TWC News
07.09.2010 - [Baseball]
Hamilton Bennett
Hamilton Bennett
Freddy Lewis
Freddy Lewis

Athens, TN - Tennessee Wesleyan College has eight alumni who are actively playing in various pro leagues around the country. These former bulldogs are scattered thru the minor leagues of professional baseball and the Independent Leagues. With the All Star breaks nearing we wanted to take this opportunity to update you on their progress.

Short Season

Two members of the Bulldog NAIA Avista World Series team were drafted this past June. Hamilton Bennett and Freddy Lewis are currently playing in the New York Penn League

Bennett a LHP from Tega Cay, SC was a 29th round pick by the New York Mets. He is currently playing for the Brooklyn Cyclones. In all relief appearances Bennett has an 0-1 record with an earned run average of 2.89 with six appearances. The first team All AAC selection from 2010 has pitched 9.1 innings and given up three runs with five walks and five strikeouts. Freddy Lewis a left hander from Gainesville, FL was a 47th round pick by the New York Yankees. He is currently playing for the Stanton Island Yankees. Lewis has logged one inning of work. The lefty gave up two runs on one hit. He has fanned one and walked four.

Low Class A

Vladimir Frias a member of the 2007, 2008 AAC Conference Regular Season and Tournament championship teams is currently playing in the Boston Red Sox organization. Frias was a 30th round selection of the San Francisco Giants back in 2008. The shortstop who hails from the Dominican Republic is playing in the South Atlantic League for the Greenville Drive. Thru forty seven games Frias is hitting .200 in one hundred and sixty five plate appearances with seven doubles, one triple, and two homeruns. The 2008 AAC Player of The Year has driven in twenty one runs and stolen eleven bases.

High Class A

Cole McCurryCole McCurry, a member of the 2007 AAC Conference Regular Season and Tournament championship team, went 13-0 on his way to being a 43rd round selection by the Baltimore Orioles. McCurry is currently playing for the Fredrick Keys in the Carolina League. The first team All AAC selection in 2007 is 3-3 with a 4.09 earned run average thru seventeen appearances. In 70.1 innings or work the left hander has given up thirty two earned runs on sixty five hits. As a starter for the Keys, McCurry has sixty nine strikeouts to thirty three walks.

 
Double A

Jim HendersonJim Henderson, a member of the 2003 AAC Conference Regular Season Championship team, is with the Huntsville Stars of the Southern League. Henderson, who was drafted in the 26th round by the Washington Nationals, is now with the Milwaukee Brewers organization. The righty from Canada has a 3-1 record with a 3.96 earned run average thru twenty six appearances. In 36.1 innings of work Jim has given up twenty three hits, sixteen earned runs, walked nineteen, and struck out twenty nine. The 2003 AAC Player of the Year also has five saves on the season.

Independent League

Tyler Moyneur is playing for the New York Empires of the New York State League. Moyneur, a native of California, is hitting .241 thru eighteen games in fifty four at bats. He has crossed the plate seven times and stolen one bag. The 2009 AAC Player of the Year has two doubles, one triple, one homerun, and eleven runs batted in. Tyler was a member of two AAC Conference Regular Season Championships and two AAC Tournament Championships.
Zack Sterner, a member of the 2007 AAC Regular Season and Tournament Championship teams, is playing for the River City Rascals of the Frontier League. Sterner was the 2007 AAC Pitcher of the Year for the bulldogs. That team along with McCurry, and Frias is the only team in the history of the AAC to have an unbeaten regular season record (18-0). Sterner was originally drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 17th round back in 07. The Pennsylvania native has one win to no defeats thru two games with a 3.49 earned run average. He has pitched 10.1 innings giving up four runs on five hits. The righty has walked six and struck out ten.
 

Kris JiggittsKris Jiggitts, a member of the 2008 AAC Regular Season and Tournament Championship team, is playing for the El Paso Diablos of the American Association. Jiggitts has a 0-1 record with a 14.31 earned run average thru six appearances. The first team All AAC Selection has given up nine runs on twelve hits in 5.2 innings of work. The Colorado native has walked four and struck out four.