5 minor-league players with Las Vegas ties worth watching
In recent years, the City of Las Vegas produced a tremendous amount of baseball talent, starting, of course, with two of the game’s best — Bryce Harper and Kris Bryant.
After all, how many cities can boast having back-to-back National League Most Valuable Players with Harper in 2015 and Bryant in 2016. Oh, and those two also won NL Rookie of the Year honors in 2012 and 2015, respectively.
Ensuing years might not have produced the same caliber of talent, but there are plenty of players who have called Las Vegas home in the minor leagues waiting for their shot.
Who are the local kids ranking high on the prospects lists? Here are five to watch during the second half of the minor league season.
We don’t expect them to be a September call-up but you never know.
Dean Kremer, RHP
Kremer, who played college ball at UNLV, was one of the prospects included in the Orioles’ recent trade of Manny Machado to the Dodgers.
Per MLBPipeline, he is now the Orioles’ No. 13 prospect.
He posted a 3.30 ERA in 16 starters this season with the Dodgers’ Class-A Advanced affiliate.
He was then moved to Double-A Tulsa where he made one scoreless, seven-inning start and struck out 11 before he was traded to Baltimore. He now pitches for Double-A Bowie.
Cadyn Grenier, SS
The former Bishop Gorman star was drafted 37th overall in this year’s draft by the Orioles, but already has made national headlines.
The shortstop, who played for College World Series champion Oregon State, is currently at Class-A Delmarva.
Through his first 15 professional games, he is hitting .237 with 14 hits. As a junior this year at Oregon State, Grenier hit .319 with 87 hits and 47 RBIs in 68 games for the Beavers.
Thomas Pannone, LHP
Pannone was drafted in the ninth round of the 2013 draft by the Indians out of the College of Southern Nevada.
He was obtained by the Blue Jays last season in a trade and was suspended at the beginning of this year for 80 games for performance-enhancing drugs.
Per MLBPipeline, he is the Blue Jays’ No. 26 prospect.
He is currently in Triple-A and as of Monday had started three games and had a 3.98 ERA. In his minor league career, he boasts a 3.29 ERA across 108 games, 82 starts.
Erich Uelmen, RHP
The righty, who went to Faith Lutheran High School before playing college ball in California, is currently the Cubs’ No. 17 prospect.
He was drafted in the fourth round of the 2017 draft and posted a 3.51 ERA in 11 starts this year in Class-A before being moved up to Class-A Advanced Myrtle Beach during the middle of the season.
There, the 22-year-old has posted a 4.09 ERA through five games.
Phil Bickford, RHP
Bickford has had a difficult 2018, putting up a 6.75 ERA in 11 games for the Brewers’ Class-A Advanced team.
But the talent is there as the righty was a first-round draft pick by the Blue Jays (10th overall) in 2013 and then again by the Giants in 2015, going 18th overall out of the College of Southern Nevada.
He has a career minor league ERA of 3.05.
Bickford missed a majority of last season after being suspended for testing positive for a drug of abuse and then having surgery after being hit on the hand by a batted ball.
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Contact Betsy Helfand at bhelfand@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BetsyHelfand on Twitter.
