League News
TCL Alumni Open 2009 Season In The Big Leagues![]() Hunter Pence is the everyday right fielder for the Houston Astros, and for good reason. A member of the Highland Park Blue Sox in 2004, Pence is batting .348 with two home runs already this season. He leads the Astros in homers, hits (8), and slugging percentage (.652), and he’s tied for first in RBI (3). Pence is also second on the team in batting. Pence, who is in his third season with the Astros, made his debut early in the 2007 and immediately became a fan favorite. He batted .322 with 17 homers in 2007, finished third in voting for the National League Rookie of the Year award. Last year, Pence traded off average for power, batting .269 but hitting 25 home runs and driving in 83, finishing third on the team in both homers and RBI. Mark Lowe, who became the first former TCL player to reach the major leagues in 2006, is in his fourth season as a member of the Seattle Mariners. In two scoreless appearances this year, Lowe has allowed one hit, walked one, and struck out two. Like Pence, Lowe played for UT-Arlington and he was a member of the Blue Sox early in 2004 before both were selected on the first day of the draft. Lowe reached the majors with a call-up in July 2006, and posted 1.93 ERA in 15 games the remainder of the season. After an up-and-down 2007 campaign, Lowe appeared in 57 last year for the Mariners, earning his first big league save. Chris Davis opened this season as the starting first baseman for the Texas Rangers. A member of the Coppell Copperheads in 2006, Davis surged onto the scene when he batted .285 with 17 home runs after a mid-season call-up last year. Drafted by the New York Yankees in 2004 and then by the (then) Anaheim Angels in 2005, Davis finally signed after being selected by the Rangers in the 2006 draft. Danny Herrera is working out of the bullpen for the Cincinnati Reds after making his debut with the big club last June. Herrera was an all-star for the Graham Roughnecks in the TCL’s inaugural season of 2004 before being drafted by Texas in 2006. Herrera was traded, along with starting pitcher Edinson Volquez, to the Reds in the deal that brought Josh Hamilton to the Rangers following the 2007 season. Of all the TCL alumni in the majors, Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Scott Richmond has taken the most indirect route. A pitcher for Highland Park in 2004, Richmond was not drafted when he graduated from Oklahoma State in 2005. He signed with the Edmonton Cracker-Cats of the independent Northern League, pitching in Edmonton and several international competitions for three seasons. But when Richmond was signed by the Blue Jays following the 2007, he quickly climbed the ladder to Toronto. He made his league debut last July, and this season he earned a spot in the Jays’ starting rotation. While these five players were in the big leagues, several others are just a step or two away. Clay Buchholz, who pitched for the Weatherford Wranglers in 2005, is a member of the starting rotation for the Boston Red Sox’ Triple-A affiliate, the Pawtucket Red Sox. Buchholz gained prominence in 2007 when, in his second major league start, he pitched a no-hitter against the Baltimore Orioles. Also in Triple-A is Josh Geer, a former pitcher for the McKinney Marshals and a 2005 draft choice of the San Diego Padres. Geer, who made his debut with the Padres last September, went 2-1 with a 2.67 ERA after his call-up but started Opening Night for the Portland Beavers. German Duran, an infielder who was called up by the Rangers last June and played 60 games, opened this season with the Triple-A Oklahoma City RedHawks. Duran, who was an all-star when he played in the TCL for the Copperheads, was drafted by Texas in 2005. Another former TCL player who has tasted major league action is Mike Hollimon, who began the 2009 campaign with the Erie SeaWolves, the Detroit Tigers’ Double-A affiliate. A member of the Colleyville-Grapevine LoneStars in 2004, Hollimon was selected by the Tigers in 2005 and played 11 games for Detroit after a mid-season call-up last year. On the cusp of making his big league debut is former Copperhead Jess Todd, who nearly grabbed a spot on Tony LaRussa’s pitching staff for the St. Louis Cardinals. Drafted in 2007, Todd was the Cardinals 2008 Minor League Pitcher of the Year. He opened this season as a member of the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds. The TCL, which is entering its sixth season this summer, has seen more than 210 alumni drafted or signed by major league organizations. The league is comprised of five teams: The Brazos Valley (Bryan) Bombers, Coppell Copperheads, East Texas (Kilgore) Pump Jacks, McKinney Marshals, and the newest entry, the Victoria Generals. The addition of the Generals marks the third straight year the league has added an expansion franchise. The season will open on June 5 with the defending champion Marshals hosting the Bombers, while the Generals play their first-ever game on the road against the Pump Jacks. |
![]()
Browse by Year »
2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005
Browse by Month »
August 2023 May 2023 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 April 2020 March 2020 July 2019 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 December 2016 November 2016 August 2016 July 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 August 2015 July 2015 November 2014 August 2014 July 2014 May 2014 April 2014 November 2013 August 2013 July 2013 May 2013 March 2013 November 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 November 2011 October 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 March 2011 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 April 2008 February 2008 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 March 2005 February 2005 January 2005 |