July 11, 2003
ATLANTA –
Three former Georgia Tech stars – pitcher Kevin Brown of the Los Angeles Dodgers, and shortstop Nomar Garciaparra and catcher Jason Varitek of the Boston Red Sox – have all been named to the Major League Baseball All-Star Game on July 15 in Chicago.
Varitek (.304, 15 HR, 54 RBI), who will be making his first All-Star Game appearance was the final player selected to the American League team after the spot was filled by fan voting on the internet. Brown (10-4, 2.30 ERA) will be making his sixth appearance in the All-Star Game while Garciaparra (.319, 13 HR, 58 RBI) is an All-Star for the fifth time.
Ten former Yellow Jackets are currently on Major League rosters. In addition to Brown, Garciaparra and Varitek, other Tech players in the bigs are Darren Bragg (Atlanta Braves), Marlon Byrd (Philadelphia Phillies), Doug Creek (Toronto Blue Jays – 60 day DL), David Elder (Cleveland Indians – 60 day DL), Jay Payton (Colorado Rockies), Mark Teixeira (Texas Rangers) and Kris Wilson (Kansas City Royals).
FOUR YELLOW JACKETS MAKE USA BASEBALL NATIONAL TEAM
Four Georgia Tech players are among the 20 collegians selected to the 2003 USA Baseball National Team. Making the team are catcher Mike Nickeas, second baseman Eric Patterson, shortstop Tyler Greene and pitcher/first baseman Micah Owings.
The Yellow Jackets placed four players on the team while Arizona State, Mississippi and Stanford each had two players make the national team. No other school had more than one player make the roster. With four players making the USA Baseball National Team in 2003, Georgia Tech has now had 18 players make the team since 1985. Many of those players have made the USA Team on multiple occasions, including Patterson (2002 and 2003).
The 2003 USA Baseball National Team will represent the United States this summer in the Pan Am Games, August 2-12 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. A complete scheduled as well as cumulative statistics for the USA Baseball National Team is available on the internet at USA Baseaball.
MURTON, GOODMAN AND WATCHKO SIGN PRO CONTRACTS
Three Georgia Tech players have signed professional contracts with Major League Baseball clubs. Outfielder Matt Murton, a supplemental first round selection of the Boston Red Sox, recently signed a contract and has begun his professional career with the Class A Lowell Spinners of the New York-Penn League.
Pitchers Chris Goodman and Jeff Watchko both signed contracts in early June immediately following the draft. Goodman, a fifth round selection of the Kansas City Royals, is currently with the Arizona League Royals. Watchko, a 24th round pick of the Colorado Rockies, is playing with the Class A Casper Rockies.
Pitcher Kyle Bakker, who still has one year of eligibility remaining at Georgia Tech, was a 20th round draft pick of the Atlanta Braves but has yet to sign a pro contract. Bakker is currently playing with the Bourne Braves of the Cape Cod League.
SIXTEEN FORMER YELLOW JACKETS IN THE MINOR LEAGUES
In addition to the 10 former Yellow Jackets currently in the Major Leagues, there are 16 former Georgia Tech players currently in the minor leagues.
Current assignments include Jason Basil (Class A Kane County Cougars/Oakland Athletics), Kevin Cameron (Class A Quad City River Bandits/Minnesota Twins), Chris Goodman (Arizona League Royals/Kansas City Royals), Heath Honeycutt, Steve Kelly and Bryan Prince (Class A Potomac Cannons/Cincinnati Reds), Richard Lewis (Class AA Greenville Braves/Atlanta Braves), Victor Menocal (Class A Lakewood BlueClaws/Philadelphia Phillies), Andy Mitchell (Class A Frederick Keys/Baltimore Orioles), Matt Murton (Class A Lowell Spinners/Boston Red Sox), Tyler Parker (Class A Peoria Chiefs/St. Louis Cardinals), Rhett Parrott (Class AA Tennessee Smokies/St. Louis Cardinals), Jason Perry (Class A Modesto A’s/Oakland Athletics), Cory Vance and David Newhan (Class AAA Colorado Springs Sky Sox/Colorado Rockies) and Jeff Watchko (Class A Casper Rockies/Colorado Rockies).
In addition, former Tech infielder Matthew Boggs in playing professionally with the Independent League Florence Freedom.
SIX TECH PLAYERS IN THE CAPE COD LEAGUE
Six current Georgia Tech players are spending the summer months playing in the prestigious Cape Cod League. Pitchers Kyle Schmidt and Kyle Bakker as well as first baseman Clifton Remole are all teammates with the Bourne Braves. Outfielder Jeremy Slayden is playing with the Falmouth Commodores, pitcher Jason Neighborgall is with the Wareham Gatemen, and outfielder Brandon Boggs is with the Orleans Cardinals.
Schmidt was named the Cape Cod League Pitcher of the Week on July 6 after striking out 14 batters in a three-hit shutout of Hyannis on July 1. Complete season statistics are available on the internet at Cape Cod Baseball League.
OTHER SUMMER LEAGUE ASSIGNMENTS
In addition to the Cape Cod League and the USA Baseball National Team, Georgia Tech has many of its other players participating in various other leagues across the country this summer.
Pitchers Jordan Crews and Andrew Kown are playing with the Anchorage Bucs of the Alaska Baseball League.
Infielder Jake Hall, catcher Andy Hawranick and pitcher Jeff Kindel are with the Delaware Cows of the Great Lakes Summer League.
Outfielder Steven Blackwood is playing with the Keene Swamp Bats of the New England Collegiate Baseball League.
Pitchers Ryan Self and Nick Wagner are teammates with the Peninsula Pilots of the Coastal Plain League.
Other summer assignments include infielder Mike Trapani (Marietta Red Sox) and pitcher John Berthelsen (Atlanta Yankees) with the Atlanta Stan Musial League, and first baseman Ryan Stanley in the Florida Collegiate League.
