Diamond Dawgs in the Show Update: April 9
Another Major League Baseball season has arrived with more Diamond Dawgs making their names on the biggest stage.
On opening day, State was tied with Vanderbilt for the most players on main rosters with 11 but that number went to 12 this week with the addition of Justin Foscue to the Texas Rangers roster. Injuries have plagued several former Diamond Dawgs early this year, but they’re on the road to recovery and it should be an exciting year of baseball on the way.
Kendall Graveman enters year 10 in the league as the eldest Dog still playing pro baseball but is expected to miss all of 2024 after having shoulder surgery. The same could be said for Brandon Woodruff who missed several months last year with a shoulder injury and could miss this whole season.
State had two former Bulldogs make debuts in the league last season as J.P. France was the talk of the Houston Astros after his solid season in the rotation. Jordan Westburg also made waves with the Baltimore Orioles and is primed for a big year.
Three former teammates are playing on the same team this year as Chris Stratton, Adam Frazier and Hunter Renfroe are all playing for the Kansas City Royals. It’s the first time the trio has been together on the same team since the Diamond Dawgs won the SEC Tournament in 2012 and finished the year in a Regional at Florida State. Dakota Hudson also has a new team moving to Colorado.
Brent Rooker had his breakthrough season with the Oakland A’s last year and is hopeful for a big season while Nate Lowe earned a Golden Glove for his work with the World Champions Texas Rangers at first base.
More reinforcements could be on the way this year for State as well with others champing at the bit in Triple A.
This past week, Foscue made his MLB debut and earned his first career hit, Stratton earned a save and had two scoreless appearances and Renfroe and Rooker combined for three home runs.
Let’s get to the stats.
RHP Kendall Graveman, Houston Astros
Last Week: N/A (Out for season with shoulder injury)
Season: N/A
Career: 10 seasons, 37-43, 3.95 ERA, 279 app., 80 starts, 24 saves, 651.2 IP, 648 H, 312 R, 286 ER, 219 BB, 494 K
RHP J.P. France, Houston Astros
Last Week: 0-1, 1 S, 5.2 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 4 K
Vs. Texas Rangers, April 6 – Loss
Season: 0-1, 4.76 ERA, 2 S, 11.1 IP, 14 H, 6 R, 3 BB, 9 K
Career: 2 seasons, 11-7, 3.90 ERA, 26 App., 25 S, 147.2 IP, 152 H, 70 R, 64 ER, 50 BB, 110 K
RHP Chris Stratton, Kansas City Royals
Last Week: 1-0, 2 app., 1 SV, 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
Vs. Chicago White Sox, April 5 – Win, 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
Vs. CWS, April 6 – 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
Season: 1-0, 4.50 ERA, 4 App., 1 SV, 4.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 3 K
Career: 9 seasons, 38-24, 4.43 ERA, 306 app., 42 starts, 13 SV, 549.0 IP, 557 H, 294 R, 270 ER, 219 BB, 507 K
RHP Brandon Woodruff, Milwaukee Brewers
Last Week: N/A (Placed on 60-day Injured List on February 21 with injured right shoulder)
Season: N/A
Career: 8 seasons, 46-26, 3.10 ERA, 130 appearances, 115 starts, 1 save, 680.1 IP, 535 H, 243 R, 234 ER, 176 BB, 788 K
RHP Dakota Hudson, Colorado Rockies
Last Week: 0-2, 1 S, 6.0 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 4 K
Vs. Tampa Bay Rays, April 7 – Loss
Season: 0-2, 2.38 ERA, 2 S, 11.1 IP, 11 H, 6 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 6 K
Career: 7 seasons, 38-22, 3.81 ERA, 116 app., 81 starts, 1 save, 482.0 IP, 450 H, 227 R, 204 ER, 218 BB, 321 K
LHP Ethan Small, San Francisco Giants
Last Week: N/A (Placed on 60-day Injured List on February 6 with right oblique strain)
Season: N/A
Career: 3 seasons, 0-0, 8.71 ERA, 4 App., 2 S, 1 SV, 10.1 IP, 17 H, 10 R, 10 BB, 13 K
OF Hunter Renfroe, Kansas City Royals
Last Week: 4 G, .235 BA, 4 H, 2 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 5 K
Vs. Baltimore Orioles, April 3 – 1-4, 1 K
Vs. CWS, April 4 – 1-3, 1 R, 1 BB
Vs. CWS, April 5 – 1-4, 3 K
Vs. CWS, April 7 – 1-3, 1 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 K
Season: 8 G, .138 BA, 4 H, 2 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 10 K, .167 OBP, .241 SLG
Career: 9 seasons, 849 G, .238 BA, 706 H, 407 R, 162 2B, 4 3B, 178 HR, 456 RBI, 246 BB, 831 K, 14-18 SB, .299 OBP, .475 SLG
2B Adam Frazier, Royals
Last Week: 4 games, .222 BA, 2 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 1 K
vs. BAL, April 3 – 0-4, 1 K
vs. CWS, April 4 – 1-1, 1 R, 1 BB
vs. CWS, April 5 – 1-3, 1 BB
vs. CWS, April 6 – 0-1, 1 BB
Season: 9 G, .250 BA, 5 H, 1 R, 2 RBI, 3 BB, 2 K, .348 OBP, .250 SLG
Career: 9 seasons, 971 G, .269 BA, 855 H, 434 R, 170 2B, 27 3B, 56 HR, 319 RBI, 263 BB, 458 K, 52-84 SB, .331 OBP, .392 SLG
1B Nate Lowe, Texas Rangers
Last Week: (Placed on 10-day IL on March 28 with right oblique strain)
Season: N/A
Career: 6 seasons, 543 G, .273 BA, 542 H, 271 R, 98 2B, 8 3B, 73 HR, 259 RBI, 242 BB, 546 K, 12-14 SB, .355 OBP, .441 SLG
2B Justin Foscue, Rangers
Last Week: 2 G, .500 BA, 1 H, 1 RBI (Placed on the 10-day IL with left oblique strain)
Season: Same
OF Brent Rooker, Oakland Athletics
Last Week: 4 G, .286, 4 H, 2 R, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 5 K
Vs. Boston Red Sox, April 3 – 0-4, 1 K
Vs. Detroit Tigers, April 5 – 2-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 2 K
Vs. DET, April 6 – 2-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI
Vs. DET, April 7 – 0-2, 2 K
Season: 8 G, .200 BA, 6 H, 2 R, 1 2B, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 1 BB, 16 K, .226 OBP, .433 SLG
Career: 5 seasons, 226 G, .229, 168 H, 93 R, 34 2B, 1 3B, 42 HR, 97 RBI, 68 BB, 274 K, 4-4 SB, .312 OBP, .450 SLG
2B Jordan Westburg, Baltimore Orioles
Last Week: 4 G, .133, 2 H, 2 R, 1 2B, 3 K
Vs. KC, April 3 – 0-3, 2 K
Vs. Pittsburgh Pirates, April 5 – 0-3
Vs. PIT, April 6 – 2-5, 2 R, 1 2B, 1 K
Vs. PIT, April 7 – 0-4
Season: 9 G, .194 BA, 6 H, 6 R, 2 2B, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 1 BB, 6 K, .242 OBP, .355 SLG
Career: 2 seasons, 77 G, .251 BA, 60 H, 32 R, 19 2B, 2 3B, 4 HR, 28 RBI, 17 BB, 62 K, 4-5 SB, .303 OBP, .397 SLG
