Deacs in the Pros: July 25
7/25/2018 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Wake Forest Athletic Communications (@WakeBaseball)
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- A total of 16 Demon Deacons are playing professional baseball across the country. Stay up to date on the Deacs in the pros below.
AAA
Mac Williamson, Sacramento River Cats (SF) - Williamson has split time between the San Francisco Giants and its AAA affiliate Sacramento this season, mashing 12 homers in minor league play and an additional four with the Giants. He currently boasts a .307 batting average and a .407 on base percentage with the River Cats.
AA
Will Craig, Altoona Curve (PIT) - Craig has made a splash in his second full pro season, currently leading the Eastern League with 80 RBI in addition to 20 doubles and 17 homers. On June 17 Craig was named Eastern League Player of the Week and was selected as an All-Star, his second nod in as many seasons. He finished third in the Eastern League Home Run Derby and won a hitting competition to break a tie in the Eastern League All-Star Classic. Since the break, he's hitting .283 with five homers and 20 RBIs in 13 games.
Parker Dunshee, Midland Rockhounds (OAK) - A Baseball America Short-Season All-Star in 2017, Dunshee hasn't skipped a beat in his 2018 campaign. The former Demon Deacon captain was promoted to AA Midland on June 13 after being named an All-Star for the A-Advanced Stockton Ports. Across both levels this year, he has an 8-5 record and 2.82 ERA, striking out 123 batters in 108.2 innings while walking only 21. He tossed 6.0 shutout innings on Tuesday night to pick up a victory.
Connor Johnstone, Mississippi Braves (ATL) - Johnstone has been a quick riser in the Braves organization, seeing action at High A, AA and AAA this year. Currently in AA, Johnstone has a 1-2 record and 3.46 ERA in 24 appearances, also notching a pair of saves. Opponents are hitting just .236 against him, and he has struck out 47 batters in 54.2 frames.
Nate Mondou, Midland Rockhounds (OAK) - On July 15, Mondou was called up to AA Midland where he rejoined his former Deacon co-captain Parker Dunshee. Mondou was named a California League All-Star while playing for the Stockton Ports before his promotion, and has amassed 106 hits this season including 34 extra-base hits (21 doubles, five triples and eight homers), while hitting .279.
High A
Stuart Fairchild, Daytona Tortugas (CIN) - Fairchild was named a Midwest League All-Star while playing for the Dayton Dragons and was promoted to A-Advanced Daytona on June 21. During his time in Dayton he hit .277 with 12 doubles, five triples, seven home runs and 17 stolen bases, and is 5-for-10 with two walks in his last three games at Daytona.
Aaron Fossas, Daytona Tortugas (CIN) - Coming off a year in which he was a Midwest League All-Star, Fossas has put together another impressive season to this point. He is currently 4-1 with a 3.52 ERA and has notched two saves for the Tortugas, while opponents are hitting .219 against him. Foassas is playing with former Deacon teammate Stuart Fairchild in Daytona.
Donnie Sellers, Lansing Lugnuts (TOR) - Sellers has made 10 starts for Blue Jays A-Advanced affiliate Lansing in 2018, going 6-2 with a 4.34 ERA in 74.2 innings of work. He had a game to remember on April 9 when he went 5.0 innings strong without allowing a run, striking out 12 in the process. He has been on the disabled list since July 14.
Gavin Sheets, Winston-Salem Dash (CWS) - Sheets has been one of the hottest hitters in Minor League Baseball since the All-Star break, hitting .359 (46-for-128) with 11 doubles and 20 RBIs. Sheets is a key member of a strong young core of White Sox prospects who led A-Advanced affiliate Winston-Salem to a first-half Carolina League championship. Overall this year, he's batting .290 with 21 doubles, two triples, four homers and 44 RBIs.
A
Ben Breazeale, Delmarva Shorebirds (BAL) - Breazeale racked up just about every accolade he was eligible for in 2017 including being named a Baseball America Short-Season All-Star, a New York-Penn League All-Star, and MiLB.com New York- Penn League Player of the Month. Breazeale is hitting .253 so far in 2018 with 2 homers and 9 doubles. He recovered from a slow start to the season and has hit .283 since the end of April.
Garrett Kelly, South Bend Cubs (CHC) - After being released by the Minnesota Twins in 2017 after Spring Training, Kelly signed with the Independent League franchise Schaumburg Boomers where he had a terrific season. Kelly posted a 1.77 ERA with a miniscule 1.03 WHIP and struck out 56 batters in only 40.2 innings of work all while holding opposing batters to only a .128 batting average. The Chicago Cubs signed Kelly on May 29 and he has enjoyed success with A affiliate South Bend this season, so far holding a 1.54 ERA in 23.1 innings.
Short-Season A
Jonathan Pryor, Auburn Doubledays (WAS) - Pryor was assigned to the Short-Season A Auburn Doubledays in late June and is currently hitting .280 in 13 games played.
Rookie
Johnny Aiello, Bluefield Blue Jays (TOR) - Aiello is currently at the Blue Jays' spring training facility in Florida where he is rehabbing a thumb injury he suffered while sliding into second base in early July. The third baseman registered some early success in Bluefield, hitting .273 with a .429 on-base percentage. He hit his first professional home run on June 29.
Chris Farish, GCL Tigers East (DET) - Known for his command and ability to mix pitches, Farish recorded a save by tossing a perfect inning with one strikeout in his pro debut on July 21. The Detroit Tigers signed Farish to a minor league contract on July 6.
Griffin Roberts, GCL Cardinals (STL) - The 43rd overall pick in the 2018 MLB Draft, Roberts signed with the Cardinals for more than $1.6 million in June. The two-time All-ACC honoree is expected to make his pro debut in the coming weeks after throwing nearly 100 innings at Wake Forest during the spring.
Rayne Supple, Grand Junction Rockies (COL) - Supple was masterful in his role as closer for the Demon Deacons in 2018 and his success has translated into pro ball seamlessly. Supple currently has a 2.13 ERA in 12.2 innings pitched and has held hitters to a .191 batting average. After conceding a pair of runs in his pro debut, he has 0.84 ERA in seven outings since.
