THE FLATS — With the 2018-19 baseball season heating up from the transition of spring to summer, Georgia Tech baseball has a number of ProJackets that are having career seasons, highlighted by a pair of former Tech sluggers in Daniel Palka and Matt Skole that are making the best of their first year at the highest level together for the Chicago White Sox.
Making his debut on Memorial Day, Skole made it memorable, as the ProJacket picked up a base hit in his first career Major League at bat and then blasted a home run later in the game to top off his first game with the White Sox.
Chicago Tribune: White Sox rookie Matt Skole: ‘Couldn’t have dreamed’ of a better major-league debut
What a day!
Congratulations on your first career home run, @Mattskole16! pic.twitter.com/7eVmEet8CA
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) May 28, 2018
.@Mattskole16 is the first #WhiteSox to homer in his major-league debut since Miguel Olivo (9/15/2002 at New York-AL). #SoxStats pic.twitter.com/RdLSE9HQll
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) May 28, 2018
Palka, who made his MLB debut with the White Sox just a month ago, has been hot as of late hitting .317 with two home runs, two triples, two doubles, two RBIs and six runs scored over his last 10 games. The MLB rookie has more than staked his claim for a spot in the White Sox outfielder for the remainder of the season.
Charlie Blackmon continues to play at an all-star level, as the center fielder has hit .302 with a triple, two doubles, two RBIs and 10 runs scored over the Colorado Rockies’ last 10 games, while he ranks sixth in the National League this season in home runs with 12 and second in runs scored with 43.
After a slow start to the season, Derek Dietrich has found his swing, as the outfielder is hitting .326 with two home runs, eight RBIs and eight runs scored over his last 15 games in a Miami Marlins’ lineup that has struggled all season long.
On the mound, Buck Farmer picked up his first win of the year out of the bullpen versus the White Sox on May 25 and has struck out 30 batters over 25.1 innings of work for the Detroit Tigers, while Deck McGuire was reassigned to the minors after not one, but two call ups to the Toronto Blue Jays in May. McGuire appeared in four games for the Blue Jays, striking out seven in 8.1 innings of work.
Veteran catcher Matt Wieters is back on the 10-day disabled list, while fellow ProJacket Blake Wood had his season cut short due to an arm injury and will undergo Tommy John surgery to fix a tear of the graft of his previous surgery.
Fox Sports: Angels lose yet another pitcher to Tommy John surgery in Blake Wood
Below is a complete list of Tech #ProJackets playing professionally this season.
| MLB | PLAYER | 2018-19 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. | GP: 61 Batting Avg: .286 Hits: 70 Home Runs: 13 Triples: 4 Doubles: 8 RBIs: 31 Runs: 50 Stolen Bases: 4 OBP: .366 OPS: .876 SLG: .510 |
 | 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: 62 Batting Avg: .285 Hits: 63 Home Runs: 8 Triples: 1 Doubles: 12 RBIs: 25 Runs: 30 Stolen Bases: 1 OBP: .335 OPS: .792 SLG: .457 |
 | 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: 32 IP: 30.1 Record: 1-3 Save: 0 ERA: 5.93 SO: 31 Opp. Avg: .306 Whip: 1.81 |
 | 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: 38 Batting Avg: .252 Hits: 33 Home Runs: 6 Triples: 3 Doubles: 8 RBIs: 22 Runs: 16 Stolen Bases: 2 OBP: .295 OPS: .791 SLG: .496 |
 | Matt Wieters #32 / C Washington Nationals MLB Debut: May 29, 2009 (Orioles) MLB Draft: 2007 (Orioles), 1st round Status: Disabled List - 10 day Years at Georgia Tech: 2005-07 High School: Stratford Hometown: Goose Creek, S.C. | GP: 23 Batting Avg: .231 Hits: 15 Home Runs: 3 Doubles: 1 RBIs: 7 Runs: 6 Stolen Bases: 0 OBP: .342 OPS: .727 SLG: .385 |
 | Blake Wood #46 / P Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim MLB Debut: May 12, 2010 (Royals) MLB Draft: 2006 (Royals), 3rd round Status: Disabled List - 60 day Years at Georgia Tech: 2004-07 High School: North Gwinnett Hometown: Suwanee, Ga. | * Out for season due to Tommy John surgery |
| PLAYER | Current Team (MLB Team) | Level | MiLB Bio | at Tech | 2018-19 Season Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luke Bard | Rochester Red Wings (Twins) | AAA | BIO | 2010-12 | 11 GP, 0-0, 2.65 ERA, 1 save, 17.0 IP, 19 SO, 1.06 WHIP * with the Angels (MLB) 8 GP, 0-0, 5.40 ERA, 11.2 IP, 13 SO, 1.29 WHIP |
| Sam Clay | Chattanooga Lookouts (Twins) | AA | BIO | 2013-14 | 13 GP, 1-3, 1 save, 7.25 ERA, 22.1 IP, 25 SO, 1.88 WHIP |
| Trevor Craport | Delmarva Shoebirds (Orioles) | A | BIO | 2015-17 | 57 GP, .261 avg., 52 hits, 7 HR, 1 3B, 9 2B, 33 RBIs, 36 runs, 3 SB South Atlantic League All-Star |
| Brandon Cumpton | Southern Maryland Blue Crabs | Independent | BIO | 2008-10 | 8 GP, 8 GS, 3-2, 5.63 ERA, 46.1 IP, 27 K, 1.51 WHIP |
| Jake Esch | St. Paul Saints | Independent | BIO | 2009-11 | 5 GP, 5 GS, 3-1, 5.26 ERA, 25.2 IP, 27 K, 1.64 WHIP |
| Brandon Gold | Lancaster JetHawks (Rockies) | A (Adv) | BIO | 2014-16 | 13 GP, 13 GS, 5-3, 5.79 ERA, 73.0 IP, 50 SO, 1.56 WHIP |
| Matthew Gorst | Salem Red Sox (Red Sox) | A (Adv) | BIO | 2014-16 | 19 GP, 1-2, 8 saves, 1.65 ERA, 27.1 IP, 30 SO, 0.99 WHIP Carolina League All-Star |
| Matthew Grimes | Bowie Baysox (Orioles) | AA | BIO | 2011-14 | 15 GP, 1 GS, 0-0, 3.60 ERA, 35.0 IP, 24 SO, 1.31 WHIP |
| Dusty Isaacs | Buffalo Bisons (Blue Jays) New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Blue Jays) | AAA | BIO | 2011-14 | Overall in 2018: 19 GP, 3-1, 4.30 ERA, 29.1 IP, 27 SO, 1.67 WHIP * with Buffalo Bisons (Triple-A) 6 GP, 1-0, 6.30 ERA, 10.0 IP, 8 SO, 2.00 WHIP |
| Connor Justus | Mobile BayBears (Angels) | AA | BIO | 2014-16 | 54 GP, .193 avg., 34 hits, 1 3B, 8 2B, 13 RBIs, 25 runs |
| Deck McGuire | Buffalo Bisons (Blue Jays) | AAA | BIO | 2008-10 | * Designated for Assignment Minors in 2018: 8 GP, 8 GS, 4-2, 3.22 ERA, 44.2 IP, 40 SO, 1.16 WHIP * with the Toronto Blue Jays (MLB) 4 GP, 0-0, 6.48 ERA, 8.1 IP, 7 SO, 1.68 WHIP |
| Arden Pabst | Bradenton Marauders (Pirates) | A (Adv) | BIO | 2014-16 | 32 GP, .265 avg., 31 hits, 5 HR, 9 2B, 20 RBIs, 12 runs, 2 SB Florida State League All-Star |
| Ryan Peurifoy | West Virginia Power (Pirates) | A | BIO | 2014-17 | 38 GP, .183 avg., 21 hits, 3 HR, 8 2B, 11 RBIs, 16 runs |
| Zac Ryan | Inland Empire 66ers (Angels) | A (Adv) | BIO | 2014-17 | 20 GP, 3-1, 3.86 ERA, 37.1 IP, 40 SO, 1.37 WHIP |
| Matt Skole | Charlotte Knights (White Sox) | AAA | BIO | 2009-10 | 48 GP, .249 avg. 43 hits, 6 HR, 1 3B, 13 2B, 16 RBIs, 23 runs, 1 SB * Chicago White Sox (MLB) 4 GP, .253 avg., 3 hits, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 2 runs |
| Daniel Spingola | Tennessee Smokies Myrtle Beach Pelicans (Cubs) | AA | BIO | 2012-15 | 41 GP, .211 avg., 28 hits, 2 HR, 8 2B, 10 RBIs, 16 runs, 1 SB |
| Kyle Wren | Colorado Springs Sky Sox (Brewers) | AAA | BIO | 2011-13 | 37 GP, .310 avg., 36 hits, 2 HR, 1 3B, 5 2B, 26 RBIs, 19 runs, 6 SB |
