Winter League Update: October 23, 2015
While Major League Baseball is in the midst of an exciting World Series, Winter League Baseball is underway from Arizona (Arizona Fall League), the Dominican Republic (Liga de Beisbol Domincano), Mexico (Liga Mexicana del Pacifico), Puerto Rico (Liga de Profesional Roberto Clemente), Venezuela (Liga Venezuela Profesional Beisbol), and Australia (Australian Baseball League).
Hundreds of current Major Leaguers, former Major Leaguers, and up-and-coming Major Leaguers are playing baseball all across the world. Each week, I’ll take a look at some former Knights players who are playing in one of the winter leagues.
Liga de Beisbol Dominicano:
Photo credit: Buren Foster
Charlotte Knights infielder (2013 & 2015) Leury Garcia has appeared in three games with Gigantes del Cibao so far this winter and is hitting .385 (5-for-13) with one run scored, one walk, and a .429 on-base percentage. Garcia hit .298 (104-for-349) with 57 runs scored, 19 doubles, three triples, three home runs, 31 RBIs, and 30 stolen bases. He became just the 10th Knights player in franchise history to steal 30 bases in a season and the first since 2008 (Jason Bourgeois and Jerry Owens).
Slugger Andy Wilkins (2013-14) has appeared in five games with Aguilas Cibaenas and is hitting .267 (4-for-15) with one RBI.
Wilkins had a special season in 2014. A year after hitting seven home runs for the Knights in 2013, the Tulsa, OK native smashed 30 home runs for the team in 2014. Overall, Wilkins hit .293 (144-for-491) with 30 home runs and 85 RBIs in the team’s return to Charlotte.
Wilkins, who was drafted by the White Sox in the fifth round of the 2010 draft, was selected off waivers by the Toronto Blue Jays on March 29, 2015 — just days before the season. He appeared in 21 games for Triple-A Buffalo and hit .264 (19-for-72). He was later purchased by the Los Angeles Dodgers from the Blue Jays on May 3 and finished the 2015 campaign with Triple-A Oklahoma City. Wilkins hit .249 with 18 home runs and 70 RBIs. Most recently, Wilkins was claimed off waivers by the Baltimore Orioles on September 6, 2015.
RHP Hector Noesi made his first start of the winter season on October 18 and earned the win after allowing just one run on five hits over 5.2 innings pitched. Noesi walked one and struck-out one batter. The 6’3″ Dominican native compiled a 4-4 record with a 3.32 ERA in 11 games (10 starts) with the Knights in 2015.
RHP Parker Frazier started for Gigantes del Cibao on October 16 and allowed two unearned runs on three hits over four innings in a no-decision. Frazier posted a 0-1 mark with a 5.08 ERA in 15 games with the Charlotte Knights in 2014.
RHP Jairo Asencio is currently tied for the league lead with two saves. Asencio has allowed just two hits over four scoreless innings while pitching for Tigres del Licey. Asencio was 0-0 with nine saves and a 5.03 ERA in 17 games in 2015 with the Charlotte Knights.
Knight Fever 