2020 Blazers News

Lou Trivino (Slippery Rock, Quakertown, 2011) on Monday became the fifth former ACBL pitcher to record a three pitch inning, the 189th in MLB history, on Monday as the Oakland A’s defeated the Houston Astros 6-0.

Baseball Almanac data indicates that the American League has posted 82 3-Pitch Innings with Walter Johnson leading the way with four from 1911 thru 1917. Jim Mecir (Eckerd, Nassau) threw a three pitch eighth inning on May 17, 1998 for Tampa Bay. Allen Watson (NY Tech, Long Island) tossed a three pitch ninth inning for the New York Yankees on September 26, 1999.

Pete Harnisch (Fordham, Long Island) tops the National League list of 106 3-Pitch Innings with three 3-Pitch Innings for the Cincinnati Reds. The first one was the fifth inning on September 26, 1998 followed by fourth inning feats on August 24, 1999 and April 7, 2001. Jamie Moyer (Saint Joseph’s, Allentown) put a 3-Pitch Inning on the record for the Philadelphia Phillies on May 7, 2013.

Jordan DiValerio Photo Courtesy of Sideline Photos, LLC

Jordan DiValerio (Saint Joseph’s University, Quakertown Blazers) signed a free agent contact with Boston Red Sox on Sunday morning, the first day that NDFAs could sign after the MLB 2020 Amateur Draft. This spring the 6-1, 200 lb. RHP posted a 3-1 record with a 2.38 ERA across four starts in the shortened season. Two of his wins were earned in Hawk victories over Coastal Carolina and Ohio State. His 33 strikeouts and three victories tied him for the Atlantic 10 lead in both categories.

In 2017 DiValerio posted a 1-0 record for the Blazers over five starts and 25 innings. He struck out 24 with nine base on balls while posting a 2.80 ERA and was #8 on the ACBL Top Prospect List for 2017.

It’s a good time to summarize the progress of former Blazers who await the resumption of their baseball careers which have been placed into uncertainty because of the COVID-19 crisis.

RHP Lou Trivino (Slippery Rock, Blazers,2011) is expected to open the season in a setup or middle-relief role for the Oakland A’s. Trivino has fully recovered from a cracked rib injury in September.

LHP Tim Mayza (Millersville, Blazers, 2011) continues to rehab from Tommy-John reconstructive surgery plus a left flexor tendon repair. Mayza was injured in September after topping the Toronto Blue Jays with 68 relief appearances. He is expected to be ready for spring training in 2021.

Catcher Alex Kowalczyk (Pitt, Blazers, 2013) is slated to return to Frisco, the AA affiliate of the Texas Rangers where he hit .250 with three home runs and 16 RBIs in 2019.

RHP Robbie Welhaf (Elon, Blazers,2016) is currently on the roster of the West Michigan Whitecaps, the A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. Welhaf had an outstanding season for the Whitecaps in 2019 while posting a 2.69 ERA in 14 starts over 90 innings. He posted 85 strikeouts with only nine walks and topped the Midwest League with a 0.82 WHIP.

Catcher Angel Lopez Alvarez (Northampton CC, Blazers, 2016) returns to the Lake County Captains, an A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians in the Midwest League. In 2019 Lopez split time between the Arizona Rookie League team and Lake County and hit .196 with one home runs and 12 RBIs.

RHP Chris Kachmar (Lipscomb, Blazers, 2016-17) is coming off an excellent first season in pro ball in the Chicago Cubs organization. The 6-3 right-hander started the season with the Cubs’ rookie team in the ARL where he went 1-0 with a 2.25 ERA . In four games over eight innings he posted 12 strikeouts with a 1.00 WHIP. He was promoted to the Eugene Emeralds of the short season Northwest League. At Eugene he recorded a 4-0 record with a 1.56 ERA in 10 appearances with 24 strikeouts and 11 walks in 17 innings.

RHP Levi Stoudt (Lehigh, Blazers, 2017) was drafted in the third round by the Seattle Mariners in the 2019 MLB Amateur Draft. He underwent Tommy-John surgery after the draft and is currently in rehab and has started to throw on a limited basis.

Nat Ballenberg, the Blazers’ pitching coach in 2012, is now the pitching coach for the Pensacola Blue Wahoos, the AA affiliate of the Minnesota Twins in the Southern League. Ballenberg was the pitching coach at Haverford College for nine years and became the pitching coach for the Twins’ Fort Myers team in 2019.