Here’s the third edition of Eastern Iowans In The Minors and Majors. It’s a look at Gazette-area players and how they are doing in affiliated professional baseball. Four pitchers are in the majors in Mitch Keller (Pirates), A.J. Puk (Athletics), Keaton Winn (Giants) and Colin Rea (Brewers).
Keaton Anthony was among several University of Iowa and Iowa State University athletes involved in last summer’s state gambling probe. He believes it cost him an opportunity to be selected in the 2023 Major League Baseball Draft. Mostly exonerated now, he’s seeking to make the most of his shot with the Philadelphia Phillies.
Kirk Zobac grew up in Cedar Rapids, attended Cedar Rapids Cardinals games as a youth. He eventually settled in San Jose, Calif., and had a son, Steven, who ended up signing professionally with the Kansas City Royals organization. Steven Zobac pitched Thursday night at Veteans Memorial Stadium in Cedar Rapids against the Cedar Rapids Kernels. You bet dad was there to watch this.
Starting pitcher Andrew Morris gave up just one hit over seven innings, taking only 73 pitches to do so in the Cedar Rapids Kernels’ 3-0 win over Quad Cities on Wednesday afternoon.
The Iowa Heartlanders announced Friday they have signed head coach and general manager Derek Damon to a multi-year contract extension. Damon has been part of the Heartlanders organization since their inaugural ECHL season.
Of course, the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders wanted guys who could skate, who had skill, who could make plays, score goals and all that. But in the recently concluded United States Hockey League Draft, head coach/general manager Mark Carlson and his coaching and scouting staff went beyond that.
Cedar Rapids Kernels catcher Nate Baez broke the hamate bone in his left hand in college and broke the hamate bone in his right hand last spring training. He’s back healthy and had a big game Sunday afternoon in his team’s 6-0 win over Peoria.
His full name is Daniel Zebulon Matthews, but the Cedar Rapids Kernels starting pitcher goes by the first name Zebby. He’s been awesome the first month of the Midwest League baseball season and appears to have a promising future.
Here’s the second edition of Eastern Iowans In The Minors and Majors. It’s a look at Gazette-area players and how they are doing in affiliated professional baseball. Four pitchers are in the majors in Mitch Keller (Pirates), A.J. Puk (Athletics), Keaton Winn (Giants) and Colin Rea (Brewers).
Right-handed relief pitcher Ricardo Velez took a circuitous route to affiliated professional baseball. He doesn’t have the biggest fastball, but throws five different pitches to keep hitters’ timing off. He has five saves in five opportunities this season for the Cedar Rapids Kernels.
Cedar Rapids Kernels outfielder Willie Joe Garry Jr. saved his father’s life by performing CPR on him in 2016. Garry Jr. was 15 years old at the time and had just become CPR certified a month before Willie Joe Garry Sr.’s cardiac episode.
A new Cedar Rapids plan looks to create a “Wrigleyville” vibe around Rockford Road SW, where the city’s three sports facilities are located. It calls for increased connectivity, stronger branding that plays on the area’s sports identity and redevelopment to attract new dining, entertainment and other uses.
Though he’s got one now, Cedar Rapids Kernels infielder Jay Harry decided not to hire an agent as he went through the Major League Baseball Draft process last year. The Minnesota Twins selected the former Penn State player in the sixth round, and he made an impression with five hits in big league spring training games.
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