Wake Forest Athletics
17 Former Deacons Begin Season on Professional Rosters
4/9/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 9, 2004
A total of 17 former Wake Forest baseball players have started their seasons in professional baseball, highlighted by pitchers Kevin Jarvis and Mike MacDougal who are in the major leagues.
Jarvis has already made two appearances out of the bullpen for the Seattle Mariners. Jarvis was traded in the offseason from San Diego where he won 18 games in three seasons.
MacDougal, an All-Star closer last year as a rookie, begins the season on the disabled list after battling a stomach virus. MacDougal is eligible to come off the DL on April 10, but MLB.com reports that the former Wake Forest All-American will get back up to speed with a rehab assignment in the minors.
Four former Deacons are on Triple-A rosters to begin the spring, including shortstop Jamie Athas (Fresno / San Francisco), left-handed pitcher Danny Borrell (Columbus/New York AL), right-handed pitcher Dave Bush (Syracuse/Toronto) and right-handed pitcher Eric Schmitt (Columbus/New York AL). Bush and Athas made their Triple-A debuts on Thursday night. Bush was the Opening Night starter for the Syracuse SkyChiefs. In four innings, he struck out three, walked only one and took the loss. Athas was 1-for-2 with a double, two RBI, a walk and a sacrifice bunt.
Center fielder Cory Sullivan, who was added to Colorado's 40-man roster this winter, was expected to start the season in Triple-A Colorado Springs but underwent arm surgery this spring.
Catcher Dan Conway and third baseman Corey Slavik have been promoted by the Rockies to Double-A Tulsa. Both players were in Single-A Visalia last summer and Slavik was a California League All-Star. Slavik went 2-for-3 on Opening Night with an RBI.
After spending four years in the Cardinals system, shortstop Chase Voshell has latched on with the Pirates and is with Lynchburg in the Carolina League. Voshell's team will roll through Winston-Salem April 16-18.
Five members of last year's Wake Forest baseball team are in the minor leagues, four in Single-A. Kyle Sleeth, the third overall pick by Detroit last June, will start his professional career in Lakeland of the Florida State League. Jamie D'Antona, the 2003 ACC Player of the Year and Northwest League home run king, is starting in Lancaster in the Diamondbacks organization.
Outfielder Ryan Johnson and right-handed pitcher Adam Hanson are both in Low-A. Johnson is with Fort Wayne of the San Diego organization while Hanson is with Lake County in the Indians system.
Adam Bourassa (Texas) and Seth Hill (Texas) are listed on the short-season rosters on MLB.com, which start in June.
Right-handed pitcher Ryan Braun, who graduated from Wake Forest, is also in the Carolina League with Wilmington, part of the Royals system. Braun pitched a scoreless ninth inning for the Blue Rocks on Opening Night.
