THE FLATS — As Major League Baseball’s regular season continues to wind down, #ProJackets are finishing strong with Wild Card games on the line, walkoff singles and multi-hit explosions from the plate.
Charlie Blackmon’s Colorado Rockies took a half-game lead of the second Wild Card spot with their 10-3 win over the Phillies on Tuesday night. Blackmon is currently riding a 16-game hit streak, while swinging at a clip of .353 in the month of September to rank fifth in the National League. Also this month, Blackmon became only the third center fielder in league history to have at least three-straight seasons with 25 home runs and 100 runs – joining Willie Mays and Duke Snider.
After going hitless against the Cubs and in game one against the Cleveland Indians, Daniel Palka got back to his old ways when his two-run, walkoff single lifted the Chicago White Sox in game two over Cleveland. Overall last week, Palka hit two home runs for five RBI, moving him up to 27 home runs now for his rookie campaign with Chicago.
Keep it simple: How Daniel Palka has emerged as the clutch king of Chicago
🎙 #ProJacket Daniel Palka talking his breakout season with the @whitesox
— Georgia Tech Baseball (@GTBaseball) September 26, 2018
Matt Wieters’ bat exploded on Tuesday night, taking four at-bats from the Marlins and giving them three hits back, including an RBI. In his last seven games, Wieters has really found his rhythm at the plate, hitting .318 to collect seven hits, five RBI and two home runs. His home runs came in the form of a three-run shot against the Mets and a solo homer in the first game against Miami.
Also having a fine week was Buck Farmer, who came in to provide 2.1 innings of relief, allowing no runs and just two hits. He also struck out one in the effort.
Below is a complete list of Tech #ProJackets playing professionally this season.
MLB | PLAYER | 2018 SEASON STATS |
| Charlie Blackmon #19 / OF Colorado Rockies MLB Debut: June 7, 2011 (Rockies) MLB Draft: 2008 (Rockies), 2nd round Status: Active Years at Georgia Tech: 2008 High School: North Gwinnett Hometown: Suwanee, Ga. | National League All-Star GP: 150
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| Derek Dietrich #32 / OF Miami Marlins MLB Debut: May 8, 2013 (Marlins) MLB Draft: 2010 (Rays), 2nd round Status: Active Years at Georgia Tech: 2008-10 High School: St. Ignatius Hometown: Parma, Ohio | GP:145 Batting Avg: .263 Hits: 129 Home Runs: 16 Triples: 2 Doubles: 26 RBIs: 45 Runs:72 Stolen Bases:2 OBP: .329 OPS: .751 SLG: .422 |
 | Buck Farmer #45 / RHP Detroit Tigers MLB Debut: August 13, 2014 (Tigers) MLB Draft: 2013 (Tigers), 5th round Status:Active Years at Georgia Tech:2010-13 High School: Rockdale Hometown: Conyers, Ga. | GP:63 IP: 66.1 (2.1) Record:3-4 Saves:0 ERA:4.34 SO:57 Opp. Avg: .258 WHIP:1.60 |
 | Deck McGuire #68 / RHP Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim MLB Debut: Sept. 12, 2017 (Reds) MLB Draft: 2010 (Blue Jays), 1st round Status: Reassigned to minors Years at Georgia Tech: 2008-10 High School: Deep Run Hometown: Richmond, Va. | Reassigned to minors (8/26/18)
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 | Daniel Palka #18 / OF Chicago White Sox MLB Debut: April 25, 2018 (White Sox) MLB Draft: 2013 (Diamondbacks), 3rd round Status: Active Years at Georgia Tech: 2011-13 High School: Greer Hometown: Lyman, S.C. | GP: 119 Batting Avg: .239 Hits: 96 Home Runs: 27 Triples: 3 Doubles: 14 RBIs: 66 Runs: 54 Stolen Bases:2 OBP: .291 OPS: .782 SLG: .491 |
| Matt Wieters | GP: 75
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| Blake Wood | * Out for season due to Tommy John surgery |
Yellow Jackets in the Minors/Independent Leagues
Luke Bard – Rochester Red Wings (Twins) – Triple-A
Triple-A 2018 stats: 32 GP, 3-3, 1 save, 4.66 ERA, 48.1 IP, 52 SO, 1.49 WHIP
MLB 2018 stats: 8 GP, 0-0, 5.40 ERA, 11.2, 13 SO, 1.29 WHIP
Joey Bart – Salem-Keizer Volcanoes (Giants) – Class A Short Season
2018 stats: 51 GP, .294 avg., 60 hits, 13 HR, 3 3B, 15 2B, 40 RBIs, 38 runs
Sam Clay – Chattanooga Lookouts (Twins) – Double-A
2018 stats: 34 GP, 1 GS, 2-6, 1 save, 5.88 ERA, 52.0 IP, 61 SO, 1.73 WHIP
Trevor Craport – Delmarva Shorebirds (Orioles) – Class A
2018 stats: 122 GP, .256 avg., 112 hits, 11 HR, 4 3B, 26 2B, 72 RBIs, 68 runs, 4 SB
Brandon Cumpton – Buffalo Bisons (Blue Jays) – Triple-A
MLB 2018 stats: 1 GP, 0-0, 5.40 ERA, 1.2 IP, 2 SO, 3.00 WHIP
Triple-A 2018 stats: 12 GP, 9 GS, 2-5, 1 save, 6.15 ERA, 52.2 IP, 31 SO, 1.46 WHIP
Independent 2018 stats: 11 GP, 11 GS, 4-3, 4.11 ERA, 65.2 IP, 44 SO, 1.31 WHIP
Jake Esch – Sioux Falls Canaries (Independent)
2018 stats: 19 GP, 19 GS, 8-6, 5.14 ERA, 105.0 IP, 76 SO, 1.581 WHIP
Brandon Gold – Lancaster JetHawks (Rockies) – Class A Advanced
2018 stats: 27 GP, 27 GS, 9-9, 5.44 ERA, 154.0 IP, 121 SO, 1.53 WHIP
Matthew Gorst – Pawtucket Red Sox (Red Sox) – Triple-A
2018 stats: 40 GP, 3-4, 9 saves, 1.84 ERA, 68.1 IP, 58 SO, 0.93 WHIP
Matthew Grimes – Bowie Baysox (Orioles) – Double-A
2018 stats: 35 GP, 6 GS, 0-2, 3.77 ERA, 86.0 IP, 65 SO, 1.41 WHIP
Dusty Isaacs – New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Blue Jays) – Double-A
2018 stats: 44 GP, 4-4, 2 saves, 5.10 ERA, 60.0 IP, 64 SO, 1.53 WHIP
Connor Justus – Mobile BayBears (Angels) – Double-A
2018 stats: 124 GP, .220 avg., 93 hits, 6 HR, 2 3B, 17 2B, 47 RBIs, 60 runs, 7 SB
Deck McGuire – Salt Lake Bees (Angels) – Triple-A
Triple-A 2018 stats: 15 GP, 11 GS, 5-3, 4.24 ERA, 57.1 IP, 50 SO, 1.31 WHIP
MLB 2018 stats: 17 GP, 4 GS, 0-2, 6.35 ERA, 34.0 IP, 27 SO, 1.65 WHIP
Arden Pabst – Altoona Curve (Pirates) – Double-A
2018 stats: 66 GP, .264 avg., 61 hits, 10 HR, 2 3B, 14 2B, 36 RBIs, 26 runs, 2 SB
Ryan Peurifoy – West Virginia Power (Pirates) – Class A
2018 stats: 80 GP, .191 avg., 47 hits, 3 HR, 3 3B, 16 2B, 24 RBIs, 31 runs, 4 SB
Zac Ryan – Mobile BayBears (Angels) – Double-A
2018 stats: 42 GP, 4-5, 3 saves, 4.56 ERA, 71.0 IP, 75 SO, 1.51 WHIP
Matt Skole – Charlotte Knights (White Sox) – Triple-A
Triple-A 2018 stats: 121 GP, .237 avg., 102 hits, 14 HR, 1 3B, 28 2B, 44 RBIs, 50 runs, 3 SB
MLB 2018 stats: 4 GP, .273 avg., 3 hits, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 2 runs
Daniel Spingola – Evansville Otters (Independent) * Released
Independent 2018 stats: 15 GP, .280 avg., 14 hits, 1 HR, 1 3B, 2 2B, 5 RBIs, 8 runs
Minor League 2018 stats: 46 GP, .216 avg., 32 hits, 2 HR, 9 2B, 11 RBIs, 20 runs, 2 SB
Kyle Wren – Pawtucket Red Sox (Red Sox) – Triple-A
2018 stats: 84 GP, .263 avg., 69 hits, 3 HR, 2 3B, 13 2B, 43 RBIs, 30 runs, 10 SB
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