moved up to AA next season.

P Nick Gallagher – Lake County Captains (Cleveland Indians)

Gallagher pitched for A+ Lake County this season notching 36 appearances. He allowed a 4.61 ERA over 54.2 innings pitched, while striking out 70. He posted a 1.30 WHIP, which is not something to be upset about.

P Cole McDonald – Asheville Tourists (Houston Astros)

McDonald threw one scoreless inning for High A Asheville to start the season, but spent much of the summer on the injured list. He was sent on a rehab assignment in September, starting three games in the Florida Complex League and was excellent posting a 2.08 ERA. Over 8.2 innings pitched Cole struck out 18 and walked just four.

Hopefully he can stay healthy and get back into the Astros farm system next season.

P Brady Schanuel – Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (Milwaukee Brewers)

Schanuel made 37 appearances as a reliever for High A Wisconsin and put together a 6-0 record. He posted a 5.37 ERA over 57 innings pitched and struck out 76. I was able to see Brady pitch against the QC River Bandits back in June. He pitched 2.1 innings and allowed one run.

Low A

P Grant Judkins – Stockton Ports (Oakland A’s)

Judkins had the option of returning for another season with the Hawkeyes in 2021, but decided to forgo and head to the pros. Judkins pitched in 14 games with Low A Stockton, posting a 6.29 ERA and a rough 0-6 record. Grant struck out 63 batters over 48.2 innings, but allowed 34 earned runs.

P Trenton Wallace – Dunedin Blue Jays (Toronto Blue Jays)

Trenton was the latest addition to the group of Hawkeyes in the minor leagues, joining Low A Dunedin towards the end of the season after getting drafted in the 11th Round of the 2020 MLB Draft by the Blue Jays.

Wallace pitched in five games and after allowing four runs in his debut, he settled down and pitched pretty well. Over his last four starts, Wallace pitched 7 innings, while striking out nine, allowing two hits and no runs.

The 2020 Big Ten Pitcher of the Year will get a full season next year to show what he can do in the Blue Jays organization.

Signed

P Jack Dreyer – Los Angeles Dodgers

Jack Dreyer went undrafted in the 2020 MLB Draft, but the LA Dodgers signed him to a minor league contract. Dreyer is on the back end of rehabbing from Tommy John Surgery, so we will likely see him next season in the lower part of the Dodgers minor league system.

P Drew Irvine – Pittsburgh Pirates

Drew Irvine was selected in the 19th Round of the 2020 MLB Draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates and signed a contract with them. He did not see any time in the Pirates farm system, so we will have to wait till next season.