6/19/2024 | Baseball
BOCA RATON, Fla. – Nearing the midway point of the 2024 baseball season, Florida Atlantic has 12 former Owls competing professionally. That includes three playing prominent roles in the major leagues.
Austin Gomber – Colorado Rockies
Gomber has made 14 starts this season and holds a 4.36 ERA. He had a stellar month in May, allowing just two earned runs in 26.2 innings. That included two separate outings where he pitched six shutout innings – May 4 in a 1-0 loss vs. Pittsburgh and May 15 in an 8-0 win over San Diego.
Nolan Schanuel – Los Angeles Angels
Now in his first full season in the majors, Schanuel continues to play every day at first base for the Angels. Entering play on Wednesday, he’s tied for second among all rookies with eight home runs and fourth with 55 hits.
Pedro Pages – St. Louis Cardinals
Pages has seized a recent opportunity for more playing time behind the plate with the Cardinals. His first major league hit was a bases-clearing three-RBI double on May 14 (with fellow former Owl Schanuel at first base on the other side). Pages again came up big in the Cardinals’ three-game weekend series against the Cubs. He launched his first career home run to break a 0-0 tie in the eighth inning in game one. In the series finale two days later, he connected again to put the Cardinals up early in a game they would go on to win 2-1. The Cardinals have also been impressed with his play behind the plate and his ability to call games:
Pedro Pagés on his first two MLB home runs in Chicago over Father’s Day weekend with his dad in attendance: “We’ve been through a lot together. Everything he’s helped me through, to get to where I am today, that’s the best gift I could’ve given him.”#STLCards | @TheCatOnBallyTV pic.twitter.com/ayMqZ6HM6G– Bally Sports Midwest (@BallySportsMW) June 17, 2024
BJ Murray – Iowa Cubs (Cubs’ Triple-A)
Murray has seven home runs and 24 RBI in 62 games. The native of the Bahamas is playing third base every day and has an on-base percentage hovering around .400. His first home run of the season back in April was an inside-the-park homer.
Caleb Pendleton – Tri-City Dust Devils (Angels’ High-A)
Pendleton spent April in the Arizona Complex League before joining High-A Tri-City in May, where he hit .344 in the first month of the season. He had at least one hit in eight of the first 12 games, including two doubles and an RBI in a 9-4 Dust Devils’ win on May 24.
Javi Rivera – Dayton Dragons (Reds’ High-A)
Rivera has been a consistent part of the Dragons’ rotation through the first three months with a 5-2 record and a 4.09 ERA. He was dominant in his last three starts in May, holding opponents scoreless over 16.2 innings.
Robert Wegielnik – Lynchburg Hillcats (Guardians’ Single-A)
Wegielnik’s professional career is off to a solid start. In his first 15 games, he’s 1-1 with a 3.44 ERA. He came up big to preserve a Hillcats’ win on Tuesday, pitching the final two innings and racking up four strikeouts.
Francisco Urbaez – Chattanooga Lookouts (Reds’ Double-A)
Urbaez has at least one hit in 10 of the last 12 games and was the Lookouts’ “Player of the Series” for June 11-16. He homered once, racked up nine RBI, and hit .429 with runners in scoring position.
Gabriel Rincones, Jr. – Reading Fightin Phils (Phillies’ Double-A)
After hitting .300 with four home runs in 50 at-bats in April, Rincones had thumb surgery and has been sidelined ever since. He’s been rehabbing recently in Clearwater with an eye toward a return later in the summer.
Cody Wilson – Harrisburg Senators (Nationals’ Double-A)
Wilson has a hit in four of the last seven games playing in the outfield alongside 2023 second-overall pick Dylan Crews.
Kyle Marman — Sioux City Explorers (Independent)
Marman has a 3.48 ERA in 11 appearances since catching on with Sioux City in mid-May.
Jake Miednik – Gastonia Baseball Club (Independent)
Miednik is in his first full season with Gastonia after joining late last summer. In 14 games, he’s 2-0 with a 3.31 ERA.
Pat Murphy – Manager, Milwaukee Brewers
In his first season as a major league manager, Murphy has the Brewers in first place in the National League Central. Milwaukee is one of just four teams in the NL with a winning record (at the start of play on Wednesday).
Mickey Storey – Manager, Sugar Land Space Cowboys (Astros’ Triple-A)
Storey’s Space Cowboys are running away with the first-half division title in the Pacific Coast League – East Division. At 46-24, Sugar Land has an eight-game lead over second-place Oklahoma City.
For a full list of Owls in the Pros keep an eye on our Baseball Pro Owls database.
