As the calendar prepares to turn over to 2016, here is a look at what Lobo Baseball alumni did in the professional ranks in 2015. The list is led by two players who saw time in the majors last year — Bobby LaFromboise and Jordan Pacheco — and spans the globe
Toller Boardman – Played for the Gulf Coast Tigers in Rookie ball before a promotion to Low-A Connecticut after getting selected by the Detroit Tigers in the 22nd round of the 2015 MLB Draft … went 3-2 with a 2.76 ERA over the two levels … made 11 total appearances, nine starts, and struck out 33 versus just six walks in 45.2 innings … posted a WHIP of 1.16.
Edwin Carl – After stints with three Independent League teams, is off to a great start as an Australian League All-Star for Perth … 4-0 in eight starts with one complete game … third in the league in ERA at 1.56 … has allowed just 28 hits and 17 walks in 52.0 innings for a 0.87 WHIP … has 51 strikeouts and is limiting opponents to a .156 batting average against and has yet to allow a home run.
Brian Cavazos-Galvez – Hit .267 in 131 games for Lancaster in the independent Atlantic League … slugged .424 thanks to 17 home runs, 24 doubles and two triples … his 17 home runs were tied for second in the league … drove in 68 runs and scored 80 while stealing 26 bases (fourth in the league) and getting caught just once … recorded a .322 OBP to post an OPS of .746 … was teammates with former Lobo teammate Scott Gracey.
Mitch Garver – Invited to big league training camp prior to the 2015 season … spent the entire season at High-A Fort Myers and hit .245 with four home runs and 58 RBIs … drew 69 walks to post an OBP of .356 … spent the majority of his time at catcher, where he threw out 38 percent of would-be base stealers, but also saw some time at first base … scored 46 runs and chipped in with 24 doubles as well … played for Scottsdale in the Arizona Fall League and helped the Scorpions win the league championship by hitting .317 in 12 games … hit five doubles, one homer, drove in nine runs, scored six and even stole two bases in the AFL.
Scott Gracey – Went 5-0 with a 1.93 ERA in 53 relief appearances for Lancaster in the independent Atlantic League … struck out 66 in 56.0 innings while walking just 26 batters … had a WHIP of 1.25 and finished sixth in the league in strikeouts per nine innings with 10.6 … teamed up with former Lobo teammate Brian Cavazos-Galvez to help the Barnstormers win the Freedom Division by six games.
Sam Haggerty – Hit .283 in 16 games for Low-A Mahoning Valley after getting selected by the Cleveland Indians in the 24th round of the 2015 MLB Draft … had an OPS of .813 and stole three bases without getting caught … was perfect in the field as well.
Chase Harris – Struggled with Lakewood in the South Atlantic League, but fared much better after his promotion to Clearwater in High-A … hit .255 in 89 games across the two levels, including .265 in 65 games for Clearwater … showed off his tremendous speed at both levels, combining for 21 steals and38 runs scored … played all three outfield positions, and played them each very well, committing just one error while recording six assists.
Austin House – Named an Eastern League All-Star for Double-A New Britain in the Rockies’ organization … finished the year 3-4 with a 4.13 ERA and 20 saves in 52 games spanning 52.1 innings … struck out 39 and walked just 18 while allowing only a single home run all season … now owns a 3.46 ERA in 242.0 minor league innings and could be promoted to Triple-A Albuquerque next season.
Bobby LaFromboise – Spent most of the season in Triple-A, but was fantastic for the Pittsburgh Pirates in their late-season stretch run to the playoffs … he owned a 1.12 ERA in 11 games for the Pirates, striking out eight and allowing just one run on six base runners in 8.0 innings … went 1-2 in 54 relief appearances for Indianapolis in Triple-A … he struck out 52 and posted a WHIP of 1.14 before his call-up to the Majors.
Will Mathis – Spent the season in High-A pitching for Bakersfield in the extremely hitter-friendly Cal League and went 4-2 with a 3.23 ERA and 66 strikeouts in 83.2 innings … just one of his 45 appearances was a start, but he finished 17 games and recorded a save … now owns a 10-11 record and a 3.99 ERA in 189.2 innings in the minors.
Jake McCasland – Went 1-2 in 23 games for Augusta in the San Francisco Giants organization in the South Atlantic League … posted a 5.40 ERA in 50.0 innings with 44 strikeouts against just 19 walks … made one start but other than that pitched exclusively in relief.
Rafael Neda – Played in 67 games in High-A for Brevard County in the Milwaukee Brewers organization and hit .215 … recorded 11 runs scored, 10 doubles, two triples, two home runs and 19 RBIs while throwing out 34 percent of would-be base stealers from behind the plate.
Jordan Pacheco – Hit .242 with a pair of home runs in 29 games for the Diamondbacks this season … spent most of the year at Triple-A Reno, hitting just .205 in 58 games, but easily outperformed those numbers in the Majors … showed off his utility by playing three positions in the majors: catchers, first base and third base … has now played every position on the diamond except center field, right field and pitcher … was elected into UNM’s Hall of Honor in November.
DJ Peterson – Reached Triple-A in the Seattle Mariners system after hitting a home run in his first at bat in spring training … hit .223 across Double-A Jackson and Triple-A Tacoma with seven home runs and 44 RBIs … he scored 39 runs in 97 games and slugged 20 doubles … still regarded as one of the top prospects in the Mariners’ system … played in the Arizona Fall League and hit three home runs with 12 RBIs in 19 games … he hit just .209 in the AFL but improved his OBP, slugging and OPS.
Alex Real – Hit .261 in 64 games for Cedar Rapids in the Midwest League in the Twins organization … hit three homers and drove in 30 runs with 11 doubles and four triples … scored 28 runs and drew 18 walks to post a .322 OBP.
Gera Sanchez – Played in the Liga Estatal de Beisbol this season for Algodoneros de Delicias, and helped them reach the championship series … known around the league as “Blackbeard”
Josh Walker – Reached High-A Frederick in the Baltimore Orioles organization, but spent most of the season Delmarva in the South Atlantic League … went 8-6 across the two levels … had a 3.57 ERA in 19 games, 18 starts, and 98.1 innings … struck out 65 and walked just 16 batters all season, a K/BB ratio of better than 4-to-1.
Sam Wolff – Missed the entire regular season due to an Achilles injury, but returned to play for Surprise in the Arizona Fall League … struggled in his first three starts, but was exceptional in his last three, allowing just one unearned run in his final 14.1 innings while striking out nine and walking just two batters … finished the AFL season 2-1 with a 2.84 ERA and 15 strikeouts in 25.1 innings.