Archive

College players arrive in Bethesda hoping to hone their baseball skills and to be sought as professional baseball players upon graduation. Over Big Train's thirteen years of operations, it has managed to provide summer baseball wooden-bat league experience to 99 players who have gone on to play professional baseball. Based on our history so far, a rough rule of thumb is that about a third of our players will eventually have some pro baseball experience.

Big Train fans will find a series of interesting charts about the experience of Big Train players and their connection to pro baseball here. These charts include 1) the number of Big Train players active in pro ball as of mid-August each year; 2) the number of players coming out of each year's Big Train team and going into pro ball; and 3) the number of Big Train players whose careers have peaked at each of the various levels of minor league baseball or at the major league level.

What the linked charts show is that we have had a fairly constant number of former Big Train players active in professional baseball each August, i.e. around 30 players in each year. On the other hand, they show quite a bit of variation on the extent to which each of our Big Train teams has produced players who have gone into pro baseball. In looking at that particular chart, the viewer should remember that players on our most recent teams tend to still be in college, so they have not yet had the opportunity to qualify for pro baseball. The other feature shown among the charts is that for those who go into professional baseball, the most frequent level at which they peak before leaving baseball is the A level (High A or Low A).

In addition to what has happened historically to former Big Train players, we like to keep our fans up to date with where former players are now and how they are performing. Here is the current list of Big Train players in professional ball:

Cody Allen, RHP (BT 2008 & 2010) Columbus Clippers (International Lg. - AAA) 1-1, 3.95 ERA in 9 games, after starting season with the Carolina Mudcats (Carolina Lg. - Hi A) 0-0, 0.00 ERA in 2 games and Akron Aeros (Eastern Lg. - AA) 0-0, 1 save, 1.17 ERA in 5 games.

Eli Boike, OF (BT 2007-08-09) In Blue Jays minor league system. Not yet assigned to specific club.

Collin Cargill, RHP (BT 2007) Jupiter Hammerheads (Fla. State Lg. - Hi A) 0-0, 1 save, 0.90 ERA in 16 games.

Mike Costanzo, 3B (BT 2003) Cincinnati Reds (National Lg. - MLB) . 083 in 11 games, after starting season with Pensacola Blue Wahoos (Southern Lg. - AA) .333, 3 HR, 11 RBI in 13 games; and Louisville Bats (International Lg. - AAA) .291, 3 HR, 11 RBI in 23 games.

Brian Dozier, SS (BT 2006) Minnesota Twins (American Lg. - MLB) .247 in 20 games, after starting season with Rochester Red Wings (International Lg. - AAA) .277, 1 HR, 11 RBI in 25 games.

Chris Duffy, 3B (BT 2007) Clearwater Threshers (Fla. State Lg. - Hi A) .205 in 20 games, after starting season with Lakewood Blue Claws (So. Atlantic Lg. - A) .350 in 7 games.

Carlos Gutierrez, RHP (BT 2005) Rochester Red Wings (International Lg. - AAA) 1-1, 6.00 ERA in 4 games.

Connor Hoehn, RHP (BT 2007-08) Stockton Ports (California Lg. - Hi A) 0-0, 3.00 ERA in 16 games.

Terry "T.J." Hose, RHP (BT 2004) Somerset Patriots (Atlantic Lg - IND) 1-1, 5.40 ERA in 9 games.

Jon Karcich, SS (BT 2007) Evansville Otters (Frontier Lg. - IND) .219 in 9 games.

Bobby Livingston, LHP (BT 2001) Sugar Land Skeeters (Atlantic Lg. - IND) 2-2, 5.06 ERA in 6 games.

Matt Long, OF (BT 2006) Salt Lake City Bees (PCL - AAA) .238, 2 HR, 10 RBI in 21 games, after starting season with Arkansas Travelers (Texas Lg. - AA) .278, 3 HR, 18 RBI in 27 games.

Stephen Lumpkins, RHP (BT 2010) AZL Royals (Arizona Lg. - Rookie) Season starts June 20.

Mike McBryde, OF (BT 2004) In extended spring training with Giants. May be converting to pitcher.

Michael McKenry, C (BT 2004) Pittsburgh Pirates (National Lg. - MLB) .196 in 19 games.

Chris Mobley, RHP (BT 2002) Southern Maryland Blue Crabs (Atlantic Lg. - IND) 0-0, 2.46 ERA in 7 games.

Kenny Moreland, RHP (BT 2005) Frederick Keys (Carolina Lg. - Hi A) 2-2, 4.37 ERA in 9 games.

Jarrod Parks, 3B (BT 2009-10) In Angels' minor league system. Not yet assigned to specific club.

Dustin Pease, LHP (BT 2005-06) San Antonio Missions (Texas Lg. - AA) 1-1, 2.70 ERA in 18 games.

Drew Permison, RHP (BT 2010) Vancouver Canadians (Northwest Lg. - ss-A) Season starts June 15.

Scott Schneider, RHP (BT 2008) Palm Beach Cardinals (Fla. State Lg. - Hi A) 0-0, 3.38 ERA in 2 games, after starting season with Springfield Cardinals (Texas Lg. - AA) 0-0, 12.79 ERA in 8 games.

Danny Stienstra, 1B (BT 2008-09-10) Batavia Muckdogs (NY-Penn Lg. - ss-A) Season starts June 12.

Matt Wickswat, LHP (BT 2006) Birmingham Barons (Southern Lg. - AA) 1-3, 11.37 ERA in 9 games.