First baseman Eric Hosmer (2007 18U National Team) is off to a slow start at high-A Wilmington after a nice season at low-Class A Burlington in the Kansas City Royals system. Hosmer, a former No. 1 draft choice, is batting .196 with a homer and nine RBIs through his first 25 games. Hosmer hhit .254 with five homers and 49 RBIs and 107 total bases in 79 games at Burlington.
Philadelphia Phillies prospect Joe Savery (2005 National Team) continues to be tied for the Eastern League in victories even though he is no longer in the league . Savery was 12-4 with Reading until a call-up to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. The 12 wins ties him with Akron's Josh Tomlin for most in the league. Savery had a 4.41 ERA in 21 games with Reading. He's off to a solid start with Lehigh Valley, going 3-1 with a 4.76 ERA in five starts In Triple-A. He's fanned 15 batters in 28 innings with Lehigh Valley.
Cincinnati Reds prospect Drew Stubbs (2004-05 National Teams ) had a memorable week. First, Stubbs was recalled from Triple-A Louisville where he was batting .268 with 25 doubles while leading the International League with 46 stolen bases. Then, in his first game in the big leagues, Stubbs collected his first major league hit, a double off San Francisco Giants lefthander Barry Zito. The next night Stubbs, who had hit only three homers in 411 at-bats at Louisville, hit a walk-off homer.
Another former USA Baseball alumni was recalled to the majors when Matt LaPorta (2005 National Team, 2008 Olympic Team) was recalled by Cleveland to replace injured outfielder Trevor Crowe. LaPorta was batting .299 with 17 homers and 60 RBIs in 60 games at Triple-A Columbus. LaPorta immediately clubbed RBI doubles in two of his first three games with the Indians. LaPorta has earlier hit .190 with his first major league homer in 13 games with the Indians.
Philip Humber (2002 National Team) earned a call-up to the Minnesota Twins on Aug. 19 after going 7-7 with a 5.28 ERA in 21 games with Triple-A Rochester. Humber gave up seven earned runs in his first seven innings and six games with the Twins. Humber struck out 78 batters in 109 innings at Rochester.
Two players from last year's U.S. Olympic Baseball Team are hitting well in Triple-A. Terry Tiffee is batting .296 with 11 doubles and five homers in 56 games with Lehigh Valley. Matt Brown is batting .232 with Salt Lake, but is one of the team's top run producers with 10 homers, 21 doubles and 53 RBIs, which ranks fourth on the Bees. Tiffee and Brown helped the Americans to a bronze medal in Beijing.
Jared Clark (2008 National Team) is off to a torrid start in his professional career. With a .406 batting average in August, the former Cal State Fullerton star is third in the Pioneer League in batting with a .384 mark with the Casper Ghosts. Clark has driven in 34 runs and hit 11 doubles and nine homers in 42 games. His .658 slugging percentage is second in the league. Clark is hitting .426 off lefthanders and .418 in away games.
Two former USA Baseball alumni have combined for 12 wins at Double-A Erie of the Eastern League. Cody Satterwhite (2007 National Team ) is 4-5 with a 2.98 ERA in 48 innings with the Sea Wolves. He's fanned 51 batters. Jonah Nickerson (2006 National Team) is 8-11 with a 5.01 ERA in 25 games. He's pitched 149 innings, which leads the league. Nickerson has struggled in the season's second half, going 1-5 with the Detroit Tiger Double-A team.
Roger Kieschnick (2006-07 National Teams ) still has a chance to lead the California League in homers, but he's going to have to pick up the pace. Playing for San Jose, Kieschnick is tied for fourth in the league with 23 homers. But he's hit only one in his last 10 games and 42 at-bats, though he did bat .381 in that stretch. Kieschnick's 97 RBIs Is second in the league while his 29 doubles in ninth. Overall, Kieschnick is batting .300.
Mike Cervenak (2005 World Cup Team) has five multi-hit games in his last six to raise his average to .296 with Lehigh Valley. Cervenak has 28 doubles and seven homers while driving in 69 runs. The former University of Michigan star is batting .381 off lefthanders.
